suppl
The information in this preliminary prospectus supplement is not complete and may be changed. This
preliminary prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus are not an offer to sell these
securities and are not soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any state where the offer or
sale is not permitted.
Filed pursuant to General Instruction II. L. of Form F-10
File No. 333-160709
SUBJECT TO COMPLETION, DATED DECEMBER 8, 2009
PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT
(To Prospectus Dated July 28, 2009)
· Common Shares
Westport Innovations Inc. (Westport, we, us, our or the Corporation) is hereby
offering (the Offering) · of our common shares (the Common Shares). The Offering is
being made concurrently in Canada under the terms of this Prospectus Supplement and in the United
States under the terms of a registration statement on Form F-10 filed with the U.S. Securities and
Exchange Commission (the SEC). Our Common Shares are listed for trading on the Toronto Stock
Exchange (the TSX) under the trading symbol WPT and on The Nasdaq Global Market (NASDAQ)
under the symbol WPRT. We have applied to the TSX for the additional listing of the Common
Shares offered by this Prospectus Supplement. Listing on the TSX will be subject to our
fulfillment of all of the listing requirements of the TSX. The Common Shares offered by this
Prospectus Supplement will be listed on NASDAQ. On December 7, 2009, the closing price of the
Common Shares on the TSX and NASDAQ was $12.90 and U.S.$12.16, respectively.
An investment in the Common Shares offered by this Prospectus Supplement is speculative and
involves a high degree of risk. Prospective investors should carefully review the risk factors
referred to under Risk Factors in this Prospectus Supplement and the accompanying Prospectus
before purchasing Common Shares.
We are permitted, as a Canadian issuer, under the multi-jurisdictional disclosure system
adopted by the United States and Canada (the MJDS), to prepare this Prospectus Supplement and the
Prospectus in accordance with Canadian disclosure requirements. You should be aware that such
requirements are different from those of the United States. We have prepared our financial
statements incorporated into this Prospectus Supplement and the Prospectus by reference in
accordance with Canadian generally accepted accounting principles, and they are subject to Canadian
auditing and auditor independence standards. Thus, they may not be comparable to the financial
statements of United States companies. Information regarding the impact upon our financial
statements of significant differences between Canadian and United States generally accepted
accounting principles is contained in Note 24 to the Corporations audited consolidated financial
statements as at March 31, 2009 and 2008 and for each of the years in the three-year period ended
March 31, 2009 and in Note 11 to the Corporations unaudited consolidated financial statements as
at September 30, 2009, which are incorporated into the Prospectus by reference.
You should be aware that the acquisition of the Common Shares may have tax consequences both
in the United States and in Canada. Such consequences for investors who are resident in, or
citizens of, the United States may not be described fully herein. See Certain Income Tax
Considerations in this Prospectus Supplement.
Your ability to enforce civil liabilities under United States federal securities laws may be
affected adversely by the fact that we are incorporated under the laws of Alberta, Canada, the
majority of our officers and directors and some of the experts named in this Prospectus Supplement
or in the Prospectus are residents of Canada, and a substantial portion of our assets and the
assets of such persons are located outside the United States.
NEITHER THE UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION (the SEC) NOR THE SECURITIES
REGULATOR OF ANY STATE OF THE UNITED STATES HAS APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED THE COMMON SHARES OR
DETERMINED IF THIS PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT OR THE PROSPECTUS IS TRUTHFUL OR COMPLETE. ANY
REPRESENTATION TO THE CONTRARY IS A CRIMINAL OFFENCE.
Jefferies & Company
(Sole Book-Running Manager)
Lazard Capital Markets
(Co-Lead Manager)
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ThinkEquity LLC |
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Craig-Hallum Capital Group |
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Dundee Securities Corporation |
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Our Common Shares are being offered in Canada by Dundee Securities Corporation (the Canadian
Underwriter) and in the United States by Jefferies & Company, Inc., Lazard Capital Markets LLC,
ThinkEquity LLC and Craig-Hallum Capital Group LLC (together with the Canadian Underwriter, the
Underwriters).
Price: U.S.$ · per Common Share
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Underwriting discounts or |
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U.S. $ · |
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Notes:
(1) |
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The Offering price of the Common Shares for investors in Canada will be payable in Canadian
dollars and the Offering price of the Common Shares for investors in the United States will be
payable in U.S. dollars unless the Underwriters otherwise agree. All of the proceeds of the
Offering will be paid to us by the Underwriters in U.S. dollars based on the U.S. dollar
offering price. The total is based on the U.S.-Canadian dollar noon exchange rate on December · , 2009, as quoted by the Bank of Canada, being Cdn.
$ · = U.S.$1.00. |
(2) |
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The Underwriters will receive a fee equal to U.S.$ · per Common Share (or Cdn.$ · )
from the sale of Common Shares to the public. See Underwriting. |
(3) |
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We have granted the Underwriters an option to purchase up to an additional
· Common
Shares at the Offering price during the period ending 30 days from the date of this Prospectus
Supplement. If this option is exercised in full, the total price to the public, underwriting
fees and commissions and net proceeds to us with respect to the total Offering will be
U.S.$ · ,
U.S.$ · and
U.S.$ · , respectively (or
Cdn.$ · ,
Cdn.$ · and
Cdn.$ · , respectively). This Prospectus Supplement qualifies the distribution of this
option to purchase additional Common Shares and the Common Shares that may be offered upon the
exercise of such option. See Underwriting. |
The Canadian Underwriter, as principal, conditionally offers our Common Shares in Canada,
subject to prior sale, if, as and when issued, sold and delivered by us to and accepted by the
Canadian Underwriter in accordance with the conditions in the underwriting agreement referred to
under Underwriting and subject to the approval of certain legal matters on our behalf by Bennett
Jones LLP, our Canadian counsel, and Dorsey & Whitney LLP, our U.S. counsel, and on behalf of the
Underwriters by McCarthy Tétrault LLP, Canadian counsel to the Underwriters, and Jones Day, U.S.
counsel to the Underwriters. In connection with this Offering, the Underwriters may sell more
Common Shares than they are required to purchase in this Offering or effect transactions that
stabilize or maintain the market price of our Common Shares at levels other than those which might
otherwise prevail on the open market. The Underwriters may decrease the price at which the Common
Shares are distributed from the initial offering price and in such event the compensation realized
by the Underwriters will be decreased by the amount that the aggregate price paid by the purchasers
for the Common Shares is less than the gross proceeds paid by the Underwriters to us. See
Underwriting for additional information.
Subscriptions will be received subject to rejection or allotment in whole or in part, and the
right is reserved to close the subscription books at any time without notice. It is expected that
share certificates evidencing our Common Shares will be available for delivery on the closing date
of this Offering, which is expected to be on or about December · , 2009,
or such later date as may be agreed to by us and the Underwriters but, in any event, not later than
December · , 2009.
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30 days from date of Prospectus |
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U.S.$ · (Cdn.$ ·) |
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Supplement |
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If a purchaser acquires Common Shares forming part of the Underwriters over-allocation
position, the purchaser acquires the Common Shares under this Prospectus Supplement, regardless of
whether the over-allocation position is ultimately filled through the exercise of the option to
purchase additional Common Shares or secondary market purchases.
ii
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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S-1 |
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S-2 |
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S-3 |
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S-4 |
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S-5 |
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S-19 |
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S-20 |
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S-20 |
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S-23 |
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S-24 |
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S-24 |
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S-28 |
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S-34 |
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S-34 |
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IMPORTANT NOTICE ABOUT INFORMATION IN THIS
PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT AND THE ACCOMPANYING PROSPECTUS
This document is in two parts. The first part is this Prospectus Supplement, which describes
the specific terms of Common Shares we are offering and also adds to and updates certain
information contained in the Prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference therein. The
second part, the Prospectus, gives more general information, some of which may not apply to the
Common Shares offered hereunder. This Prospectus Supplement is deemed to be incorporated into the
accompanying Prospectus solely for the purpose of the Offering.
You should rely only on the information contained in this Prospectus Supplement and the
Prospectus or incorporated by reference into the Prospectus. We have not authorized any other
person to provide you with additional or different information. If anyone provides you with
different or inconsistent information, you should not rely on it. We and the Underwriters are
offering to sell, and seeking offers to buy, these securities only in jurisdictions where offers
and sales are permitted. You should assume that the information appearing in this Prospectus
Supplement and the Prospectus, as well as information we have previously filed with the SEC and
with the securities regulatory authority in each of the provinces and territories of Canada that is
incorporated in the Prospectus by reference, is accurate as of their respective dates only. Our
business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since those
dates.
In this Prospectus Supplement and the Prospectus, unless otherwise indicated, references to
we, us, our, Westport or the Corporation are to Westport Innovations Inc. All references
to dollars, Cdn.$ or $ are to Canadian dollars and all references to U.S.$ are to United
States dollars. Unless otherwise indicated, all financial information included in this Prospectus
Supplement and the Prospectus and incorporated by reference in the Prospectus is determined using
Canadian generally accepted accounting principles.
We prepare our financial statements in accordance with Canadian generally accepted accounting
principles (Canadian GAAP), which differ from United States generally accepted accounting
principles (U.S. GAAP). Therefore, our financial statements included in this Prospectus
Supplement and the Prospectus and incorporated by reference in the Prospectus and in the documents
incorporated by reference in the Prospectus may not be comparable to financial statements prepared
in accordance with U.S. GAAP. You should refer to Note 24 of our audited consolidated financial
statements for the years ended March 31, 2009 and 2008 and Note 11 of our unaudited consolidated
financial statements as at September 30, 2009 for a discussion of the principal measurement
differences between our financial results determined under Canadian GAAP and under U.S. GAAP and
for disclosure differences. See Documents Incorporated by Reference in this Prospectus
Supplement.
S-1
SPECIAL NOTICE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
Certain statements contained in this Prospectus Supplement and the Prospectus, and in certain
documents incorporated by reference in the Prospectus, may constitute forward-looking statements.
When used in such documents, the words may, would, could, will, intend, plan,
anticipate, believe, estimate, expect, project and similar expressions, as they relate to
us or our management, are intended to identify forward-looking statements. In particular, this
Prospectus Supplement, the Prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference in the Prospectus
contain forward-looking statements pertaining to the following:
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the future demand for Cummins Westport Inc. (CWI) and Westport products; |
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the penetration of our existing markets and expansion of those markets; |
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our ability to successfully launch our high-pressure direct-injection (HPDI)
technology commercially; |
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our ability to exploit and protect our intellectual property; |
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our capital expenditure and engineering investment programs; |
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the future desirability and use of natural gas as an alternative fuel; |
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commodity prices and the fuel price differential between natural gas and diesel; |
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ongoing relationships between us and our business partners; |
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our ability to continue to compete with our competitors and their technologies; |
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the capital and operating costs of vehicles using our technologies relative to
alternative technologies; |
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continuing growth in the transportation sector and in the natural gas engine market; |
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profit margins and production costs of engines incorporating our technologies; |
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the further development of infrastructure supporting the application of natural gas
as an alternative fuel; |
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increasing penetration of our technologies in key markets within the transportation
sector and in key geographic markets; |
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increasingly stringent environmental regulation in the future; |
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ongoing availability of government incentives and mandates for our technology; |
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our ability to attract and retain personnel; |
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demand for engines incorporating our technologies by the Ports of Los Angeles and
Long Beach, California (the San Pedro Bay Ports or the Ports); |
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production methods for our liquefied natural gas (LNG) system; |
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increasing commercialization of our technologies; |
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expansion of our product offerings; |
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our adoption, timing and ability to meet certain accounting and regulatory
standards; |
S-2
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the ability of our products to adapt to the use of biogas and manufactured fuels,
including hydrogen, as fuels; |
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our estimates and assumptions used in our accounting policies, and accruals,
including warranty accruals, and financial condition; |
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our use of the net proceeds of the Offering; and |
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our compliance with environmental regulations. |
Such statements reflect our current views with respect to future events and are subject to
certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Actual results may differ materially from those
expressed in these forward-looking statements due to a number of uncertainties and risks, including
the risks described in this Prospectus Supplement, the Prospectus and in the documents incorporated
by reference into the Prospectus and other unforeseen risks, including, without limitation:
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market acceptance of our products; |
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product development delays; |
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delays in contractual commitments; |
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changing environmental regulations; |
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the ability to attract and retain business partners; |
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future levels of government funding and incentives; |
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competition from other technologies; |
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limitations on our ability to protect our intellectual property; |
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potential claims or disputes in respect of our intellectual property; |
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the ability to provide the capital required for research, product development,
operations and marketing; and |
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those risks discussed in this Prospectus Supplement and the accompanying Prospectus
under the heading Risk Factors. |
You should not rely on any forward-looking statements. We undertake no obligation to update
or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or
otherwise, after we distribute this Prospectus Supplement, except as otherwise required by law.
DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE
This Prospectus Supplement is deemed to be incorporated by reference into the Prospectus
solely for the purpose of the Offering. Other documents are also incorporated or deemed to be
incorporated by reference into the Prospectus and reference should be made to the Prospectus for
full particulars thereof. See, Documents Filed As Part of Registration Statement in this Prospectus Supplement.
Information has been incorporated by reference into the Prospectus from documents filed with
securities commissions or similar authorities in Canada and with the SEC in the United States.
Copies of the documents incorporated by reference may be obtained on request without charge from
our Director, Investor Relations at 101-1750 West 75th Avenue, Vancouver, British
Columbia, V6P 6G2, telephone (604) 718-8321. Copies of documents incorporated by reference may
also be obtained by accessing the web site located at www.sedar.com.
S-3
We have filed the following documents with the securities commissions or similar regulatory
authorities in each of the provinces of Canada and the SEC, and such documents are specifically
incorporated by reference into, and form an integral part of, the Prospectus as supplemented by
this Prospectus Supplement:
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our annual information form dated June 1, 2009, for the year ended March 31, 2009
(the AIF); |
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our management proxy circular dated June 3, 2009 relating to the annual and special
meeting of shareholders held on July 16, 2009; |
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our audited consolidated financial statements as at March 31, 2009 and 2008 and for
the years ended March 31, 2009, 2008 and 2007, together with the notes thereto, and the
auditors report thereon addressed to our shareholders; |
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our unaudited consolidated financial statements as at September 30, 2009, together
with the notes thereto; |
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our managements discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of
operations dated May 19, 2009, for the year ended March 31, 2009 (the Annual MD&A);
and |
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managements discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of
operations dated November 6, 2009, for the three and six months ended September 30,
2009 and 2008 (the Q2 MD&A). |
Any statement contained in this Prospectus Supplement, the Prospectus or in a document (or
part thereof) incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference into the Prospectus shall be
deemed to be modified or superseded to the extent that a statement contained herein or in any other
subsequently filed document which also is, or is deemed to be, incorporated by reference into the
Prospectus modifies or supersedes such statement. The modifying or superseding statement need not
state that it has modified or superseded a prior statement or include any other information set
forth in the document that it modifies or supersedes. The making of a modifying or superseding
statement is not to be deemed an admission for any purposes that the modified or superseded
statement, when made, constituted a misrepresentation, an untrue statement of a material fact or an
omission to state a material fact that is required to be stated or that is necessary to make a
statement not misleading in light of the circumstances in which it was made. Any statement so
modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to be incorporated
by reference into the Prospectus or to constitute a part of this Prospectus Supplement. Any
documents of the type required by National Instrument 44-101 Short Form Prospectus Distributions of
the Canadian Securities Administrators that we file after the date of this Prospectus Supplement
and before termination of the Offering are deemed to be incorporated by reference into the
Prospectus.
EXCHANGE RATE INFORMATION
The following table sets out, for each period indicated, the exchange rate at the end of the
period and the average of the exchange rates on each day during the period for one U.S. dollar
expressed in Canadian dollars, based on the U.S.-Canada dollar noon exchange rates quoted by the
Bank of Canada. On December 7, 2009, the rate was Cdn.$1.0511 equals U.S.$1.00.
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S-4
PROSPECTUS SUMMARY
The following summary highlights basic information about us and this Offering. This summary
does not contain all of the information you should consider before making a decision to invest in
our Common Shares. You should review this entire Prospectus Summary and the accompanying Prospectus
carefully, including the risks of investing in our Common Shares discussed in the Risk Factors
section of this Prospectus Supplement and the accompanying Prospectus and our consolidated
financial statements and notes thereto and the other documents incorporated into the accompanying
Prospectus by reference.
Our Business
We are engaged in the research, development and marketing of high performance, low-emission
engines and fuel injection systems that utilize alternative gaseous fuels such as natural gas,
propane or hydrogen. We develop technology and products that enable light-, medium- and heavy-duty
diesel (and gasoline in the case of light-duty) engines to run primarily on natural gas, giving
users a cleaner, more plentiful and generally less expensive alternative fuel to diesel. The fuel
is carried in either compressed natural gas (CNG) or LNG storage tanks on a truck or bus chassis.
Over the longer term, we expect our gaseous-fueled engine technologies, systems and experience
will position us to exploit new low-carbon fuels, including natural products like biogas or
manufactured fuels, including hydrogen, as they emerge as cost-competitive options.
We work with strategic partners, which include some of the leading diesel engine and truck
original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), to develop, manufacture and distribute our engines, and
we sell to a diverse group of leading truck and bus OEMs around the world. Our products are
designed to provide environmental and economic benefits combined with strong operational
performance. We have sold over 20,000 natural-gas and propane engines, which operate in 20
countries. Our initial target markets include opportunities where demand for clean, low emission
engines is prevalent, including light-duty (2.0- to 2.4-liter engines), medium- to heavy-duty (5.9-
to 8.9-liter engines) and heavy-duty (11- to 16-liter engines). CWI, our 50:50 joint venture with
Cummins, Inc. (Cummins), serves the medium- to heavy-duty markets and today is primarily focused
on buses, refuse, conventional and vocational trucks, and delivery vehicles with engine sized from
5.9- to 8.9-liters. Westport Heavy Duty (Westport HD) serves the heavy-duty engines markets and
currently offers a 15-liter engine for the heavy-duty trucking market. Juniper Engines Inc.
(Juniper), our 49:51 joint venture with OMVL SpA (OMVL) provides 2.0- and 2.4-liter engines and
is initially targeting industrial end markets.
CWI
CWI is a 50:50 joint venture with Cummins, one of the worlds largest manufacturers of
diesel engines. CWI develops and produces 5.9- to 8.9-liter engines utilizing gaseous
fuels. CWIs engines are offered globally by more than 60 OEMs of transit and shuttle
buses, conventional trucks and tractors, and refuse collection trucks, as well as specialty
vehicles such as short-haul port drayage trucks, material handling trucks, street sweepers
and vehicles for selected industrial applications. CWIs goal is to offer a superior
combination of performance, emissions characteristics and life-cycle cost savings when
compared with engines that operate on diesel fuel. CWI engines are produced at Cummins
plants in the United States, China and India, allowing CWI to spread production of its
engines without incurring any additional capital costs. CWI also leverages Cummins supply
chain, back office systems and distribution and sales networks. This leverage allows CWI to
expand revenues and gross margins faster than expenses. In 2007, CWI launched the ISL G,
which was the first heavy-duty automotive engine to meet U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) 2010 emission requirements. The revenue generated by CWI, as a percentage of
consolidated revenue, for the fiscal years ended 2008 and 2009 and the 12-month period ended
September 30, 2009 was 94%, 90% and 92%, respectively. CWI has been profitable since
calendar year 2004 and has grown revenues at a 30% compound annual growth rate (CAGR)
through calendar year 2008.
Westport HD
Westport HD is the Companys own development platform and is engaged in the
development, design and marketing of natural gas-enabling technology for the heavy-duty
diesel engine and truck market. At the heart of the Westport HD system is our proprietary
HPDI technology, which allows a diesel engine to operate with approximately 95% replacement
of diesel fuel by natural gas while reproducing the key benefits of diesel engines: high
efficiency over the speed and torque operating range, high torque capability
S-5
and robust reliability. The properties of natural gas contribute to a significant
reduction in combustion by-products: nitrogen oxides (NOx), particulate matter (PM) and
greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are all significantly reduced as the engine operates with
the same performance and efficiency as the base diesel engine.
Key components of Westport HD are the Westport GX 15-liter engine and the Westport LNG
system. The Westport GX is based on the industry-leading Cummins ISX 15-liter diesel engine
with cooled exhaust gas recirculation. The Westport LNG System is comprised of: (i) our
proprietary cryogenic fuel pumps provided by Cryostar SAS (Cryostar), a division of The
Linde Group; (ii) our proprietary electronic control units to facilitate robust performance
and reliable operation; and (iii) onboard LNG storage tanks designed and patented by us and
manufactured by BTIC Westport Inc. (BWI), our 50:50 joint venture with Beijing Tianhai
Industry Co. (BTIC), a Sino-Korean company located in Beijing, China.
The Westport GX Engine is 2007 EPA and CARB certified to 0.8g/bhp-hr NOx and
0.01g/bhp-hr PM. Both Kenworth Truck Company (Kenworth) and Peterbilt Motors Company
(Peterbilt) offer factory production of LNG trucks incorporating Westport HD technologies.
To date, Westport HD has received significant market validation with over 200 units sold to
date, including 89 units sold in the 12-month period ended September 30, 2009. We believe
Westport HD will serve as our platform for global market penetration of heavy-duty natural
gas engines. We will continue developing partnerships globally with leading diesel engine
OEMs and incorporating our Westport HD technologies into their engine platforms, enabling us
to become a global standard for heavy-duty diesel engines that run on natural gas.
As a means of building out our Westport HD business to serve the worlds largest global
heavy-duty markets, in July 2008, we entered into a 30-year joint venture agreement with
Weichai Power Co., Ltd. (Weichai Power) and Hong Kong Peterson (CNG) Equipment Limited
(Hong Kong Peterson) to form Weichai Westport Inc. (WWI). WWI will research, develop,
design, manufacture, market, distribute and sell advanced, alternative fuel engines (and
relevant parts and kits) for use in heavy-duty trucks, power generation and shipping
applications.
In addition to WWI, in November 2009, we announced the signing of an agreement with
Volvo AB (Volvo) to become a Tier 1 Development Supplier for its heavy-duty natural gas
engines and associated supply chain. We will supply our Westport HD technology and work
together with the Gothenburg, Sweden engine manufacturer to qualify appropriate suppliers
consistent with Volvo volume and quality expectations. The new natural gas engines are
expected to meet future European emission requirements. In July 2008, we announced an
agreement with Volvo to integrate and test our Westport HD System on Volvo engines.
Juniper Engines
While addressing the mid-range and heavy-duty markets through CWI and Westport HD, we
target the light-duty engine market through Juniper, our 49:51 joint venture with OMVL.
OMVL is an Italian company that designs, manufactures and markets complete fueling systems
for new vehicles and for the aftermarket conversion of engines from gasoline (petrol) to CNG
and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). We invested $1.5 million in Juniper on April 1, 2008,
giving us the right to 49% of Junipers future profits and losses. The joint venture
designs, produces and sells high-performance alternative fuel engines in the sub-5-liter
class initially targeting the global CNG and LPG industrial market, with sales and
engineering support in North America, Europe and Asia. Junipers 2.0- and 2.4-liter engines
are the result of three years of planning and development among Juniper, Westport, OMVL and
Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai), Junipers base engine supply partner. Junipers engines
fully integrate OMVLs multipoint injection (MPI) technology with Hyundais 2.0- and
2.4-liter industrial engine platforms. The result is a high-performance, low emissions
solution that offers advantages over incumbent products, including a compact engine package,
higher torque and power, and enhanced acceleration and transient response. Juniper will be
the manufacturer of record and the products are designed to meet EPA and California Air
Resources Board standards for 2010. The products are expected to be available starting in
calendar 2010.
We expect to penetrate our markets further in the current year due in part to the
macroeconomic drivers behind alternative fuels and our industry relationships developed over the
last 13 years. Through CWI, we are able to leverage Cummins extensive manufacturing capabilities,
sales and marketing efforts, distribution networks, and
S-6
aftermarket service and support to sell into mid-range engine markets while incurring
manageable overhead costs and minimizing our working capital requirements. We intend to use a
similar scalable model for Westport HD when working with Volvo, Weichai Power, and other heavy-duty
engine OEMs and truck manufacturing partners such as PACCAR Inc. (PACCAR).
While focusing firm-wide resources on developing our products and strategic relationships, we
have accumulated a significant portfolio of patents, which we believe creates barriers to entry for
competing technologies. Additionally, we expect to monetize select patent assets through licensing
agreements. We have already been successful in achieving licensing revenue for our proprietary
pump technology. We will continue to rely on a combination of patents, trade secrets, trademarks,
copyrights and contracts to protect our proprietary technology and position in the marketplace.
Our Industry
The natural gas vehicle industry is a large and rapidly growing market. From 2001 to 2008,
natural gas vehicle unit sales have grown at a CAGR of 23.0%, from just over 500,000 vehicles in
2001 to over two million in 2008. 2005 to 2008 saw record growth in natural gas vehicle
deployments, with a CAGR over the period of nearly 50%.
Natural Gas Vehicle Deployments Worldwide, 1996 2008
Source: International Association of Natural Gas Vehicles; http://www.iangv.org/stats/NGV-Statistics08.htm
The natural gas vehicle market appears to be approaching a tipping point. We are seeing
increased interest in our natural gas engines globally as many countries endeavour to reduce their
reliance on petroleum-based transportation fuels due to high and volatile oil prices, heightened
environmental concerns and energy independence and national security concerns. Natural gas is
typically cleaner, cheaper and more readily available than petroleum-based fuels. Stricter
emissions regulations, coupled with various local incentive programs, have reduced the barriers to
adoption of alternative fuels, particularly for fleet customers. Substantial natural gas reserves
located within the United States, Canada, Australia, China, India, Russia, the Middle East and
South America lessen the likelihood of price volatility from concentrated reserves and reduce
national security and energy independence concerns posed by oil. Today, oil-derived fuels dominate
the worlds transportation markets, supplying over 95% of the transportation fuel used in the
United States, illustrating the enormous opportunity for natural gas substitution in this sector.
Whereas alternatives such as nuclear, solar and wind power may be appropriate substitutes for power
generation applications, we believe that there is a narrower range of alternatives in
transportation, where the fuel and its storage system need to be both light and compact enough for
effective use in a vehicle, with natural gas being one of the primary alternatives to diesel fuel
and gasoline.
