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AECOM 1999 Avenue of the Stars Suite 2600 Los Angeles, CA 90067 www.aecom.com |
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213.593.8000 213.593.8730 |
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tel fax |
September 3, 2014
VIA EDGAR
Jay Ingram
Legal Branch Chief
Securities and Exchange Commission
Division of Corporation Finance
1 Station Place, N.E., Stop 7010
Washington, D.C. 20549
Re: AECOM Technology Corporation
Registration Statement on Form S-4
Filed August 1, 2014
File No. 333-197822
Dear Mr. Ingram:
This letter is in response to the comment letter, dated August 27, 2014, of the Staff of the Division of Corporation Finance (the Staff) regarding the above-referenced Registration Statement on Form S-4 (the Registration Statement) of AECOM Technology Corporation (AECOM, the Company, we or our). The Company has revised the Registration Statement in response to the Staffs comments and is filing concurrently with this letter with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the Commission) Amendment No. 1 to the Registration Statement (Amendment No. 1), which reflects such revisions and general updates to the Registration Statement.
The Companys responses set forth in this letter are numbered to correspond to the numbered comments in the Staffs comment letter. For the Staffs convenience, we have set out the text of the comments from the comment letter in italics, followed by the Companys response. Page numbers referenced in the Companys responses refer to page numbers in Amendment No. 1.
General
1. Please provide us with copies of the proxy card, election form and letter of transmittal that is being sent to URS stockholders along with the joint proxy statement/prospectus.
In response to the Staffs comment, we have filed as Exhibits 99.8, 99.9 and 99.10 to Amendment No. 1 the form of Proxy Card for AECOM, the form of Proxy Card for URS and the form of Election Form and Letter of Transmittal, respectively.
2. Please provide prominent disclosure on the cover page indicating that URS shareholders will not know at the time of the vote the number of shares or the amount of cash that they will receive in the merger. Also disclose the time period anticipated between the vote and closing of the merger.
In response to the Staffs comment, we have added disclosure in bold face type on the cover page of Amendment No. 1 informing URS stockholders that they will not know at the time of the vote the number of shares of AECOM common stock or the amount of cash that they will receive in the merger. We have also added disclosure to the cover page of Amendment No. 1 regarding the time period anticipated between the URS special meeting and the closing of the merger.
3. The timing associated with the deadlines for voting and submission of the election form are not clear. It appears that URS shareholders may have the opportunity to make an election subsequent to a vote on the merger. If the deadlines are not the same, please advise us what consideration the parties gave to the applicability of the tender offer rules to the cash election component of the merger consideration.
Amendment No. 1 has been updated to include the election deadline and the date of the URS and AECOM special stockholder meetings. As disclosed on pages ix, 5 and 141 of Amendment No. 1, the deadline for making an election is October 15, 2014, whereas, as disclosed on pages x, 17, 18, 42 and 49 the AECOM and URS special stockholder meetings will be held on October 16, 2014. Since the election deadline precedes the date of the special meetings, the tender offer rules will not apply to the cash election component of the merger consideration.
Comparison of Stockholders Rights (See page 187), page 19
4. Please revise this section to include a brief summary comparing the rights of the holders of common stock of AECOM and URS.
In response to the Staffs comment, we have revised the section entitled Comparison of Stockholders Rights on page 19 of Amendment No. 1 to include a brief summary comparing the rights of holders of common stock of AECOM and URS.
The Merger, page 58
Background of the Merger, page 58
5. Please discuss the merits of a possible strategic transaction between URS and AECOM discussed by the parties at the April 14, 2014.
In response to the Staffs comment, we have added disclosure on page 63 of Amendment No. 1 regarding the merits discussed by the parties on April 14, 2014.
6. We note that the parties discussed expected synergies at various meetings. Please elaborate on the nature of these synergies, and quantify them if possible.
In response to the Staffs comment, we have added disclosure on pages 61, 72 and 73 of Amendment No. 1 regarding the nature of the expected synergies that were discussed by the parties at various meetings. In addition, we have added disclosure on page 73 to reflect that at the July 1 and 2, 2014 meetings the parties discussed approaches to quantifying cost synergies, which ultimately resulted in AECOM forecasting $250 million of annual cost synergies from the transaction as disclosed on page 73 of Amendment No. 1.
URSs Reasons for the Merger, Recommendation of the URS Board of Directors, page 96
7. Please address what consideration, if any, the URS board gave to the fact that the Merger Agreement does not provide termination or walk-away rights to URS in the event of poor performance of AECOMs common stock.
In response to the Staffs comment and based on information provided by URS, the Company has revised the discussion on page 100 of Amendment No. 1.
The Merger Agreement, page 135
8. We note that the representations and warranties are qualified by disclosure schedules. Please provide us supplementally with a list that briefly identifies the contents of the disclosure schedules. In addition, please file an agreement to furnish the staff with a copy of any omitted schedule upon request. The agreement to furnish the staff with copies of omitted schedules may be included in the exhibit index to the registration statement.
In response to the Staffs comment, please find below a list identifying the contents of all omitted disclosure schedules to the merger agreement. AECOM has also included an agreement to furnish the Staff with copies of the omitted schedules in the exhibit index to Amendment No. 1.
