S-3ASR

As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on February 16, 2018

Registration No. 333-                

 

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, DC 20549

 

 

FORM S-3

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

UNDER

THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

 

 

Colfax Corporation

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

 

Delaware

(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)

54-1887631

(IRS Employer Identification Number)

420 National Business Parkway, 5th Floor

Annapolis Junction, MD 20701

(301) 323-9000

(Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of registrant’s principal executive offices)

 

 

Christopher M. Hix

Senior Vice President, Finance, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer

Colfax Corporation

420 National Business Parkway, 5th Floor

Annapolis Junction, MD 20701

(301) 323-9000

(Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)

 

 

Copies to:

Andrew L. Fabens, Esq.

Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP

200 Park Avenue

New York, New York 10166

(212) 351-4000

 

 


Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public: From time to time after the effective date of this Registration Statement.

If the only securities being registered on this Form are being offered pursuant to dividend or interest reinvestment plans, please check the following box.  ☐

If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, other than securities offered only in connection with dividend or interest reinvestment plans, check the following box.  ☒

If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering.  ☐

If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering.  ☐

If this Form is a registration statement pursuant to General Instruction I.D. or a post-effective amendment thereto that shall become effective upon filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 462(e) under the Securities Act, check the following box.  ☒

If this Form is a post-effective amendment to a registration statement filed pursuant to General Instruction I.D. filed to register additional securities or additional classes of securities pursuant to Rule 413(b) under the Securities Act, check the following box.  ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

 

Large accelerated filer      Accelerated filer  
Non-accelerated filer   ☐  (Do not check if a smaller reporting company)    Smaller reporting company  
     Emerging growth company  

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards pursuant to Section 7(a)(2)(B) of Securities Act.  ☐

 

 

CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

 

 

Title of Each Class of
Securities to be Registered
  Amount to be Registered
Proposed Maximum Offering Price Per Unit
Proposed Maximum Aggregate Offering Price
Amount of Registration Fee (1)

Debt Securities

   

Common Stock, par value $0.001 per share

   

Preferred Stock, par value $0.001 per share

   

Warrants

   

Depositary Shares (3)

   

Purchase Contracts

   

Units (2)

   

 

 

(1) Omitted pursuant to General Instructions II.E of Form S-3. An indeterminate aggregate offering price or number of securities of each identified class is being registered as may from time to time be offered at indeterminate prices. Separate consideration may or may not be received for securities that are issuable on exercise, conversion or exchange of other securities. In accordance with Rules 456(b) and 457(r), the registrant is deferring payment of all of the registration fee.
(2) Any securities registered hereunder may be sold separately or as units with other securities registered hereunder.
(3) Each depositary share will be issued under a deposit agreement and will be evidenced by a depositary receipt.

 

 

 


PROSPECTUS

 

LOGO

COLFAX CORPORATION

DEBT SECURITIES

COMMON STOCK

PREFERRED STOCK

WARRANTS

DEPOSITARY SHARES

PURCHASE CONTRACTS

UNITS

 

 

We may from time to time offer to sell our senior or subordinated debt securities, common stock or preferred stock, either separately or represented by warrants, depositary shares or purchase contracts, as well as units that include any of these securities or securities of other entities. The senior or subordinated debt securities may consist of debentures, notes or other types of debt. Our common stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange and trades under the ticker symbol “CFX.” The senior or subordinated debt securities, preferred stock, warrants and purchase contracts may be convertible or exercisable or exchangeable for common or preferred stock or other securities of ours or debt or equity securities of one or more other entities.

We may offer and sell these securities to or through one or more underwriters, dealers and agents, or directly to purchasers, on a continuous or delayed basis. These securities also may be resold by security holders. We will provide specific terms of any securities to be offered in supplements to this prospectus. You should read this prospectus and the applicable prospectus supplement carefully before you invest.

Our principal executive offices are located at 420 National Business Parkway, 5th Floor, Annapolis Junction, Maryland 20701. Our telephone number is (301) 323-9000.

 

 

Investing in our securities involves certain risks. See the “Risk Factors” section of our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission and the applicable prospectus supplement.

Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

 

 

The date of this prospectus is February 16, 2018


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

     Page  

WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

     1  

ABOUT THE COMPANY

     1  

INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE

     1  

USE OF PROCEEDS

     2  

RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES

     2  

DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES

     2  

PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

     3  

SELLING SECURITY HOLDERS

     3  

LEGAL MATTERS

     3  

EXPERTS

     3  

 

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WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

We have filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or the SEC, a registration statement on Form S-3 with respect to the securities offered hereby. This prospectus does not contain all the information set forth in the registration statement, parts of which are omitted in accordance with the rules and regulations of the SEC. For further information with respect to us and the securities offered hereby, reference is made to the registration statement. You may inspect the registration statement and exhibits without charge at the office of the SEC at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, DC 20549, and you may obtain copies from the SEC at prescribed rates.