U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) data shows that diesel fuel prices in the United States have
risen by more than 85% over the past six years. The average price of diesel fuel today across the
United States is U.S.$2.79
S-7
per gallon. Volatility has also been extreme, with the price fluctuating from a low of U.S.$2.02
to a high of U.S.$4.76 over the last 18 months. Conversely, natural gas prices are down about 39%
since the beginning of 2009 and are close to seven year lows. The ratio of the price of one barrel
of oil to the price of one million British thermal units of natural gas needs to be about 6x to
make natural gas more cost-effective as a transportation fuel than diesel. Between 1986 and 2009,
the ratio averaged 10.0x; in 2008, it was 12.2x; today, the ratio is about 22.6x. The wider spread
between natural gas and diesel prices has a direct impact on the payback period for switching to
natural gas engines. For every increase in the relative price of diesel compared to natural gas,
the payback period becomes shorter, and the incentive to switch becomes more attractive. Below is
a sample payback analysis comparing a standard diesel truck to a truck equipped with the Westport
GX system, based on two incentive scenarios: 1) the current U.S. federal incentive scheme and 2)
the incentive scheme proposed in the United States New Alternative Transportation to Give Americans
Solutions Act (NAT GAS Act) (described later in this section):
Natural Gas/Diesel Vehicle Cost Comparison
(all amounts in U.S. dollars)
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Standard HD |
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2008 Nat Gas |
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Nat Gas Act |
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|
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Diesel Truck |
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HD Truck |
|
|
HD Truck |
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Base Truck |
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$ |
84,000 |
|
|
$ |
84,000 |
|
|
$ |
84,000 |
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Westport HD System |
|
|
|
|
|
|
60,000 |
|
|
|
60,000 |
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Extended Warranty |
|
|
4,400 |
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|
|
8,000 |
|
|
|
8,000 |
|
|
Truck Price (MSRP) |
|
$ |
88,400 |
|
|
$ |
152,000 |
|
|
$ |
152,000 |
|
Taxes (Federal and State)(1) |
|
|
17,500 |
|
|
|
30,000 |
|
|
|
30,000 |
|
|
Customer Price |
|
$ |
105,900 |
|
|
$ |
182,000 |
|
|
$ |
182,000 |
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|
|
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|
|
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|
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Federal Tax Credit |
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|
|
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|
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28,800 |
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|
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64,000 |
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Customer All-in Price |
|
$ |
105,900 |
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|
$ |
153,200 |
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$ |
118,000 |
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Incremental capital cost to end
user |
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$ |
47,300 |
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$ |
12,100 |
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Payback period(2) |
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28.4 months |
|
7.3 months |
(1) |
|
Federal taxes estimated at 12% and state taxes estimated at 8%. Taxes
will vary by state. |
|
(2) |
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U.S.$20,000 annual fuel cost differential based on U.S.$1.00/gallon
price differential between diesel and natural gas, and U.S.20,000 gallons/year
of fuel consumption. |
The current price spread between diesel and natural gas on a diesel gallon equivalent basis is
U.S.$2.21. From 2009 to 2020, the DOE forecasts that natural gas prices will rise by 16.9%, while
diesel prices are predicted to rise 72.7%. With the beginning of an economic recovery, we believe
that rising demand for oil will result in price increases and/or fuel shortages, which will
continue to create favorable market conditions that encourage the adoption of cheaper alternative
fuels such as natural gas.
As a result of discoveries of vast shale formations and advancement in drilling technologies,
the supply of natural gas in the United States and abroad has expanded dramatically. According to
the Energy Information Administration, the total U.S. natural gas resource base is estimated at
1,744 trillion cubic feet (tcf). Unconventional gas (shale gas, tight sands, and coalbed
methane) now comprises 60% of onshore recoverable natural gas resources, and the DOE expects
unconventional sources of gas to meet over half of United States gas demand within 20 years. The
Haynesville shale in Texas and Louisiana was recently discovered to have significant gas reserves,
with an estimated 717 tcf of gas in place. Similar finds are being made in Canada, with British
Columbias Horn River shale find estimated as one of the larger, low-cost shale gas reserves in
North America. Additionally, over the past year, there have been significant discoveries in
Bangladesh (an estimated 6.6 tcf), Venezuela (an estimated 6 tcf), Norway, Australia, the North Sea, and elsewhere. We believe
that favorable pricing for natural gas as a transportation fuel compared to more volatile oil
prices will lead to increased demand for our natural gas engines.
S-8
Based on these significant new gas discoveries, large energy producers have begun articulating
the growing importance of natural gas as a transportation fuel to their portfolio. EnCana Oil &
Gas (EnCana) spoke of its commitment to building awareness of domestic natural gas as a reliable,
lower-cost, environmentally-friendly alternative fuel by opening more public CNG filling stations.
EnCana has stated that domestically sourced natural gas could grow to 35% of the transportation
fuel mix, replacing most of the oil imported from sources outside of North America that is
currently used for transportation and reducing transportation-derived GHG emissions by 9%. OnCue
Express, partnering with Chesapeake Energy, has publicly disclosed its goal of doubling the number
of CNG filling stations in Oklahoma over the next five years. Additionally, the Americas Natural
Gas Alliance (ANGA), which includes 28 of North Americas leading independent natural gas
exploration and production companies that account for over 40 percent of the total natural gas
supply, has recently initiated a marketing campaign focused on highlighting natural gas as an
inexpensive, domestically produced alternative to oil as a transportation fuel. With regard to
heavy-duty trucks, there has been discussion of natural gas refuelling corridors being deployed in
high truck traffic interstates. Selective deployment of refueling infrastructure across these
routes would create a coverage territory able to service a significant portion of the long-haul
truck traffic in the United States without the need for massive infrastructure investment. For
example, U.S. Interstate 5, which spans the West Coast from Vancouver, British Columbia to Tijuana,
Mexico, could be serviced with under 10 refueling stations assuming a 200 mile travel distance
between stations. We believe continued action on the part of natural gas suppliers to develop
natural gas transportation infrastructure will create additional demand for our products and open
up new growth opportunities throughout North America.
In the United States, both state and federal entities have been proponents of the growth of
the natural gas transportation industry. In August 2009, the DOE announced the Clean Cities
program, which aims to reduce petroleum consumption in the transportation sector. The DOE has
awarded $300 million in funding for 25 cost-share projects across the United States that will
deploy more than 9,000 alternative fuel and energy efficient vehicles and build 542 new refueling
stations. Based on the DOEs announcement, funding for approximately 500 LNG trucks and 2,300 CNG
vehicles, including refuse trucks and shuttle buses, was awarded. We anticipate that a significant
portion of these 2,800 vehicles will be sourced from manufacturers incorporating the Westport HD
system or CWI ISL G engine.
Additionally, the passage of pending legislation in the U.S. Congress is expected to provide
significant incentives for the purchase of cleaner burning engines. As an example, the NAT GAS
Act, which was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives in April 2009 (the House Bill),
aims to provide incentives to increase the use of domestically produced natural gas for
transportation fuel as a cleaner-burning, low-cost alternative to conventional transportation fuel.
Key provisions include: an 18-year extension of tax incentives to December 31, 2027 for use of
natural gas and purchases of natural gas vehicles and fueling infrastructure; expansion of a tax
credit equal to 80% of the incremental cost when purchasing any dedicated natural gas vehicle;
doubling the purchase tax credit cap for all non-light-duty vehicle weight classes up to
U.S.$64,000; a 10% manufacturing tax credit for OEMs to sell natural gas vehicles in the United
States; doubling the refueling property tax credit to U.S.$100,000 per station; allowing natural
gas vehicle and fueling infrastructure credits to be transferred; and the requirement that half of
federal vehicles purchased in the next five years must run on natural gas. Today, the bill has 120
bipartisan co-sponsors. The House Bill was followed in July by the companion U.S. Senate Bill 1408
(the Senate Bill). In addition to including many of the key provisions of the House Bill, the
Senate Bill also seeks to allow governmental entities to issue tax-exempt bonds in order to finance
natural gas vehicle projects and allow the expensing of 100% of the cost of natural gas vehicle
manufacturing facilities placed into service by January 1, 2015. We believe that the passing of
this legislation would provide a strong catalyst for the growth of the natural gas transportation
industry in the United States.
The United States is not alone in enacting legislation to promote alternative fuel adoption.
The European Union adopted the Directive on the Promotion of Clean and Energy Efficient Road
Transport Vehicles with the aim of introducing environmentally friendly vehicles to the broad
market. The directive requires that environmental issues be considered in the lifecycle cost of a
vehicle, and that governments in the European Union must purchase a certain percentage of
alternative-fuel vehicles. In addition, India and China have both clearly communicated the desire
to move towards less-polluting fuels for transportation in their economic Five-Year Plans, which we
believe will create further demand for our products.
The municipal bus market, one of CWIs key target markets, has experienced significant
increases in the adoption of natural gas engines, with 22% of buses in the United States using
natural gas today, up from 12% in 2005 and 1% in 1995. Truck engine manufacturers have been under
challenging regulatory pressure to reduce tailpipe emissions. Over the next five years, another
major emissions transition will be required in all markets
S-9
around the world, with the first milestone being the 2010 EPA standards in the United States.
In California, one of the jurisdictions taking a leadership position on this issue, transportation
emissions represent almost 50% of the total greenhouse gas emissions inventory. Moreover, large
fleet operators, such as San Diego Metropolitan Transit System, which placed an order for 250 CNG
buses based on CWI engines last year, are implementing green initiatives to reduce their
environmental impact by introducing alternative fuel vehicles, including natural gas, into their
fleets. Europe, Australia and parts of Asia are also adopting stricter standards. Studies have
shown that diesel emissions, principally in urban areas, can have a noticeable impact on a
populations health, increasing health risks and incidence rates of asthma. Agencies such as the
California South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD), and the air quality control
agency for Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino Counties in California, have begun to
place strict emission requirements on fleet operators using diesel fuel and encourage the use of
alternative fuels such as natural gas.
According to Datamonitor, a provider of online database and analysis services for various
industry sectors, the global medium- and heavy-duty vehicle market (consisting of trucks over 3.6
tonnes) in 2008 was U.S.$295.4 billion and is expected to grow at a 9.1% CAGR to U.S.$456.1 billion
by 2013. In 2008, the North American market represented 47.4% of the total market, or U.S.$140.1
billion, and is expected to grow at a 4.9% CAGR to U.S.$178.3 billion by 2013. Asia-Pacific is the
fastest growing market with sales expected to reach U.S.$186.3 billion by 2013, a 15.4% CAGR.
Additionally, the European market is projected to have strong growth in the near- to medium-term,
with sales increasing at a 6.8% CAGR to U.S.$71.5 billion by 2013. We believe that internal
combustion engines will continue to dominate the medium- and heavy-duty vehicle market because of
their price, availability, performance and familiarity, and expect natural gas engines to take an
increasing market share. 2009 marks the third year that the North American medium- and heavy-duty
truck market has operated well below replacement demand, with the result that the average age of
the fleet is near an all-time high. We believe that there is replacement demand which, coupled
with more stringent (and expensive) emissions regulations in 2010, will help drive additional
vehicle purchases. Should the North American economy experience a meaningful recovery, we believe
that there will be a significant need for new medium- and heavy-duty vehicles. Given the
regulatory environment and incentive structures for alternative fuels, we further believe that this
will create additional demand for our products.
Juniper is initially targeting two industrial engine segments that we believe represent
significant growth opportunities. The first market, alternatively-fueled industrial forklift
engines, was estimated in 2008 at 62,000 engines per year (primarily LPG) in North America,
according to the Industrial Truck Association. The second target market for Juniper is the
oilfield engine market, consisting of artificial lift and gas compression engines. Cummins Western
Canada estimates that there are over 10,000 alternatively fueled engines (primarily natural gas)
sold into the oilfield space each year. Juniper plans to selectively target the markets that
represent the best growth opportunities for the business.
North American Alternative Fuel Industrial Segments and Unit Sales(1)
(1) |
|
According to Industrial Truck Association (ITA), Petroleum Education Research Council
(PERC) and Cummins Western Canada (CWC) estimates. In the case of PERC and CWC, certain
of the data used in compiling these estimates have been provided to Westport through
interviews and other informal means but have not been published elsewhere. |
S-10
Our Competitive Strengths
We believe we are a leader in providing high-performance, low-emission engines and fuel
systems utilizing alternative gaseous fuels given our significant competitive strengths, which
include the following.
Strong First Mover Advantage in Rapidly Growing Natural Gas Engine Market
Based on our diverse product and technology portfolio and geographical reach, we believe we
are well positioned to serve the over U.S.$300 billion medium- and heavy-duty vehicle markets. To
date, we have sold over 20,000 natural-gas and propane engines, operating in 20 countries, and have
developed strategic relationships with OEMs in North America, Asia and Europe, positioning us well
in the three largest markets for medium- and heavy-duty products. We are currently working with
five of the worlds top six truck producers and three of the worlds top four engine producers.
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World Engine Production |
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World Truck Production |
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Source: |
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The Worlds Truck Manufacturers, A
strategic review of finance and operations,
11th Edition (2008). Edited by Jonathan
Storey, Data by Polk-Marketing Systems.
Published by Automotive World Ltd.,
www.automotiveworld.com |
|
Source: |
|
Power Systems
Research. |
Through CWI, we currently offer mid-range 5.9-liter to 8.9-liter engines that are sold
globally to more than 60 OEMs of transit and shuttle buses, medium-duty trucks and refuse haulers,
as well as specialty vehicles such as material handling trucks, street sweepers and some industrial
applications. With CWIs ISL G engine as the first natural gas engine in the United States
certified to meet 2010 EPA emission standards being installed into OEM products, we believe we are
well positioned to take advantage of the market. Additionally, through Westport HD, we offer the
15-liter GX engine, which uses our proprietary HPDI technology, and LNG fuel systems to serve the
heavy-duty truck market. We have been able to achieve strong market validation through the sale of
over 200 Westport HD trucks to date as of September 30, 2009.
We continue to get market traction with Westport HD and have had a number of significant
customer orders throughout 2009. On September 11, 2009, as part of Proposition 1B, the SCAQMD
Governing Board approved funding for 483 natural gas trucks. All of the trucks that submitted for
funding are equipped with either the CWI ISL G or the Westport GX engines. Additionally, on August
26, 2009, the DOEs Clean Cities program announced funding for up to 2,800 natural gas vehicles,
approximately 500 of which are slated to be LNG trucks. We expect a significant portion of these
LNG vehicles will be sourced from manufacturers incorporating the Westport HD system. On May 18,
2009, the Port of Long Beach, California, announced that it had approved U.S.$42.5 million in
funding for subsidized leases and grants in its Clean Truck Financing Program to help truck owners
meet the programs 2009 requirements. The announced plan offers a U.S.$105,000 grant for purchases
of approved LNG trucks, and a U.S.$137,000 subsidy of LNG truck leases, paid over a seven-year
period. Despite the economic downturn, over 500 LNG fueled trucks have been deployed at the San
Pedro Bay Ports.
S-11
Highly Capital-Efficient Business Model
Our strategic partnerships allow us to run a capital-efficient business in which working
capital costs and capital expenditures are shared with our strategic partners. Most notably, we
are able to avoid the significant capital expenditures associated with building manufacturing
plants and overhead costs that would be incurred to staff and maintain manufacturing operations.
We are also able to leverage the investment made by our partners in developing global distribution
operations and their brands. We leverage our expertise in the development of our proprietary
technologies by partnering with industry-leading manufacturers who are willing to make the
investment to co-develop, manufacture and distribute our products for our mutual benefit. We
believe this model allows us to scale our business rapidly and achieve profitability sooner and
with less risk. We believe we have demonstrated the merits of this model based on the success of
our profitable CWI joint venture and expect to continue growing profitable business lines in a similar fashion. Additionally, Westport HD has already seen
meaningful reductions in vehicle prices since Kenworth took on factory line production of vehicles
with our GX engines. Without similar strategic partnerships, any competitor will have to deploy a
significantly larger amount of capital to scale its business, imposing significant obstacles to
building necessary scale.
Valuable Strategic and Business Alliances Creating Significant Barriers to Entry
We have established and proposed several strategic partnerships and joint ventures, including:
CWI, Volvo, WWI, Juniper, BWI and Cryostar, our partner for the supply of cryogenic fuel pumps. In
addition to our strong supply chain partners, we have also developed strategic relationships with
several leading truck OEMs, including: Kenworth, Peterbilt, Mack Trucks, Inc. (Mack),
Freightliner Trucks (Freightliner), PACCAR Australia Pty. Ltd. (PACCAR Australia), as well as
Clean Energy Fuels Corp. (Clean Energy), North Americas largest natural gas refueling company,
and other fuel suppliers around the world. We believe these relationships enable us to offer a
complete natural gas solution to our customers, provide a coordinated marketing effort, give us
access to our key markets, and create a significant barrier to entry for competitors seeking to
partner with a large diesel engine or truck manufacturer in order to replicate our technology.
Strong Market Fundamentals Driving Growth of Natural Gas Engine Market
Although diesel prices have come down from the record highs seen in the summer of 2008, the
price of oil has risen steadily since the beginning of the year, which continues to drive up the
price of diesel fuel. Conversely, discoveries of major natural gas supplies in shale deposits
across North America and around the world have caused the price of natural gas to decrease since
the beginning of the year. As a result, the pricing gap between diesel and natural gas has widened
substantially, creating an increasing demand for natural gas as an alternative transportation fuel.
We believe there are three potential scenarios that would drive a significant transition from
diesel fuel to natural gas as the primary fuel for medium- and heavy-duty vehicle applications. An
oil shock (a sudden and drastic increase in the price of crude oil) has the potential to drive all
major diesel-fueled fleets to adopt a readily available, significantly lower cost and easily
scalable transportation fuel in natural gas. Additionally, a number of major natural gas suppliers
have made announcements regarding their interest in building natural gas refueling infrastructure
as a conduit to selling higher volumes of natural gas. If natural gas suppliers were to fill this
crucial gap in the market, we believe a number of fleets would capitalize on the opportunity to
switch to a domestically sourced, more stable priced transportation fuel. Lastly, we believe the
passage of the NAT GAS Act in the United States would create compelling incentives for fleet
operators to move from diesel to natural gas. We believe high demand for alternative fuels coupled
with the established infrastructure for natural gas uniquely positions the market for diesel
engines that run on natural gas for significant growth for the foreseeable future.
In addition to the above scenarios, United States diesel emissions standards will become
significantly stricter starting in 2010. One of the most significant changes is that NOx emissions
are required to be reduced by a factor of six relative to current levels. Diesel engines running
on natural gas emit less NOx than the cleanest standard diesel engine on the market today. As the
demand for low-cost, environmentally friendly alternatives to diesel grows, natural gas, unlike
other alternative fuel supplies, is already widely used and can be diverted to address this market
with an adequate infrastructure, which is currently robust and is expected to grow to support
future demand for natural gas applications.
S-12
Cost-advantaged, High Performance, Low-emission Technology
Our products are designed for an engine to work with optimal performance attributes for the
medium- and heavy-duty vehicle markets as compared to other options available. In addition to
providing significant emissions improvements compared to diesel, our products are more economical
for our customers through the use of lower cost natural gas. Our technologies are robust, scalable
and adaptive to other gaseous fuels such as LPG and alternative renewable energy sources such as
biogas or manufactured fuels, including hydrogen. Additionally, Westport HD for heavy-duty trucks
offers class-leading emissions performance while maintaining diesel-equivalent horsepower, torque
and fuel efficiency. Finally, our sub-5-liter engine offering, through Juniper, offers a compact
engine package, higher torque and power, and enhanced acceleration compared to competing
products. We believe our wide range of products is economical, clean, of high performance and
robust.
Robust Intellectual Property
Our global patent portfolio has been pivotal to our market-leading position relative to other
potential market entrants. We are also registering trademarks to capture the goodwill that we are
now generating through the commercialization of our products. Given the scope and longevity of our
intellectual property assets, we expect these assets to be vital to supporting our position as a
technology leader relative to emerging and future natural gas engine developers. In addition to
protecting our competitive position in the market, our intellectual property also allows us to
generate high margin revenue streams through licensing agreements. Westport and CWI have already
realized the revenue opportunities with a licensing model through relationships with Cummins India
Limited (CIL), Dongfeng Cummins Engine Company Ltd. and Cryostar. We are currently in discussions
with several international partners to provide our technology under a licensing agreement. To
continue to support our business objectives, we expect our intellectual property portfolio to
expand as we file new patent and trademark applications each year to capture value generated by new
technical advances and the goodwill that we create from further commercialization of gaseous-fueled
engine technology and systems. As of December 1, 2009, we held 65 issued U.S. patents and two
allowed U.S. patents, in addition to corresponding issued patents or pending patent applications in
numerous other countries around the world.
Experienced Senior Management Team
We have assembled a senior management team with the background and experience necessary to
enhance our ability to accomplish our strategic objectives and advance the shift of global
commercial transportation to gaseous fuels. Our management team members have backgrounds in
engineering and physics, and experience with the transportation and energy industry and fuel
technology development. A number of members of the management team, including our founder and chief
executive officer, have been with us since the business was spun out of the University of British
Columbia and were instrumental in commercializing our original technologies.
Our Business Strategies
It is our belief that a growing number of customers value products that offer environmental
advantages over conventional alternatives and that with higher oil prices, alternative fuels such
as natural gas become increasingly attractive from a purely economic perspective. We further
believe that natural gas provides the best near-term alternative fuel for transportation, as the
technology and infrastructure for wide scale adoption already exists. Our objective is to enhance
and protect our position as a leading provider of alternative technology fuel systems for diesel
applications using gaseous fuels such as natural gas, LPG, biomethane or hydrogen both domestically
and globally. In order to achieve this goal, we have focused our efforts on the following business
strategies:
Continue to Partner with Leading Global OEMs to Scale Westport HD
Westport HD has been in development since 1999, has undergone extensive testing and field
trials in Canada, Australia and California, and in March 2007 began commercial delivery of its
systems for heavy-duty trucks. Since launching the product in North America and Australia, we have
sold 203 HD systems as of September 30, 2009. We have committed partners in Cummins, Weichai and
Volvo for the development of heavy-duty engines that run on natural gas, which gives us access to
every major target market for heavy-duty trucks in the world. We have also partnered with
Kenworth, Kenworth Trucks (a division of PACCAR Australia), and Peterbilt, for line production of
the Kenworth T800, the Kenworth Trucks T408SAR, K108, and T908, and the Peterbilt 386, 387, and 367
trucks equipped with our LNG fuel system and 15-liter GX engine. In addition to these strong
partnerships that have been established over the last several years, we are continuing discussions
with additional leading truck OEMs
S-13
and engine suppliers to integrate our products into existing truck and engine configurations.
Outside of trucks, we believe there are a number of larger engine applications (16-liter or
greater) that would benefit from utilizing our Westport HD technologies, such as heavy construction
vehicles, marine engines, mining trucks, railroad cars and large stationary power engines. We are
currently in discussion with a number of leading engine providers and OEMs in these spaces and
expect to broaden our product offering to these markets over time.
Accelerate Commercialization of Our Juniper Engines and Pursue Additional 2.0- and 2.4-Liter Engine
Markets
Juniper is currently in the final stages of development for its 2.0- and 2.4-liter industrial
engines. Demand has been very strong for these products in the North American forklift markets, and
we expect to see commercial revenue in fiscal 2011. While its initial plan was to focus primarily
on the industrial forklift market, there has been strong interest for Junipers engines in a number
of additional industrial engine markets globally. Based on Junipers conversations with potential
customers in recent months, we expect the oilfield services, power generation, construction
machinery, and agricultural machinery markets to present additional opportunities for potential
sales in fiscal 2011. Furthermore, given the strong global automotive distribution platform of OMVL
and its parent company, SIT La Precisa S.p.A. (SIT), Juniper is well positioned to pursue sales
opportunities and scale its business in the automotive market.
Pursuant to the Juniper shareholders agreement, we have the ability to make additional investments in Juniper which could result in Westport owning a majority of the equity of the joint venture and taking on the responsibility for additional capital contributions. We may or may not make these investments in the future.
Continue to Grow CWI Profitably
Since 2004, CWI revenues, expressed in U.S. dollars to exclude foreign exchange distortions,
have grown at 30% compounded annually from calendar year 2004 through calendar year 2008. We
believe this is a result of providing a quality product for the natural gas market, providing
superior customer service and an increasing number of customers around the world recognizing the
advantages of natural gas as a transportation fuel. In addition to its existing engine offerings,
CWI is currently exploring alternative engine platforms.
While North America is a key end market, we believe there are significant opportunities for
geographic expansion into Russia and South America, both of which have significant natural gas
resources. Additionally, China and India, both large markets for CWI currently, are expected to
continue migrating to natural gas as a transportation fuel and thus offer significant long-term
growth. We anticipate increasing CWI penetration levels in both the bus fleet and refuse truck
markets as the economic benefits of natural gas increase, in addition to the development of biogas,
such as landfill gas, as an alternative fuel for vehicle applications. Additionally, we believe CWI
will undergo adoption in new markets such as container port delivery trucks and yard hostlers. We
anticipate continued demand for CWI engines given their performance and emissions characteristics,
and their life-cycle cost advantages. We expect CWIs operating leverage, mature technology and
fixed cost fulfillment process to help improve CWIs operating profitability.
Achieve Automotive-Scale Production by Adding New Channel Partners
We plan to partner with the largest tier-one automotive component suppliers, allowing us to
benefit from economies of scale and high supply chain reliability, thus driving down our cost
structure and further enhancing product quality. To date, we have been focused on developing a
strong supply chain by continuing to partner with leading suppliers to the medium- and heavy-duty
truck industry. We cooperate on fuel delivery system development programs with a number of
companies and are in discussions with a number of the worlds leading suppliers to develop complete
solutions for our customers. As an example, in July 2006, we formed BWI to market and sell more
cost-effective, custom-engineered CNG and LNG tanks for the transportation market. By partnering
with BTIC, we were able to create reliable, robust and affordable products to help us better serve
the heavy-duty vehicle market. Additionally, in 2006, we completed a License and Supply Agreement
with Cryostar for the development, manufacture and supply of cryogenic LNG fuel pumps, based on our
cryogenic technology.
Focus on Geographic Expansion by Penetrating Key Markets in Asia, Europe and Australia
China is one of the worlds largest markets for all types of vehicles, and its heavy-duty
truck (>16 tonnes) market is already approximately as large as those in Europe and North
America. Chinas vehicle production has more than doubled in the past five years, whereas
production in Germany, Japan, and the United States is nearly flat or declining. Assuming that
current trends continue, within five to 10 years, China could be both the worlds largest consumer
and producer of motor vehicles.
