Published on October 20, 2009
October 20, 2009
VIA FACSIMILE AND EDGAR
Mr. Jay E. Ingram
Securities and Exchange Commission
Division of Corporation Finance
100 F Street, N.E.
Washington, D.C. 20549
Securities and Exchange Commission
Division of Corporation Finance
100 F Street, N.E.
Washington, D.C. 20549
RE: |
Novelis Inc. Registration Statement on Form S-4 Filed on September 11, 2009 File No.: 333-161892 |
Annual Report on Form 10-K for the Fiscal Year Ended March 31, 2009 Filed on June 26, 2009 File No.: 001-32312 |
Dear Mr. Ingram:
This letter sets forth the responses of Novelis Inc. (the Company) to the comments of the
staff (the Staff) of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the Commission) with regard to the
Registration Statement on Form S-4 (the Registration Statement) filed on September 11, 2009 and
the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the Fiscal Year ended March 31, 2009. The Staffs comments were
provided to the Company in a letter dated October 8, 2009.
Concurrently with the delivery of this letter, the Company has filed Amendment No. 1 to the
Registration Statement, including the related exhibits (Amendment No. 1). For your convenience,
the Company will provide the Staff with six courtesy copies of this response letter, together with
three copies of Amendment No. 1 that are marked to show the changes made in response to your
comments from the initial filing on September 11, 2009. The Company has listed the responses in the
same order as the comments were presented and has repeated each comment prior to the response.
Form S-4
Staffs Comment 1: We note that more than twenty of your restricted foreign and domestic
subsidiaries will guarantee the debt securities issued by Novelis, Inc. Please note that at the
time of its effectiveness, your registration statement must comply with the financial statement
requirements for subsidiary guarantors set forth in Rule 3-10 of Regulation S-X. Please advise us
about your compliance with these requirements. For additional guidance please see
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Release No. 33-7878 dated August 15, 2000, found on the Commissions website at
http://www.sec.gov/rules/fina1/33-7878.htm.
Response: The Company has considered the requirements of Rule 3-10 of Regulation S-X. The
Company advises the Staff that separate financial statements of the subsidiary guarantors have been
excluded based on Rule 3-10(f) of Regulation S-X. The Company advises the Staff that, pursuant to
Rule 3-10(f), the guarantees of the subsidiary guarantors are full and unconditional and joint and
several. In addition, the Company directly or indirectly owns all of the outstanding voting shares
or the sum of all interests, as applicable, of each of the subsidiary guarantors. Finally, Note 24
to the Companys consolidated financial statements and Note 16 to the Companys condensed
consolidated financial statements include the information required by Rule 3-10(f)(4) of Regulation
S-X
Prospectus Cover Page
Staffs Comment 2: We note your disclosure that the notes being registered will be guaranteed
by all of your existing and future Canadian and U.S. restricted subsidiaries. To the extent there
will be additional subsidiary guarantors, please advise us as to how you intend to comply with your
registration obligations.
Response: The Company advises the Staff that to the extent additional subsidiaries become
guarantors of the notes prior to the expiration of the exchange offer, the Company will update the
Registration Statement as necessary (including updating the facing page, the signature pages and
the financial statements to reflect the additional guarantors) to register the additional
guarantees. The Company currently does not intend to add additional guarantors.
The Company advises the Staff that if additional subsidiaries become guarantors of the notes
after the expiration of the exchange offer, no registration of the guarantees will be required
because holders of the notes would not be making a new investment decision and therefore there
would be no sale for purposes of Section 2(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the
Securities Act).
Staffs Comment 3: Please consider explaining briefly the meaning of a restricted subsidiary
at the beginning of your disclosure to give the reader a better understand of how you classify your
subsidiaries.
Response: In response to the Staffs comment, the Company has revised its disclosure on page
12 in the prospectus summary.
Staffs Comment 4: Please confirm supplementally that the offer will be open for at least 20
full business days to ensure compliance with Rule 14e-1(a) of the Exchange Act. We note your
disclosure that the offering period will be open until the 20th business day following
the date of this prospectus; however, the rule measures the time period from the date of the
commencement of the offer. Further, please confirm that the expiration date will be included in
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the final prospectus disseminated to security holders and filed pursuant to the applicable
provisions of Rule 424 under the Securities Act.
Response: The Company supplementally confirms to the Staff that the exchange offer will be
open at least until midnight on the 20th business day following commencement of the
exchange offer and that the expiration date will be included in the final prospectus disseminated
to security holders and filed pursuant to the applicable provisions of Rule 424 under the
Securities Act.
Staffs Comment 5: Refer to the immediately preceding comment. As currently drafted, the offer
could be open for less than 20 full business days due to the 5:00 p.m. expiration time instead of
an expiration time of midnight on what may ultimately be the twentieth business day following
commencement. See Question and Answer Eight in Exchange Act Release No. 16623 (March 5, 1980).
Please confirm that your offer will be open at least through midnight. See Rule
14d-1(g)(3).
Response: The Company directs the Staffs attention to its Response to Comment 4 above.
Staffs Comment 6: We note the disclosure indicating that you will issue new notes or return
any old notes not accepted for exchange as promptly as practicable after expiration or
termination of the exchange offer. Rule 14e-1(c) requires that you exchange the notes or return the
old notes promptly upon expiration or termination of the offer, as applicable. Please revise here
and throughout the document, as necessary.
Response: In response to the Staffs comment, the Company has revised its disclosure on page
42.
Staffs Comment 7: We note the second bullet point of your Exchange Offer disclosure. Since
your Conditions to the Exchange Offer discussion on page 40 identifies more than one condition,
please revise your disclosure here to make it consistent with the page 40 disclosure.
Response: In response to the Staffs comment, the Company has revised its disclosure on page
11.
Industry and Market Data, page ii
Staffs Comment 8: We note your disclosure in the last sentence about your inability to
guarantee the accuracy and completeness of any third party information incorporated in the
prospectus. Clarify the extent to which you are cautioning
shareholders in their evaluation of this data. More clearly express the companys views
regarding the reliability of the data and statistics in your registration statement. Remove
language that suggests you are not responsible for assessing the reasonableness and soundness of
the market data and other information. If the industry and market data requires disclaimers such as
those presented here, it does not appear the
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market data contribute to an informed investor understanding of the market for the companys
products and services as of the time of their potential investments. Consistent with basic plain
English principles and Rule 421(b) as applicable, please assess your disclosure throughout the
prospectus and revise as appropriate.
Response: In response to the Staffs comment, the Company has revised its disclosure on page
ii.
Prospectus Summary, page 1
The Exchange Offer, page 10
Staffs Comment 9: Please revise the introductory paragraph to remove the statement that the
disclosure in this section is not intended to be complete.
Response: In response to the Staffs comment, the Company has revised its disclosure on page
10.
Summary Description of the New Notes, page 12
Staffs Comment 10: In each instance where the guarantees are discussed, including here and
the cover of the prospectus, please disclose whether the guarantees are full and unconditional.
Also, disclose whether each of the subsidiary guarantors is 100% owned. Refer to Rule 3-10 of
Regulation S-X.
Response: The Company directs the Staffs attention to its Response to Comment 1 above. In
response to the Staffs comment, the Company has revised its disclosure on the cover page and pages
12 and 149.
Staffs Comment 11: Please revise the heading Certain Income Tax Considerations on page 15
to clarify that the disclosure discusses the material tax consequences of the exchange offer and
not just certain tax consequences. Please also revise the heading Certain U.S. Federal Income
Tax Consequences of the Exchange Offer and the use of word certain in the first paragraph of
same discussion on page 195.
Response: In response to the Staffs comment, the Company has revised its disclosure on pages
15 and 198.
Risk Factors, page 19
As part of our ongoing evaluation of our operations, we may undertake additional
restructuring efforts in the future..., page 23
Staffs Comment 12: As you disclose in the second bullet point of your Highlights discussion
on page 51, $1.5 billion of the Net loss attributable to your shareholders for the year
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ended March 31, 2009, reflected non-cash impairment charges, which when compared to $95 million of
restructuring charges, represents a substantially larger amount. As a result, please revise your
risk factor disclosure to emphasize the effect that these impairment charges have had on the
companys financial status and discuss the likelihood of future impairment charges in light of the
current economic environment.
Response: In response to the Staffs comment, the Company has included a new risk factor on
page 23.
Despite the level of our indebtedness, we may still incur significantly more
indebtedness..., page 29
Staffs Comment 13: To help investors better measure the risk imposed by increasing your
current indebtedness level, please quantify, to the extent possible, such level of additional
indebtedness. Stating that the indebtedness which may be incurred could be substantial is too
vague for purposes of allowing the investors assess the extent of this risk.
Response: In response to the Staffs comment, the Company has revised its disclosure on page
29.
The Exchange Offer, page 37
Expiration Date; Extensions; Amendments, page 39
Staffs Comment 14: We note that you reserve the right to delay accepting any old notes.
Clarify in what circumstances you will delay acceptance and confirm that any such delay will be
consistent with Rule 14e-1(c). If you are referring to the right to delay acceptance only due to an
extension to the exchange offer, so state.
Response: The Company advises the Staff that it will delay accepting any old notes only in
connection with an extension of the exchange offer. In response to the Staffs comment, the Company
has revised its disclosure on page 40. The Company further confirms that any such delay will be
consistent with Rule 14e 1(c).
Conditions to the Exchange Offer, page 40
Staffs Comment 15: We note that you may determine in your sole discretion whether certain
offer conditions have occurred or are satisfied. Please revise to include an objective standard for
the determination of whether a condition has been satisfied.
Response: In response to the Staffs comment, the Company has revised its disclosure on pages
39 and 41 to require that the Company use its reasonable discretion to determine whether such
exchange offer conditions have occurred or are satisfied.
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Staffs Comment 16: An exchange offer may only be subject to conditions that are not within
the direct or indirect control of the bidder and are drafted with sufficient specificity to allow
for objective verification that the conditions have been satisfied. Please revise your disclosure
to avoid the reference to threatened actions, as it is unclear how this could be objectively
determined.
Response: In response to the Staffs comment, the Company has revised its disclosure on pages
40 and 41 to limit the threatened component of the referenced conditions to matters that have
been threatened in writing. The Company submits that these specified items, if threatened in
writing prior to the expiration date of the exchange offer, represent objective measures that are
outside of the Companys control and which could materially alter the Companys view as to whether
it is in the Companys best interest to consummate the exchange offer. The Company confirms that it
would act promptly if it believed that one or more of the referenced conditions was unsatisfied
thereby allowing it to terminate the exchange offer.
Withdrawal Rights, page 42
Staffs Comment 17: Your disclosure here indicates that an investor may withdraw its tender of
old notes at any time before 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the expiration date. This
disclosure appears inconsistent with similar disclosure in the Transmittal Letter attached as
Exhibit 99.1, pursuant to which you instruct the old note holders that [i]f not yet accepted a
tender pursuant to the Exchange Offer may be withdrawn at any time prior to expiration. Please
reconcile your prospectus disclosure with the Transmittal Letter to make them consistent.
Response: In response to the Staffs comment, the Company has revised the letter of
transmittal on page 7 to reconcile it to the prospectus disclosure.
Use of Proceeds, page 45
Staffs Comment 18: Please disclose with quantification how the proceeds from the Original
Notes were used and/or will be used.
Response: In response to the Staffs comment, the Company has revised its disclosure on page
45.
Managements Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of
Operations, page 49
Business and Industry Climate, page 52
Staffs Comment 19: Your disclosure indicates that global economic trends impact you and there
is a large amount of uncertainty with regard to economic trends and the timing of recovery. In
addition, shipments in all regions remain below prior year levels. In this regard, we urge you to
find ways to provide additional quantitative disclosures that convey to investors the current and
ongoing risks related to your sales, earnings, and recoverability of your assets. We
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caution you that, to the extent you gather and analyze information regarding the risks of
recoverability of your assets, such information may be required to be disclosed if it would be
material and useful to investors. We believe that detailed rather than general disclosures
regarding these risks and exposures would provide investors with the appropriate information to
make this evaluation. For example, you should attempt to quantify the expected impact on sales of
the continued downturn in the economy, if possible. Please also expand your disclosures to address
the expected impact on your liquidity and capital resources. Refer to Items 303(a)(1) and (2) of
Regulation S-K.
Response: In response to the Staffs comment, the Company has provided additional disclosure
in its Business and Industry Climate narrative on pages 52 and 53. This disclosure is intended to
describe the Companys sales trends more clearly, including shipment trends in key areas of the
Companys business, while also clarifying that the Company does not believe it is exposed to
significant further volume declines below the levels experienced in the fourth quarter of its 2009
fiscal year. In the context of this additional background information, the Company believes that
the Staffs other comments related to liquidity and recoverability of assets are adequately
addressed in the appropriate sections of the document and do not warrant duplication in this
section.
Results of Operations, page 55
Staffs Comment 20: Please revise your description of cost of goods sold here and elsewhere
throughout the filing to clearly disclose that cost of goods sold is exclusive of depreciation and
amortization. See SAB Topic 11:B.
Response: The Company has revised its disclosure on pages 53, 54, 86, F-16 and F-35 in
response to the Staffs comment.
Staffs Comment 21: You present total segment income here and elsewhere throughout the filing.
Since total segment income represents a non-GAAP measure when it is presented or discussed outside
of your SFAS 131 footnote, you should ensure that either:
(a) | it is not presented elsewhere in the filing; or | ||
(b) | present the disclosures required by Item 10(e) of Regulation S-K. |
You should enhance your disclosures elsewhere in the filing by addressing the following:
| state the material limitations associated with use of the non- GAAP financial measure as compared to the use of the most directly comparable GAAP financial measure; | ||
| state the manner in which management compensates for these limitations when using the non-GAAP financial measure; | ||
| explain why your management believes that this measure provides useful information to investors; |
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| provide cautionary disclosure that the non-GAAP measure presented may not be comparable to similarly titled measures used by other entities; and | ||
| state that this non-GAAP measure should not be considered as an alternative to net income, which is determined in accordance with GAAP. |
See also Question 21 of our FAQ Regarding the Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures dated June
13, 2003.