Statements contained in this prospectus, any prospectus supplement and any free writing prospectus that we have authorized, or that are incorporated by reference into this prospectus or a prospectus supplement, about the provisions or contents of any agreement or other document are not necessarily complete. If SEC rules and regulations require that any agreement or document be filed as an exhibit to the registration statement and we file the agreement or document, you should refer to that agreement or document for a complete description of these matters.

We file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. You may inspect and copy these reports, proxy statements and other information at the public reference facilities of the SEC at the SEC’s Public Reference Room located at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, DC 20549. Please call the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330 for further information on the operation of the Public Reference Room. The SEC also maintains a website that contains reports, proxy and information statements and other information regarding registrants that file electronically with the SEC (http://www.sec.gov).

We also make our annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information available free of charge on our investor relations website, http://ir.colfaxcorp.com, as soon as reasonably practicable after we electronically file these materials with, or furnish them to, the SEC. We use our website as a channel of distribution for material company information. Important information, including financial information, analyst presentations, financial news releases, and other material information about us is routinely posted on and accessible at http://ir.colfaxcorp.com.

Unless otherwise indicated or the context otherwise requires, references in this prospectus to the “registrant,” “we,” “us,” and “our” refer to Colfax Corporation and its subsidiaries.

ABOUT THE COMPANY

We a leading diversified industrial technology company that provides air & gas handling and fabrication technology products and services to customers around the world under the Howden and ESAB brands.

INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE

The SEC allows us to “incorporate by reference” information into this prospectus, which means that we can disclose important information to you by referring to those documents. We hereby “incorporate by reference” the documents listed below. The information that we file later with the SEC will automatically update and in some cases supersede this information. Specifically, we incorporate by reference the following documents or information filed with the SEC (other than, in each case, documents or information deemed to have been furnished and not filed in accordance with SEC rules):

 

    Our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017 filed with the SEC on February 16, 2018 (File No. 001-34045);

 

    Our Proxy Statement filed with the SEC on April 4, 2017 (File No. 001-34045);

 

    The description of our common stock, par value $0.001 per share, contained in the Registration Statement on Form 8-A registration statement, filed with the SEC on May 5, 2008 (File No. 001-34045), registering our common stock pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, including any and all amendments and reports filed under Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 for the purpose of updating such description; and

 

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    Future filings we make with the SEC under Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 after the date of this prospectus and before the termination of this offering; provided, however, that we are not incorporating by reference any documents or information, including parts of documents that we file with the SEC, that are deemed to be furnished and not filed with the SEC. Unless specifically stated to the contrary, none of the information we disclose under Items 2.02 or 7.01 of any Current Report on Form 8-K that we may from time to time furnish to the SEC will be incorporated by reference into, or otherwise included in, this prospectus.

We will provide, without charge, to each person to whom a copy of this prospectus has been delivered, including any beneficial owner, a copy of any and all of the documents referred to herein that are summarized and incorporated by reference in this prospectus, if such person makes a written or oral request directed to:

Colfax Corporation

ATTN: Corporate Secretary

420 National Business Parkway, 5th Floor

Annapolis Junction, Maryland 20701

(301) 323-9000

You should rely only on the information incorporated by reference or provided in this prospectus and any applicable prospectus supplement. We have not authorized anyone else to provide you with other information.

USE OF PROCEEDS

We will set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement our intended use for the net proceeds received by us for our sale of securities under this prospectus. We will not receive the net proceeds of any sales by selling security holders. Unless otherwise stated in the applicable prospectus supplement, we will use the proceeds of any offering for general corporate purposes, which may include repayment of debt, acquisitions, additions to working capital and capital expenditures.

RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES

The following table sets forth our historical ratios of earnings to fixed charges and dividends on preferred stock for the periods indicated. This information should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and the accompanying notes incorporated by reference in this prospectus.

 

     Years Ended December 31,  
     2017      2016      2015      2014      2013  

Ratio of earnings to fixed charges

     0.72x        5.85x        4.56x        5.81x        2.87x  

Ratio of earnings to fixed charges and dividends on preferred stock

     0.72x        5.85x        4.56x        5.64x        2.59x  

The ratios were computed on a consolidated basis. Earnings represent pretax income from continuing operations before adjustment for equity investees, plus fixed charges. Fixed charges represent interest charges, amortization of debt costs, and interest portion of rental expense, and for the ratio of earnings to fixed charges and dividends on preferred stock, also includes preferred stock dividends.

DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES

We will set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement a description of the senior or subordinated debt securities, common stock, preferred stock, warrants, depositary shares, purchase contracts or units that may be offered under this prospectus.

 

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Any senior debt securities offered under this prospectus will be governed by a senior debt indenture, and any subordinated debt securities offered under this prospectus will be governed by a subordinated debt indenture. The forms of both indentures have been filed as exhibits hereto.

PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

We will set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement a description of the plan of distribution for the securities to be offered under the supplement. We may offer and sell these securities to or through one or more underwriters, dealers and agents, or directly to purchasers, on a continuous or delayed basis.

SELLING SECURITY HOLDERS

We will set forth information about selling security holders, where applicable, in a prospectus supplement, in a post-effective amendment, or in filings we make with the SEC under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are incorporated by reference.

LEGAL MATTERS

Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP will pass upon the validity of any securities issued under this prospectus. Any underwriters will be represented by their own legal counsel.

EXPERTS

The consolidated financial statements of Colfax Corporation appearing in Colfax Corporation’s Annual Report (Form 10-K) for the year ended December 31, 2017 including the schedule appearing therein, and the effectiveness of Colfax Corporation’s internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2017, have been audited by Ernst & Young LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, as set forth in their reports thereon, included therein, and incorporated herein by reference. Such financial statements are, and audited financial statements to be included in subsequently filed documents will be, incorporated herein in reliance upon the reports of Ernst & Young LLP pertaining to such financial statements and the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting as of the respective dates (to the extent covered by consents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission) given on the authority of such firm as experts in accounting and auditing.

 

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PART II

INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS

Item 14. Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution.

The following statement sets forth our expenses in connection with the offering described in this Registration Statement (all of which will be borne by us). All amounts shown are estimated.

 

SEC registration fee

   $ *  

Printing expenses

     +  

Legal fees and expenses

     +  

Accounting fees and expenses

     +  

Miscellaneous expenses

     +  

Trustee fees and expenses

     +  

Total

   $ +  

 

* In accordance with Rules 456(b) and 457(r), we are deferring payment of the registration fee for the securities offered by this prospectus.
+ Estimated expenses are not presently known and will be reflected in the applicable prospectus supplement.

Item 15. Indemnification of Directors and Officers.

Delaware General Corporation Law

Section 145(a) of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “Delaware General Corporation Law”) provides that a corporation may indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (other than an action by or in the right of the corporation) by reason of the fact that the person is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, against expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by the person in connection with such action, suit or proceeding if the person acted in good faith and in a manner the person reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe the person’s conduct was unlawful. The termination of any action, suit or proceeding by judgment, order, settlement, conviction or upon a plea of nolo contendere or its equivalent, shall not, of itself, create a presumption that the person did not act in good faith and in a manner which the person reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had reasonable cause to believe that the person’s conduct was unlawful.

Section 145(b) of the Delaware General Corporation Law states that a corporation may indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action or suit by or in the right of the corporation to procure a judgment in its favor by reason of the fact that the person is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise against expenses (including attorneys’ fees) actually and reasonably incurred by the person in connection with the defense or settlement of such action or suit if the person acted in good faith and in a manner the person reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation and except that no indemnification shall be made in respect of any claim, issue or matter as to which the person shall have been adjudged to be liable to the corporation unless and only to the extent that the Delaware Court of Chancery or the court in which such action or suit was brought shall determine upon application that, despite the adjudication of liability but in view of all the circumstances of the case, the person is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for such expenses as the Delaware Court of Chancery or such other court shall deem proper.

 

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Section 145(c) of the Delaware General Corporation Law provides that to the extent that a present or former director or officer of a corporation has been successful on the merits or otherwise in defense of any action, suit or proceeding referred to in subsections (a) and (b) of Section 145, or in defense of any claim, issue or matter therein, such person shall be indemnified against expenses (including attorneys’ fees) actually and reasonably incurred by such person in connection therewith.

Section 145(d) of the Delaware General Corporation Law states that any indemnification under subsections (a) and (b) of Section 145 (unless ordered by a court) shall be made by the corporation only as authorized in the specific case upon a determination that indemnification of the present or former director, officer, employee or agent is proper in the circumstances because the person has met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in subsections (a) and (b) of Section 145. Such determination shall be made with respect to a person who is a director or officer at the time of such determination (1) by a majority vote of the directors who are not parties to such action, suit or proceeding, even though less than a quorum, (2) by a committee of such directors designated by majority vote of such directors, even though less than a quorum, (3) if there are no such directors, or if such directors so direct, by independent legal counsel in a written opinion or (4) by the stockholders.

Section 145(f) of the Delaware General Corporation Law states that the indemnification and advancement of expenses provided by, or granted pursuant to, the other subsections of Section 145 shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which those seeking indemnification or advancement of expenses may be entitled under any bylaw, agreement, vote of stockholders or disinterested directors or otherwise, both as to action in such person’s official capacity and as to action in another capacity while holding such office.