S-14
China is focused on moderating the impact of rapid urbanization and tremendous vehicle growth.
In China, the demand for cleaner fuel with economic advantages over traditional fuels, such as
natural gas, is increasing, with an estimated 400,000 natural gas vehicles already in China and
over 1,000 filling stations to support them. CWI supplies customers in China with high-performance
CNG bus engines. An additional focus for growth in Asia will be exports of our CWI engines through
Chinese OEMs to other countries in Southeast Asia and South America. We also focus on promising
markets in other parts of Asia, such as India. On October 15, 2008, CWI and CIL announced that the
Delhi Transport Corporation had ordered 3,125 natural gas buses equipped with CWIs B Gas Plus
engines.
European regulators have implemented some of the most aggressive responses to air quality
issues and climate change concerns, and are concurrently promoting increased use of natural gas in
vehicles. We believe the opportunities are strong in Europes transit, refuse, and urban truck
markets. CWI engines are already being offered in vehicles produced by Renault Trucks SAS of
France, and have also been sold for transit applications in Eastern Europe.
Another region where we believe that market conditions are favorable for LNG trucks is
Australia. In December 2008, we signed a collaborative agreement with PACCAR Australia to
commercialize LNG Kenworth trucks for this market. A significant market driver in Australia is the
availability of low-cost feed gas for LNG production that could provide strong financial incentives
for heavy-duty trucking fleets, mines, and other high fuel use applications to operate with our LNG
system-equipped engines. The high fuel requirements needed for long-haul fleet transportation in
Australia position natural gas trucks to take meaningful market share from their higher operating
cost diesel counterparts. The high fuel use of these fleets in many cases creates compelling
payback scenarios to purchasers when they switch their fleets to run on natural gas.
Expand Our Product Offering by Adapting Our Technology for Multiple Alternative Fuel Uses
Our products are built on an alternative fuel platform that leverages the abundant global
supply of natural gas. Over the longer term, if alternative renewable energy sources such as biogas
or manufactured fuels, including hydrogen, hydrogen-natural gas blends, and dimethyl ether, emerge as cost-competitive options,
we expect our gaseous-fueled engine technologies, system and experience will position us to exploit
such new low-carbon fuels as they emerge.
S-15
In order to maintain technology leadership in the gaseous fuel combustion area, we are working
to adapt our technology with hydrogen and other alternative fuels. We have been working with Ford
Motor Company and Bayerische Motoren Werke AG on hydrogen injection technologies and products.
Recent Developments
On November 16, 2009, we entered into an agreement with Volvo to become a Tier 1 Development
Supplier for its heavy-duty natural gas engines and associated supply chain. We will supply our
Westport HD technology and work together with the Gothenburg, Sweden engine manufacturer to qualify
appropriate suppliers consistent with Volvo volume and quality expectations. The new natural gas
engines are expected to meet future European emission requirements.
On September 11, 2009, the SCAQMD Governing Board voted to approve funding for 448 natural
gas-fueled (LNG and CNG) trucks to replace old diesel trucks serving the San Pedro Bay Ports.
Subsequently, the Board agreed to approve funding for another 35 natural gas-fueled (LNG and CNG)
trucks SCAQMD is administering the truck-funding program for the California Air Resources Board and
the Ports. Funding for the program is provided by the Proposition 1B Program of the state of
California and by the SCAQMD and the Ports. All of the trucks that have submitted applications for
the funding are equipped with either the CWI ISL G or our Westport HD systems.
On August 31, 2009, Peterbilt announced that it was taking immediate orders for the production
of its vocational and aerodynamic vehicles powered by CNG and LNG. The Model 365 and Model 384 will
be offered with the CWI ISL G and built at Peterbilts truck manufacturing facility in Denton,
Texas.
On August 26, 2009, we announced that the DOEs Clean Cities program to reduce petroleum
consumption in the transportation sector has awarded $300 million funding for 25 cost-share
projects across the United States that will deploy more than 9,000 alternative fuel and energy
efficient vehicles and build 542 new refueling stations. Based on the DOEs announcement, funding
for approximately 500 LNG trucks and 2,300 CNG vehicles, including refuse trucks and shuttle buses,
was awarded.
S-16
The Offering
|
|
|
Common Shares offered by us.
|
|
· Common Shares. |
|
|
|
Common Shares to be outstanding immediately after this Offering
|
|
· Common Shares. |
|
|
|
Option to purchase additional Common Shares.
|
|
We have granted the
Underwriters an
option to purchase up
to an additional · Common Shares. |
|
|
|
Use of proceeds.
|
|
We expect to use the
net proceeds from
this Offering for
Westport HD OEM
development, working
capital and for
general corporate
purposes. You should
read the discussion
under the heading
Use of Proceeds in
this Prospectus
Supplement for more
information. |
|
|
|
Risk Factors.
|
|
You should carefully
read and consider the
information set forth
in Risk Factors
beginning on page
S-19 of this
Prospectus Supplement
and page 7 of the
accompanying
Prospectus before
investing in our
Common Shares. |
|
|
|
TSX symbol.
|
|
WPT |
|
|
|
NASDAQ symbol.
|
|
WPRT |
The number of Common Shares to be offered by us and the number of Common Shares to be
outstanding are based on the approximate number of Common Shares outstanding as of December 7, 2009. Unless we specifically state otherwise, the information in this Prospectus
Supplement:
|
|
|
is based on the assumption that the Underwriters will not exercise the option to
purchase additional Common Shares granted to them by us; |
|
|
|
excludes 1,035,755 Common Shares reserved for issuance upon the exercise of options
outstanding as of December 7, 2009 at a weighted average exercise price of $7.35 per
Common Share; |
|
|
|
excludes 1,195,313 Common Shares reserved for issuance upon the exercise of
performance share units outstanding as of December 7, 2009; and |
|
|
|
excludes 1,608,160 Common Shares reserved for issuance upon the exercise of warrants
outstanding as of December 7, 2009 at a weighted average exercise price of $14.68 per
Common Share. |
S-17
Summary Consolidated Financial Data
Except for Units shipped, the following selected consolidated financial data are derived
from our audited consolidated annual balance sheets as of March 31, 2009 and 2008, our audited
consolidated annual statements of operations and cash flows for the years ended March 31, 2009,
2008 and 2007, our unaudited consolidated interim balance sheet as of September 30, 2009 and our
unaudited interim consolidated statements of operations and cash flows for the six months ended
September 30, 2009 and 2008, respectively, incorporated by reference in the Prospectus. Balance
sheet items as of March 31, 2007 and September 30, 2008 are derived from our audited consolidated
annual balance sheet as of March 31, 2007 and our unaudited consolidated interim balance sheet as
of September 30, 2008, respectively. We have prepared our unaudited consolidated financial
statements on the same basis as our audited consolidated financial statements. In the opinion of
management, our unaudited consolidated financial statements include all adjustments, consisting
only of normal recurring adjustments, necessary for a fair presentation of our results of
operations for such periods. Operating results for the six months ended September 30, 2009 are not
necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the year ending March 31, 2010 or
any other future period. This information is only a summary and should be read together with our
consolidated financial statements and the related notes and other financial information, as well as
the Annual MD&A and the Q2 MD&A incorporated by reference in the Prospectus.
Our audited consolidated annual financial statements and unaudited consolidated interim
financial statements have been prepared in Canadian dollars in accordance with Canadian GAAP. Our
historical results from any prior period are not necessarily indicative of results to be expected
for any future period.
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|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Fiscal Year Ended March 31, |
|
|
Six Months Ended September 30, |
|
|
|
2009 |
|
|
2008 |
|
|
2007 |
|
|
2009 |
|
|
2008 |
|
(expressed in thousands of Canadian dollars, except for units shipped, per share amounts and shares outstanding) |
|
|
|
(audited) |
|
|
(unaudited) |
|
Units shipped |
|
|
4,038 |
|
|
|
2,720 |
|
|
|
2,001 |
|
|
|
1,675 |
|
|
|
2,538 |
|
Total revenue |
|
$ |
121,837 |
|
|
$ |
71,536 |
|
|
$ |
60,480 |
|
|
$ |
56,614 |
|
|
$ |
64,521 |
|
Gross margin |
|
|
30,817 |
|
|
|
22,513 |
|
|
|
22,099 |
|
|
|
14,388 |
|
|
|
17,566 |
|
Gross margin % |
|
|
25 |
% |
|
|
31 |
% |
|
|
37 |
% |
|
|
25 |
% |
|
|
27 |
% |
Net loss |
|
|
(24,425 |
) |
|
|
(10,315 |
) |
|
|
(11,307 |
) |
|
|
(18,173 |
) |
|
|
(2,788 |
) |
Net loss per share basic and |
|
|
(0.81 |
) |
|
|
(0.41 |
) |
|
|
(0.53 |
) |
|
|
(0.56 |
) |
|
|
(0.10 |
) |
diluted(1)(2) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Weighted average shares outstanding(2) |
|
|
30,268,947 |
|
|
|
25,167,966 |
|
|
|
21,478,521 |
|
|
|
32,203,424 |
|
|
|
28,512,672 |
|
Cash and short-term investments |
|
|
82,619 |
|
|
|
22,762 |
|
|
|
23,081 |
|
|
|
57,661 |
|
|
|
96,830 |
|
Total assets |
|
|
135,504 |
|
|
|
78,940 |
|
|
|
59,633 |
|
|
|
109,837 |
|
|
|
147,672 |
|
Long-term financial liabilities(3) |
|
|
28,543 |
|
|
|
5,762 |
|
|
|
22,648 |
|
|
|
27,909 |
|
|
|
19,692 |
|
Cash used in operations before changes in |
|
|
(25,625 |
) |
|
|
(17,594 |
) |
|
|
(11,325 |
) |
|
|
(14,001 |
) |
|
|
(6,495 |
) |
non-cash working capital(4) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
CWI income for the year after taxes |
|
|
7,832 |
|
|
|
11,632 |
|
|
|
12,114 |
|
|
|
3,404 |
|
|
|
6,034 |
|
Joint venture partners share of CWI income |
|
|
3,916 |
|
|
|
5,816 |
|
|
|
6,057 |
|
|
|
1,702 |
|
|
|
3,017 |
|
Notes: |
|
(1) |
|
Fully diluted loss per share is not materially different as the effect of exercise of stock
options, warrants and performance share units would be anti-dilutive. |
|
(2) |
|
Adjusted for three-and-one-half-to-one (3.5:1) share consolidation of our Common Shares on
July 21, 2008. |
|
(3) |
|
Excluding current portions of warranty liability and long-term debt obligations, and joint
venture partners share of net assets of joint ventures. |
|
(4) |
|
See Non-GAAP Measures in the Annual MD&A and the Q2 MD&A for a reconciliation to cash flows
from operations. |
S-18
RISK FACTORS
An investment in the Common Shares is speculative and involves a high degree of risk. In
addition to the other information contained in this Prospectus Supplement, in the Prospectus and in
the documents incorporated by reference into the Prospectus, you should carefully consider the risk
factor set forth below, as well as the risk factors referenced under the heading Risk Factors,
which begins on page 7 of the accompanying Prospectus.
We could be adversely affected by risks associated with acquisitions.
We may in the future seek to expand our business through acquisitions. Any such acquisitions
will be in part dependent on managements ability to identify, acquire and develop suitable
acquisition targets in both new and existing markets. In certain circumstances, acceptable
acquisition targets might not be available. Acquisitions involve a number of risks, including: (i)
the possibility that we, as a successor owner, may be legally and financially responsible for
liabilities of prior owners; (ii) the possibility that we may pay more than the acquired company or
assets are worth; (iii) the additional expenses associated with completing an acquisition and
amortizing any acquired intangible assets; (iv) the difficulty of integrating the operations and
personnel of an acquired business; (v) the challenge of implementing uniform standards, controls,
procedures and policies throughout an acquired business; (vi) the inability to integrate, train,
retain and motivate key personnel of an acquired business; and (vii) the potential disruption of
our ongoing business and the distraction of management from our day-to-day operations. These risks
and difficulties, if they materialize, could disrupt our ongoing business, distract management,
result in the loss of key personnel, increase expenses and otherwise have a material adverse effect
on our business, results of operations and financial performance.
We could be adversely affected by the operations of our joint ventures and joint venture partners.
We operate in many parts of the world that have experienced social unrest, political and
economic instability and resulting governmental corruption. While we have policies in place to
ensure adequate monitoring of our activities and compliance with Canadian, United States and local
laws and regulations in the countries in which we operate, we also operate, and intend to operate
in the future, through various joint venture arrangements. Our level of control over joint venture
operations may be restricted or shared, and we may be unable to control the actions of joint
venture partners or their employees. Despite our policies mandating compliance with Canadian,
United States and local laws, we cannot assure you that our internal control policies and
procedures always will protect us from reckless or negligent acts committed by our joint ventures
or their employees or agents. Such employees or agents of the joint venture or joint venture
partners may undertake actions that would result in a violation of law, including but not limited
to, tax laws, customs laws, environmental laws, labor laws, permitting laws and regulations,
industry laws or international anti-corruption and anti-bribery laws, including Canadian
anti-corruption laws and the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. Violations of these laws, or
allegations of such violations, could disrupt our business and result in a material adverse effect
on our business and operations.
Some of our foreign subsidiaries may do business in countries subject to U.S. sanctions and
embargoes, and we have limited managerial oversight over those activities.
In the future, some of our foreign subsidiaries or joint ventures may sell our products to
customers in countries that are currently subject to sanctions and embargoes imposed by the U.S.
and Canadian governments and the United Nations. Although these sanctions and embargoes do not
prohibit our foreign subsidiaries and joint ventures from selling products and providing services
in these countries, they do prohibit us and our domestic subsidiaries and joint ventures, as well
as employees of our foreign subsidiaries and joint ventures who are U.S. or Canadian citizens, from
participating in, approving or otherwise facilitating any aspect of the business activities in
those countries.
The constraints on our ability to have U.S. or Canadian persons, including our senior
management, provide managerial oversight and supervision over sales in embargoed countries may
negatively affect the financial or operating performance of such business activities. Further,
failure to comply with U.S. and Canadian laws in our
foreign operations could result in material fines and penalties, damage to our reputation and
a reduction in the value of our Common Shares.
S-19
USE OF PROCEEDS
The net proceeds to us from the sale of our Common Shares in this Offering will be
approximately U.S.$ · million, or approximately
U.S.$ · million if the Underwriters
option to purchase additional Common Shares is exercised in full, after deducting estimated
underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated expenses of the Offering.
The net proceeds of the Offering will be used by us to further our business objectives of
developing new global OEM and supply arrangements, profitably growing CWI and developing new
technologies. We expect to use the net proceeds from this Offering approximately as follows:
|
|
|
$20 million to $25 million on development of at least one new OEM engine platform
for our Westport HD system; |
|
|
|
$5 million to $10 million to support working capital requirements, primarily funding
inventory and seeking and developing alternative suppliers; and |
|
|
|
the balance for general corporate purposes, including market creation activities,
potential acquisitions of businesses, technologies or other assets, debt repayments,
general and administrative expenses, supply chain development, and capital expenditures
including new facilities and equipment. |
We will have significant discretion in the use of any net proceeds. We may invest the net
proceeds temporarily until we use them for their stated purpose. The ultimate use of the proceeds
of this Offering will depend on the performance of our existing joint ventures, the pace of
development of markets for our products, our ability to negotiate supply arrangements, our
engineering abilities, the emergence of technical issues in relation to our products in the future
and any other unforeseen developments in relation to our markets or to our products. We have
incurred substantial losses since our inception in 1996, and continue to incur losses and
experience negative cash flows. We cannot predict the future amount of such negative operating
cash flows, nor can we predict whether we will be able to generate positive operating cash flows in
the future. We may, therefore, use all or a portion of the net proceeds of this Offering to fund
negative operating cash flows to the extent we are required or believe it is in our interest to do
so. See Risk Factors Risks Related to Our Business We have incurred and continue to incur
losses in the accompanying Prospectus.
PRIOR SALES
The following description of securities issuances contains information with respect to all
issuances of our securities during the 12-month period prior to the date of this Prospectus
Supplement.
We have issued the following Common Shares during the 12-month period prior to the date of
this Prospectus Supplement:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Price per Common Share(1) |
|
|
Date |
|
($) |
|
Number of Common Shares(2) |
January 29, 2009 |
|
|
4.45 |
|
|
|
1,900 |
|
February 6, 2009 |
|
|
5.29 |
|
|
|
239 |
|
April 1, 2009 |
|
|
4.27 |
|
|
|
952 |
|
June 3, 2009 |
|
|
5.29 |
|
|
|
1,363 |
|
June 5, 2009 |
|
|
3.22 |
|
|
|
310 |
|
June 5, 2009 |
|
|
3.68 |
|
|
|
7,142 |
|
June 6, 2009 |
|
|
4.45 |
|
|
|
7,142 |
|
June 11, 2009 |
|
|
5.99 |
|
|
|
846 |
|
June 11, 2009 |
|
|
5.29 |
|
|
|
4,000 |
|
S-20
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Price per Common Share(1) |
|
|
Date |
|
($) |
|
Number of Common Shares(2) |
June 12, 2009 |
|
|
6.30 |
|
|
|
7,885 |
|
June 25, 2009 |
|
|
3.22 |
|
|
|
2,857 |
|
June 25, 2009 |
|
|
4.27 |
|
|
|
7,142 |
|
July 16, 2009 |
|
|
4.59 |
|
|
|
500 |
|
July 17, 2009 |
|
|
5.29 |
|
|
|
571 |
|
July 21, 2009 |
|
|
5.29 |
|
|
|
1,627 |
|
August 21, 2009 |
|
|
5.29 |
|
|
|
2,000 |
|
August 24, 2009 |
|
|
7.91 |
|
|
|
124,497 |
(3) |
August 24, 2009 |
|
|
5.29 |
|
|
|
112,925 |
(3) |
August 24, 2009 |
|
|
14.90 |
|
|
|
4,186 |
(3) |
August 24, 2009 |
|
|
6.51 |
|
|
|
1,957 |
(3) |
August 24, 2009 |
|
|
3.68 |
|
|
|
9,524 |
(3) |
August 25, 2009 |
|
|
5.29 |
|
|
|
48,893 |
(3) |
August 25, 2009 |
|
|
5.29 |
|
|
|
1,820 |
|
August 25, 2009 |
|
|
3.68 |
|
|
|
91,366 |
(3) |
August 25, 2009 |
|
|
14.90 |
|
|
|
519 |
(3) |
August 26, 2009 |
|
|
6.51 |
|
|
|
1,098 |
(3) |
August 26, 2009 |
|
|
3.68 |
|
|
|
58,576 |
(3) |
August 26, 2009 |
|
|
6.51 |
|
|
|
1,647 |
(3) |
August 28, 2009 |
|
|
14.90 |
|
|
|
417 |
(3) |
August 28, 2009 |
|
|
3.68 |
|
|
|
84,774 |
(3) |
August 28, 2009 |
|
|
6.51 |
|
|
|
29,087 |
(3) |
August 28, 2009 |
|
|
14.90 |
|
|
|
16,666 |
(3) |
August 28, 2009 |
|
|
5.29 |
|
|
|
15,376 |
|
August 28, 2009 |
|
|
4.73 |
|
|
|
1,428 |
|
August 31, 2009 |
|
|
6.69 |
|
|
|
5,714 |
|
August 31, 2009 |
|
|
5.29 |
|
|
|
12,812 |
|
August 31, 2009 |
|
|
5.25 |
|
|
|
502 |
|
August 31, 2009 |
|
|
7.77 |
|
|
|
1,251 |
|
August 31, 2009 |
|
|
4.80 |
|
|
|
11,428 |
(3) |
September 1, 2009 |
|
|
6.30 |
|
|
|
19,714 |
|
September 1, 2009 |
|
|
6.90 |
|
|
|
18,405 |
|
September 3, 2009 |
|
|
6.90 |
|
|
|
13,549 |
|
September 3, 2009 |
|
|
5.25 |
|
|
|
1,666 |
|
September 3, 2009 |
|
|
6.30 |
|
|
|
3,571 |
|
September 4, 2009 |
|
|
4.27 |
|
|
|
2,441 |
|
September 4, 2009 |
|
|
5.25 |
|
|
|
466 |
|
September 4, 2009 |
|
|
5.29 |
|
|
|
1,472 |
|
S-21
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Price per Common Share(1) |
|
|
Date |
|
($) |
|
Number of Common Shares(2) |
September 4, 2009 |
|
|
14.90 |
|
|
|
2,975 |
(3) |
September 9, 2009 |
|
|
5.29 |
|
|
|
1,743 |
|
September 10, 2009 |
|
|
5.29 |
|
|
|
1,500 |
|
September 24, 2009 |
|
|
5.29 |
|
|
|
993 |
|
September 28, 2009 |
|
|
5.29 |
|
|
|
2,200 |
|
September 28, 2009 |
|
|
14.90 |
|
|
|
920 |
(3) |
September 28, 2009 |
|
|
9.77 |
|
|
|
1,904 |
|
September 29, 2009 |
|
|
5.29 |
|
|
|
2,712 |
|
September 29, 2009 |
|
|
5.25 |
|
|
|
4,086 |
|
September 29, 2009 |
|
|
4.27 |
|
|
|
476 |
|
September 29, 2009 |
|
|
11.55 |
|
|
|
1,516 |
|
September 30, 2009 |
|
|
9.10 |
|
|
|
678 |
|
September 30, 2009 |
|
|
5.29 |
|
|
|
800 |
|
October 7, 2009 |
|
|
5.29 |
|
|
|
1,840 |
|
October 27, 2009 |
|
|
4.41 |
|
|
|
1,428 |
|
November 16, 2009 |
|
|
5.29 |
|
|
|
1,000 |
|
November 25, 2009 |
|
|
5.25 |
|
|
|
1,047 |
|
November 25, 2009 |
|
|
5.29 |
|
|
|
953 |
|
December 2, 2009 |
|
|
5.29 |
|
|
|
5,000 |
|
Notes: |
|
(1) |
|
Common Shares issued upon exercise of performance share units have no exercise price. The price per Common Share set forth in the above table is the fair value per Common Share as of the grant date. |
|
(2) |
|
Unless otherwise noted, all Common Shares were issued upon exercise of stock options granted
under the Westport stock option plan. |
|
(3) |
|
Common Shares issued upon exercise of units granted under the Westport performance share unit
plan, as amended. |
We have, during the last 12 months, granted the following options pursuant to our existing
Stock Option Plan and Performance Share Units pursuant to our Performance Share Unit Plan:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Option-based Awards |
|
|
Share-based Awards |
|
|
|
Number of |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Per Share market |
|
|
|
securities |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
value of shares |
|
|
|
underlying |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
underlying units |
|
|
|
granted |
|
|
Option exercise |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Number of units |
|
|
at time of unit |
|
|
|
options |
|
|
price |
|
|
|
|
|
|
granted |
|
|
issuance |
|
Date |
|
(#) |
|
|
($) |
|
|
Date |
|
|
(#) |
|
|
($) |
|
August 10, 2009 |
|
|
132,262 |
|
|
|
9.10 |
|
|
August 10, 2009 |
|
|
105,084 |
|
|
|
9.10 |
|
S-22
MARKET FOR SECURITIES
Our outstanding Common Shares are listed and posted for trading on the TSX under the trading
symbol WPT and on NASDAQ under the trading symbol WPRT. The following table sets forth the
market price ranges and the aggregate volume of trading of the Common Shares on the TSX and NASDAQ
for the periods indicated.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Toronto Stock Exchange |
|
|
NASDAQ Global Market |
|
|
|
High |
|
|
Low |
|
|
Close |
|
|
Volume |
|
|
High |
|
|
Low |
|
|
Close |
|
|
Volume |
|
|
|
($) |
|
|
($) |
|
|
($) |
|
|
(Shares) |
|
|
(U.S.$) |
|
|
(U.S.$) |
|
|
(U.S.$) |
|
|
(Shares) |
|
Period |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2008 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
December |
|
|
6.41 |
|
|
|
4.51 |
|
|
|
6.25 |
|
|
|
1,285,329 |
|
|
|
5.45 |
|
|
|
3.52 |
|
|
|
5.10 |
|
|
|
1,254,758 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2009 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
January |
|
|
7.74 |
|
|
|
6.01 |
|
|
|
6.50 |
|
|
|
789,725 |
|
|
|
6.55 |
|
|
|
4.77 |
|
|
|
5.27 |
|
|
|
845,592 |
|
February |
|
|
7.18 |
|
|
|
4.62 |
|
|
|
5.20 |
|
|
|
853,258 |
|
|
|
5.83 |
|
|
|
3.60 |
|
|
|
4.05 |
|
|
|
885,763 |
|
March |
|
|
6.75 |
|
|
|
3.89 |
|
|
|
6.30 |
|
|
|
750,430 |
|
|
|
5.51 |
|
|
|
3.01 |
|
|
|
4.99 |
|
|
|
1,125,488 |
|
April |
|
|
7.40 |
|
|
|
5.08 |
|
|
|
6.00 |
|
|
|
1,229,779 |
|
|
|
6.00 |
|
|
|
4.18 |
|
|
|
5.04 |
|
|
|
2,446,298 |
|
May |
|
|
6.69 |
|
|
|
5.25 |
|
|
|
6.34 |
|
|
|
1,625,944 |
|
|
|
6.00 |
|
|
|
4.47 |
|
|
|
5.83 |
|
|
|
2,520,207 |
|
June |
|
|
10.23 |
|
|
|
6.27 |
|
|
|
9.39 |
|
|
|
2,572,701 |
|
|
|
9.09 |
|
|
|
5.75 |
|
|
|
8.09 |
|
|
|
5,175,574 |
|
July |
|
|
10.93 |
|
|
|
8.77 |
|
|
|
9.70 |
|
|
|
1,522,710 |
|
|
|
9.90 |
|
|
|
7.62 |
|
|
|
8.97 |
|
|
|
3,726,433 |
|
August |
|
|
11.66 |
|
|
|
7.82 |
|
|
|
10.96 |
|
|
|
2,590,127 |
|
|
|
10.76 |
|
|
|
7.05 |
|
|
|
10.07 |
|
|
|
6,929,925 |
|
September |
|
|
14.49 |
|
|
|
10.70 |
|
|
|
13.60 |
|
|
|
2,132,695 |
|
|
|
13.32 |
|
|
|
9.67 |
|
|
|
12.70 |
|
|
|
7,613,045 |
|
October |
|
|
13.60 |
|
|
|
9.95 |
|
|
|
10.70 |
|
|
|
1,662,610 |
|
|
|
12.89 |
|
|
|
9.23 |
|
|
|
9.78 |
|
|
|
4,599,014 |
|
November |
|
|
13.45 |
|
|
|
10.37 |
|
|
|
12.75 |
|
|
|
1,431,944 |
|
|
|
12.74 |
|
|
|
9.77 |
|
|
|
12.21 |
|
|
|
4,943,099 |
|
December (to December 7) |
|
|
13.70 |
|
|
|
12.71 |
|
|
|
12.90 |
|
|
|
280,607 |
|
|
|
13.16 |
|
|
|
12.06 |
|
|
|
12.16 |
|
|
|
958,804 |
|
S-23
CONSOLIDATED CAPITALIZATION
The following table sets forth our consolidated cash and cash equivalents and capitalization
as of September 30, 2009 on an actual basis and on an as adjusted basis to give effect to the sale
of our Common Shares in this Offering and the receipt of the net proceeds therefrom at a public
offering price of U.S.$ · per Common Share. This table should be read in conjunction with
Selected Consolidated Financial Data included elsewhere in this Prospectus Supplement and the Q2
MD&A and our consolidated financial statements and the related notes incorporated by reference into
the Prospectus.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
As of September 30, 2009 |
|
|
|
Actual |
|
|
As Adjusted |
|
|
|
(dollars in thousands) |
|
|
|
$ |
57,661 |
|
|
|
|
|
Cash, cash equivalents, and short-term investments |
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
· |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
5,209 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Debt: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Notes payable |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
9% unsecured subordinated debentures(1) |
|
$ |
11,985 |
|
|
$ |
11,985 |
|
Demand installment loan |
|
|
3,969 |
|
|
|
3,969 |
|
Short-term debt |
|
|
257 |
|
|
|
257 |
|
Capital lease obligation |
|
|
387 |
|
|
|
387 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total debt |
|
|
16,598 |
|
|
|
· |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Shareholders equity: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Common Shares |
|
$ |
316,743 |
|
|
$ |
· |
|
|
|
(32,805,072 Common Shares) |
|
( · Common Shares) |
Preferred Shares |
|
Nil |
|
|
Nil |
|
Other equity instruments |
|
|
9,983 |
|
|
|
9,983 |
|
Additional paid-in capital |
|
|
5,450 |
|
|
|
5,450 |
|
Deficit |
|
|
(290,058 |
) |
|
|
(290,058 |
) |
Accumulated other comprehensive income |
|
|
2,580 |
|
|
|
2,580 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total shareholders equity |
|
$ |
44,698 |
|
|
$ |
· |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total capitalization |
|
$ |
61,296 |
|
|
$ |
· |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Note: |
|
(1) |
|
The debentures were issued pursuant to a public offering of debenture units that was
completed on July 3, 2008, and mature on July 3, 2011. |
UNDERWRITING
Under the terms and subject to the conditions contained in an underwriting agreement dated
December · , 2009, the Underwriters named below, for whom Jefferies & Company, Inc. is acting
as representative, have severally agreed to purchase, and we have agreed to sell to them, the
number of Common Shares indicated below:
|
|
|
|
|
Name |
|
Number of Shares |
|
Jefferies & Company, Inc. |
|
|
· |
|
Lazard Capital Markets LLC |
|
|
· |
|
ThinkEquity LLC |
|
|
· |
|
Craig-Hallum Capital Group LLC |
|
|
· |
|
Dundee Securities Corporation. |
|
|
· |
|
S-24
The Underwriters are offering the Common Shares subject to their acceptance of the Common
Shares from us and subject to prior sale. The underwriting agreement provides that the obligations
of the several Underwriters to pay for and accept delivery of the Common Shares offered by this
Prospectus Supplement are subject to the approval of certain legal matters by their counsel and to
certain other conditions. The Underwriters are obligated to take and pay for all of the Common
Shares if any such shares are taken. However, the Underwriters are not required
to take or pay for the Common Shares covered by the Underwriters option to purchase
additional Common Shares described below. The obligations of the Underwriters under the
underwriting agreement may be terminated at the discretion of the representative of the
Underwriters on the basis of its assessment of the effect that certain changes in the United
States or international political, financial or economic conditions may have on the market for the
Common Shares. The obligations of the Underwriters may also be terminated upon the occurrence of
certain stated events. The price per Common Share pursuant to the Offering has been determined by
negotiation between the Company and the Underwriter.
The Offering is being made concurrently in the United States and Canada pursuant to the MJDS.
The Common Shares will be offered in the United States and Canada through the Underwriters either
directly or through their respective United States or Canadian broker-dealer affiliates or agents,
as applicable. No securities will be offered or sold in any jurisdiction except by or through
brokers or dealers duly registered under the applicable securities laws of that jurisdiction, or in
circumstances where an exemption from such registered dealer requirements is available. Subject to
applicable law, the Underwriters may offer the Common Shares outside of the United States and
Canada.
The offering price of the Common Shares for investors in the United States will be payable in
U.S. dollars and the offering price of the Common Shares for investors in Canada will be payable in
Canadian dollars, unless the Underwriters otherwise agree. All of the proceeds of the Offering
will be paid to us by the Underwriters in U.S. dollars based on the U.S. dollar offering price.
Option to Purchase Additional Shares
We have granted to the Underwriters an option, exercisable for 30 days from the date of this
Prospectus Supplement, to purchase up to an aggregate of · additional Common Shares at the
public offering price set forth on the cover page of this Prospectus Supplement, less underwriting
discounts and commissions. If the Underwriters exercise this option, each Underwriter will be
obligated, subject to some conditions, to purchase a number of additional Common Shares
proportionate to that Underwriters initial purchase commitment as indicated in the table above.
Commission and Expenses
The Underwriters have advised us that they propose to offer the Common Shares to the public at
the initial public offering price set forth on the cover page of this Prospectus Supplement and to
certain dealers at that price less a concession not in excess of U.S.$ · per share. The
Underwriters may allow, and certain dealers may reallow, a discount from the concession not in
excess of U.S.$ · per share to certain brokers and dealers. After the Offering, the initial
public offering price, concession and reallowance to dealers may be reduced by the representative.
No such reduction shall change the amount of proceeds to be received by us as set forth on the
cover page of this Prospectus Supplement. The Common Shares are offered by the Underwriters as
stated herein, subject to receipt and acceptance by them and subject to their right to reject any
order in whole or in part. The Underwriters have informed us that they do not intend sales to
discretionary accounts to exceed 5% of the total number of Common Shares offered by them.
For purposes of the Offering in Canada, if all of the Common Shares have not been sold after
the Canadian Underwriter has made a reasonable effort to sell the Common Shares at the initial
offering price disclosed in this Prospectus Supplement, the Canadian Underwriter may from time to
time decrease or change the offering price and the other selling terms provided that the price for
the Common Shares shall not exceed the initial offering price and further provided that the
compensation that is realized by the Canadian Underwriter will be decreased by the amount that the
aggregate price paid by the purchasers for the Common Shares is less than the gross proceeds paid
by the Canadian Underwriter to us.
The following table shows the public offering price, the underwriting discounts and
commissions payable to the Underwriters by us and the proceeds, before expenses, to us. Such
amounts are shown assuming both no exercise and full exercise of the Underwriters option to
purchase additional Common Shares.
S-25
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Per Share |
|
|
Total |
|
|
|
Without |
|
|
With |
|
|
Without |
|
|
Without |
|
|
|
Underwriters' |
|
|
Underwriters' |
|
|
Underwriters' |
|
|
Underwriters' |
|
|
|
Option |
|
|
Option |
|
|
Option |
|
|
Option |
|
Public offering price |
|
|
U.S.$ · |
|
|
|
U.S. · |
|
|
|
U.S.$ · |
|
|
|
U.S.$ · |
|
Underwriting discounts and
commissions paid by us |
|
|
U.S.$ · |
|
|
|
U.S.$ · |
|
|
|
U.S.$ · |
|
|
|
U.S.$ · |
|
Proceeds to us, before expenses |
|
|
U.S.$ · |
|
|
|
U.S.$ · |
|
|
|
U.S.$ · |
|
|
|
U.S.$ · |
|
Indemnification
We have agreed to indemnify the Underwriters against certain liabilities, including
liabilities under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and applicable Canadian
securities legislation, or to contribute to payments that the Underwriters may be required to make
in respect of those liabilities.
Lock-up Agreements
We and our directors and certain of our officers have agreed, subject to specified exceptions, not to
directly or indirectly:
|
|
|
sell, offer, contract or grant any option to sell (including any short sale),
pledge, transfer, establish an open put equivalent position within the meaning of
Rule 16a-l(h) under the U.S. Exchange Act, or |
|
|
|
otherwise dispose of any Common Shares, options or warrants to acquire Common
Shares, or securities exchangeable or exercisable for or convertible into Common Shares
currently or hereafter owned either of record or beneficially, or |
|
|
|
publicly announce an intention to do any of the foregoing for a period of 90 days
after the date of this Prospectus Supplement without the prior written consent of
Jefferies & Company, Inc., |
provided, however, that, after the 60th day following the date
of this Prospectus Supplement, our
directors and certain of our officers subject to this restriction will be permitted to sell or otherwise transfer up to 100,000 Common
Shares in the aggregate.
This restriction terminates after the close of trading of the Common Shares on the 90th day
after the date of this Prospectus Supplement. However, subject to certain exceptions, in the event
that either (i) during the last 17 days of the 90-day restricted period, we issue an earnings
release or material news or a material event relating to us occurs or (ii) prior to the expiration
of the 90-day restricted period, we announce that we will release earnings results or we become
aware that material news or a material event relating to us will occur during the 16-day period
beginning on the last day of the 90-day restricted period, then in either case the expiration of
the 90-day restricted period will be extended until the expiration of the 18-day period beginning
on the date of the issuance of an earnings release or the occurrence of the material news or
material event, as applicable, unless Jefferies & Company, Inc. waives, in writing, such an
extension.
Jefferies & Company, Inc. may, in its sole discretion and at any time or from time to time
before the termination of the 90-day period, without notice, release all or any portion of the
securities subject to lock-up agreements. There are no existing agreements between the
Underwriters and any of our shareholders who will execute a lock-up agreement providing consent to
the sale of Common Shares prior to the expiration of the lock-up period.
Listing
Our outstanding Common Shares are listed and posted for trading on the TSX under the trading
symbol WPT and on NASDAQ under the trading symbol WPRT. We have applied to the TSX for the
additional listing of the Common Shares offered by this Prospectus Supplement. Listing on the TSX
will be subject to our fulfillment of all of the listing requirements of the TSX. The Common
Shares offered by this Prospectus Supplement will be listed on NASDAQ.
S-26
Electronic Distribution
A Prospectus Supplement and Prospectus in electronic format may be made available on websites
or through other online services maintained by one or more of the Underwriters of the Offering, or
by their affiliates. Other than the Prospectus Supplement and Prospectus in electronic format, the
information on any Underwriters website and any information contained in any other website
maintained by an Underwriter is not part of the Prospectus Supplement or Prospectus or the
registration statement of which this Prospectus Supplement and Prospectus forms a part, has not
been approved and/or endorsed by us or the Underwriter in its capacity as underwriter and should
not be relied upon by investors.
Price Stabilization, Short Positions and Penalty Bids
Until the distribution of the Common Shares is completed, SEC rules may limit the Underwriters
from bidding for and purchasing Common Shares. However, the representative may engage in
transactions that stabilize the market price of the Common Shares, such as bids or purchases to
peg, fix or maintain that price so long as stabilizing transactions do not exceed a specified
maximum.
Pursuant to rules of the Ontario Securities Commission and the Universal Market Integrity
Rules for Canadian Marketplaces, the Underwriters may not, throughout the period of distribution,
bid for or purchase Common Shares except in accordance with certain permitted transactions,
including market stabilization and passive market making activities. In connection with the sale
of our Common Shares, the Underwriters may sell more Common Shares than they are required to
purchase in this Offering or effect transactions which stabilize or maintain the market price of
the Common Shares at levels other than those which otherwise might prevail on the open market.
In connection with this Offering, the Underwriters may engage in transactions that stabilize,
maintain or otherwise make short sales of Common Shares and may purchase Common Shares on the open
market to cover positions created by short sales. Short sales involve the sale by the Underwriters
of a greater number of Common Shares than they are required to purchase in this Offering.
Covered short sales are sales made in an amount not greater than the Underwriters option to
purchase additional Common Shares in this Offering. The Underwriters may close out any covered
short position by either exercising their option to purchase additional Common Shares or purchasing
Common Shares in the open market. In determining the source of Common Shares to close out the
covered short position, the Underwriters will consider, among other things, the price of Common
Shares available for purchase in the open market as compared to the price at which they may
purchase Common Shares through the option to purchase additional Common Shares. Naked short
sales are sales in excess of the option to purchase additional Common Shares. The Underwriters
must close out any naked short position by purchasing Common Shares in the open market. A naked
short position is more likely to be created if the Underwriters are concerned that there may be
downward pressure on the price of the Common Shares in the open market after pricing that could
adversely affect investors who purchase in this Offering. A stabilizing bid is a bid for or the
purchase of Common Shares on behalf of an Underwriter in the open market prior to the completion of
this Offering for the purpose of fixing or maintaining the price of the Common Shares. A
syndicate covering transaction is the bid for or purchase of Common Shares on behalf of the
Underwriters to reduce a short position incurred by the Underwriters in connection with the
Offering.
Similar to other purchase transactions, the Underwriters purchases to cover the syndicate
short sales may have the effect of raising or maintaining the market price of our Common Shares or
preventing or retarding a decline in the market price of our Common Shares. As a result, the price
of our Common Shares may be higher than the price that might otherwise exist in the open market.
The representative may also impose a penalty bid on Underwriters. A penalty bid is an
arrangement permitting the representative to reclaim the selling concession otherwise accruing to
the Underwriters in connection with this Offering if the Common Shares originally sold by the
Underwriters are purchased by the Underwriters in a syndicate covering transaction and have
therefore not been effectively placed by the Underwriters. The imposition of a penalty bid may
also affect the price of the Common Shares in that it discourages resales of those Common Shares.
In connection with this Offering,
the Underwriters may also engage in passive market making transactions in Common Shares on NASDAQ in accordance with
Rule 103 of Regulation M during a period before the commencement of offers or sales of our Common Shares in
this Offering and extending
through the completion of distribution. A passive market maker must display its bid at a price not in excess of the highest
independent bid of that security. However, if all independent bids are lowered below the passive market makers bid,
that bid must then be lowered when specified purchase limits are exceeded.
Neither we, nor any of the Underwriters makes any representation or prediction as to the
direction or magnitude of any effect that the transactions described above may have on the price of
Common Shares. In addition, neither we nor any of the Underwriters makes any representation that the
representative will engage in these transactions or that any transaction, if commenced, will not be
discontinued without notice.
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Affiliations
The Underwriters and their affiliates have provided, or may in the future provide, various
investment banking, commercial banking, financial advisory and other services to us and our
affiliates for which services they have received, and may in the future receive, customary fees.
In the course of their businesses, the Underwriters and their affiliates may actively trade our
securities or loans for their own account or for the accounts of customers, and, accordingly, the
Underwriters and their affiliates may at any time hold long or short positions in such securities
or loans.
Lazard Frères & Co. LLC referred this transaction to Lazard Capital Markets LLC and will receive a referral fee from Lazard Capital Markets LLC in connection therewith.
CERTAIN INCOME TAX CONSIDERATIONS
Certain Canadian Federal Income Tax Considerations
In the opinion of Bennett Jones LLP, Canadian counsel to Westport, and McCarthy Tétrault LLP,
Canadian counsel to the Underwriters, the following summary fairly describes the principal Canadian
federal income tax considerations under the Income Tax Act (Canada) (the Tax Act) generally
applicable at the date hereof to a purchaser who acquires Common Shares pursuant to the Offering.
This summary is applicable only to a purchaser who, at all relevant times, (i) deals with us and
the Underwriters at arms length, (ii) is not affiliated with them or us, and (iii) holds his, her
or its Common Shares as capital property (a Holder), all within the meaning of the Tax Act.
Common Shares will generally be considered to be capital property to a purchaser provided the
purchaser does not hold the shares in the course of carrying on a business of trading or dealing in
securities and has not acquired those shares in a transaction considered to be an adventure in the
nature of trade.
This summary does not apply to a purchaser (i) that is a specified financial institution, (ii)
that is a financial institution for purposes of the mark-to-market rules under the Tax Act, (iii)
an interest in which is a tax shelter investment, (iv) that has elected under the Tax Act to
determine his, her or its Canadian tax results in a currency other than Canadian currency, or (v)
that holds at any relevant time Common Shares acquired upon the exercise of rights to acquire such
shares received in respect of, in the course of, or by virtue of employment with Westport or any
corporation or mutual fund trust not dealing at arms length with Westport, all within the meaning
of the Tax Act. Such a holder should consult his, her or its own tax advisors with respect to the
purchase of Common Shares pursuant to this Offering. In addition, this summary does not address
the deductibility of interest incurred by a Holder who has borrowed money to acquire Common Shares
pursuant to this Offering.
This summary is based on the current provisions of the Tax Act and the regulations thereunder
(the Regulations), the Convention Between Canada and the United States of America with Respect to
Taxes on Income and on Capital, signed September 26, 1980, as amended (the U.S. Treaty), all
specific proposals to amend the Tax Act or the Regulations that have been publicly announced by, or
on behalf of, the Minister of Finance (Canada) prior to the date hereof and the proposed amendments
to the U.S. Treaty (such proposed amendments are collectively referred to as the Proposed
Amendments) and counsels understanding of the current published administrative and assessing
practices and policies of the Canada Revenue Agency. This summary assumes that the Proposed
Amendments will be enacted in the form proposed and does not take into account or anticipate any
other changes in law or administrative policy, whether by way of judicial, legislative or
governmental decision or action, nor does it take into account provincial, territorial or
non-Canadian tax legislation or considerations, which may differ significantly from the tax
considerations discussed in this summary. No assurance can be given that the Proposed Amendments
will be enacted in the form proposed or at all, or that legislative, judicial or administrative
changes will not modify or change the statements expressed in this summary.
This summary is of a general nature and is not exhaustive of all possible Canadian federal
income tax considerations applicable to an investment in Common Shares. The tax consequences of
acquiring, holding and disposing of Common Shares will vary according to the status of the
purchaser, the jurisdiction in which the purchaser resides or carries on business, and the
purchasers own particular circumstances. This summary is not intended to constitute legal or tax
advice to any particular purchaser. Prospective purchasers should obtain independent advice from
their own tax advisers regarding the tax considerations applicable to investing in Common Shares
based on their own particular circumstances.
For the purposes of the Tax Act, all amounts relating to the acquisition, holding and
disposition of the Common Shares (including dividends, adjusted cost base and proceeds of
disposition) must be expressed in Canadian dollars. Amounts denominated in United States dollars
must be converted into Canadian dollars using the
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Bank of Canada noon rate on the day of which the amount first arose or such other rate of
exchange as is acceptable to the Minister of National Revenue.
Taxation of Resident Holders
This portion of the summary is applicable to Holders who, at all relevant times, are resident
in Canada within the meaning of the Tax Act (Resident Holders).
Certain Resident Holders who might not otherwise be considered to hold their Common Shares as
capital property may, in certain circumstances, be entitled to make an irrevocable election under
subsection 39(4) of the Tax Act to have the Common Shares and every other Canadian security (as
defined in the Tax Act) owned by them in the taxation year of the election and in all subsequent
taxation years deemed to be capital property. Resident Holders contemplating such an election
should consult their own tax advisors for advice as to whether an election under subsection 39(4)
is available and advisable in their particular circumstances.
In the case of a Resident Holder who is an individual (other than certain trusts), any
dividends received or deemed to be received on the Common Shares will be included in computing the
individuals income and will be subject to the gross-up and dividend tax credit normally applicable
to taxable dividends paid by taxable Canadian corporations. Provided that appropriate designations
are made by us at the time a dividend is paid, such dividend will be treated as an eligible
dividend for the purposes of the Tax Act and a Resident Holder will be entitled to an enhanced
gross up and dividend tax credit in respect of such dividend. There may be limitations on our
ability to designate dividends as eligible dividends. Taxable dividends received by an individual
(including certain trusts) may give rise to alternative minimum tax under the Tax Act, depending on
the individuals circumstances.
In the case of a Resident Holder that is a corporation, any dividends received or deemed to be
received on the Common Shares will be included in computing the corporations income and will
generally be deductible in computing its taxable income to the extent and in the circumstances
provided in the Tax Act. A Resident Holder that is a private corporation as defined in the Tax Act
or a corporation that is controlled or deemed to be controlled by or for the benefit of an
individual (other than a trust) or a related group of individuals may be liable to pay a refundable
tax of 33 1/3% of the dividends received on the Common Shares to the extent that such dividends are
deductible in computing the corporations taxable income.
A Resident Holder who disposes of, or is deemed to have disposed of, a Common Share (other
than, in certain cases, a disposition or deemed disposition to us) will realize a capital gain (or
a capital loss) equal to the amount by which the proceeds of disposition of the Common Share exceed
(or are exceeded by) the adjusted cost base of the Common Share and any reasonable costs of
disposition. In computing the adjusted cost base of a Common Share the acquisition cost of all
Common Shares held as capital property must be averaged.
Generally, one-half of any capital gain (a taxable capital gain) realized by a Resident
Holder in a taxation year must be included in the Resident Holders income for the year and
one-half of any capital loss (an allowable capital loss) realized by a Resident Holder in a
taxation year may be deducted from taxable capital gains realized in the year. Allowable capital
losses in excess of taxable capital gains for that year may be carried back three years or forward
indefinitely, in the circumstances and to the extent provided by the Tax Act. The amount of any
capital loss realized by a Resident Holder that is a corporation on a disposition or deemed
disposition of Common Shares may be reduced by the amount of dividends previously received or
deemed to be received thereon, to the extent and under the circumstances prescribed in the Tax Act.
Analogous rules apply where a Resident Holder that is a corporation is, directly or through a
trust or partnership, a member of a partnership or a beneficiary of a trust which owns Common
Shares.
A Resident Holder that throughout a relevant taxation year is a Canadian-controlled private
corporation, as defined in the Tax Act, may be liable to pay an additional refundable tax of 6 2/3%
on certain investment income, including taxable capital gains. Capital gains realized by an
individual (including certain trusts) may give rise to a liability for alternative minimum tax.
Taxation of Non-Resident Holders
This portion of the summary is applicable to Holders who, at all relevant times, are not
resident in Canada within the meaning of the Tax Act and who do not use or hold, and are not deemed
to use or hold, the Common
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Shares in connection with carrying on business in Canada (Non-Resident Holders), other than
insurers who carry on business in Canada and elsewhere.
Amounts paid or credited to a Non-Resident Holder as dividends or deemed dividends on the
Common Shares are subject to withholding tax at a rate of 25%, subject to reduction of such rate
under an applicable tax treaty. The rate of withholding tax on dividends is generally reduced to
15% under the U.S. Treaty if the beneficial owner of the dividends is resident in the United States
for purposes of the U.S. Treaty. Pursuant to the U.S. Treaty, treaty benefits will be restricted
to those persons who meet the requirements of its limitation of benefits article.
A Non-Resident Holder will generally not be subject to tax on a capital gain realized on the
disposition of a Common Share unless, at the time of disposition, the Common Share constitutes
taxable Canadian property to the Holder. If the Common Share is listed on a designated stock
exchange (which includes the TSX) at the time it is disposed of, it will generally not constitute
taxable Canadian property to a Non-Resident Holder unless, at that time or within the prior 60
months, the Non-Resident Holder, persons with whom the Non-Resident Holder did not deal at arms
length (within the meaning of the Tax Act), or the Non-Resident Holder together with such persons,
owned 25% or more of the issued shares of any class or series of our capital stock or the Common
Share is otherwise deemed to be taxable Canadian property.
If a Common Share constitutes, or is deemed to constitute, taxable Canadian property, a
Non-Resident Holder who disposes of a Common Share will generally be subject to the same tax
consequences as a Resident Holder who disposes of Common Shares. However, no tax under the Tax Act
will generally be payable on a capital gain realized on the disposition of such shares if the
Non-Resident Holder is entitled to the benefit of the relieving provisions of a tax treaty between
Canada and the Non-Resident Holders country of residence. Under the U.S. Treaty, a disposition of
Common Shares by a U.S. resident (other than certain former residents of Canada who owned such
shares at the time they ceased to be resident in Canada) will generally not be subject to Canadian
capital gains tax provided that, at the time of disposition, the value of such shares is not
derived principally from real property situated in Canada, within the meaning of the Treaty, and
subject to the limitation of benefits article described above.
Certain U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations
The following is a summary of certain anticipated material U.S. federal income tax
consequences to a U.S. Holder (as defined below) arising from and relating to the acquisition,
ownership, and disposition of Common Shares acquired pursuant to the Offering. This summary is for
general information purposes only and does not purport to be a complete analysis or listing of all
potential U.S. federal income tax consequences that may apply to a U.S. Holder as a result of the
acquisition, ownership, and disposition of Common Shares. This summary applies only to U.S.
Holders that hold Common Shares as capital assets (generally, property held for investment)
within the meaning of Section 1221 of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the
"Code). In addition, this summary does not take into account the individual facts and
circumstances of any particular U.S. Holder that may affect the U.S. federal income tax
consequences of the acquisition, ownership, and disposition of Common Shares. Accordingly, this
summary is not intended to be, and should not be construed as, legal or U.S. federal income tax
advice with respect to any U.S. Holder. Each U.S. Holder should consult its own financial advisor,
legal counsel, or accountant regarding the U.S. federal income, U.S. state and local, and foreign
tax consequences of the acquisition, ownership, and disposition of Common Shares.
No ruling from the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (the IRS), has been requested, or is
expected to be obtained, regarding the U.S. federal income tax consequences to U.S. Holders of the
acquisition, ownership, or disposition of the Common Shares. Because the authorities on which this
summary is based are subject to various interpretations, the IRS could successfully challenge one
or more of the positions take in this summary.
Scope of this Summary
Authorities
This summary is based on the Code, Treasury Regulations (whether final, temporary, or
proposed), published rulings of the IRS, published administrative positions of the IRS, the U.S.
Treaty, and U.S. court decisions that are applicable and, in each case, as in effect and available,
as of the date of this Prospectus Supplement. Any of the authorities on which this summary is
based could be changed in a material and adverse manner at any time, and
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any such change could be applied on a retroactive basis. This summary does not discuss the
potential effects, whether adverse or beneficial, of any proposed legislation that, if enacted,
could be applied on a retroactive basis.
U.S. Holders
For purposes of this summary, a U.S. Holder is a beneficial owner of Common Shares that, for
U.S. federal income tax purposes, is (a) an individual who is a citizen or resident of the U.S.,
(b) a corporation, or any other entity classified as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax
purposes, that is created or organized in or under the laws of the U.S. or any state in the U.S.,
including the District of Columbia, (c) an estate if the income of such estate is subject to U.S.
federal income tax regardless of the source of such income, or (d) a trust if (i) such trust has
validly elected to be treated as a U.S. person for U.S. federal income tax purposes or (ii) a U.S.
court is able to exercise primary supervision over the administration of such trust and one or more
U.S. persons have the authority to control all substantial decisions of such trust.
Non-U.S. Holders
For purposes of this summary, a non-U.S. Holder is a beneficial owner of Common Shares other
than a U.S. Holder. This summary does not address the U.S. federal income tax consequences of the
acquisition, ownership, and disposition of Common Shares to non-U.S. Holders. Accordingly, a
non-U.S. Holder should consult its own financial advisor, legal counsel, or accountant regarding
the U.S. federal income, U.S. state and local, and foreign tax consequences (including the
potential application of and operation of any tax treaties) of the acquisition, ownership, and
disposition of Common Shares.
U.S. Holders Subject to Special U.S. Federal Income Tax Rules Not Addressed
This summary does not address the U.S. federal income tax consequences of the acquisition,
ownership, and disposition of Common Shares to U.S. Holders that are subject to special provisions
under the Code, including the following U.S. Holders: (a) U.S. Holders that are tax-exempt
organizations, qualified retirement plans, individual retirement accounts, or other tax-deferred
accounts; (b) U.S. Holders that are financial institutions, insurance companies, real estate
investment trusts, or regulated investment companies; (c) U.S. Holders that are dealers in
securities or currencies or U.S. Holders that are traders in securities that elect to apply a
mark-to-market accounting method; (d) U.S. Holders that have a functional currency other than the
U.S. dollar; (e) U.S. Holders that are liable for the alternative minimum tax under the Code; (f)
U.S. Holders that own Common Shares as part of a straddle, hedging transaction, conversion
transaction, constructive sale, or other arrangement involving more than one position; (g) U.S.
Holders that acquired Common Shares in connection with the exercise of employee stock options or
otherwise as compensation for services; (h) U.S. Holders that hold Common Shares other than as a
capital asset within the meaning of Section 1221 of the Code; (i) U.S. expatriates or former
long-term residents of the United States; and (j) U.S. Holders that own (directly, indirectly, or
by attribution) 10% or more, by voting power or value, of the outstanding shares of the
Corporation. U.S. Holders that are subject to special provisions under the Code, including U.S.
Holders described immediately above, should consult their own financial advisor, legal counsel or
accountant regarding the U.S. federal income, U.S. state and local, and foreign tax consequences of
the acquisition, ownership, and disposition of Common Shares.
If an entity that is classified as a partnership (or pass-through entity) for U.S. federal
income tax purposes holds Common Shares, the U.S. federal income tax consequences to such
partnership (or pass-through entity) and the partners of such partnership (or owners of such
pass-through entity) generally will depend on the activities of the partnership (or
pass-through entity) and the status of such partners (or owners). Partners of entities that are
classified as partnerships (or owners of pass-through entities) for U.S. federal income tax
purposes should consult their own financial advisor, legal counsel or accountant regarding the U.S.
federal income tax consequences of the acquisition, ownership, and disposition of Common Shares.
Tax Consequences Other than U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences Not Addressed
This summary does not address the U.S. state and local, U.S. federal estate and gift, or
foreign tax consequences to U.S. Holders of the acquisition, ownership, and disposition of Common
Shares. Each U.S. Holder should consult its own financial advisor, legal counsel, or accountant
regarding the U.S. state and local, U.S. federal estate and gift, and foreign tax consequences of
the acquisition, ownership, and disposition of Common Shares.
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U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences of the Acquisition, Ownership, and Disposition of Common
Shares
Distributions on Common Shares
General Taxation of Distributions
A U.S. Holder that receives a distribution, including a constructive distribution, with
respect to the Common Shares will be required to include the amount of such distribution in gross
income as a dividend (without reduction for any Canadian income tax withheld from such
distribution) to the extent of the current or accumulated earnings and profits of the
Corporation. To the extent that a distribution exceeds the current and accumulated earnings and
profits of the Corporation, such distribution will be treated (a) first, as a tax-free return of
capital to the extent of a U.S. Holders tax basis in the Common Shares (therefore reducing the
U.S. Holders tax basis in the Common Shares) and, (b) thereafter, as gain from the sale or
exchange of such Common Shares. (See more detailed discussion at Disposition of Common Shares
below). The U.S. federal income tax consequences described in the immediately preceding sentence
applies whether or not such distributions are treated as a return of capital for non-tax purposes.
The amount of any distribution other than cash will be the fair market value of such property on
the date of the distribution by the Corporation. U.S. Holders of the Common Shares that are
corporations generally will not be entitled to claim a dividends received deduction with respect
to Dividends paid on the Common Shares.
Reduced Tax Rates for Certain Dividends
For taxable years beginning before January 1, 2011, a dividend paid by the Corporation
generally will be taxed at the preferential tax rates applicable to long-term capital gains if (a)
the Corporation is a qualified foreign corporation (as defined below), (b) the U.S. Holder
receiving such dividend is an individual, estate, or trust, and (c) such dividend is paid on Common
Shares that have been held by such U.S. Holder for at least 61 days during the 121-day period
beginning 60 days before the ex-dividend date. The Corporation generally will be a qualified
foreign corporation under Section 1(h)(11) of the Code (a QFC) if (a) the Corporation is
eligible for the benefits of the U.S. Treaty, or (b) the Common Shares are readily tradable on an
established securities market in the U.S. However, even if the Corporation satisfies one or more
of such requirements, the Corporation will not be treated as a QFC if the Corporation is a passive
foreign investment corporation or PFIC (as defined below) for the taxable year during which the
Corporation pays a dividend or for the preceding taxable year.
If the Corporation is not a QFC, a dividend paid by the Corporation to a U.S. Holder,
including a U.S. Holder that is an individual, estate, or trust, generally will be taxed at
ordinary income tax rates (and not at the preferential tax rates applicable to long-term capital
gains). The dividend rules are complex, and each U.S. Holder should consult its own financial
advisor, legal counsel, or accountant regarding the dividend rules.
Distributions Paid in Foreign Currency
The amount of a distribution paid to a U.S. Holder in foreign currency generally will be equal
to the U.S. dollar value of such distribution based on the exchange rate applicable on the date of
receipt. A U.S. Holder that does not convert foreign currency received as a distribution into U.S.
dollars on the date of receipt generally will have a tax basis in such foreign currency equal to
the U.S. dollar value of such foreign currency on the date of receipt. Such a U.S. Holder
generally will recognize ordinary income or loss on the subsequent sale or other taxable
disposition of such foreign currency (including an exchange for U.S. dollars).
Disposition of Common Shares
A U.S. Holder will recognize gain or loss on the sale or other taxable disposition of Common
Shares in an amount equal to the difference, if any, between (a) the amount of cash plus the fair
market value of any property received and (b) such U.S. Holders tax basis in the Common Shares
sold or otherwise disposed of. Any such gain or loss generally will be capital gain or loss, which
will be long-term capital gain or loss if the Common Shares are
held for more than one year. Gain or loss recognized by a U.S. Holder on the sale or other
taxable disposition of Common Shares generally will be treated as U.S. source for purposes of
applying the U.S. foreign tax credit rules unless such U.S. Holder makes an election under the Code
to treat any such gain as foreign source. (See more detailed discussion at Foreign Tax Credit
below).
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Preferential tax rates apply to long-term capital gains of a U.S. Holder that is an
individual, estate, or trust. There are currently no preferential tax rates for long-term capital
gains of a U.S. Holder that is a corporation. Deductions for capital losses are subject to
significant limitations under the Code.
In certain circumstances, amounts received by a U.S. Holder upon the redemption of Common
Shares may be treated as a distribution with respect to Common Shares, rather than as a payment in
exchange for Common Shares that results in a the recognition of capital gain or loss, as described
above. In these circumstances, the redemption payment would be included in gross income as a
dividend to the extent that such payment is made out of the Corporations earnings and profits
(for a discussion regarding the U.S. federal income tax treatment of distributions with respect to
Common Shares, see Distributions on Common Shares above). The determination of whether a
redemption of Common Shares will be treated as a distribution with respect to Common Shares rather
than as a payment in exchange for Common Shares, will depend on whether and to what extent the
redemption reduces the U.S. Holders percentage ownership in the Corporation. The rules applicable
to redemptions are complex, and each U.S. Holder should consult its own financial advisor, legal
counsel or accountant to determine whether in the U.S. Holders own particular case a redemption of
Common Shares will be treated as a distribution with respect to Common Shares or as a payment in
exchange for the Common Shares.
Foreign Tax Credit
A U.S. Holder that pays (whether directly or through withholding) Canadian income tax with
respect to dividends paid on the Common Shares generally will be entitled, at the election of such
U.S. Holder, to receive either a deduction or a credit for such Canadian income tax paid.
Generally, a credit will reduce a U.S. Holders U.S. federal income tax liability on a
dollar-for-dollar basis, whereas a deduction will reduce a U.S. Holders income subject to U.S.
federal income tax. This election is made on a year-by-year basis and applies to all foreign taxes
paid (whether directly or through withholding) by a U.S. Holder during a year.
Complex limitations apply to the foreign tax credit, including the general limitation that the
credit cannot exceed the proportionate share of a U.S. Holders U.S. federal income tax liability
that such U.S. Holders foreign source taxable income bears to such U.S. Holders worldwide
taxable income. In applying this limitation, a U.S. Holders various items of income and deduction
must be classified, under complex rules, as either foreign source or U.S. source. In addition,
this limitation is calculated separately with respect to specific categories of income. Dividends
paid by the Corporation generally will constitute foreign source income and generally will be
categorized as passive category income. The foreign tax credit rules are extremely complex, and
each U.S. Holder should consult its own financial advisor, legal counsel, or accountant regarding
the foreign tax credit rules.
Information Reporting; Backup Withholding Tax
Payments made within the U.S., or by a U.S. payor or U.S. middleman, of dividends on, or
proceeds arising from the sale or other taxable disposition of, Common Shares may be subject to
information reporting and backup withholding tax, at the rate of 28%, if a U.S. Holder (a) fails to
furnish such U.S. Holders correct U.S. taxpayer identification number (generally on Form W-9), (b)
furnishes an incorrect U.S. taxpayer identification number, (c) is notified by the IRS that such
U.S. Holder has previously failed to properly report items subject to backup withholding tax, or
(d) fails to certify, under penalty of perjury, that such U.S. Holder has furnished its correct
U.S. taxpayer identification number and that the IRS has not notified such U.S. Holder that it is
subject to backup withholding tax. Any amounts withheld under the U.S. backup withholding tax
rules will be allowed as a credit against a U.S. Holders U.S. federal income tax liability, if
any, or will be refunded, if such U.S. Holder furnishes required information to the IRS. Each U.S.
Holder should consult its own financial advisor, legal counsel, or accountant regarding the
information reporting and backup withholding tax rules.
Passive Foreign Investment Company (PFIC)
If the Corporation is a PFIC in any taxable year during which a U.S. Holder owns Common
Shares, special, and generally unfavorable, rules will be applicable to such U.S. Holder, some of
which could impact the consequences described above. Based in part on current operations and
financial projections, the Corporation does
not expect to be classified as a PFIC for the current taxable year or in the foreseeable
future. However, the determination of whether or not the Corporation is a PFIC is made on an
annual basis and is based on the types of income the Corporation earns and the types and value of
the Corporations assets from time to time, all of which are subject to change. Additionally, the
analysis depends, in part, on the application of complex U.S. federal income tax rules, which are
subject to differing interpretations. Furthermore, whether the Corporation will be a PFIC for the
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current taxable year and each subsequent taxable year depends on its assets and income over
the course of each such taxable year and, as a result, cannot be predicted with certainty as of the
date of this Prospectus Supplement. Accordingly, there can be no assurance that the IRS will not
challenge the determination made by the Corporation concerning its PFIC status or that the
Corporation will not be a PFIC for any taxable year. The PFIC rules are extremely complex, and
each U.S. Holder should consult its own financial advisor, legal counsel, or accountant regarding
the PFIC rules.
LEGAL MATTERS
Certain legal matters relating to the Offering and to the Common Shares to be distributed
pursuant to this Prospectus Supplement will be reviewed on our behalf by Bennett Jones LLP and
Dorsey & Whitney LLP and on behalf of the Underwriters by McCarthy Tétrault LLP and Jones Day.
As at the date hereof, the partners and associates of Bennett Jones LLP and McCarthy Tétrault
LLP, as a group, beneficially own, directly or indirectly, less than 1% of our outstanding Common
Shares. W. Chipman Johnston, our corporate secretary, is a partner of Bennett Jones LLP.
AUDITORS, TRANSFER AGENT AND REGISTRAR
Our auditors are KPMG LLP, Chartered Accountants, 900 777 Dunsmuir Street, Vancouver,
British Columbia V7Y 1K3. Our financial statements as at March 31, 2009 and 2008 incorporated by
reference into the Prospectus have been audited by KPMG LLP, independent auditors, as indicated in
their report dated May 14, 2009 which is also incorporated by reference therein, and are
incorporated in the Prospectus in reliance upon the authority of said firm as experts in accounting
and auditing in giving said report. KPMG LLP are independent of us pursuant to the rules of
professional conduct applicable to auditors in all provinces of Canada and independent within the
meaning of the U.S. Exchange Act, as amended.
The transfer agent and registrar for our Common Shares is Computershare Trust Company of
Canada at its principal offices in the cities of Vancouver, British Columbia, Calgary, Alberta and
Toronto, Ontario.
DOCUMENTS FILED AS PART OF THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT
In addition to the documents specified in the Prospectus under Documents Filed as Part of the
Registration Statement, the documents referred to under Documents Incorporated by Reference in
this Prospectus Supplement and the Underwriting Agreement have been or will be filed with the SEC
as part of the registration statement to which this Prospectus Supplement and the Prospectus
relate. Additionally, we hereby incorporate by reference into our Registration Statement on Form F-10 (333-160709) our Foreign Report on Form 6-K dated November 13, 2009,
as filed with the SEC on November 17, 2009, relating to our unaudited consolidated financial statements as at September 30, 2009, together with notes thereto and our managements discussion and
analysis of financial condition and results of operations dated November 6, 2009, for the three and six months ended September 30, 2009 and 2008.
S-34
This short form prospectus constitutes a public offering of these securities only in those
jurisdictions where they may be lawfully offered for sale and therein only by persons permitted to
sell such securities. No securities regulatory authority has expressed an opinion about these
securities and it is an offence to claim otherwise.
Information has been incorporated by reference in this short form prospectus from documents filed
with securities commissions or similar authorities in Canada. Copies of the documents incorporated
herein by reference may be obtained on request without charge from the Director, Investor Relations
of Westport Innovations Inc. at 101 1750 West 75th Avenue, Vancouver, British Columbia
V6P 6G2, telephone (604) 718-8321 and are also available electronically at www.sedar.com. See
Documents Incorporated by Reference.
Short Form Prospectus
Cdn. $200,000,000
Common Shares
Preferred Shares
Subscription Receipts
Warrants
Debt Securities
Units
We may from time to time during the 25-month period that this prospectus (the Prospectus),
including any amendments, remains valid, sell under this Prospectus up to Cdn.
$200,000,000 (or the equivalent in other currencies or currency units) aggregate initial
offering price of our common shares (Common Shares), preferred shares (Preferred Shares),
subscription receipts (Subscription Receipts), warrants to purchase Common Shares (Warrants),
senior or subordinated unsecured debt securities (Debt Securities), and/or units comprised of one
or more of the other securities described in this Prospectus in any combination, (Units and,
together with the Common Shares, Preferred Shares, Subscription Receipts, Debt Securities and
Warrants, the Securities). We may offer Securities in such amount and, in the case of the
Preferred Shares, Subscription Receipts, Debt Securities, Warrants and Units, with such terms, as
we may determine in light of market conditions. We may sell the Preferred Shares, Subscription
Receipts, Debt Securities and Warrants in one or more series.
There are certain risk factors that should be carefully reviewed by prospective purchasers.
See Risk Factors.
We are permitted, as a Canadian issuer, under a multi-jurisdictional disclosure system adopted
by the United States and Canada (the MJDS), to prepare this Prospectus in accordance with
Canadian disclosure requirements. You should be aware that such requirements are different from
those of the United States. We have prepared our financial statements included or incorporated
herein by reference in accordance with Canadian generally accepted accounting principles, and they
are subject to Canadian auditing and auditor independence standards. Thus, they may not be
comparable to the financial statements of United States companies. In accordance with Item 18 of
Form 20-F, information regarding the impact upon the Corporations audited consolidated financial
statements of significant differences between Canadian generally accepted accounting principles and
United States generally accepted accounting principles is contained in Note 24 to the Corporations
audited consolidated financial statements as at March 31, 2009 and 2008 and for each of the years
in the three-year period ended March 31, 2009, which are incorporated herein by reference.
You should be aware that the acquisition of the Securities may have tax consequences both in
the United States and Canada. Such consequences for investors who are resident in, or citizens of,
the United States may not be described fully herein. You should read the tax discussion contained
in the applicable
Prospectus Supplement with respect to a particular offering of securities. See Certain Income Tax
Considerations.
Your ability to enforce civil liabilities under United States federal securities laws may be
affected adversely by the fact that we are incorporated under the laws of Alberta, Canada, the
majority of our officers and directors and some of the experts named in this Prospectus are
residents of Canada, and a substantial portion of our assets and the assets of such persons are
located outside the United States.
NEITHER THE UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION (the SEC) NOR THE SECURITIES
COMMISSION OF ANY STATE OF THE UNITED STATES HAS APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED THESE SECURITIES OR PASSED
UPON THE ACCURACY OR ADEQUACY OF THIS PROSPECTUS. ANY REPRESENTATION TO THE CONTRARY IS A CRIMINAL
OFFENCE.
The specific variable terms of any offering of Securities will be set forth in a supplement to
this Prospectus relating to such Securities (each, a Prospectus Supplement) including where
applicable: (i) in the case of the Common Shares, the number of Common Shares offered, the currency
(which may be Canadian dollars or any other currency), the issue price and any other specific
terms; (ii) in the case of Preferred Shares, the number of Preferred Shares being offered, the
designation of the series, the offering price, dividend rate, if any, and any other specific terms;
(iii) in the case of Subscription Receipts, the number of Subscription Receipts offered, the
currency (which may be Canadian dollars or any other currency), the issue price, the terms and
procedures for the exchange of the Subscription Receipts and any other specific terms; (iv) in the
case of Warrants, the designation, the number of Warrants offered, the currency (which may be
Canadian dollars or any other currency), number of the Common Shares that may be acquired upon
exercise of the Warrants, the exercise price, dates and periods of exercise, adjustment procedures
and any other specific terms; (v) in the case of Debt Securities, the designation, aggregate
principal amount and authorized denominations of the Debt Securities, any limit on the aggregate
principal amount of the Debt Securities, the currency (which may be Canadian dollars or any other
currency), the issue price (at par, at a discount or at a premium), the issue and delivery date,
the maturity date (including any provisions for the extension of a maturity date), the interest
rate (either fixed or floating and, if floating, the method of determination thereof), the interest
payment date(s), the provisions (if any) for subordination of the Debt Securities to other
indebtedness, any redemption provisions, any repayment provisions, any terms entitling the holder
to exchange or convert the Debt Securities into other securities and any other specific terms; and
(vi) in the case of Units, the designation, the number of Units offered, the offering price, the
currency (which may be Canadian dollars or any other currency), terms of the Units and of the
securities comprising the Units and any other specific terms.
All shelf information permitted under applicable laws to be omitted from this Prospectus will
be contained in one or more Prospectus Supplements that will be delivered to purchasers together
with this Prospectus. Each Prospectus Supplement will be incorporated by reference into this
Prospectus for the purposes of securities legislation as of the date of the Prospectus Supplement
and only for the purposes of the distribution of the Securities to which the Prospectus Supplement
pertains.
Our outstanding securities are listed for trading on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX) under
the trading symbol WPT and on the NASDAQ Global Market (NASDAQ) under the trading symbol
WPRT. Unless otherwise specified in any applicable Prospectus Supplement, the Preferred Shares,
Subscription Receipts, Warrants, Debt Securities, and Units will not be listed on any securities
exchange. There is no market through which the Preferred Shares, Subscription Receipts, Warrants,
Debt Securities or Units may be sold and purchasers may not be able to resell the Preferred Shares,
Subscription Receipts, Warrants, Debt Securities or Units purchased under this Prospectus. This
may affect the pricing of these securities in the secondary market, the transparency and
availability of trading prices, the liquidity of the securities, and the extent of issuer
regulation. See the Risk Factors section of the applicable Prospectus Supplement.
We may sell the Securities to or through underwriters, dealers, placement agents or other
intermediaries or directly to purchasers or through agents. See Plan of Distribution. The
Prospectus Supplement relating to a particular offering of Securities will identify each person who
may be deemed to be an underwriter with respect to such offering and will set forth the terms of
the offering of such Securities, including, to the extent applicable, the initial public offering
price, the proceeds that we will receive, the underwriting discounts or commissions and any other
discounts or concessions to be allowed or reallowed to dealers. The managing underwriter or
underwriters
ii
with respect to Securities sold to or through underwriters, if any, will be named in the
related Prospectus Supplement.
You should rely only on the information contained in this Prospectus. We have not authorized
anyone to provide you with information different from that contained in this Prospectus.
Our head office is located at 101 1750 West 75th Avenue, Vancouver, British Columbia
V6P 6G2, and our registered office is located at 4500 855 2nd Street S.W., Calgary, Alberta T2P
4K7.
iii
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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DEFINITIONS AND OTHER MATTERS
In this Prospectus and any Prospectus Supplement, unless otherwise indicated, references to
we, us, our, Westport or the Corporation are to Westport Innovations Inc. All references
to dollars, Cdn.$ or $ are to Canadian dollars and all references to U.S.$ are to United
States dollars. Unless otherwise indicated, all financial information included and incorporated by
reference in this Prospectus and any Prospectus Supplement is determined using Canadian generally
accepted accounting principles.
We prepare our financial statements in accordance with Canadian generally accepted accounting
principles (Canadian GAAP), which differ from United States generally accepted accounting
principles (U.S. GAAP). Therefore, our financial statements incorporated by reference in this
Prospectus and any Prospectus Supplement and in the documents incorporated by reference in this
Prospectus and in any applicable Prospectus Supplement may not be comparable to financial
statements prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP. You should refer to Note 24 of our audited
consolidated financial statements for the years ended March 31, 2009 and 2008 and for each of the
years in the three-year period ended March 31, 2009 for a discussion of the principal measurement
differences between our financial results determined under Canadian GAAP and under U.S. GAAP and
for disclosure differences. See Documents Incorporated by Reference.
SPECIAL NOTICE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
Certain statements contained in this Prospectus and any Prospectus Supplement, and in certain
documents incorporated by reference in this Prospectus, may constitute forward-looking
statements. When used in such documents, the words may, would, could, will, intend,
plan, anticipate, believe, estimate, expect, project and similar expressions, as they
relate to us or our management, are intended to identify forward-looking statements. In
particular, this Prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference in this Prospectus contains
forward-looking statements pertaining to the following:
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the future demand for Cummins Westport Inc. (CWI) and Westport products; |
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the penetration of our existing markets and expansion of those markets; |
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our ability to successfully launch our high-pressure direct-injection technology commercially; |
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our ability to exploit and protect our intellectual property; |
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our capital expenditure programs; |
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the future desirability and use of natural gas as an alternative fuel; |
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commodity prices and the fuel price differential between natural gas and diesel; |
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ongoing relationships between us and our business partners; |
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our ability to continue to compete with our competitors and their technologies; |
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the capital and operating costs of vehicles using our technologies relative to
alternative technologies; |
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continuing growth in the transportation sector and in the natural gas engine market; |
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profit margins and production costs of engines incorporating our technologies; |
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the further development of infrastructure supporting the application of natural gas
as an alternative fuel; |
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increasing penetration of our technologies in key markets within the transportation
sector and in key geographic markets; |
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increasingly stringent environmental regulation in the future; |
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ongoing availability of government incentives and mandates for our technology; |
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our ability to attract and retain personnel; |
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demand for engines incorporating our technologies by the Ports of Los Angeles and
Long Beach, California (the San Pedro Bay Ports or the Ports); |
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production methods for our liquefied natural gas (LNG) system; |
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increasing commercialization of our technologies; |
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expansion of our product offerings; |
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our adoption, timing and ability to meet certain accounting and regulatory
standards; |
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the ability of our products to adapt to the use of biogas and manufactured fuels,
including hydrogen, as fuels; |
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our estimates and assumptions used in our accounting policies, and accruals,
including warranty accruals, and financial condition; |
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our use of the net proceeds of any offering made under a Prospectus Supplement; and |
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our compliance with environmental regulations. |
Such statements reflect our current views with respect to future events and are subject to
certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Actual results may differ materially from those
expressed in these forward-looking statements due to a number of uncertainties and risks, including
the risks described in this Prospectus, any Prospectus Supplement and in the documents incorporated
by reference into this Prospectus and other unforeseen risks, including, without limitation:
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market acceptance of our products; |
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product development delays; |
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delays in contractual commitments; |
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changing environmental regulations; |
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the ability to attract and retain business partners; |
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future levels of government funding and incentives; |
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competition from other technologies; |
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the ability to provide the capital required for research, product development,
operations and marketing; and |
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those risks discussed in this Prospectus under the heading Risk Factors. |
You should not rely on any forward-looking statements. We undertake no obligation to update
or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or
otherwise, after we distribute this Prospectus, except as otherwise required by law.
DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE
Information has been incorporated by reference in this Prospectus from documents filed with
securities commissions or similar authorities in Canada. Copies of the documents incorporated
herein by reference may be obtained on request without charge from our Director, Investor Relations
at 101-1750 West 75th Avenue, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6P 6G2, telephone (604)
718-8321. Copies of documents incorporated by reference may also be obtained by accessing the web
site located at www.sedar.com.
We have filed the following documents with the securities commissions or similar regulatory
authorities in certain of the provinces of Canada and such documents are specifically incorporated
by reference in this Prospectus:
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our annual information form dated June 1, 2009, for the year ended March 31, 2009
(the AIF); |
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our management proxy circular dated June 3, 2009 relating to the annual and special
meeting of shareholders held on July 16, 2009; |
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our audited consolidated financial statements, together with the notes thereto, as
at March 31, 2009 and 2008 and for the years ended March 31, 2009, 2008 and 2007 and
the auditors report thereon addressed to our shareholders; and |
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our managements discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of
operations dated May 19, 2009, for the year ended March 31, 2009. |
Any documents of the type required by National Instrument 44-101 Short Form Prospectus
Distributions of the Canadian Securities Administrators to be incorporated by reference in a short
form prospectus, including any annual information form, comparative annual financial statements and
the auditors report thereon, comparative unaudited interim financial statements, managements
discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of operations, material change report
(except a confidential material change report), business acquisition report and information
circular, if filed by us with the securities commissions or similar authorities in the provinces of
Canada after the date of this Prospectus shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference in this
Prospectus.
To the extent that any document or information incorporated by reference into this Prospectus
is included in a report filed by us with the SEC pursuant to section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of
the United States Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the U.S. Exchange Act) after the
date of this Prospectus such document or
3
information shall also be deemed to be incorporated by reference as an exhibit to the
registration statement of which this Prospectus forms a part, if and to the extent expressly
provided in such report.
Any statement contained in this Prospectus or in a document incorporated or deemed to be
incorporated by reference herein will be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes of this
Prospectus to the extent that a statement contained in this Prospectus or in any other subsequently
filed document which also is, or is deemed to be, incorporated by reference into this Prospectus
modifies or supersedes that statement. The modifying or superseding statement need not state that
it has modified or superseded a prior statement or include any other information set forth in the
document that it modifies or supersedes. The making of a modifying or superseding statement shall
not be deemed an admission for any purposes that the modified or superseded statement when made,
constituted a misrepresentation, an untrue statement of a material fact or an omission to state a
material fact that is required to be stated or that is necessary to make a statement not misleading
in light of the circumstances in which it was made. Any statement so modified or superseded shall
not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute part of this Prospectus.
Upon a new annual information form and related audited annual financial statements and
managements discussion and analysis being filed by us with, and where required, accepted by, the
securities commission or similar regulatory authority in each of the provinces of British Columbia,
Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and
Newfoundland and Labrador during the term of this Prospectus, the previous annual information form,
the previous audited annual financial statements and related managements discussion and analysis,
all unaudited interim financial statements and related managements discussion and analysis,
material change reports and business acquisition reports filed prior to the commencement of our
financial year in which the new annual information form and related audited annual financial
statements and managements discussion and analysis are filed shall be deemed no longer to be
incorporated into this Prospectus for purposes of future offers and sales of Securities under this
Prospectus. Upon new unaudited interim financial statements and related managements discussion
and analysis being filed by us with the securities commission or similar regulatory authority in
each of the provinces of British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, New Brunswick,
Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland and Labrador during the term of this Prospectus,
all unaudited interim financial statements and related managements discussion and analysis filed
prior to the new unaudited interim consolidated financial statements and related managements
discussion and analysis shall be deemed no longer to be incorporated into this Prospectus for
purposes of future offers and sales of Securities under this Prospectus. Upon a new information
circular relating to an annual meeting of holders of Common Shares being filed by us with the
securities commission or similar regulatory authority in each of the provinces of British Columbia,
Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and
Newfoundland and Labrador during the term of this Prospectus, the information circular for the
preceding annual meeting of holders of Common Shares shall be deemed no longer to be incorporated
into this Prospectus for purposes of future offers and sales of Securities under this Prospectus.
One or more Prospectus Supplements containing the specific variable terms for an issue of the
Securities and other information in relation to such Securities will be delivered to purchasers of
such Securities together with this Prospectus and will be deemed to be incorporated by reference
into this Prospectus as of the date of the Prospectus Supplement solely for the purposes of the
offering of the Securities covered by any such Prospectus Supplement.
WHERE YOU CAN FIND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
We have filed with the SEC a registration statement on Form F-10 relating to the Securities.
This Prospectus, which constitutes a part of the registration statement, does not contain all of
the information contained in the registration statement, certain items of which are contained in
the exhibits to the registration statement as permitted by the rules and regulations of the SEC.
Statements included or incorporated by reference in this Prospectus about the contents of any
contract, agreement or other documents referred to are not necessarily complete, and in each
instance, you should refer to the exhibits for a more complete description of the matter involved.
Each such statement is qualified in its entirety by such reference.
We are subject to the information requirements of the U.S. Exchange Act and applicable Canadian
securities legislation, and in accordance therewith we file reports and other information with the
SEC and with the securities regulatory authorities in Canada. Under the MJDS adopted by Canada and
the United States, documents and other information that we file with the SEC may be prepared in
accordance with the disclosure requirements of Canada, which are different from those of the United
States. As a foreign private issuer, we are exempt from the rules under
4
the U.S. Exchange Act prescribing the furnishing and content of proxy statements, and our officers,
directors and principal shareholders are exempt from the reporting and short-swing profit recovery
provisions contained in Section 16 of the U.S. Exchange Act. In addition, we are not required to
publish financial statements as promptly as United States companies.
Investors may read any document that we have filed with the SEC and may also obtain copies of those
documents by paying a fee at the public reference room of the SEC at 100 F Street, N.E.,
Washington, D.C. 20549. Investors should call the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330 or access its website at
www.sec.gov for further information about the public reference rooms. Investors may read and
download some of the documents we have filed with the SEC at the SECs Electronic Data Gathering
and Retrieval system at www.sec.gov. We are also subject to filing requirements prescribed by the
securities legislation of all Canadian provinces. These filings are electronically available from
SEDAR (www.sedar.com).
ENFORCEABILITY OF CIVIL LIABILITIES
We are a corporation existing under the Business Corporations Act (Alberta). The majority of
our officers and directors and some of the experts named in this Prospectus, are residents of
Canada or otherwise reside outside the United States, and all, or a substantial portion of their
assets and a substantial portion of our assets, are located outside the United States.
We have appointed an agent for service of process in the United States, but it may be
difficult for holders of Securities who reside in the United States to effect service within the
United States upon those directors, officers and experts who are not residents of the United
States. It may also be difficult for holders of Securities who reside in the United States to
realize in the United States upon judgments of courts of the United States predicated upon our
civil liability and the civil liability of our directors, officers and experts under the United
States federal securities laws or the securities laws of any state of the United States.
We have been advised by our Canadian counsel, Bennett Jones LLP, that a judgment of a United
States court predicated solely upon civil liability under United States federal securities laws
would probably be enforceable in Canada if the United States court in which the judgment was
obtained has a basis for jurisdiction in the matter that would be recognized by a Canadian court
for the same purposes. We have also been advised by Bennett Jones LLP, however, that there is
substantial doubt whether an action could be brought in Canada in the first instance on the basis
of liability predicated solely upon United States federal securities laws.
We filed with the SEC, concurrently with our registration statement on Form F-10 of which this
Prospectus is a part, an appointment of agent for service of process on Form F-X. Under the Form
F-X, we appointed CT Corporation as our agent for service of process in the United States in
connection with any investigation or administrative proceeding conducted by the SEC, and any civil
suit or action brought against or involving us in a United States court arising out of or related
to or concerning the offering of the Securities under this Prospectus.
WESTPORT INNOVATIONS INC.
Our governing corporate statute is the Business Corporations Act (Alberta). Our head office
and principal place of business is at 101 1750 West 75th Avenue, Vancouver, British Columbia V6P
6G2. Our registered office is at 4500 Bankers Hall East, 855 2nd Street S.W., Calgary, Alberta
T2P 4K7.
We have one material subsidiary, Westport Power Inc. (WPI), which is 100% wholly-owned and
incorporated pursuant to the Business Corporations Act (British Columbia). In addition, we own
100% of the voting securities of Westport Fuel Systems Inc., a Delaware corporation; 100% of the
voting securities of Westport Innovations (Australia) Pty. Ltd., a Victoria, Australia corporation;
and 100% of the voting securities of Westport Innovations (Hong Kong) Limited, a Hong Kong, China
corporation. We, through WPI, hold 50% of the voting securities of CWI, a Delaware corporation;
50% of the voting securities of BTIC Westport Inc. (BWI), a Chinese corporation and 49% of the
voting securities of Juniper Engines Inc. (Juniper), a British Columbia corporation. As at March
31, 2009, we owned 184,311 shares of common stock of Clean Energy Fuels Corp. (a publicly-listed
Delaware corporation based in Seal Beach, California) with a market value of approximately U.S.$1.1
million based on the NASDAQ closing price of US$6.09 per share on March 31, 2009.
5
OUR BUSINESS
We are engaged in the research, development and marketing of high performance, low-emission
engine and fuel injection systems that utilize alternative gaseous fuels such as natural gas,
propane or hydrogen. We develop technology and products that enable light, medium and heavy-duty
diesel engines to run primarily on compressed natural gas (CNG) or LNG, giving users a cleaner,
more plentiful and generally less expensive alternative fuel when compared to diesel. Over the
longer term, if alternative renewable energy sources such as biogas or manufactured fuels,
including hydrogen, emerge as cost-competitive options, we expect our gaseous-fuelled engine
technologies, system and experience will position us to exploit new low-carbon fuels as they
emerge. We work with strategic partners, which include some of the leading diesel engine and truck
original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), to develop, manufacture and distribute our engines, and
we sell to a diverse group of leading truck and bus OEMs around the world. Our products are
designed to offer environmental and economic benefits with strong operational performance. Over
20,000 natural gas and propane engines have been sold to date, operating in over 20 countries. We
have four strategic pillars: CWI, which is focused on natural gas engine applications for urban
fleets ranging from 5.9L to 8.9L; Westport Heavy Duty, which is focused on LNG systems for
heavy-duty trucks; Juniper, which is focused on 2.0L and 2.4L industrial engines; and Weichai
Westport, which is focused on developing heavy-duty engines in China. Outside its four individual
pillars, our corporate development efforts focus on the creation of new alliances and joint
ventures, market development projects, and monetization of our significant patent portfolio.
CWI is a 50:50 joint venture with Cummins Inc. (Cummins), one of the worlds largest
manufacturers of diesel engines. CWI develops and produces 5.9 to 8.9-litre engines utilizing
gaseous fuels. CWIs engines are offered globally by more than 50 OEMs of transit and shuttle
buses, conventional trucks and tractors, refuse collection trucks, as well as specialty vehicles
such as short haul port drayage trucks, material handling trucks, street sweepers and vehicles for
selected industrial applications. CWIs goal is to offer a superior combination of performance,
emissions characteristics and life-cycle cost savings when compared with engines that operate on
diesel fuel, gasoline or other alternatives. In 2007, CWI launched its newest engine, the ISL G,
which was the first engine to meet U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) 2010 emission
requirements. The revenue generated by CWI, as a percentage of consolidated revenue, for the
fiscal years ended 2008 and 2009 is 94% and 90%, respectively.
Outside of CWI, Westport is engaged in the development, design and marketing of natural gas
enabling technology for the heavy-duty diesel engine and truck market. In 2007, we launched a
direct injection LNG system for heavy-duty trucks offering class-leading emissions performance
while maintaining diesel-equivalent horsepower, torque, and fuel efficiency. Our LNG systems for
heavy-duty trucks are sold through Westport Power Inc. We have a technology partnership with
Cummins that enables us to develop natural gas enabling technology for Cummins heavy-duty truck
engines. Our LNG system solution, available to customers since early 2007, leverages the Cummins
ISX 15-litre diesel engine equipped with (i) our proprietary natural gas fuel injectors known as
High-Pressure Direct-Injection (HPDI) technology; (ii) our proprietary fuel pumps provided by
Cryostar SAS (Cryostar), a division of The Linde Group; (iii) proprietary control units; and (iv)
onboard LNG storage tanks designed and patented by us and manufactured by BWI, our 50:50 joint
venture with Beijing Tianhai Industry Co. Ltd. (BTIC), a Sino-Korean company located in Beijing,
China. We also work with Clean Energy Fuels Corp., North Americas largest natural gas refuelling
company, and other fuel suppliers around the world to provide access points for LNG and CNG
refuelling stations.
On October 26, 2007, we announced the formation of Juniper, a 49:51 equity joint venture, with
OMVL SpA (OMVL), an Italian company that designs, manufactures and markets complete fuelling
systems for new vehicles and for the aftermarket conversion of engines from gasoline (petrol) to
CNG and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). Westport invested approximately $1.5 million in Juniper
on April 1, 2008, giving Westport the right to 49% of Junipers future profits and losses. The
joint venture designs, produces and intends to sell alternative fuel engines in the sub-5 litre class for
global applications.
Junipers engines, initially targeting the OEM forklift market and fuelled with LPG, will be
fully integrated, high performance, low-emission solutions. The first Juniper products are based
on the Hyundai Motor Companys 2.0 litre and 2.4 litre industrial engine platforms, and OMVLs LPG
multipoint injection technology. Juniper will be the manufacturer of record and the products are
designed to meet EPA and California Air Resources Board (CARB) standards for 2010.
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In July 2008, Westport signed a 30-year joint venture agreement with Weichai Power Co., Ltd.
and Hong Kong Peterson (CNG) Equipment Limited, creating a new entity, Weichai Westport Inc. The
joint venture company will research, develop, design, manufacture, market, distribute, and sell
advanced, alternative fuel engines (and relevant parts and kits) for use in automobiles, heavy duty
trucks, power generation and shipping applications. In China, the demand for cleaner fuel with
economic advantages over traditional fuels, such as natural gas, is increasing, with an estimated
185,000 natural gas vehicles already in China and a growing infrastructure to support them. As at
July 27, 2009, the joint venture agreement has not yet received Chinese government approval.
Through CWI, we are able to leverage Cummins extensive manufacturing capabilities, sales and
marketing efforts, distribution networks, and aftermarket service and support to sell into
mid-range engine markets while incurring manageable overhead costs and minimizing working capital
requirements for us. We intend to use a similar scalable model working with PACCAR and other
partners to launch our LNG systems for heavy-duty trucks.
While focusing firm-wide resources on developing our products and strategic relationships, we
have accumulated a significant portfolio of patents, which we believe creates barriers to entry for
competing technologies. Additionally, we expect to selectively monetize our patent assets through
licensing agreements. We have already been successful in achieving licensing revenue for our
proprietary pump technology. We will continue to rely on a combination of patents, trade secrets,
trademarks, copyrights, and contracts to protect our proprietary technology and position in the
marketplace.
RISK FACTORS
A prospective purchaser of Securities should carefully consider the list of risk factors set
forth below as well as the other information contained in and incorporated by reference in this
Prospectus before purchasing our Securities. Our ability to generate revenue and profit from our
technologies is dependent on a number of factors, and the risks identified below, if they were to
occur, could have a material impact on our business, financial condition, liquidity, results of
operation or prospects. While we have attempted to identify the primary known risks that are
material to our business, the risks and uncertainties described below may not be the only ones we
face. Additional risks and uncertainties, including those that we do not know about now or that we
currently believe are immaterial may also adversely affect our business, financial condition,
liquidity, results of operation or prospects.
Risks Related to Our Business
We have incurred and continue to incur losses.
We have incurred substantial losses since our inception in 1996, and continue to incur losses
and experience negative cash flows. We cannot predict if or when we will operate profitably or
generate positive cash flows or if we will be able to implement our business strategy successfully.
Pursuing our strategy requires us to incur significant expenditures for research and product
development, marketing and general administrative activities. As a result, we need to continue to
grow our revenues and gross margins to achieve and sustain profitability and positive operating
cash flows and we may need to raise additional capital.
We may be unable to raise additional capital.
Execution of our business plan and our commercial viability could be jeopardized if we are
unable to raise additional funds for our commercialization plans, to fund working capital, research
and development projects, sales, marketing and product development activities and other business
opportunities. We attempt to mitigate this risk by generating funds from a variety of sources
including: through the sale of our commercial products, through the sale of non-core assets
including long-term investments, through funding from government agencies, industry and business
partners, and through the issuance of shares or debt in the public equity markets or through
strategic investors. In addition, we try to maintain reserves of cash and short-term investments
and seek to obtain funding commitments before we take on any significant incremental initiatives.
There can, however, be no assurance that we will be able to secure additional funding, or funding
on terms acceptable to us, to pursue our commercialization plans.
A sustained economic recession could negatively impact our business
In the fall of 2008, we saw significant deterioration in the credit and equity markets,
falling energy prices, volatile currency markets, and weakness in the worldwide economy. Some of
our major OEM partners have closed
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plants, consolidated product lines and / or have downsized. Many have also implemented
tighter credit procedures. Some of the wider economic issues may negatively affect the natural gas
vehicle market. If the current economy results in a sustained and far reaching recession or access
to credit markets remains restrictive, demand for our products may decline as partners and
potential customers defer replacing older vehicles or expanding their fleets. Our bad debt expense
may increase and we may need to assist potential customers with obtaining financing or government
incentives to help customers fund their purchases of our products.
Potential fluctuations in our financial results make financial forecasting difficult
We expect our revenues and results of operation to continue to vary significantly from quarter
to quarter. Sales and margins may be lower than anticipated due to timing of customer orders and
deliveries, unexpected delays in our supply chain, general economic and market-related factors,
product quality, performance and safety issues and competitive factors. The current economic
environment also makes projecting financial results more difficult. In addition, the continuance
and timing of government funding of our research and development programs is difficult to predict,
and may cause quarter to quarter variations in financial results. In addition, due to our early
stage of commercialization on some products, we cannot accurately predict our future revenues or
results of operations or the timing of government funding on our current research and development
programs. We are also subject to normal operating risks such as credit risks, foreign currency
risks and global and regional economic conditions. As a result, quarter-to-quarter comparisons of
our revenues and results of operation may not be meaningful. It is likely that in one or more
future quarters our results of operation will fall below the expectations of securities analysts
and investors. If this happens, the trading price of our common shares might be materially and
adversely affected.
A market for engines with our fuel systems may never develop or may take longer to develop than we anticipate.
Although we have seen strong growth in CWI revenues and interest from the San Pedro Bay Ports,
municipalities and private fleets, engines with our fuel systems represent an emerging market, and
we do not know whether end-users will ultimately want to use them or pay for their initial
incremental purchase price. The development of a mass market for our fuel systems may be affected
by many factors, some of which are beyond our control, including: the emergence of newer, more
competitive technologies and products; the future cost of natural gas and other fuels used by our
systems; the ability to successfully build the refuelling infrastructure necessary for our systems;
regulatory requirements; availability of government incentives; customer perceptions of the safety
of our products; and customer reluctance to try a new product.
If a market fails to develop or develops more slowly than we anticipate, we may be unable to
recover the losses we will have incurred in the development of our products and may never achieve
profitability.
Certain of our products may not achieve widespread adoption.
Our direct injection technology has been demonstrated in heavy-duty trucks, light-duty
vehicles and high horsepower applications. However, we do not know when or whether we will be
successful in the commercialization of products for any of our target markets. There can be no
assurance that engines using our direct injection technology will perform as well as we expect, or
that prototypes and commercial systems will be developed and sold in commercially viable numbers.
Our HPDI LNG fuel injection systems presently have higher initial capital costs than the
incumbent competing technologies, and manufacturing costs of some of our products at a large-scale
commercial level have not yet been confirmed. If we are unable to produce fuel systems that are
economically competitive, on a life-cycle cost basis, in terms of price, reliability and longevity,
operators of commercial vehicle fleets and power generators will be unlikely to buy products
containing our fuel systems.
We are dependent on the Ports Clean Air Action Plan to support and fund sales to the Ports.
In November 2006, the San Pedro Bay Ports approved a comprehensive five-year Clean Air Action
Plan to reduce the air emissions and health risks associated with the Ports activities. The plan
includes the intention to make significant emissions reduction-related improvements and encourages
the use of alternative fuel engines, which we believe will facilitate the conversion of older
heavy-duty trucks, used to move containers from the Ports to customer locations outside the Ports,
to clean trucks including natural gas by 2011. While engines from Westport and CWI were recently
selected by the Ports as the two natural gas engine options for compliant Port trucks, there
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are no guarantees that the Ports will carry out or be able to implement and fund their Clean
Air Action Plan as stated. If the Clean Air Action Plan is not implemented or funded as stated,
our sales, revenues and profitability may be materially affected.
We currently benefit from government incentives to facilitate demand for our products and fund our research and development programs and these incentives may not be renewed or may be redirected.
While some of our customers and potential customers have made successful applications for
government incentives to assist them in converting their vehicles to natural gas engines, there is
no guarantee that such incentives will continue to be available. Today our LNG systems customers
and potential customers in the United States may have access to local, state and federal incentives
through programs and initiatives such as the federal Highway and Energy Bills, which provide fuel
and tax credits, and to state grants such as the CARB Carl Moyer Memorial Air Quality Standards
Attainment Program and the South Coast Air Quality Management District. If these and other similar
incentive programs are discontinued or are no longer available to our customers and potential
customers, it may have a detrimental effect on our sales.
In addition, from time to time we enter into agreements with government agencies to fund our
research and development programs. There can be no assurance that we will continue to receive
funding from government agencies at the same levels we have received in the past or at all. Funding
agreements with government agencies are also subject to audit, which could result in certain
funding being denied or monies received from such agencies having to be repaid.
Fuel price differentials are hard to predict and may be less favourable in future.
The acceptance of natural gas-fuelled engines by customers depends in part on the price
differential between natural gas and diesel fuel. Natural gas has generally been, and currently
is, less expensive than diesel fuel in many jurisdictions. This price differential is affected by
many factors, including changes in the resource base for natural gas compared with crude oil,
pipeline transportation capacity for natural gas, refining capacity for crude oil and government
excise and fuel tax policies. There can be no assurance that natural gas will remain less
expensive than diesel fuel. The differential has been reduced during fiscal 2009 with the
significant declines in the price of diesel in the third quarter. This may impact upon potential
customers decisions to adopt natural gas as an energy solution in the short term.
Our growth is dependent on natural gas refuelling infrastructure that may not take place.
For motor vehicles, natural gas must be carried on board in liquefied or compressed form and
there are few public or private refuelling stations available in most jurisdictions. There can be
no assurance of the successful expansion of the availability of natural gas as a vehicle fuel, or
that companies will develop refuelling stations to meet projected demand. If customers are unable
to obtain fuel conveniently and affordably, a mass market for vehicles powered by our technology is
unlikely to develop.
Changes in environmental and regulatory policies could hurt the market for our products.
We currently benefit from, and hope to continue to benefit from, certain government
environmental policies, mandates and regulations around the world, most significantly in the
international automotive market and in the United States. Examples of such regulations include
those that provide economic incentives, subsidies, tax credits and other benefits to purchasers of
low emission vehicles, restrict the sale of engines that do not meet emission standards, fine the
sellers of non-compliant engines, tax the operators of diesel engines and require the use of more
expensive ultra-low sulphur diesel fuel. There can be no assurance that these policies, mandates
and regulations will be continued. Incumbent industry participants with a vested interest in
gasoline and diesel, many of which have substantially greater resources than we do, may invest
significant time and money in an effort to influence environmental regulations in ways that delay
or repeal requirements for clean vehicle emissions. If these are discontinued or if current
requirements are relaxed, this may have a material impact on our competitive position.
We currently face, and will continue to face, significant competition.
Our products face, and will continue to face, significant competition, including from
incumbent technologies. New developments in technology may negatively affect the development or
sale of some or all of our products or make our products uncompetitive or obsolete. Other
companies, many of which have substantially
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greater customer bases, businesses, and financial and other resources than us, are currently
engaged in the development of products and technologies that are similar to, or may be competitive
with, certain of our products and technologies.
Competition for our products may come from current engine technologies, improvements to
current engine technologies and new alternative engine technologies, including other fuel systems.
Each of our target markets is currently serviced by existing manufacturers with existing customers
and suppliers using proven and widely accepted technologies. Additionally, there are competitors
working on developing technologies such as cleaner diesel engines, bio-diesel, fuel cells, advanced
batteries and hybrid battery/internal combustion engines in each of our targeted markets. Each of
these competitors has the potential to capture market share in various markets, which could have a
material adverse effect on our position in the industry and our financial results. For our
products to be successful against competing technologies, especially diesel engines, they must
offer advantages in one or more of these areas: regulated or un-regulated emissions performance;
fuel economy; fuel cost; engine performance; power density; engine and fuel system weight; and
engine and fuel system price. There can be no assurance that our products will be able to offer
advantages in all or any of these areas.
We depend on our intellectual property and our failure to protect that intellectual property could adversely affect our future growth and success.
Failure to protect our existing and future intellectual property rights could seriously harm
our business and prospects, and may result in the loss of our ability to exclude others from
practicing our technology or our own right to practice our technologies. If we do not adequately
ensure our freedom to use certain technology, we may have to pay others for rights to use their
intellectual property, pay damages for infringement or misappropriation and/or be enjoined from
using such intellectual property. Our patents do not guarantee us the right to practice our
technologies if other parties own intellectual property rights that we need in order to practice
such technologies. Our patent position is subject to complex factual and legal issues that may
give rise to uncertainty as to the validity, scope and enforceability of a particular patent. As
is the case in many other industries, the web of intellectual property ownership in our industry is
complicated and in some cases it is difficult to define with precision where one property begins
and another ends. In any case, there can be no assurance that:
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any of the rights we have under U.S. or foreign patents owned by us or other patents
that third parties license to us will not be curtailed, for example through
invalidation, circumvention, challenge, being rendered unenforceable or by license to
others; |
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we were the first inventors of inventions covered by our issued patents or pending
applications or that we were the first to file patent applications for such inventions; |
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any of our pending or future patent applications will be issued with the breadth of
claim coverage sought by us, or be issued at all; |
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our competitors will not independently develop or patent technologies that are
substantially equivalent or superior to our technologies; |
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any of our trade secrets will not be learned independently by our competitors; or |
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the steps we take to protect our intellectual property will be adequate. |
In addition, effective patent, trademark, copyright and trade secret protection may be unavailable,
limited or not applied for in certain foreign countries.
We also seek to protect our proprietary intellectual property, including intellectual property
that may not be patented or patentable, in part by confidentiality agreements and, if applicable,
inventors rights agreements with our strategic partners and employees. There can be no assurance
that these agreements will not be breached, that we will have adequate remedies for any breach or
that such persons or institutions will not assert rights to intellectual property arising out of
these relationships.
Certain intellectual property has been licensed to us on a non-exclusive basis from third
parties who may also license such intellectual property to others, including our competitors. If
necessary or desirable, we may seek further licenses under the patents or other intellectual
property rights of others. However, we can give no assurances
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that we will obtain such licenses or that the terms of any offered licenses will be acceptable to
us. The failure to obtain or renew a license from a third party for intellectual property we use
at present could cause us to incur substantial costs and to suspend the manufacture, shipment of
products or our use of processes requiring such intellectual property.
We could become engaged in intellectual property litigation or disputes that may negatively affect
our business.
From time to time, claims have been made by third parties that the practice of our technology
infringes upon patents owned by those third parties. Although we have seen no valid basis for any
of these claims, as our business grows parties may attempt to take advantage of that growth and
assert similar claims and demands for compensation. Our response to such claims will be
commensurate with the seriousness of the allegations, their potential effect on our business and
the strength of our position. We will examine a range of options from formal legal action to
obtain declaratory judgments of non-infringement to the initiation of design changes and we will
vigorously defend our intellectual property.
As a result, while we are not currently engaged in any intellectual property litigation, we
could become subject to lawsuits in which it is alleged that we have infringed the intellectual
property rights of others or in which the scope, validity and enforceability of our intellectual
property rights is challenged. In addition, we may commence lawsuits against others who we believe
are infringing upon our rights. Our involvement in intellectual property litigation or disputes,
including any that may arise in respect of our HPDI technology or LNG tanks, could be time
consuming and result in significant expense to us, diversion of resources, and delays or stoppages
in the development, production and sales of products or intellectual property, whether or not any
claims have merit or such litigation or disputes are resolved in our favour. In the event of an
adverse outcome as a defendant in any such litigation, we may, among other things, be required to:
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cease the development, manufacture, use, sale or importation of products that
infringe upon other patented intellectual property; |
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expend significant resources to develop or acquire non-infringing intellectual
property; |
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discontinue processes incorporating infringing technology; or |
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obtain licenses to the infringing intellectual property. |
Any such result could require the expenditure of substantial time and other resources and could
have a material adverse effect on our business and financial results.
We are dependent on relationships with strategic partners.
Execution of our current strategy is dependent on cooperation with strategic partners for
technology development, manufacturing and distribution. To be commercially viable, our fuel
systems must be integrated into engines and our engines must be integrated into chassis
manufactured by OEMs. We can offer no guarantee that existing technology agreements will be
renewed or advanced into commercialization agreements, or that OEMs will manufacture engines with
our fuel systems or chassis for our engines, or, if they do manufacture such products, that
customers will choose to purchase them. Any integration, design, manufacturing or marketing
problems encountered by OEMs could adversely affect the market for our products and our financial
results. In addition, there can be no assurance of the commercial success of any joint ventures in
which we are, or will become, involved.
Any change in our relationships with our strategic partners, whether as a result of economic
or competitive pressures or otherwise, including any decision by our strategic partners to reduce
their commitment to our products and technology in favour of competing products or technologies, or
to bring to an end our various alliances, could have a material adverse effect on our business and
financial results.
In addition, disputes regarding the rights and obligations of the parties could arise under
our agreements with our strategic partners. These and other possible disagreements could lead to
termination of such agreements or delays in collaborative research, development, supply, or
commercialization of certain products, or could require or result in litigation or arbitration.
Moreover, disagreements could arise with our strategic partners over rights to
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intellectual property. These kinds of disagreements could result in costly and time-consuming
litigation. Any such conflicts with our strategic partners could reduce our ability to obtain
future collaboration agreements and could have a negative impact on our relationship with existing
strategic partners.
We are dependent on relationships with our suppliers.
While we have negotiated supply agreements with various manufacturers and have entered into
strategic supply agreements with BTIC and Cryostar, certain of these manufacturers may presently be
the sole supplier of key components for our products and we are dependent on their ability to
source materials, manage their capacity, workforce and schedules. In particular, we are dependent
on sole suppliers for our injectors, tanks, and pumps for our HPDI LNG systems and their ability to
ramp up capacity and maintain quality and cost to support our production requirements. For a
number of reasons, including but not limited to shortages of parts, labour disruptions, lack of
capacity and equipment failure, a supplier may fail to supply materials or components that meet our
quality, quantity or cost requirements or to supply any at all. If we are not able to resolve
these issues or obtain substitute sources for these materials or components in a timely manner or
on terms acceptable to us, our ability to manufacture certain products may be harmed and we may be
subjected to cancellation of orders or penalties for failed or late deliveries, which could have a
material adverse effect on our business and financial results. Our products also use steel and
other materials that have global demand. The prices and quantities at which those supplies are
available fluctuate and may increase significantly. Competitive pressure, however, may not allow
us to increase the sales price of our products. Any such increases may therefore negatively affect
our margins and financial condition. We mitigate these risks by seeking secondary suppliers, by
carrying inventory, and by locking in long-term pricing when possible. There are no guarantees,
however, that we will be successful in securing alternative suppliers or that our inventory levels
will be sufficient for our production requirements.
We are dependent on our relationship with Cummins Inc. for CWI revenues and profits.
The majority of our revenues are currently derived from the operations of CWI, which, in turn,
purchases all of its current and foreseeable engine products from Cummins-affiliated plants and
distributors. Although the factories operate with modern technology and experienced management,
there can be no assurance that the factory and distribution systems will always be able to perform
on a timely and cost-effective basis. Any reduction in the manufacturing and distribution
capabilities of Cummins-affiliated plants and distributors could have a material adverse effect on
our business and financial results.
Our limited production trials, commercial launch activities and field tests could encounter
problems.
We conduct limited production trials and field tests on a number of our products as part of
our product development cycle and we are working on scaling up our production capabilities. These
trials, production readiness activities and field tests may encounter problems and delays for a
number of reasons, including the failure of our technology, the failure of the technology of
others, the failure to combine these technologies properly and the failure to maintain and service
the test prototypes properly. Some of these potential problems and delays are beyond our control.
Any problem or perceived problem with our limited production trials and field tests could hurt our
reputation and the reputation of our products and delay their commercial launch.
We may have difficulty managing the expansion of our operations.
To support the launch, and increase sales and service, of our LNG system products, we may be
required to expand the scope of our operations rapidly. This may include a need for a significant
increase in employees and an increase in the size, or relocation, of our premises and changes to
our information systems, processes and policies. Such rapid expansion may place a significant
strain on our senior management team, support teams, information technology platforms and other
resources. In addition, we may be required to place more reliance on our strategic partners and
suppliers, some of whom may not be capable of meeting our production demands in terms of timing,
quantity, quality or cost. Difficulties in effectively managing the budgeting, forecasting and
other process control issues presented by any rapid expansion could harm our business, prospects,
results of operations or financial condition.
Warranty claims could diminish our margins.
There is a risk that the warranty accrual included in our cost of product revenue is not
sufficient and that we may recognize additional expenses as a result of warranty claims in excess
of our current expectations. Such
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warranty claims may necessitate a redesign, re-specification or recall of our products, which,
in turn, may have an adverse impact on our finances and on existing or future sales. Although we
attempt to mitigate against these risks through our sales and marketing initiatives and our product
development, quality assurance, support and service programs, there can be no assurance that such
initiatives and programs are adequate or that sales of our commercial products will continue to
grow and contribute financially.
New products may have different performance characteristics from previous products. In
addition, we have limited field experience with our HPDI LNG systems from which to make our
warranty accrual estimates.
We could become subject to product liability claims.
Our business exposes us to potential product liability claims that are inherent in natural
gas, LPG and hydrogen, and products that use these gases. Natural gas, LPG and hydrogen are
flammable gases and therefore potentially dangerous products. Any accidents involving our products
or other natural gas, LPG or hydrogen-based products could materially impede widespread market
acceptance and demand for our engines and fuel systems. In addition, we may be subject to a claim
by end-users or others alleging that they have suffered property damage, personal injury or death
because our products did not perform adequately. Such a claim could be made whether or not our
products perform adequately under the circumstances. From time to time, we may be subject to
product liability claims in the ordinary course of business and we carry a limited amount of
product liability insurance for this purpose. However, our current insurance policies may not
provide sufficient or any coverage for such claims, and we cannot predict whether we will be able
to maintain our insurance coverage on commercially acceptable terms.
We could become liable for environmental damages resulting from our research, development or
manufacturing activities.
The nature of our business and products exposes us to potential claims and liability for
environmental damage, personal injury, loss of life, and damage to or destruction of property. Our
business is subject to numerous laws and regulations that govern environmental protection and human
health and safety. These laws and regulations have changed frequently in the past and it is
reasonable to expect additional and more stringent changes in the future. Our operations may not
comply with future laws and regulations, and we may be required to make significant unanticipated
capital and operating expenditures. If we fail to comply with applicable environmental laws and
regulations, governmental authorities may seek to impose fines and penalties on us or to revoke or
deny the issuance or renewal of operating permits, and private parties may seek damages from us.
Under those circumstances, we might be required to curtail or cease operations, conduct site
remediation or other corrective action, or pay substantial damage claims. In addition, depending
on the nature of the claim, our current insurance policies may not provide sufficient or any
coverage for such claims.
We have foreign currency risk.
While a majority of our revenues, cost of sales, expenses and warranty balances are
denominated in U.S. dollars, many of our operating expenses, other than cost of sales, are in
Canadian dollars and we report in Canadian dollars. Foreign exchange gains and losses are included
in results from operations, except for foreign exchange gains and losses relating to the
translation of CWIs consolidated balance sheets and statements of operations into Canadian
dollars. As CWI is a self-sustaining foreign operation for accounting purposes, foreign exchange
gains and losses relating to the translation of CWI balances are recorded within accumulated other
comprehensive income (a separate component of shareholders equity) until such time as our net
investment in CWI is reduced. A large decline in the value of the U.S. dollar relative to the
Canadian dollar could impair revenues, margins and other financial results. We have not entered
into foreign exchange contracts to hedge against gains and losses from foreign currency
fluctuations. From fiscal 2002 to fiscal 2007, on average, the U.S. dollar declined 28% against the
Canadian dollar. From fiscal 2008 to fiscal 2009, on average, the Canadian dollar declined 9.3%
against the U.S. dollar.
We could lose or fail to attract the personnel necessary to run our business.
Our success depends in large part on our ability, and that of our affiliates, to attract and
retain key management, engineering, scientific, manufacturing and operating personnel. As we
develop additional capabilities we may require more skilled personnel. Given the highly
specialized nature of our products, these personnel must be highly skilled and have a sound
understanding of our industry, business or our technology. Recruiting personnel
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for the alternative fuel industry is also highly competitive. Although to date we have been
successful in recruiting and retaining qualified personnel, there can be no assurance that we will
continue to attract and retain the personnel needed for our business. The failure to attract or
retain qualified personnel could have a material adverse effect on our business.
If we do not properly manage foreign sales and operations, our business could suffer.
We expect that a substantial portion of our future revenues will be derived from sales outside
of Canada, and we operate in jurisdictions where we may lack sufficient expertise, local knowledge
or contacts. Establishment of an international market for our products may take longer and cost
more to develop than we anticipate, and is subject to inherent risks, including unexpected changes
in government policies, trade barriers, difficulty in staffing and managing foreign operations,
longer payment cycles, and foreign exchange controls that restrict or prohibit repatriation of
funds. As a result, if we do not properly manage foreign sales and operations, our business could
suffer.
We may not realize the anticipated benefits from joint ventures, investments or acquisitions.
Our joint ventures, and any future joint venture, investment or acquisition, could expose us
to certain liabilities, including those that we fail or are unable to identify during the
investment or acquisition process. In addition, joint ventures and acquisitions often result in
difficulties in integration, and, if such difficulties were to occur, they could adversely affect
our results. The integration process may also divert the attention of, and place significant
demands on, our managerial resources, which may disrupt our current business operations. As a
result, we may fail to meet our current product development and commercialization schedules.
Additionally, we may not be able to find suitable joint venture partners, investments or
acquisitions, which could adversely affect our business strategy.
Risks Related to our Securities
Our Common Share price may fluctuate.
The stock market in general, and the market prices of securities of technology companies in
particular, can be extremely volatile, and fluctuations in our Common Share price may be unrelated
to our operating performance. Our Common Share price could be subject to significant fluctuations
in response to many factors, including: actual or anticipated variations in our results of
operations; the addition or loss of customers; announcements of technological innovations, new
products or services by us or our competitors; changes in financial estimates or recommendations by
securities analysts; conditions or trends in our industry; our announcements of significant
acquisitions, strategic relationships, joint ventures or capital commitments; additions or
departures of key personnel; general market conditions; and other events or factors, many of which
may be beyond our control. As of July 27, 2009, the 52-week trading price of our Common Shares
ranged from a low of $3.89 to a high of $15.34. See also Market for Securities.
We do not currently intend to pay any cash dividends on our Common Shares in the foreseeable future
and therefore our shareholders may not be able to receive a return on their Common Shares until
they sell them.
We have never paid or declared any cash dividends on our Common Shares. We do not anticipate
paying any cash dividends on our Common Shares in the foreseeable future because, among other
reasons, our current credit facilities restrict our ability to pay dividends, and we currently
intend to retain any future earnings to finance our business. The future payment of dividends will
be dependent on factors such as cash on hand and achieving profitability, the financial
requirements to fund growth, our general financial condition and other factors which our board of
directors may consider appropriate in the circumstances. Until we pay dividends, which we may
never do, our shareholders will not be able to receive a return on their Common Shares unless they
sell them.
There can be no assurance as to the liquidity of the trading market for the Preferred Shares, the
Subscription Receipts, the Debt Securities or the Units or that a trading market for the Preferred
Shares, the Subscription Receipts, the Debt Securities or the Units will develop.
Prior to an offering of Preferred Shares, Subscription Receipts, Debt Securities or Units,
there will be no public market for the Preferred Shares, Subscription Receipts, Debt Securities or
Units. There can be no assurance that an active trading market for the Preferred Shares,
Subscription Receipts, Debt Securities or Units will develop
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or be sustained. Unless otherwise specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, there is
no market through which the Preferred Shares, Subscription Receipts, Debt Securities or Units may
be sold and purchasers may not be able to resell Preferred Shares, Subscription Receipts, Debt
Securities or Units purchased under this prospectus and the relevant prospectus supplement. This
may affect the pricing of the Preferred Shares, Subscription Receipts, Debt Securities or Units in
the secondary market, the transparency and availability of trading prices, the liquidity of the
Preferred Shares, Subscription Receipts, Debt Securities or Units, and the extent of issuer
regulation.
Credit ratings may not reflect all risks of an investment in the Debt Securities and may change.
Credit ratings may not reflect all risks associated with an investment in the Debt Securities.
Any credit ratings applied to the Debt Securities are an assessment of our ability to pay our
obligations. Consequently, real or anticipated changes in the credit ratings will generally affect
the market value of the Debt Securities. The credit ratings, however, may not reflect the
potential impact of risks related to structure, market or other factors discussed herein on the
value of the Debt Securities. There is no assurance that any credit rating assigned to the Debt
Securities will remain in effect for any given period of time or that any rating will not be
lowered or withdrawn entirely by the relevant rating agency.
Changes in interest rates may cause the value of the Debt Securities to decline.
Prevailing interest rates will affect the market price or value of the Debt Securities. The
market price or value of the Debt Securities may decline as prevailing interest rates for
comparable debt instruments rise, and increase as prevailing interest rates for comparable debt
instruments decline.
If we are characterized as a passive foreign investment company (PFIC), U.S. holders may be
subject to adverse U.S. federal income tax consequences.
Based in part on current operations and financial projections, we do not expect to be a PFIC
for U.S. federal income tax purposes for our current taxable year or in the foreseeable future.
However, we must make an annual determination as to whether we are a PFIC based on the types of
income we earn and the types and value of our assets from time to time, all of which are subject to
change. Therefore, we cannot assure you that we will not be a PFIC for our current taxable year or
any future taxable year. A non-U.S. corporation generally will be considered a PFIC for any
taxable year if either (1) at least 75% of its gross income is passive income or (2) at least 50%
of the value of its assets (based on an average of the quarterly values of the assets during a
taxable year) is attributable to assets that produce or are held for the production of passive
income. The market value of our assets may be determined in large part by the market price of our
Common Shares, which is likely to fluctuate. In addition, the composition of our income and assets
will be affected by how, and how quickly, we use the cash we raise in this Offering. If we were to
be treated as a PFIC for any taxable year during which you hold Common Shares, certain adverse U.S.
federal income tax consequences could apply to U.S. holders.
As a foreign private issuer, we are subject to different U.S. securities laws and rules than a
domestic U.S. issuer, which may limit the information publicly available to our U.S. shareholders.
We are a foreign private issuer under applicable U.S. federal securities laws and, therefore,
we are not required to comply with all the periodic disclosure and current reporting requirements
of the U.S. Exchange Act. As a result, we do not file the same reports that a U.S. domestic issuer
would file with the SEC, although we will be required to file with or furnish to the SEC the
continuous disclosure documents that we are required to file in Canada under Canadian securities
laws. In addition, our officers, directors, and principal shareholders are exempt from the
reporting and short swing profit recovery provisions of Section 16 of the U.S. Exchange Act.
Therefore, our shareholders may not know on as timely a basis when our officers, directors and
principal shareholders purchase or sell our Securities, as the reporting periods under the
corresponding Canadian insider reporting requirements are longer. In addition, as a foreign
private issuer we are exempt from the proxy rules under the U.S. Exchange Act.
We may lose our foreign private issuer status in the future, which could result in significant
additional costs and expenses to us.
In order to maintain our current status as a foreign private issuer, a majority of our Common
Shares must be either directly or indirectly owned by non-residents of the United States, unless we
also satisfy one of the additional requirements necessary to preserve this status. We may in the
future lose our foreign private issuer status if a majority of our Common Shares are held in the
United States and we fail to meet the additional requirements
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necessary to avoid loss of foreign private issuer status. The regulatory and compliance costs
to us under U.S. federal securities laws as a U.S. domestic issuer may be significantly more than
the costs we incur as a Canadian foreign private issuer eligible to use the MJDS. If we are not a
foreign private issuer, we would not be eligible to use the MJDS or other foreign issuer forms and
would be required to file periodic and current reports and registration statements on U.S. domestic
issuer forms with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, which are more detailed and
extensive than the forms available to a foreign private issuer. We may also be required to prepare
our financial statements in accordance with U.S. GAAP. In addition, we may lose the ability to
rely upon exemptions from NASDAQ corporate governance requirements that are available to foreign
private issuers.
United States investors may not be able to obtain enforcement of civil liabilities against us.
The enforcement by investors of civil liabilities under the United States federal or state
securities laws may be affected adversely by the fact that we are governed by the Business
Corporations Act (Alberta), a statute of the Province of Alberta, Canada, that the majority of our
officers and directors and some of the experts named in this Prospectus, are residents of Canada or
otherwise reside outside the United States, and that all, or a substantial portion of their assets
and a substantial portion of our assets, are located outside the United States. It may not be
possible for investors to effect service of process within the United States on certain of our
directors and officers or the experts named in this Prospectus or enforce judgments obtained in the
United States courts against us, certain of our directors and officers or the experts named in this
Prospectus based upon the civil liability provisions of United States federal securities laws or
the securities laws of any state of the United States.
There is some doubt as to whether a judgment of a United States court based solely upon the
civil liability provisions of United States federal or state securities laws would be enforceable
in Canada against us, our directors and officers or the experts named in this Prospectus. There is
also doubt as to whether an original action could be brought in Canada against us or our directors
and officers or the experts named in this Prospectus to enforce liabilities based solely upon
United States federal or state securities laws.
USE OF PROCEEDS
Unless otherwise indicated in an applicable Prospectus Supplement relating to an offering of
Securities, we will use the net proceeds we receive from the sale of Securities to finance future
growth opportunities including acquisitions and investments, to finance our capital expenditures,
to reduce our outstanding indebtedness, for working capital purposes or for general corporate
purposes. The amount of net proceeds to be used for each of the principal purposes will be
described in the applicable Prospectus Supplement. All expenses relating to an offering of
Securities and any compensation paid to underwriters, dealers or agents will be paid out of our
general funds. From time to time, we may issue debt securities or incur additional indebtedness
other than through the issue of Securities pursuant to this Prospectus.
DESCRIPTION OF COMMON SHARES
The following description of our Common Shares is a summary only and is qualified in its
entirety by reference to our articles of incorporation, which have been filed with the securities
commission or similar regulatory authority in each of the provinces of Canada, and are available
for review at www.sedar.com.
We are authorized to issue an unlimited number of Common Shares. As of July 27, 2009, we had
32,082,822 Common Shares issued and outstanding. Each Common Share entitles the holder to: (i) one
vote per share held at meetings of shareholders; (ii) receive such dividends as declared by us,
subject to any contractual restrictions on the payment of dividends and to any restrictions on the
payment of dividends imposed by the terms of any outstanding Preferred Shares and our credit
facilities; and (iii) receive our remaining property and assets upon dissolution or winding up.
Our Common Shares are not subject to any future call or assessment and there are no pre-emptive,
conversion or redemption rights attached to such shares.
In the event of our merger or consolidation with or into another entity in connection with
which our Common Shares are converted into or exchanged for shares or other securities of another
entity or property (including cash), all holders of our Common Shares will thereafter be entitled
to receive the same kind and number of securities or kind of property (including cash). Upon our
dissolution or liquidation or the sale of all or substantially all of our assets, after payment in
full of all amounts required to be paid to creditors and to the holders of Preferred Shares having
liquidation preferences, if any, the holders of our Common Shares will be entitled to receive pro
rata our remaining assets available for distribution.
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DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED SHARES
The following description of our Preferred Shares is a summary only and is qualified in its
entirety by reference to our articles of incorporation, which have been filed with the securities
commission or similar regulatory authority in each of the provinces of Canada, and are available
for review at www.sedar.com.
We are authorized to issue an unlimited number of Preferred Shares issuable in series with no
par value, none of which are currently outstanding. Our board of directors has the authority to
determine, with respect to any series of Preferred Shares, the rights, privileges, restrictions and
conditions of that series, including:
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the designation of the series; |
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the number of shares of the series, which our board may, except where otherwise
provided in the provisions applicable to such series, increase or decrease, but not
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whether dividends, if any, will be cumulative or non-cumulative and the dividend
rate of the series; |
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the dates at which dividends, if any, will be payable; |
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the redemption rights and price or prices, if any, for shares of the series; |
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the terms and amounts of any sinking fund provided for the purchase or redemption of
shares of the series; |
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the amounts payable on shares of the series in the event of any voluntary or
involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding-up of our affairs; |
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whether the shares of the series will be convertible into shares of any other class
or series, or any other security, of the Corporation or any other entity, and, if so,
the specification of the other class or series or other security, the conversion price
or prices or rate or rates, any rate adjustments, the date or dates at which the shares
will be convertible and all other terms and conditions upon which the conversion may be
made; |
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restrictions on the issuance of shares of the same series or of any other class or
series; and |
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the voting rights, if any, of the holders of the series. |
Subject to any rights, privileges, restrictions and conditions that may have been determined
by the directors to apply to any series of Preferred Shares, the holders of our Preferred Shares
shall have no right to receive notice of or to be present at or vote either in person, or by proxy,
at any of our general meetings by virtue of or in respect of their holding of Preferred Shares.
Subject to any rights, privileges, restrictions and conditions that may have been determined
by the directors to apply to any series of Preferred Shares or any restrictions in any of our debt
agreements, the directors shall have complete uncontrolled discretion to pay dividends on any class
or classes of shares or any series within a class of shares issued and outstanding in any
particular year to the exclusion of any other class or classes of shares or any series within a
class of shares out of any or all profits or surplus available for dividends.
On our winding-up, liquidation or dissolution or upon the happening of any other event giving
rise to a distribution of our assets other than by way of dividend amongst our shareholders for the
purposes of winding-up its affairs, subject to any rights, privileges, restrictions and conditions
that may have been determined by the Board to attach to any series of Preferred Shares, the holders
of all Common Shares and Preferred Shares shall be entitled to participate pari passu.
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DESCRIPTION OF SUBSCRIPTION RECEIPTS
The following description of the terms of Subscription Receipts sets forth certain general
terms and provisions of Subscription Receipts in respect of which a Prospectus Supplement may be
filed. The particular terms and provisions of Subscription Receipts offered by any Prospectus
Supplement, and the extent to which the general terms and provisions described below may apply
thereto, will be described in the Prospectus Supplement filed in respect of such Subscription
Receipts.
Subscription Receipts may be offered separately or in combination with one or more other
Securities. The Subscription Receipts will be issued under a subscription receipt agreement. A
copy of the subscription receipt agreement will be filed by us with the applicable securities
commission or similar regulatory authorities after it has been entered into by us and will be
available electronically at www.sedar.com.
Pursuant to the subscription receipt agreement, original purchasers of Subscription Receipts
may have a contractual right of rescission against Westport, following the issuance of the
underlying Common Shares or other securities to such purchasers upon the surrender or deemed
surrender of the Subscription Receipts, to receive the amount paid for the Subscription Receipts in
the event that this Prospectus and any amendment thereto contains a misrepresentation or is not
delivered to such purchaser, provided such remedy for rescission is exercised within 180 days from
the closing date of the offering of Subscription Receipts.
The description of general terms and provisions of Subscription Receipts described in any
Prospectus Supplement will include, where applicable:
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the number of Subscription Receipts offered; |
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the price at which the Subscription Receipts will be offered; |
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if other than Canadian dollars, the currency or currency unit in which the
Subscription Receipts are denominated; |
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the procedures for the exchange of the Subscription Receipts into Common Shares or
other securities; |
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the number of Common Shares or other securities that may be obtained upon exercise
of each Subscription Receipt; |
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the designation and terms of any other Securities with which the Subscription
Receipts will be offered, if any, and the number of Subscription Receipts that will be
offered with each Security; |
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the terms applicable to the gross proceeds from the sale of the Subscription
Receipts plus any interest earned thereon; |
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the material tax consequences of owning the Subscription Receipts; and |
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any other material terms, conditions and rights (or limitations on such rights) of
the Subscription Receipts. |
We reserve the right to set forth in a Prospectus Supplement specific terms of the
Subscription Receipts that are not within the options and parameters set forth in this Prospectus.
In addition, to the extent that any particular terms of the Subscription Receipts described in a
Prospectus Supplement differ from any of the terms described in this Prospectus, the description of
such terms set forth in this Prospectus shall be deemed to have been superseded by the description
of such differing terms set forth in such Prospectus Supplement with respect to such Subscription
Receipts.
DESCRIPTION OF WARRANTS
The following description of the terms of Warrants sets forth certain general terms and
provisions of Warrants in respect of which a Prospectus Supplement may be filed. The particular
terms and provisions of
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Warrants offered by any Prospectus Supplement, and the extent to which the general terms and
provisions described below may apply thereto, will be described in the Prospectus Supplement filed
in respect of such Warrants.
Warrants may be offered separately or in combination with one or more other Securities. Each
series of Warrants will be issued under a separate warrant agreement to be entered into between us
and one or more banks or trust companies acting as warrant agent. The applicable Prospectus
Supplement will include details of the warrant agreements covering the Warrants being offered. The
warrant agent will act solely as our agent and will not assume a relationship of agency with any
holders of Warrant certificates or beneficial owners of Warrants. A copy of the warrant agreement
will be filed by us with the applicable securities commission or similar regulatory authorities
after it has been entered into by us and will be available electronically at www.sedar.com.
Pursuant to the warrant agreement, original purchasers of Warrants may have a contractual
right of rescission against Westport, following the issuance of the underlying Common Shares or
other securities to such purchasers upon the exercise or deemed exercise of the Warrants, to
receive the amount paid for the Warrants and the amount paid upon exercise of the Warrants in the
event that this Prospectus and any amendment thereto contains a misrepresentation or is not
delivered to such purchaser, provided such remedy for rescission is exercised within 180 days from
the closing date of the offering of Warrants.
The description of general terms and provisions of Warrants described in any Prospectus
Supplement will include, where applicable:
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the designation and aggregate number of Warrants offered; |
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the price at which the Warrants will be offered; |
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if other than Canadian dollars, the currency or currency unit in which the Warrants
are denominated; |
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the designation and terms of the Common Shares that may be acquired upon exercise of
the Warrants; |
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the date on which the right to exercise the Warrants will commence and the date on
which the right will expire; |
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the number of Common Shares that may be purchased upon exercise of each Warrant and
the price at which and currency or currencies in which that amount of securities may be
purchased upon exercise of each Warrant; |
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the designation and terms of any Securities with which the Warrants will be offered,
if any, and the number of the Warrants that will be offered with each Security; |
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the date or dates, if any, on or after which the Warrants and the related Securities
will be transferable separately; |
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the minimum or maximum amount, if any, of Warrants that may be exercised at any one
time; |
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whether the Warrants will be subject to redemption or call, and, if so, the terms of
such redemption or call provisions; and |
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any other material terms, conditions and rights (or limitations on such rights) of
the Warrants. |
We reserve the right to set forth in a Prospectus Supplement specific terms of the Warrants
that are not within the options and parameters set forth in this Prospectus. In addition, to the
extent that any particular terms of the Warrants described in a Prospectus Supplement differ from
any of the terms described in this Prospectus, the description of such terms set forth in this
Prospectus shall be deemed to have been superseded by the description of such differing terms set
forth in such Prospectus Supplement with respect to such Warrants.
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We have delivered an undertaking to the British Columbia Securities Commission (the
Commission) that we will not offer Warrants separately from other Securities (Stand-Alone
Warrants) unless a Prospectus Supplement containing the specific terms of the offering of
Stand-Alone Warrants is first approved for filing by the Commission.
DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES
The following description of the terms of Debt Securities sets forth certain general terms and
provisions of Debt Securities in respect of which a Prospectus Supplement may be filed. The
particular terms and provisions of Debt Securities offered by any Prospectus Supplement, and the
extent to which the general terms and provisions described below may apply thereto, will be
described in the Prospectus Supplement filed in respect of such Debt Securities. Debt Securities
may be offered separately or in combination with one or more other Securities. We may, from time
to time, issue debt securities and incur additional indebtedness other than through the issuance of
Debt Securities pursuant to this Prospectus.
The Debt Securities will be issued under one or more indentures (each, a Trust Indenture),
in each case between ourselves and a financial institution authorized to carry on business as a
trustee (each, a Trustee).
The following description sets forth certain general terms and provisions of the Debt
Securities and is not intended to be complete. The particular terms and provisions of the Debt
Securities and a description of how the general terms and provisions described below may apply to
the Debt Securities will be included in the applicable Prospectus Supplement. The following
description is subject to the detailed provisions of the applicable Trust Indenture. Accordingly,
reference should also be made to the applicable Trust Indenture, a copy of which will be filed by
us with the securities commission or similar regulatory authority in each of the provinces of
Canada in which we are a reporting issuer after it has been entered into by us and will be
available electronically at www.sedar.com.
General
The Debt Securities may be issued from time to time in one or more series. We may specify a
maximum aggregate principal amount for the Debt Securities of any series and, unless otherwise
provided in the applicable Prospectus Supplement, a series of Debt Securities may be reopened for
issuance of additional Debt Securities of such series.
Any Prospectus Supplement for Debt Securities supplementing this Prospectus will contain the
specific terms and other information with respect to the Debt Securities being offered thereby,
including:
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the designation, aggregate principal amount and authorized denominations of such
Debt Securities; |
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any limit upon the aggregate principal amount of such Debt Securities; |
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the currency or currency units for which such Debt Securities may be purchased and
the currency or currency units in which the principal and any interest is payable (in
either case, if other than Canadian dollars); |
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the issue price (at par, at a discount or at a premium) of such Debt Securities; |
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the date or dates on which such Debt Securities will be issued and delivered; |
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the date or dates on which such Debt Securities will mature, including any provision
for the extension of a maturity date, or the method of determination of such date(s); |
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the rate or rates per annum (either fixed or floating) at which such Debt Securities
will bear interest (if any) and, if floating, the method of determination of such rate; |
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the date or dates from which any such interest will accrue and on which such
interest will be payable and the record date or dates for the payment of such interest,
or the method of determination of such date(s); |
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if applicable, the provisions for subordination of such Debt Securities to other
indebtedness of the Corporation; |
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the Trustee under the Trust Indenture pursuant to which such Debt Securities are to
be issued; |
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any redemption term or terms under which such Debt Securities may be defeased
whether at or prior to maturity; |
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any repayment or sinking fund provisions; |
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any events of default applicable to such Debt Securities; |
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whether such Debt Securities are to be issued in registered form or in the form of
temporary or permanent global securities and the basis of exchange, transfer and
ownership thereof; |
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any exchange or conversion terms and any provisions for the adjustment thereof; |
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if applicable, our ability to satisfy all or a portion of any redemption of such
Debt Securities, any payment of any interest on such Debt Securities or any repayment
of the principal owing upon the maturity of such Debt Securities through the issuance
of securities by us or of any other entity, and any restriction(s) on the persons to
whom such securities may be issued; |
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the provisions applicable to the modification of the terms of the Trust Indenture;
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any other specific material terms or covenants applicable to such Debt Securities. |
We reserve the right to include in a Prospectus Supplement specific terms pertaining to the
Debt Securities which are not within the options and parameters set forth in this Prospectus. In
addition, to the extent that any particular terms of the Debt Securities described in a Prospectus
Supplement differ from any of the terms described in this Prospectus, the description of such terms
set forth in this Prospectus shall be deemed to have been superseded by the description of such
differing terms set forth in such Prospectus Supplement with respect to such Debt Securities.
Ranking
The Debt Securities will be direct unsecured obligations of Westport. The Debt Securities
will be senior or subordinated indebtedness of Westport as described in the applicable Prospectus
Supplement. If the Debt Securities are senior indebtedness, they will rank equally and rateably
with all other unsecured indebtedness of Westport from time to time issued and outstanding which is
not subordinated. If the Debt Securities are subordinated indebtedness, they will be subordinated
to senior indebtedness of Westport as described in the applicable Prospectus Supplement, and they
will rank equally and rateably with other subordinated indebtedness of Westport from time to time
issued and outstanding as described in the applicable Prospectus Supplement. We reserve the right
to specify in a Prospectus Supplement whether a particular series of subordinated Debt Securities
is subordinated to any other series of subordinated Debt Securities.
Registration of Debt Securities
Debt Securities in Book Entry Form
Debt Securities of any series may be issued in whole or in part in the form of one or more
global securities (each a Global Security and together Global Securities) registered in the
name of a designated clearing agency (a Depositary) or its nominee and held by or on behalf of
the Depositary in accordance with the terms of the applicable Trust Indenture. The specific terms
of the depositary arrangement with respect to any portion of a series
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of Debt Securities to be represented by a Global Security will, to the extent not described
herein, be described in the Prospectus Supplement relating to such series.
A Global Security may not be transferred, except as a whole between the Depositary and a
nominee of the Depositary or as between nominees of the Depositary, or to a successor Depositary or
nominee thereof, until it is wholly exchanged for Debt Securities in certificated non-book-entry
form in accordance with the terms of the applicable Trust Indenture. So long as the Depositary for
a Global Security, or its nominee, is the registered owner of such Global Security, such Depositary
or such nominee, as the case may be, will be considered the sole owner or holder of the Debt
Securities represented by such Global Security for all purposes under the applicable Trust
Indenture and payments of principal of and interest, if any, on the Debt Securities represented by
a Global Security will be made by us to the Depositary or its nominee.
Subject to such exceptions, if any, as may be provided for in the Trust Indenture and
described in the applicable Prospectus Supplement, owners of beneficial interests in a Global
Security will not be entitled to have the Debt Securities represented by such Global Security
registered in their names, will not receive or be entitled to receive physical delivery of such
Debt Securities in certificated non-book-entry form, will not be considered the owners or holders
thereof under the applicable Trust Indenture and will be unable to pledge Debt Securities as
security. The laws of some states in the United States may require that certain purchasers of Debt
Securities take physical delivery of such Debt Securities in definitive form.
Principal and interest payments, if any, on the Debt Securities represented by a Global
Security registered in the name of a Depositary or its nominee will be made to such Depositary or
its nominee, as the case may be, as the registered owner of such Global Security. Neither
Westport, the Trustee nor any paying agent for such Debt Securities will have any responsibility or
liability for any aspect of the records relating to or payments made on account of beneficial
ownership interests in such Global Security or for maintaining, supervising or reviewing any
records relating to such beneficial ownership interests.
Westport, any underwriters, dealers or agents and any Trustee identified in an accompanying
Prospectus Supplement, as applicable, will not have any liability or responsibility for (i) records
maintained by the Depositary relating to beneficial ownership interests in the Debt Securities held
by the Depositary or the book-entry accounts maintained by the Depositary, (ii) maintaining,
supervising or reviewing any records relating to any such beneficial ownership interests, or (iii)
any advice or representation made by or with respect to the Depositary and contained in this
Prospectus or in any Prospectus Supplement or Trust Indenture with respect to the rules and
regulations of the Depositary or at the direction of Depositary participants.
The applicable Prospectus Supplement will identify the applicable Depositary for any Debt
Securities represented by a Global Security.
Debt Securities in Registered Form
Debt Securities of any series may be issued in whole or in part in registered form as provided
in the applicable Trust Indenture.
In the event that the Debt Securities are issued in certificated non-book-entry form,
principal and interest, if any, will be payable, the transfer of such Debt Securities will be
registerable and such Debt Securities will be exchangeable for Debt Securities in other
denominations of a like aggregate principal amount at the office or agency maintained by us.
Payment of principal and interest, if any, on Debt Securities in certificated non-book-entry form
may be made by check mailed to the address of the holders entitled thereto.
Subject to the foregoing limitations, Debt Securities of any authorized form or denomination
issued under the applicable Trust Indenture may be transferred or exchanged for Debt Securities of
any other authorized form or denomination or denominations, any such transfer or exchange to be for
an equivalent aggregate principal amount of Debt Securities of the same series, carrying the same
rate of interest and same redemption and other provisions as the Debt Securities so transferred or
exchanged. Exchanges of Debt Securities of any series may be made at the offices of the applicable
Trustee and at such other places as we may from time to time designate with the approval of the
applicable Trustee and may be specified in the applicable Prospectus Supplement. Unless otherwise
specified in the applicable Prospectus Supplement, the applicable Trustee will be the registrar and
transfer agent for any Debt Securities issued in certificated non-book-entry form under the
applicable Trust Indenture.
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DESCRIPTION OF UNITS
We may issue Units comprised of one or more of the other Securities described in this
Prospectus in any combination. Each Unit will be issued so that the holder of the Unit is also the
holder of each Security included in the Unit. Thus, the holder of a Unit will have the rights and
obligations of a holder of each included Security. The unit agreement, if any, under which a Unit
is issued may provide that the Securities included in the Unit may not be held or transferred
separately, at any time or at any time before a specified date.
The particular terms and provisions of Units offered by any Prospectus Supplement, and the
extent to which the general terms and provisions described below may apply thereto, will be
described in the Prospectus Supplement filed in respect of such Units.
The particular terms of each issue of Units will be described in the related Prospectus
Supplement. This description will include, where applicable:
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the designation and aggregate number of Units offered; |
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the price at which the Units will be offered; |
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if other than Canadian dollars, the currency or currency unit in which the Units are
denominated; |
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the terms of the Units and of the Securities comprising the Units, including whether
and under what circumstances those securities may be held or transferred separately; |
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the number of Securities that may be purchased upon exercise of each Unit and the
price at which and currency or currency unit in which that amount of Securities may be
purchased upon exercise of each Unit; |
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any provisions for the issuance, payment, settlement, transfer or exchange of the
Units or of the Securities comprising the Units; and |
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any other material terms, conditions and rights (or limitations on such rights) of
the Units. |
We reserve the right to set forth in a Prospectus Supplement specific terms of the Units that
are not within the options and parameters set forth in this Prospectus. In addition, to the extent
that any particular terms of the Units described in a Prospectus Supplement differ from any of the
terms described in this Prospectus, the description of such terms set forth in this Prospectus
shall be deemed to have been superseded by the description of such differing terms set forth in
such Prospectus Supplement with respect to such Units.
PRIOR SALES
The following description of securities issuances contains information with respect to all
issuances of our securities for the 12-month period prior to the date of this Prospectus, as
adjusted to reflect the consolidation of our shares on a three-and-one-half-to-one (3.5:1) basis on
July 21, 2008.
We have issued the following Common Shares during the 12-month period prior to the date of
this Prospectus:
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Price per Common Share |
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Number of Common |
Date |
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($) |
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Shares(1) |
July 29, 2008 |
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5.36 |
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4,286 |
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July 29, 2008 |
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5.29 |
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1,903 |
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August 5, 2008 |
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11.55 |
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1,532 |
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Price per Common Share |
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Number of Common |
Date |
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($) |
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Shares(1) |
August 5, 2008 |
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5.25 |
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1,219 |
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August 5, 2008 |
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6.65 |
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300 |
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August 5, 2008 |
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5.43 |
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184 |
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August 5, 2008 |
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5.29 |
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3,157 |
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August 5, 2008 |
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3.40 |
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294 |
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August 18, 2008 |
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12.73 |
(2) |
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4,500,000 |
(3) |
August 19, 2008 |
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5.25 |
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1,335 |
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September 26, 2008 |
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7.77 |
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65 |
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September 26, 2008 |
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5.29 |
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1,084 |
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November 4, 2008 |
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6.51 |
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1,447 |
(4) |
November 12, 2008 |
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5.29 |
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2,500 |
(4) |
December 5, 2008 |
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4.27 |
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9,524 |
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January 29, 2009 |
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4.45 |
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1,900 |
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February 6, 2009 |
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5.29 |
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239 |
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April 1, 2009 |
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4.27 |
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952 |
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June 3, 2009 |
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5.29 |
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1,363 |
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June 5, 2009 |
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3.22 |
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310 |
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June 5, 2009 |
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3.68 |
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7,142 |
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June 6, 2009 |
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4.45 |
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7,142 |
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June 11, 2009 |
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5.99 |
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846 |
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June 11, 2009 |
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5.29 |
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4,000 |
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June 12, 2009 |
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6.30 |
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7,885 |
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June 25, 2009 |
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3.22 |
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2,857 |
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June 25, 2009 |
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4.27 |
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7,142 |
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July 16, 2009 |
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4.59 |
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500 |
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July 17, 2009 |
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5.29 |
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571 |
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July 21, 2009 |
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5.29 |
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1,627 |
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Notes: |
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(1) |
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Unless otherwise noted, all Common Shares were issued upon exercise of stock options granted
under the Westport stock option plan. |
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(2) |
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The issue price of the Common Shares issued on August 18, 2008 was U.S.$12.00. The issue
price set forth above is based on the U.S.-Canadian dollar noon exchange rate on August 18,
2008, as quoted by the Bank of Canada, being Cdn. $1.0605 = U.S.$1.00. |
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Common Shares issued pursuant to a public offering. |
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Common Shares issued upon exercise of units granted under the Westport performance share unit plan, as amended. |
On October 23, 2008, 790,614 warrants were granted to Her Majesty the Queen in right of Canada
as Represented by the Minister of Industry pursuant to the terms of a technology development
agreement between Westport and one of its affiliates and Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada
dated March 27, 2003 as part of the former Technology Partnerships Canada Program, which agreement
was subsequently amended on September 14,
24
2007. Each such warrant entitles the holder to acquire one Common Share upon payment of an
exercise price of $10.65 at any time prior to October 23, 2013.
As of July 27, 2009, we have issued the following options during the last 12-month period
pursuant to our existing Stock Option Plan and Performance Share Units granted pursuant to our
Performance Share Unit Plan:
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Option-based Awards |
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Share-based Awards |
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Per Share |
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market value |
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Number of |
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of shares |
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securities |
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underlying |
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underlying |
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Option |
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Number |
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units at time |
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granted |
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Exercise |
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of units |
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of unit |
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options |
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price |
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granted |
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issuance |
Date |
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(#) |
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($) |
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Date |
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(#) |
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($) |
August 6, 2008 |
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34,280 |
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14.90 |
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August 6, 2008 |
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259,923 |
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14.90 |
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November 7, 2008 |
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5,000 |
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5.71 |
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November 12, 2008 |
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407,892 |
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5.25 |
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MARKET FOR SECURITIES
Our outstanding Common Shares are listed and posted for trading on the TSX under the trading
symbol WPT and on NASDAQ under the trading symbol WPRT. The following table sets forth the
market price ranges and the aggregate volume of trading of the Common Shares on the TSX and NASDAQ
for the periods indicated, as adjusted to reflect the consolidation of our shares on a
three-and-one-half-to-one (3.5:1) basis that was completed on July 21, 2008, but was not effective
for TSX trading purposes until July 24, 2008.
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Toronto Stock Exchange |
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NASDAQ Global Market |
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High |
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Low |
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Close |
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Volume |
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High |
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Low |
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Close |
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Volume |
Period |
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($) |
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($) |
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($) |
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(Shares) |
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(U.S.$) |
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(U.S.$) |
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(U.S.$) |
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(Shares) |
2008 |
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July(1) |
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18.38 |
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12.17 |
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13.04 |
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1,857,458 |
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August (2) |
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15.34 |
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12.11 |
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13.39 |
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1,713,566 |
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13.55 |
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11.42 |
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12.56 |
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2,354,448 |
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September |
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13.80 |
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8.56 |
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10.00 |
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2,211,000 |
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13.15 |
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8.20 |
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9.14 |
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4,376,137 |
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October |
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9.95 |
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4.08 |
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5.24 |
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2,447,190 |
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9.28 |
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3.26 |
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4.43 |
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3,935,038 |
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November |
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7.64 |
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4.00 |
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5.05 |
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2,080,434 |
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6.60 |
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3.15 |
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3.96 |
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2,219,066 |
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December |
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6.41 |
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4.51 |
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6.25 |
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1,285,329 |
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5.45 |
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3.52 |
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5.10 |
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1,254,758 |
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2009 |
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January |
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7.74 |
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6.01 |
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6.50 |
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789,725 |
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6.55 |
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4.77 |
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5.27 |
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845,592 |
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February |
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7.18 |
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4.62 |
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5.20 |
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853,258 |
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5.83 |
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3.60 |
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4.05 |
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885,763 |
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March |
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6.75 |
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3.89 |
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6.30 |
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750,430 |
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5.51 |
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3.01 |
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4.99 |
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1,125,488 |
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April |
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7.40 |
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5.08 |
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6.00 |
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1,229,779 |
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6.00 |
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4.18 |
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5.04 |
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2,446,298 |
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May |
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6.69 |
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5.25 |
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6.34 |
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1,625,944 |
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6.00 |
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4.47 |
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5.83 |
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2,520,207 |
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June |
|
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10.23 |
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6.27 |
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9.39 |
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2,572,701 |
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9.09 |
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5.75 |
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8.09 |
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5,175,574 |
|
July (to July 27) |
|
|
10.93 |
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8.77 |
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9.55 |
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1,396,783 |
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|
9.90 |
|
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|
7.62 |
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|
8.83 |
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3,339,794 |
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Notes: |
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(1) |
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Trading in our Common Shares commenced on a post-consolidation basis on the TSX on July 24,
2008, however, all prices and volume reflect the consolidation of the common shares on a
three-and-one-half-to-one (3.5:1) basis. |
25
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(2) |
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Trading in our Common Shares commenced on the NASDAQ Capital Market on August 18, 2008. |
PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION
We may sell Securities to or through underwriters, dealers, placement agents or other
intermediaries and also may sell Securities directly to purchasers or through agents, subject to
obtaining any applicable exemption from registration requirements.
The distribution of Securities may be effected from time to time in one or more transactions
at a fixed price or prices, which may be changed, at market prices prevailing at the time of sale,
or at prices related to such prevailing market prices to be negotiated with purchasers and as set
forth in an accompanying Prospectus Supplement.
In connection with the sale of Securities, underwriters may receive compensation from us or
from purchasers of Securities for whom they may act as agents in the form of discounts, concessions
or commissions. Underwriters, dealers, placement agents or other intermediaries that participate
in the distribution of Securities may be deemed to be underwriters and any discounts or commissions
received by them from us and any profit on the resale of Securities by them may be deemed to be
underwriting discounts and commissions under applicable securities legislation.
If so indicated in the applicable Prospectus Supplement, we may authorize dealers or other
persons acting as our agents to solicit offers by certain institutions to purchase the Securities
directly from us pursuant to contracts providing for payment and delivery on a future date. These
contracts will be subject only to the conditions set forth in the applicable Prospectus Supplement
or supplements, which will also set forth the commission payable for solicitation of these
contracts.
The Prospectus Supplement relating to any offering of Securities will also set forth the terms
of the offering of the Securities, including, to the extent applicable, the initial offering price,
the proceeds to us, the underwriting discounts or commissions, and any other discounts or
concessions to be allowed or reallowed to dealers. Underwriters with respect to any offering of
Securities sold to or through underwriters will be named in the Prospectus Supplement relating to
such offering.
Under agreements which may be entered into by us, underwriters, dealers, placement agents and
other intermediaries who participate in the distribution of Securities may be entitled to
indemnification by us against certain liabilities, including liabilities under applicable
securities legislation. The underwriters, dealers, placement agents and other intermediaries with
whom we enter into agreements may be customers of, engage in transactions with or perform services
for us in the ordinary course of business.
Any offering of Preferred Shares, Subscription Receipts, Debt Securities, Warrants or Units
will be a new issue of securities with no established trading market. Unless otherwise specified
in the applicable Prospectus Supplement, the Preferred Shares, Subscription Receipts, Debt
Securities, Warrants or Units will not be listed on any securities exchange. Unless otherwise
specified in the applicable Prospectus Supplement, there is no market through which the Preferred
Shares, Subscription Receipts, Debt Securities, Warrants or Units may be sold and purchasers may
not be able to resell Preferred Shares, Subscription Receipts, Debt Securities, Warrants or Units
purchased under this Prospectus or any Prospectus Supplement. This may affect the pricing of the
Preferred Shares, Subscription Receipts, Debt Securities, Warrants or Units in the secondary
market, the transparency and availability of trading prices, the liquidity of the securities, and
the extent of issuer regulation. Certain dealers may make a market in the Preferred Shares,
Subscription Receipts, Debt Securities, Warrants or Units, as applicable, but will not be obligated
to do so and may discontinue any market making at any time without notice. No assurance can be
given that any dealer will make a market in the Preferred Shares, Subscription Receipts, Debt
Securities, Warrants or Units or as to the liquidity of the trading market, if any, for the
Preferred Shares, Subscription Receipts, Debt Securities, Warrants or Units.
Subject to applicable securities legislation, in connection with any offering of Securities
under this Prospectus, the underwriters, if any, may over-allot or effect transactions which
stabilize or maintain the market price of the Securities offered at a level above that which might
otherwise prevail in the open market. These transactions, if commenced, may be discontinued at any
time.
26
CERTAIN INCOME TAX CONSIDERATIONS
The applicable Prospectus Supplement may describe certain Canadian federal income tax
consequences which may be applicable to a purchaser of Securities offered thereunder, and may also
include a discussion of certain United States federal income tax consequences to the extent
applicable.
LEGAL MATTERS
Unless otherwise specified in the Prospectus Supplement, certain legal matters relating to the
offering of the securities will be passed upon for us by Bennett Jones LLP and Dorsey & Whitney
LLP. In addition, certain legal matters in connection with any offering of securities will be
passed upon for any underwriters, dealers or agents by counsel to be designated at the time of the
offering by such underwriters, dealers or agents with respect to matters of Canadian and United
States law.
The partners and associates of Bennett Jones LLP, as a group, and the partners and associates
of Dorsey & Whitney LLP, as a group, each beneficially own, directly or indirectly, less than 1% of
our securities. W. Chipman Johnston, our corporate secretary, is a partner of Bennett Jones LLP.
AUDITORS
Our financial statements as at March 31, 2009 and 2008 incorporated by reference into this
Prospectus have been audited by KPMG LLP, independent auditors, as indicated in their report dated
May 14, 2009 which is also incorporated by reference herein, and are incorporated herein in
reliance upon the authority of said firm as experts in accounting and auditing in giving said
report. KPMG LLP are independent of us pursuant to the rules of professional conduct applicable to
auditors in all provinces of Canada and independent within the meaning of the U.S. Exchange Act, as
amended.
DOCUMENTS FILED AS PART OF THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT
The following documents have been filed with the SEC as part of the registration statement on
Form F-10 of which this Prospectus forms a part:
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the documents referred to under Documents Incorporated by Reference in this
Prospectus; |
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the consent of our auditors KPMG LLP; |
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the consent of our Canadian counsel Bennett Jones LLP; and |
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powers of attorney from our directors and officers. |
27
Common Shares
Common Shares
|
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Jefferies & Company
|
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Lazard Capital Markets |
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ThinkEquity LLC
|
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Craig-Hallum Capital Group
|
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Dundee Securities Corporation |
December , 2009