URS Disclosure Letter
Section 2.4 |
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Treatment of Equity-Based Awards |
Section 3.1 |
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Organization, Standing and Power |
Section 3.2 |
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Capital Stock |
Section 3.3 |
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Subsidiaries |
Section 3.5 |
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No Conflict; Consents and Approvals |
Section 3.6 |
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SEC Reports; Financial Statements |
Section 3.9 |
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Absence of Certain Changes or Events |
Section 3.10 |
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Litigation |
Section 3.11 |
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Compliance With Laws |
Section 3.12 |
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Benefit Plans |
Section 3.13 |
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Labor Matters |
Section 3.14 |
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Environmental Matters |
Section 3.15 |
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Taxes |
Section 3.16 |
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Contracts |
Section 3.17 |
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Insurance |
Section 3.18 |
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Properties |
Section 3.19 |
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Intellectual Property |
Section 3.23 |
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Certain Payments |
Section 3.25 |
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Customer Relations |
Section 3.27 |
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Government Contracts |
Section 3.28 |
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Trade Practices |
Section 5.1 |
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Conduct of Business |
Section 8.3 |
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Certain Definitions |
AECOM Disclosure Letter
Section 4.2 |
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Capital Stock |
Section 4.3 |
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Subsidiaries |
Section 4.10 |
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Litigation |
Section 4.11 |
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Compliance with Laws |
Section 4.12(a) |
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Parent Plans |
Section 4.13(d) |
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Tax Audits |
Section 4.13(h) |
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Extension of Time for Tax Assessments or Deficiencies |
Section 4.14 |
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Contracts |
Section 4.16(c) |
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Export Controls, Trade Embargoes and Economic Sanctions |
Section 4.17 |
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Trade Practices |
Section 4.18(d) |
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Investigations Relating to Government Contracts or Government Bids |
Section 8.3(b) |
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Knowledge Group |
Conditions to the Completion of the Merger, page 157
9. Please disclose explicitly which, if any, conditions have been satisfied. Also discuss the circumstances, if any, under which you would resolicit the vote upon waiver of any of the conditions.
In response to the Staffs comment, we have identified on pages 11 and 157 of Amendment No. 1 the conditions to the merger that have been satisfied as of the date hereof. In addition, we have supplemented the disclosure under the subheading Amendments, Extensions and Waivers on page 162 of Amendment No. 1 to discuss the circumstances in which AECOM and/or URS would resolicit the vote of their stockholders upon the waiver of any of the closing conditions.
Amendments, Extensions and Waivers, page 162
10. If a material condition were to be waived, disclose the minimum number of full business days in advance of the meeting you would notify those voting of the waiver, and explain how they would be notified. Also disclose the date after which you would not waive any material conditions.
In response to the Staffs comment, we have supplemented the disclosure under the subheading Amendments, Extensions and Waivers on page 162 of Amendment No. 1 to state how the parties will inform the AECOM and URS stockholders of any waivers of a material condition to the merger. The Company supplementally advises the Staff that there is no per se deadline after which a material condition could not be waived by one or both parties to the transaction. In the event that a material condition is waived, the parties will follow the procedures detailed under the subheading Amendments, Extensions and Waivers on page 162 of Amendment No. 1.
Unaudited Pro Forma Condensed Consolidated Financial Information, page 168
11. Please note the updating requirements of Rule 11-02(c) of Regulation S-X.
In response to the Staffs comment, the Company has updated the unaudited pro forma condensed consolidated financial information in Amendment No. 1 on pages 167 to 181.
Where You Can Find More Information, page 196
12. Please specifically incorporate by reference any other applicable Exchange Act report filed after the date of the initial registration statement, but prior to effectiveness. Please Question 123.05 of our Securities Act Forms Compliance and Disclosure Interpretations.
In response to the Staffs comment, the Company has updated the reports referenced in the section entitled Where You Can Find More Information in Amendment No. 1.
Exhibits
13. We note that certain executive officers of URS will join AECOM upon completion of the merger. Please disclose whether these individuals have entered into employment agreements with the company and the terms of those agreements. Please include such agreements as Exhibits to your Form S-4.
In response to the Staffs comment, we have included such disclosure on page 128 of Amendment No. 1. As discussed therein, the Company has not entered into an employment agreement with any of the executive officers of URS that will join AECOM upon completion of the merger. The Company therefore has not filed any employment agreements as exhibits to Amendment No. 1.
Acknowledgment
As requested by the Staff, the Company acknowledges that, in the event that the Company requests acceleration of the effective date of the registration statement:
· should the Commission or the Staff, acting pursuant to delegated authority, declare the filing effective, it does not foreclose the Commission from taking any action with respect to the filing;
· the action of the Commission or the Staff, acting pursuant to delegated authority, in declaring the filing effective, does not relieve the Company from its full responsibility for the adequacy and accuracy of the disclosure in the filing;
· the Company may not assert Staff comments and the declaration of effectiveness as a defense in any proceeding initiated by the Commission or any person under the federal securities laws of the United States.
Please contact the undersigned at (213) 593-8038 with any questions or comments you may have regarding this letter.
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Very truly yours, |
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/s/ David Y. Gan |
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David Y. Gan |
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Senior Vice President and Assistant General Counsel |
cc: Michael S. Burke, President and Chief Executive Officer, AECOM Technology Corporation
Jonathan K. Layne, Partner, Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP