Regulatory Filings • Dec 28, 2012
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December 21, 2012
Via EDGAR Submission and Overnight Delivery
U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission
100 F Street, N.E.
Washington, D.C. 20549
Attn: Pamela A. Long
Asia Timmons-Pierce
Craig E. Slivka
Tracey Smith
Alfred Pavot
*Re: Boise Cascade, L.L.C. Registration Statement on Form S-1 Filed November 15, 2012 File No. 333-184964*
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Boise Cascade, L.L.C., a Delaware limited liability company (the Company ), has today filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the Securities Act ), and Regulation S-T thereunder, Amendment No. 1 (the Amendment ) to its Registration Statement on Form S-1 (the Registration Statement ).
On behalf of the Company, we are writing to respond to the comments raised in the letter to the Company, dated December 12, 2012, from the staff of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the Staff ). The Companys responses below correspond to the captions and numbers of those comments (which are reproduced below in italics). Where applicable, we have referenced in the Companys responses the appropriate page number of the Amendment. For your convenience, paper copies of the Amendment will be delivered to each member of the Staff referenced above, and those copies will be marked to show changes from the Registration Statement. Capitalized terms used in this letter but not otherwise defined have the meanings assigned to them in the Amendment.
Hong Kong London Los Angeles Munich New York Palo Alto San Francisco Shanghai Washington, D.C.
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General
*Response:*
The Company has included the artwork and other graphics it will use in the prospectus in the Amendment.
*Response:*
The Company acknowledges the Staffs comment and confirms that it will include a price range in a future pre-effective amendment to the Registration Statement. The Company will provide the Staff with sufficient time to review such amendment and to enable the Company to respond to any additional comments the Staff may have as a result of the inclusion of such price range. In addition, when the Company includes the price range in a future pre-effective amendment such price range will be bona fide.
*Response:*
In response to the Staffs comment, the Company has filed Exhibit 3.2 (Form of Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of Boise Cascade Company), Exhibit 3.3 (Form of Amended and Restated Bylaws of Boise Cascade Company), and Exhibit 10.2 (Form of Director Nomination Agreement) with the Amendment. The Company confirms that it will file all remaining exhibits sufficiently in advance of effectiveness of the Registration Statement to provide the Staff with sufficient time to review them and to enable the Company to respond to any additional comments the Staff may have as a result of the inclusion of such exhibits.
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*Response:*
The Company acknowledges the Staffs comment and confirms that it has made the appropriate changes to all applicable portions of the Registration Statement to properly address the Staffs comments where examples have been provided by the Staff to illustrate a particular comment.
*Response:*
The Company acknowledges the Staffs comment and confirms that it will arrange to have FINRA call the Staff or provide the Staff with a copy of the no objection letter from FINRA before the Company requests that the Registration Statement become effective.
*Response:*
In response to the Staffs comment, the Company has provided pro forma financial statements prepared in accordance with Article 11 of Regulation S-X beginning on page P-1 of the Amendment, immediately preceding the F pages.
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Prospectus Cover Page
*Response:*
In response to the Staffs comment, the Company has revised the cover page of the prospectus.
Prospectus Summary, page 1
*Response:*
In response to the Staffs comment, the Company has shortened the Prospectus Summary section considerably to highlight those aspects of the offering and the Company that are most significant.
*Response :*
The Company confirms that it operates a total of 18 manufacturing facilities consisting of 17 wood products manufacturing facilities (under its Wood Products segment) and one truss manufacturing plant (under its Building Materials Distribution segment). The Company references 18 manufacturing facilities in disclosures relating to its consolidated operations and 17 manufacturing facilities in disclosures relating to its Wood Products segment. The Company believes the disclosure set forth in the Amendment is accurate.
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*Response :*
In connection with the Companys revision of the Prospectus Summary in response to comment 8, the Company deleted the sentence referenced by the Staff. In response to the Staffs comment, the Company expanded the disclosure on pages 16 and 81 regarding customer concentration.
· Our Wood Products segment is the second largest manufacturer of EWP and plywood in North America pages 2 and 65
· We are one of the leading manufacturers in the North American wood products industry. pages 5 and 69
· We are the second largest producer of EWP and plywood in North America and we are the largest producer of plywood in the Western United States. page 69
· We are one of the largest national stocking wholesale distributors of building materials in the United States pages 3, 5, 66 and 69
· We operate the two largest EWP facilities in North America. pages 6 and 69
*Response:*
In response to the Staffs comment, the Company is supplementally providing the Staff with copies of the relevant pages from (i) the Resource Information Systems, Inc.s North American Wood Panels and Engineered Wood Products 2012 Capacity Report, (ii) the Resource Information Systems, Inc.s Cornerstone (Q1-2012) Cash Cost Curve Report, (iii) the Home Channel News Top 100 Distributor Scoreboard for 2012 and (iv) Random Lengths Publication, Inc.s 2012 Big Book, together with the copy of this letter that is being transmitted by hand delivery, clearly marked to highlight the portion or section that contains the
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relevant information and cross-referenced to the appropriate location in the Amendment.
In addition, the Company has revised its disclosure on pages 1 through 4, 67, 68, 69 and 72 of the Amendment to disclose the sources from which the relevant information is derived. The Company has also revised its disclosure on pages 3 and 72 of the Amendment with respect to the Companys position as one of the leading manufacturers in the North American wood products industry. The Company advises the Staff that such statement is based on the fact that the Company is the second largest producer of EWP and plywood in North America. The Company is supplementally providing the Staff with copies of the source of such statement as explained above.
Finally, the Company has revised its disclosure on page 28 of the Amendment to include the date of the sources cited throughout the Amendment and to confirm that the information represents the most recently available data and, therefore, remains reliable.
Our Company, page 1
*Response:*
In response to the Staffs comment, the Company has revised its disclosure on pages 1 and 67 of the Amendment. T he Company respectfully advises the Staff that it has not added segment net income in places where segment EBITDA is disclosed because interest and taxes are not allocated to its segments. The Company has already included segment income before interest and taxes in addition to segment EBITDA. The Company also respectfully notes that segment EBITDA is the primary measure used by its chief operating decision maker to evaluate segment performance, as disclosed on pages 76, 79 and 80 of the Amendment and in note 14 to its audited financial statements.
Our Competitive Strengths, page 5
*Response:*
In response to the Staffs comment, the Company has added to and revised its disclosure on pages 6 and 7 of the Amendment. The Company respectfully submits that the items listed under Risk Factors in the Prospectus Summary, as revised, balance the
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competitive strengths included in the Prospectus Summary and are not simply a generalized listing of risk factors. In addition, the summary of Risk Factors in the Prospectus Summary has equal prominence as the Companys competitive strengths. The Company also has added disclosure on pages 15, 16 and 19 of the Amendment to provide further information to investors to balance the information included in the Companys competitive strengths. The Company respectfully submits that the disclosure in the Prospectus Summary, as revised, and the additional detail added in the Risk Factors section of the Amendment is both appropriate and balanced.
Risks Relating to our Business, page 15 We are subject to environmental regulation and environmental , page 18
*Response:*
In response to the Staffs comment, the Company has added disclosure on page 17 of the Amendment to include the requested disclosure.
Labor disruptions or increased labor costs could adversely affect our business, page 18
*Response:*
The Company respectfully advises the Staff that it has not suffered a material labor disruption since the Company was formed in 2004. The Company experienced a two-day strike at its Alljoist facility in Canada in July 2008, which resulted in approximately $48,000 of strike-related costs. Because this event is not material, the Company has not disclosed this event in the related risk factor.
Should the markets for our products deteriorate or should we decide , page 19
*Response:*
In response to the Staffs comment, the Company has revised the relevant risk factor on page 18 of the Amendment.
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We may be unable to attract and retain key management and other key employees, page 19
*Response:*
In response to the Staffs comment, the Company has revised the relevant risk factor on page 19 of the Amendment.
Market and Industry Data, page 29
*Response* :
In response to the Staffs comment, the Company has removed the disclaimer on page 28 of the Amendment.
*Response:*
The Company supplementally advises the Staff that no third party information was prepared for the Company for use in the Registration Statement.
Selected Historical Consolidated Financial Data, page 36
*Response:*
In response to the Staffs comment, the Company has reordered the numerical information in its audited and unaudited financial statements set forth in the F pages to the Amendment .
Managements Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of , page 39
Overview, page 39
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*Response:*
In response to the Staffs comment, the Company has added disclosure on page 40 of the Amendment.
*Response:*
In response to the Staffs comment, the Company has added disclosure on pages 40 through 42 of the Amendment. The Company respectfully advises the Staff that its principal raw material is wood fiber, which accounted for approximately 38% of the aggregate amount of materials, labor and other operating expenses for its Wood Products segment in 2011. Timber comprises over 80% of the Companys wood fiber costs and the Company satisfies its timber requirement through a combination of purchases under supply agreements, open market purchases and purchases pursuant to contracts awarded under public timber auctions. Because an indexed market does not exist for timber and the prices that are paid by the Company are generally negotiated or determined under auction, the Company has disclosed in the Amendment the changes in its average per-unit log costs for each period presented.
In addition, the Company has disclosed average weekly OSB composite prices for the years 2009 through 2011, and the nine months ended September 30, 2012, which it believes to be representative of the change in spot prices.
Finally, the Company respectfully advises the Staff that there is no spot price for glues and resins and the Company does not consider the fluctuations in their prices to have a material impact on its results of operations.
General Economic and Industry Conditions Affecting Demand, page 40
*Response:*
In response to the Staffs comment, the Company has revised the disclosure on page 41 of the Amendment to delete the reference to the ten-year period and has added disclosure to explain the significance of sales for repair and remodeling projects.
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Availability and Affordability of Raw Materials, page 41
24. We note your disclosure on pages 41 and 75 that foreign demand for log exports, particularly from China, increased costs in 2010 and 2011. Please disclose if you anticipate that the foreign demand will continue at the same level or increase.
*Response:*
In response to the Staffs comment, the Company has added disclosure on pages 14, 42 and 78 of the Amendment.
*Response:*
In response to the Staffs comment, the Company has added disclosure on page 77 of the Amendment.
*Response:*
In response to the Staffs comment, the Company has added disclosure on pages 14 and 15 of the Amendment.
Operating Results, page 42
*Response:*
In response to the Staffs comment, the Company has added disclosure on pages 44 through 50 of the Amendment.
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*Response:*
In response to the Staffs comment, the Company has added disclosure on pages 42, 45, 47 and 50 of the Amendment.
*Response:*
In response to the Staffs comment, after reviewing the fluctuations in each financial statement line item in the table under Our Operating Results, the Company revised its disclosure to include the drivers of the material changes. The Company has added additional quantification of material changes to selling and distribution costs and materials, labor and other operating expenses on pages 45 through 50 of the Amendment.
Taxation, page 50
*Response:*
In response to the Staffs comment, the Company has revised its disclosure on pages 11, 37, 51 and 52, and added disclosure on pages P-5 and P-6 of the Amendment.
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Liquidity and Capital Resources, page 50
*Response:*
In response to the Staffs comment, the Company has added disclosure on page 52 of the Amendment.
Sources and Uses of Cash, page 51
*Response:*
In response to the Staffs comment, the Company has added relevant disclosure on pages 5 2 and 53 of the Amendment. In addition, in the table under Contractual Obligations on page 59 of the Amendment, the Company has replaced the line item Compensation and benefits with Compensation and benefits, including pension funding obligations .
Critical Accounting Estimates, page 59 Pensions, page 60
*Response:*
In response to the Staffs comment, the Company has added disclosure on page 63 of the Amendment .
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Business, page 64 Wood Products, page 72
*Response:*
In response to the Staffs comment , the Company has added disclosure on pages 76, 79 and 80 of the Amendment.
Competition, page 78
*Response:*
In response to the Staffs comment, the Company has revised the disclosure on pages 4, 7, 72, 81 and 82 of the Amendment .
Properties, page 81
*Response:*
In response to the Staffs comment, the Company has added disclosure on page 84 of the Amendment.
Use of Market Data to Determine Amount and Allocation of Compensation, page 92
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*Response:*
In response to the Staffs comment, the Company has added disclosure on pages 95 and 96 of the Amendment. The Company respectfully advises the Staff that Frederic W. Cook & Co.s analysis of the Companys compensation package considered the following factors with respect to the Company and the peer companies included in the analysis: EBITDA, market capitalization, enterprise value and one-year and three-year annualized shareholder returns, and concluded that the Companys enterprise value and estimated market capitalization were generally in the median range. Frederic W. Cook & Co.s analysis did not compare assets or number of employees.
*Response:*
The Company respectfully advises the Staff that neither Frederic W. Cook & Co. nor any of its affiliates provided services to the Company for which it received compensation in excess of $120,000 during the Companys fiscal year ended December 31, 2011.
*Response:*
In response to the Staffs comment, the Company has added disclosure on page 96 of the Amendment. The Company respectfully advises the Staff that, in 2011, the compensation committee determined not to make any change in executive compensation based on the analysis of Frederic W. Cook & Co. Management did not participate in that decision. The Companys Chief Executive Officer makes recommendations to the compensation committee with respect to performance targets for the Companys short-term incentive and performance plan and long-term incentive and performance plan. All decisions with respect to such targets are approved by the compensation committee. Management does not participate in setting director compensation.
Summary Compensation Table, page 107
*Response:*
In response to the Staffs comment , the Company has revised the disclosure on the summary compensation table on page 110 of the Amendment under the All Other
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Compensation column to reflect total other compensation of $41,229 for Mr. Sahlberg.
Certain Relations and Related Party Transactions, page 123
*Response:*
The Company acknowledges the Staffs comment and respectfully advises the Staff that the Company does not believe that disclosure of the transactions with Louisiana Timber Procurement Company, L.L.C. is required pursuant to Item 404 of Regulation S-K. As described on page F-16 of the Amendment, Louisiana Timber Procurement Company, L.L.C. is an unconsolidated (50% owned) entity. Because it is not a related person as defined in Instruction 1 to Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K, no disclosure is required.
Corporate Opportunity, page 129
*Response:*
In response to the Staffs comment, the Company respectfully advises the Staff that none of Messrs. Carlile, McDougall or McGowan would be covered by the waiver of corporate opportunity set forth in the Companys amended and restated certificate of incorporation. The Company has clarified the disclosure set forth on page 132 of the Amendment. The Company also advises the Staff that Mr. Norton, as an employee of Madison Dearborn, would be covered by the waiver of corporate opportunity set forth in the Companys amended and restated certificate of incorporation.
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*Response:*
The Company respectfully advises the Staff that it has determined beneficial ownership by reference to Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act, which includes voting or dispositive power with respect to the securities. The Company does not believe that disclosure of any particular officers or directors holdings in Madison Dearborn Capital Partners IV, L.P. is material or required by Item 403 of Regulation S-K, as none of the Companys officers or directors would be deemed to have beneficial ownership of the shares held by Boise Cascade Holdings, L.L.C. The Companys disclosure does supplementally indicate those officers and directors that are investors in Madison Dearborn Capital Partners IV, L.P. and who would therefore have an indirect pecuniary interest as limited partners of such entity or as limited partners of the funds general partner.
Requirements for Amendments to our Amended and Restated Certificate , page 131
*Response:*
In response to the Staffs comment, the Company has added disclosure on page 134 of the Amendment .
Lock-Up Agreements, page 133
*Response:*
In response to the Staffs comment , the Company respectfully advises the Staff that Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated and Goldman, Sachs & Co. (the Representatives) have advised the Company that they have no current intent or arrangement to release any of the shares subject to the lock-up agreements prior to the expiration of the lock-up period. There are no contractually specified conditions for the waiver of lock-up restrictions and any waiver is at the discretion of the Representatives. The Representatives have advised the Company that when determining whether or not to release shares from lock-up agreements, the Representatives will consider, among other factors, the stockholders reasons for requesting the release, the number of shares for which the release is being requested and market conditions at such time.
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In response to the Staffs comment, the Company revised its disclosure on page 136 of the Amendment and respectfully advises the Staff that Boise Cascade Holdings, L.L.C. is the Companys only member and, upon conversion of the Company to a corporation, it will own all of the Companys pre-offering shares. Therefore, all of the Companys pre-offering shares will be subject to the lock-up.
Index to Consolidated Financial Statements, page F-1
*Response:*
In response to the Staffs comment, the Company has considered the guidance in ASC 505-10-S99-4 and ASC 260-10-55-12 55-14, and has revised and added disclosure throughout the Amendment to give retroactive effect to the change in the Companys equity structure. In addition, KPMG LLP, the Companys independent registered public accounting firm has revised its audit report appearing on page F-34 of the Amendment and has included a preface to their draft report as requested in the Staffs comment. The Company confirms that it has been advised by KPMG LLP that it will provide a signed, dated and unrestricted auditors report in a future pre-effective amendment to the Registration Statement.
Pro Forma Information (unaudited), page F-31
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*Response:*
In response to the Staffs comment , the Company has revised its disclosure on pages F-4, F-5 and F-32 of the Amendment. The Company respectfully advises the Staff that in addition to reflecting the distribution accrual, the pro forma balance sheet presentation reflects the tax impact of the Companys conversion from a limited liability company to a corporation in accordance with section 3410 of the Financial Reporting Manual prepared by the staff of the Division of Corporation Finance.
*Response:*
In response to the Staffs comment, the Company has added disclosure on pages 11, 37, 51 and 52 of the Amendment and has provided the requested tables on pages F-31 and F-89 of the Amendment .
Consolidated Statements of Income (Loss), page F-34
*Response:*
In response to the Staffs comment, the Company has replaced all references to Statement of Income (Loss) with Statement of Operations or similar relevant references throughout the Amendment .
*Response:*
In response to the Staffs comment, the Company has replaced the line item materials, labor, and other operating expenses with materials, labor, and other operating expenses (excluding depreciation) throughout the Amendment.
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*Response:*
In response to the Staffs comment, the Company has added disclosure on pages 9, 10, 35, 36, P-3, P-4, F-2 and F-35 of the Amendment .
Nature of Operations and Basis of Presentation, page F-40
*Response:*
In response to the Staffs comment, the Company has revised and added disclosure on page F-42 of the Amendment.
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies, page F-41 General
*Response:*
In response to the Staffs comment, the Company has added disclosure on page F-45 of the Amendment .
*Response:*
In response to the Staffs comment, the Company has added disclosure on pages F-8 and F-45 of the Amendment .
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*Response:*
In response to the Staffs comment, the Company has added disclosure on pages F-32, F-33, F-89 and F-90 of the Amendment .
Revenue Recognition, page F-41
*Response:*
In response to the Staffs comment , the Company has added disclosure on page F-43 of the Amendment .
Inventory Valuation, page F-44
*Response:*
In response to the Staffs comment , the Company has revised its disclosure on pages F-9 and F-46 of the Amendment. The Company also respectfully advises the Staff that its work in process did not exceed $3.5 million in any period presented in the Amendment, which amount the Company does not deem to be material.
Fair Value, page F-43
*Response:*
In response to the Staffs comment , the Company has added disclosure on pages F-10 and F-47 of the Amendment.
Property and Equipment, page F-44
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category presented. For categories that still have very broad useful lives, please separately discuss the types of assets that fall in each part of the range .
*Response:*
In response to the Staffs comment , the Company has revised its disclosure on pages F-9 and F-46 of the Amendment.
Retirement and Benefit Plans, page F-58
Please expand your disclosures for the multiemployer health and welfare plan to provide the disclosures required by ASC 715-80-50-11 for each period presented .
*Response:*
In response to the Staffs comment , the Company has added disclosure on page F-61 of the Amendment.
*Response:*
In response to the Staffs comment , the Company has added disclosure on page F-67 of the Amendment.
*Response:*
In response to the Staffs comment, the Company has added disclosure on page F-68 of the Amendment.
Consolidating Guarantor and Nonguarantor Financial Information, page F-77
Please revise your disclosures regarding the guarantees of the guarantor subsidiaries to provide all of the disclosures required by Article 3-10(i)(8) of Regulation S-X. Please also clarify that the co-issuer subsidiary is 100% owned. Otherwise, please address the guidance in Article 3-10(i)(6) of Regulation S-X .
*Response:*
In response to the Staffs comment , the Company has added disclosure on pages F-20 and F-78 of the Amendment.
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*Response:*
The Company acknowledges the Staffs comment and respectfully advises the Staff that Boise Cascade, L.L.C. (the parent company) maintains a centralized cash function for all of its subsidiaries. All receipts and disbursements for the consolidated entity are handled through the parent company. When the parent company collects a receipt or makes a disbursement through the centralized cash function on behalf of a subsidiary (whether guarantor or non-guarantor), the parent companys equity investment in the subsidiary account is increased or decreased as appropriate and the subsidiarys equity account is correspondingly increased or decreased. In addition, all cash receipts collected and disbursements made on behalf of the guarantor subsidiaries and non-guarantor subsidiaries are recognized as cash flows due to (from) affiliates within the financing activities section of the consolidating statements of cash flows for each period presented. Aside from these receipts and disbursements handled by the parent company as part of the centralized cash function, there are no other significant transfers of goods or services between the parent company and the guarantor or non-guarantor subsidiaries. There are transactions between the guarantor and non-guarantor subsidiaries that would normally give rise to intercompany receivables/payables, but these transactions are generally settled at each month end through non-cash closing entries and therefore no significant intercompany receivables/payables exist at any balance sheet date. In addition, there are intercompany receivables/payables between the separate guarantor subsidiaries, but as they are all consolidated and classified within the guarantor column no intercompany receivables/payables are presented. Finally, there are no outstanding intercompany loans, whether current or long-term. Consequently, no additional disclosure is required.
Exhibits, page E-1
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supply agreements or explain why the company has not considered them material agreements under Item 601 of Regulation S-K .
*Response:*
The Company acknowledges the Staffs comment and respectfully advises the Staff that Item 601(b)(10)(ii)(B) of Regulation S-K requires a registrant to file any contract upon which the registrants business is substantially dependent, as in the case of continuing contracts [ ] to purchase the major part of a registrants requirements of goods, services or raw materials [ ] The Company has not filed any of its fiber supply agreements because its business is not substantially dependent upon any particular contract or group of related contracts and does not purchase the major part of its raw materials pursuant to any particular contract or group of related contracts.
While wood fiber accounted for approximately 38% of materials, labor and other operating expenses, including from related parties, in the Companys Wood Products segment, timber accounts for only 11% of the Companys consolidated materials, labor and other operating expenses, including from related parties. In 2011, approximately 40% of this amount was pursuant to contracts put in place in connection with the 2005 sale of the Companys timberlands to Forest Capital Partners, LLC (Forest Capital) or pursuant to successor contracts. However, as described in the expanded disclosure added on pages 41 and 77 of the Amendment, in July 2011, Forest Capital sold approximately 50,000 acres of the timberlands in Louisiana to Rayonier Louisiana Timberlands, LLC, a timber real estate investment trust (Rayonier). In July 2012, Forest Capital sold the remaining legacy timberlands in Louisiana, Washington, Oregon, Minnesota, and Idaho to a group of purchasers, whose investments in the timberlands are managed by Hancock Natural Resource Group, Inc. (Hancock). In July 2012, Hancock resold approximately 110,000 acres of the Louisiana timberlands to a group of purchasers whose investments in the timberlands are managed by The Molpus Woodlands Group LLC (Molpus), which created further diversification of the Companys sources of supply in that region. Hancock, Molpus and Rayonier are not affiliated with one another.
As a result of Forest Capitals sale of the timberlands to various purchasers, the Companys sources of timber are more diversified. In Louisiana, for example, the Company expects approximately 24% of its 2013 fiber needs to be supplied by the assigned legacy timber supply contracts, with approximately 16% to be supplied from the lands managed by Hancock and the balance from Molpus and Rayonier. In 2012, the Louisiana timber contracts with Forest Capital, Hancock, Molpus, and Rayonier represented less than 10% of the Companys aggregate fiber purchases through November 2012.
The Companys highest concentration of purchases from Hancock managed lands occurs in Northeast Oregon, where 36% of the regions purchases are pursuant to the fiber supply contract and another 14% of the regions fiber needs are electively purchased from the Hancock managed lands. While 50% is significant for the individual operations in Northeast Oregon, the total volume of fiber purchased from Hancock in Northeast Oregon represents less than 10% of the Companys aggregate fiber purchases and a small
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fraction of its total consolidated materials, labor and other operating expenses, including from related parties.
The Company has considered the materiality of each of these supply arrangements and the sources of alternative supply in each of the regions in which the Company has mills, including other third party suppliers, state and federal governments and timber dealers. The Company has also considered the limited alternative sources of demand for the timber purchased from the suppliers in certain of the regions in which it has mills as a relevant factor in evaluating the likelihood that its current suppliers will continue to supply logs to it. Although a change in supplier could have an impact on the Companys operations, particularly in the short term, the Company does not believe that its consolidated operations are substantially dependent upon any particular contract (or group of related contracts). Taking into account sufficient alternative sources of supply, alternative sources of demand in certain regions and the materiality of the volume of fiber supplied under each contract (or group of related contracts) in the context of the Companys consolidated operations, the Company does not believe the agreements are material contracts within the meaning of Item 601 of Regulation S-K .
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Finally, the Company will furnish a letter at the time it requests acceleration of the effective date of the Registration Statement acknowledging the statements set forth in the Staffs comment letter.
We hope that the foregoing has been responsive to the Staffs comments. Should you have any questions relating to any of the foregoing, please feel free to contact the undersigned at (312) 862-2163.
| /s/ Carol Anne Huff | |
| Carol Anne Huff | |
| cc: | Dennis M. Myers, P.C. |
| Kirkland & Ellis LLP | |
| Wayne Rancourt | |
| Boise Cascade, L.L.C. | |
| James J. Junewicz | |
| Winston & Strawn LLP |
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