Section 145(g) of the Delaware General Corporation Law provides that a corporation shall have the power to purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of any person who is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, against any liability asserted against such person and incurred by such person in any such capacity or arising out of such person’s status as such, whether or not the corporation would have the power to indemnify such person against such liability under the provisions of Section 145.

Section 145(j) of the Delaware General Corporation Law states that the indemnification and advancement of expenses provided by, or granted pursuant to, Section 145 shall, unless otherwise provided when authorized or ratified, continue as to a person who has ceased to be a director, officer, employee or agent and shall inure to the benefit of the heirs, executors and administrators of such a person.

Certificate of Incorporation

The registrant’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that no director of the registrant shall be liable to the registrant or its stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director, provided that this provision of the registrant’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation shall not eliminate or limit the liability of a director (a) for any breach of the director’s duty of loyalty to the registrant or its stockholders, (b) for acts or omissions not in good faith or which involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law, (c) under Section 174 of the Delaware General Corporation Law or (d) for any transaction from which the director derived an improper personal benefit. Any repeal or modification of this provision of the registrant’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation shall be prospective only and shall not adversely affect any right or protection of, or any limitation of the liability of, a director of the registrant existing at, or arising out of facts or incidents occurring prior to, the effective date of such repeal or modification.

Bylaws

The registrant’s amended and restated bylaws provide for the indemnification of the officers and directors of the registrant to the fullest extent permitted by the Delaware General Corporation Law. The amended and restated bylaws provide that each person who was or is made a party to, or is threatened to be made a party to, any civil or criminal action, suit or proceeding by reason of the fact that such person is or was a director or officer of the registrant will be indemnified and held harmless by the registrant to the fullest extent authorized by the Delaware General Corporation Law against all expense, liability and loss, including, without limitation, attorneys’ fees, incurred by such person in connection therewith, if such person acted in good faith and in a manner such person reasonably believed to be or not opposed to the best interests of the registrant and had no reason to believe that such person’s conduct was illegal.

 

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Insurance

The registrant maintains directors and officers liability insurance, which covers directors and officers of the registrant against certain claims or liabilities arising out of the performance of their duties.

Indemnification Agreements

The registrant has entered into agreements to indemnify its directors and certain of its officers. These agreements provide for indemnification of the registrant’s directors and applicable officers to the fullest extent permitted by the Delaware General Corporation Law against all expenses, including attorneys’ fees, judgments, fines and settlement amounts incurred by any such person in actions or proceedings, including actions by the registrant or in its right, arising out of such person’s services as a director or officer of the registrant, any subsidiary of the registrant or any other company or enterprise to which the person provided services at the registrant’s request. These agreements are intended to give the registrant’s officers and directors additional contractual assurances regarding the scope of the indemnification set forth in its certificate of incorporation and bylaws and to provide additional procedural protections.

Item 16. Exhibits.

 

Exhibit

Number

  

Description

  

Incorporation by Reference
(where a report or registration statement is
indicated below, that document has been
previously filed with the SEC and the
applicable exhibit is incorporated by
reference thereto)

  1.1    Form of Underwriting Agreement.    To be filed by amendment or via Form 8-K.
  4.1    Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation.    Exhibit 3.01 to our Form 8-K filed January 30, 2012
(File No. 001-34045).
  4.2    Amended and Restated Bylaws.    Exhibit 3.02 to our Form 10-Q filed July  23, 20215
(File No. 001-34045).
  4.3    Form of Senior Indenture.    Exhibit 4.1 to our Form S-3 filed February 23, 2015
(File No. 333-202233)
  4.4    Form of Subordinated Indenture.    Exhibit 4.2 to our Form S-3 filed February 23, 2015
(File No. 333-202233)
  4.5    Form of Common Stock Certificate.    Exhibit 4.1 to our Form S-1/A filed May 1, 2008
(File No. 333-148486).
  5    Opinion of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP.    Filed herewith.
12    Statement of Computation of Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges.    Filed herewith.
23.1    Consent of Ernst & Young LLP.    Filed herewith.

 

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Exhibit

Number

  

Description

  

Incorporation by Reference
(where a report or registration statement is
indicated below, that document has been
previously filed with the SEC and the
applicable exhibit is incorporated by
reference thereto)

23.2    Consent of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP.    Included in Exhibit 5 filed herewith.
24    Powers of Attorney.    Included on the signature pages hereto.
25.1    Statement of Eligibility of Trustee in Respect of Senior Indenture.    To be filed by amendment or via Form T-1 pursuant to Rule 305 of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939.
25.2    Statement of Eligibility of Trustee in Respect of Subordinated Indenture.    To be filed by amendment or via Form T-1 pursuant to Rule 305 of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939.

Item 17. Undertakings.

The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:

(1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement:

(i) To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933;

(ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in the volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the SEC pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than 20 percent change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in the effective registration statement; and

(iii) To include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or any material change to such information in the registration statement;

provided, however, that paragraphs (i), (ii) and (iii) above do not apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in reports filed with or furnished to the SEC by the registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are incorporated by reference in the registration statement, or is contained in a form of prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) that is part of the registration statement.

(2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities in the post-effective amendment at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

(3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering.

 

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(4) That, for the purpose of determining liability under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser:

(i) Each prospectus filed by the registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(3) shall be deemed to be part of the registration statement as of the date the filed prospectus was deemed part of and included in the registration statement; and

(ii) Each prospectus required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424(b)(2), (b)(5) or (b)(7) as part of a registration statement in reliance on Rule 430B relating to an offering made pursuant to Rule 415(a)(1)(i), (vii) or (x) for the purpose of providing the information required by Section 10(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 shall be deemed to be part of and included in the registration statement as of the earlier of the date such form of prospectus is first used after effectiveness or the date of the first contract of sale of securities in the offering described in the prospectus. As provided in Rule 430B, for liability purposes of the issuer and any person that is at that date an underwriter, such date shall be deemed to be a new effective date of the registration statement relating to the securities in the registration statement to which that prospectus relates, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof. Provided, however, that no statement made in a registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement or made in a document incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference into the registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement will, as to a purchaser with a time of contract of sale prior to such effective date, supersede or modify any statement that was made in the registration statement or prospectus that was part of the registration statement or made in any such document immediately prior to such effective date.

(5) That, for the purpose of determining liability of the registrant under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser in the initial distribution of the securities, the undersigned registrant undertakes that in a primary offering of securities of the undersigned registrant pursuant to this registration statement, regardless of the underwriting method used to sell the securities to the purchaser, if the securities are offered or sold to such purchaser by means of any of the following communications, the undersigned registrant will be a seller to the purchaser and will be considered to offer or sell such securities to such purchaser:

(i) Any preliminary prospectus or prospectus of the undersigned registrant relating to the offering required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424;

(ii) Any free writing prospectus relating to the offering prepared by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant or used or referred to by the undersigned registrant;

(iii) The portion of any other free writing prospectus relating to the offering containing material information about the undersigned registrant or its securities provided by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant; and

(iv) Any other communication that is an offer in the offering made by the undersigned registrant to the purchaser.

(6) That, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the registrant’s annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan’s annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) that is incorporated by reference in the registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

(7) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the SEC such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act of 1933 and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such

 

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director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

(8) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes to file an application for the purpose of determining the eligibility of the trustee to act under subsection (a) of Section 310 of the Trust Indenture Act in accordance with the rules and regulations prescribed by the SEC under Section 305(b)(2) of the Act.

 

II-6


SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Annapolis Junction, State of Maryland, on February 16, 2018.

 

COLFAX CORPORATION
By:   /s/ Christopher M. Hix
  Christopher M. Hix
  Senior Vice President, Finance, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer

 

S-1


POWER OF ATTORNEY

Each person whose signature appears below constitutes and appoints Mathew L. Tererotla, Christopher M. Hix and A. Lynne Puckett as his or her true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for such person and in his or her name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any or all further amendments (including post-effective amendments) to this registration statement (and any additional registration statement related hereto permitted by Rule 462(b) promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933 (and all further amendments, including post-effective amendments, thereto)), and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in and about the premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as he might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorney-in-fact and agent, or his substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this registration statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated below.

 

Signature

  

Title

 

Date

/s/ Matthew L. Trerotola

Mathew L. Trerotola

   President, Chief Executive Officer and Director
(Principal Executive Officer)
  February 16, 2018

/s/ Christopher M. Hix

Christopher M. Hix

   Senior Vice President, Finance, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer (Principal Financial Officer and Principal Accounting Officer)   February 16, 2018

/s/ Mitchell P. Rales

Mitchell P. Rales

  

Chairman of the Board of Directors

  February 16, 2018

/s/ Patrick W. Allender

Patrick W. Allender

  

Director

  February 16, 2018

/s/ Thomas S. Gayner

Thomas S. Gayner

  

Director

  February 16, 2018

/s/ Rhonda L. Jordan

Rhonda L. Jordan

  

Director

  February 16, 2018

/s/ San W. Orr, III

San W. Orr, III

  

Director

  February 16, 2018

/s/ A. Clayton Perfall

A. Clayton Perfall

  

Director

  February 16, 2018

/s/ Didier Teirlinck

Didier Teirlinck

  

Director

  February 16, 2018

/s/ Rajiv Vinnakota

Rajiv Vinnakota

  

Director

  February 16, 2018

 

S-2


Signature

  

Title

 

Date

/s/ Sharon Wienbar

Sharon Wienbar

  

Director

  February 16, 2018

 

S-3

EX-5

Exhibit 5

 

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     Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP
     200 Park Avenue
     New York, NY 10166-0193
     Tel 212.351.4000
     www.gibsondunn.com

February 16, 2018

Colfax Corporation

420 National Business Parkway, 5th Floor

Annapolis Junction, MD 20701

Re: Colfax Corporation

Registration Statement on Form S-3

Ladies and Gentlemen:

We have acted as counsel to Colfax Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), in connection with the preparation and filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) of a Registration Statement on Form S-3 (the “Registration Statement”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), relating to the registration under the Securities Act and the proposed issuance and sale from time to time pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act, together or separately and in one or more series (if applicable) of:

(i) the Company’s unsecured debt securities, which may either be senior debt securities (the “Senior Debt Securities”) or subordinated debt securities (the “Subordinated Debt Securities” and, collectively with the Senior Debt Securities, the “Debt Securities”);

(ii) shares of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.001 per share (the “Common Stock”);

(iii) shares of the Company’s preferred stock, par value $0.001 per share (the “Preferred Stock”);

(iv) depositary shares each representing a fraction of a share of a particular series of Preferred Stock (the “Depositary Shares”);

(v) contracts for the purchase or sale of Debt Securities, Preferred Stock or Common Stock or other securities, currencies or commodities (the “Purchase Contracts”);

(vi) warrants for the purchase of Common Stock, Preferred Stock, Depositary Shares or Debt Securities (the “Warrants”); and

(vii) units of the Company comprised of any combination of Common Stock, Preferred Stock, Depositary Shares, Purchase Contracts or Debt Securities (the “Units”).

The Debt Securities, Common Stock, Preferred Stock, Depositary Shares, Purchase Contracts, Warrants and Units are collectively referred to herein as the “Securities.” Any Senior Debt Securities are to be issued under an indenture to be entered into between the Company and a financial institution to be named at the time such indenture is executed (the “Trust Company”), as indenture trustee (the “Senior Base Indenture”). Any Subordinated Debt Securities are to be issued under an indenture to be entered into between the Company and the Trust Company, as indenture trustee (the “Subordinated Base Indenture” and together with the Senior Base Indenture, the “Base Indentures”).

Beijing • Brussels • Century City • Dallas • Denver • Dubai • Frankfurt • Hong Kong • Houston • London • Los Angeles • Munich

New York • Orange County • Palo Alto • Paris • San Francisco • Săo Paulo • Singapore • Washington, D.C.


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February 16, 2018

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In arriving at the opinions expressed below, we have examined originals, or copies certified or otherwise identified to our satisfaction as being true and complete copies of the originals, of forms of the Base Indentures, forms of the Debt Securities, specimen Common Stock certificates and such other documents, corporate records, certificates of officers of the Company and of public officials and other instruments as we have deemed necessary or advisable to enable us to render these opinions. In our examination, we have assumed the genuineness of all signatures, the legal capacity and competency of all natural persons, the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals and the conformity to original documents of all documents submitted to us as copies. As to any facts material to these opinions, we have relied to the extent we deemed appropriate and without independent investigation upon statements and representations of officers and other representatives of the Company and others.

We have assumed without independent investigation that:

(i) at the time any Securities are sold pursuant to the Registration Statement (the “Relevant Time”), the Registration Statement and any supplements and amendments thereto (including post-effective amendments) will be effective and will comply with all applicable laws;

(ii) at the Relevant Time, a prospectus supplement will have been prepared and filed with the Commission describing the Securities offered thereby and all related documentation and will comply with all applicable laws;

(iii) all Securities will be issued and sold in the manner stated in the Registration Statement and the applicable prospectus supplement;

(iv) at the Relevant Time, all corporate or other action required to be taken by the Company to duly authorize each proposed issuance of Securities and any related documentation (including (i) the due reservation of any shares of Common Stock or Preferred Stock for issuance upon exercise, conversion or exchange of any Securities for Common Stock or Preferred Stock (a “Convertible Security”), and (ii) the execution (in the case of certificated Securities), delivery and performance of the Securities and any related documentation referred to in paragraphs 1 through 7 below) shall have been duly completed and shall remain in full force and effect;

(v) upon issuance of any Common Stock or Preferred Stock, including upon exercise, conversion or exchange of any Convertible Security, the total number of shares of Common Stock or Preferred Stock issued and outstanding will not exceed the total number of shares of Common Stock or Preferred Stock, as applicable, that the Company is then authorized to issue under its certificate of incorporation and other relevant documents;

(vi) in the case of Debt Securities, at the Relevant Time, the relevant trustee shall have been qualified under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended (the “TIA”), a Statement of Eligibility of the Trustee on Form T-1 shall have been properly filed with the Commission and the relevant Base Indenture shall have been duly executed and delivered by the Company and all other parties thereto and duly qualified under the TIA; and


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February 16, 2018

Page 3

 

(vii) at the Relevant Time, a definitive purchase, underwriting or similar agreement and any other necessary agreement with respect to any Securities offered or issued will have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate or other action of the Company and duly executed and delivered by the Company and the other parties thereto.

Based on the foregoing and in reliance thereon, and subject to the assumptions, exceptions, qualifications and limitations set forth herein, we are of the opinion that:

1. With respect to any Debt Securities, when:

a. the terms and conditions of such Debt Securities have been duly established by supplemental indenture or officers’ certificate in accordance with the terms and conditions of the relevant Base Indenture,

b. any such supplemental indenture has been duly executed and delivered by the Company and the relevant trustee (together with the relevant Base Indenture, the “Indenture”), and

c. such Debt Securities have been executed (in the case of certificated Debt Securities), delivered and authenticated in accordance with the terms of the applicable Indenture and issued and sold for the consideration set forth in the applicable definitive purchase, underwriting or similar agreement,

such Debt Securities will be legal, valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their respective terms.

2. With respect to any shares of Preferred Stock, when:

a. the certificate of designations relating to such Preferred Stock (the “Certificate of Designations”) has been duly executed and filed with the Office of the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware,

b. such shares have been issued either (i) in accordance with the applicable definitive purchase, underwriting or similar agreement and for the consideration therefor provided for therein or (ii) upon exercise, conversion or exchange of any Convertible Security and for any additional consideration specified in such Convertible Security or the instrument governing such Convertible Security providing for such conversion or exercise, which consideration (including any consideration paid for such Convertible Security), on a per-share basis, shall in either event not be less than the par value of the Preferred Stock, and

c. any such Convertible Security was previously validly issued and is fully paid an non-assessable (in the case of an equity Security) or is a legal, valid and binding obligation of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, such shares of Preferred Stock will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.


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February 16, 2018

Page 4

 

3. With respect to Depositary Shares, when:

a. a deposit agreement relating to such Depositary Shares (“Deposit Agreement”) has been duly executed and delivered by the Company and the depositary appointed by the Company,

b. the terms of the Depositary Shares have been established in accordance with the Deposit Agreement, and

c. the depositary receipts representing the Depositary Shares have been duly executed and countersigned (in the case of certificated Depositary Shares), registered and delivered in accordance with the related Deposit Agreement and the applicable definitive purchase, underwriting or similar agreement for the consideration provided therein, the depositary receipts evidencing the Depositary Shares will be legal, valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms.

4. With respect to shares of Common Stock, when:

a. such shares of Common Stock have been duly executed (in the case of certificated shares) and delivered either (i) in accordance with the applicable definitive purchase, underwriting or similar agreement for the consideration provided for therein, or (ii) upon conversion or exercise of any Convertible Security, in accordance with the terms of such Convertible Security or the instrument governing such Convertible Security providing for such conversion or exercise, and for any additional consideration specified therein, which consideration (including any consideration paid for such Convertible Security), on a per-share basis, shall in either event not be less than the par value of the Common Stock, and

b. any such Convertible Security was previously validly issued and is fully paid and non-assessable (in the case of an equity Security) or is a legal, valid and binding obligation of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, such shares of Common Stock will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.

5. With respect to any Purchase Contracts, when:

a. the related purchase contract agreement (“Purchase Contract Agreement”), if any, has been duly executed by the Company and each other party thereto,

b. the terms of the Purchase Contracts have been established in accordance with the Purchase Contract Agreement, if any, or the applicable definitive purchase, underwriting or similar agreement,


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February 16, 2018

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c. the terms of any collateral or security arrangements relating to such Purchase Contracts have been established and the agreements thereto have been validly executed and delivered by each of the parties thereto and any collateral has been deposited with the collateral agent, if applicable, in accordance with such arrangements, and

d. such Purchase Contracts have been executed (in the case of certificated Purchase Contracts) and delivered in accordance with the Purchase Contract Agreement, if any, and the applicable definitive purchase, underwriting or similar agreement for the consideration provided for therein,

such Purchase Contracts will be legal, valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable in accordance with their terms.

6. With respect to any Warrants, when:

a. the warrant agreement relating to such Warrants (the “Warrant Agreement”), if any, has been duly executed and delivered by the Company and each other party thereto,

b. the terms of the Warrants have been established in accordance with the Warrant Agreement, if any, and the applicable definitive purchase, underwriting or similar agreement, and

c. the Warrants have been duly executed (in the case of certificated Warrants) and delivered in accordance with the Warrant Agreement, if any, and the applicable definitive purchase, underwriting or similar agreement for the consideration provided for therein,

such Warrants will be legal, valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms.

7. With respect to any Units, when:

a. the unit agreement relating to the Units (the “Unit Agreement”), if any, has been duly executed and delivered by the Company and each other party thereto,

b. the terms of the Units have been duly established in accordance with the Unit Agreement, if any, and the applicable definitive purchase, underwriting or similar agreement, and

c. the Units have been duly executed (in the case of certificated Units) and delivered in accordance with the Unit Agreement, if any, and the applicable definitive purchase, underwriting or similar agreement for the consideration provided for therein,

the Units will be legal, valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms.


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February 16, 2018

Page 6

 

The opinions expressed above are subject to the following exceptions, qualifications, limitations and assumptions:

A. We render no opinion herein as to matters involving the laws of any jurisdiction other than the State of New York and to the extent relevant for our opinions herein, the Delaware General Corporation Law. This opinion is limited to the effect of the current state of the laws of the State of New York and the Delaware General Corporation Law and the facts as they currently exist. We assume no obligation to revise or supplement this opinion in the event of future changes in such laws or the interpretations thereof or such facts.

B. The opinions above are each subject to (i) the effect of any bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, arrangement or similar laws affecting the rights and remedies of creditors’ generally, including the effect of statutory or other laws regarding fraudulent transfers or preferential transfers and (ii) general principles of equity, including concepts of materiality, reasonableness, good faith and fair dealing and the possible unavailability of specific performance, injunctive relief or other equitable remedies regardless of whether enforceability is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law.

C. We express no opinion regarding the effectiveness of (i) any waiver of stay, extension or usury laws and (ii) provisions relating to indemnification, exculpation or contribution, to the extent such provisions may be held unenforceable as contrary to public policy or federal or state securities laws.

D. To the extent relevant to our opinions in paragraphs 3, 5, 6 and 7 and not covered by our opinions in paragraphs 1, 2 or 4, we have assumed that any securities, currencies or commodities underlying, comprising or issuable upon exchange, conversion or exercise of any Depositary Shares, Purchase Contracts, Warrants or Units are validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable (in the case of an equity security) or a legal, valid and binding obligation of the issuer thereof, enforceable against such issuer in accordance with its terms.

You have informed us that you intend to issue Securities from time to time on a delayed or continuous basis, and we understand that prior to issuing any Securities pursuant to the Registration Statement (i) you will advise us in writing of the terms thereof and (ii) you will afford us an opportunity to (x) review the operative documents pursuant to which such Securities are to be issued or sold (including the applicable offering documents) and (y) file such supplement or amendment to this opinion (if any) as we may reasonably consider necessary or appropriate.

We consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration Statement, and we further consent to the use of our name under the caption “Legal Matters” in the Registration Statement and the prospectus that forms a part thereof. In giving these consents, we do not thereby admit that we are within the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act or the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder.

Very truly yours,

/s/ Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP

EX-12

Exhibit 12

COLFAX CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES

COMPUTATION OF RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES

(Dollars in thousands)

 

     2017     2016     2015     2014     2013  

Earnings:

          

(Loss) income from continuing operations before income taxes

     (11,986     206,524       218,118       323,610       216,166  

Less: Net result from equity investees

     (3,090     (3,470     (6,688     (7,730     (4,694

Plus: fixed charges

     53,979       41,898       59,365       65,715       112,829  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Earnings available to cover fixed charges

     38,903       244,952       270,795       381,595       324,301  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Fixed charges:

          

Interest expense, including amortization of deferred financing costs

     41,137       30,276       47,502       53,818       102,328  

Interest portion of rental payment

     12,842       11,622       11,864       11,897       10,501  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total fixed charges

     53,979       41,898       59,366       65,715       112,829  

Dividends on preferred stock

     —         —         —         2,348       20,396  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total fixed charges and dividends on preferred stock

     53,979       41,898       59,366       68,063       133,225  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Ratio of earnings to fixed charges

     0.72       5.85       4.56       5.81       2.87  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Ratio of earnings to fixed charges and dividends on preferred stock

     0.72       5.85       4.56       5.64       2.59  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 
EX-23.1

Exhibit 23.1

Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

We consent to the reference to our firm under the caption “Experts” in this Registration Statement (Form S-3) and related Prospectus of Colfax Corporation for the registration of debt securities, common stock, preferred stock, warrants, depositary shares, purchase contracts and units and to the incorporation by reference therein of our reports dated February 16, 2018, with respect to the consolidated financial statements and schedule of Colfax Corporation, and the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting of Colfax Corporation, included in its Annual Report (Form 10-K) for the year ended December 31, 2017, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

/s/ Ernst & Young LLP

Baltimore, Maryland

February 16, 2018