Response: In response to the Staffs comment, the Company has removed the non-GAAP measure of
total segment income throughout the Registration Statement. In addition, the Company has revised
its presentation in the Results of Operations to be more closely aligned with the segment
disclosure included in the consolidated financial statements. Disclosure was revised on pages 56,
59, 62, 64, 65 67, 68 and 69 in response to the Staffs comment.
Liquidity and Capital Resources, page 70
Staffs Comment 22: You disclose on page 30 that your senior secured credit facilities, the
indenture governing your 7.25% senior notes and the indenture governing the notes impose
significant operating and financial restrictions on you. For each class of debt, please ensure that
you clearly disclose the specific terms of any material debt covenants and whether you were in
compliance with the covenants as of the reporting date. In addition, if it is reasonably likely
that you will not be in compliance with any of your material debt covenants, please disclose the
required ratios/amounts as well as the actual ratios/amounts as of each reporting date. This will
allow readers to understand how much cushion there is between the required ratios/amounts and the
actual ratios/amounts. Please also consider showing the specific computations used to arrive at the
actual ratios/amounts with corresponding reconciliations to US GAAP amounts, if necessary. See
Sections I.D and IV.C of the SEC Interpretive Release No. 33-8350 and Question 10 of our FAQ
Regarding the Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures dated June 13, 2003.
Response: In response to the Staffs comment, the Company has revised its disclosure on page
29 to clarify that its senior secured credit facilities, the indenture governing its 7.25% senior
notes and the indenture governing the notes generally only impose operating restrictions. In
addition, the Company has revised its disclosure on page 72 to include a general description of its
material debt covenants and an affirmative statement that the Company was in compliance with such
covenants as of the reporting date.
As disclosed, under the Companys ABL Facility, if the Companys excess availability under the
ABL Facility is less than 10% of the lender commitments under the ABL Facility or less than 10% of
the Companys borrowing base, the Company is required to maintain a minimum fixed charge coverage
ratio of at least 1 to 1 or the Company will be subject to a reduction in availability under the
facility. As disclosed, as of June 30, 2009, while the Companys fixed charge coverage ratio was
less than 1 to 1, the Companys excess availability
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was $299 million, or 37% of the lender commitments under the ABL Facility. Therefore, the Company
does not believe it is reasonably likely that the Company will fail to be in compliance with this
covenant.
Contractual Obligations, page 83
Staffs Comment 23: Please disclose in a footnote to your contractual obligations table that
the table dues not include the impact of principal and interest payments associated with the $185
million 11.5% Senior Notes since they were issued subsequent to the date used for the contractual
obligations table. In addition, please disclose that the table does not give effect to the
repayment of other debt with the 11.5% Senior Notes.
Response: In response to the Staffs comment, the Company has revised its disclosure on page
84.
Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates, page 86
Impairment of Goodwill, page 87
Staffs Comment 24: You recorded a $1.34 billion impairment charge in the third quarter of
fiscal 2009. Additionally, you performed your annual testing for goodwill impairment as of the last
day of February 2009 and no additional goodwill impairment was identified. To the extent that any
of your reporting units have estimated fair values that are not substantially in excess of the
carrying values and to the extent that goodwill for these reporting units, in the aggregate or
individually, could materially impact your
operating results or total shareholders equity, please provide the following disclosures
separately for each of these reporting units:
| The percentage by which fair value exceeds the carrying value as of the most-recent step-one test; | ||
| The amount of goodwill; | ||
| A description of the assumptions that drive the estimated fair value; | ||
| A discussion of the uncertainty associated with the key assumptions. For example, to the extent that you have included assumptions in your discounted cash flow model that materially deviates from your historical results, please include a discussion of these assumptions; and | ||
| A discussion of any potential events and/or circumstances that could have a negative effect to the estimated fair value. |
If you have determined that the estimated fair value substantially exceeds the carrying value
for all of your reporting units, please disclose this determination. Please also provide the above
disclosures, as applicable, for any long-lived assets or asset groups for which you have determined
that fair value is not substantially in excess of the carrying value and to the extent
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that the asset amounts, in the aggregate or individually, could materially impact your operating
results or total shareholders equity. Please refer to Item 303 of Regulation S-K and Sections 216
and 501.14 of the Financial Reporting Codification for guidance.
Response: In response to the Staffs comment, the Company has provided additional disclosure
on pages 88 and 89. The fair value of the Companys long-lived assets, including other intangibles,
are substantially in excess of the respective carrying value. The Company has disclosed the nature
and magnitude of individual asset impairment charges for all income statement periods in its
Critical Accounting Policy note on page 88.
Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance, page 118
Our Directors, page 120
Staffs Comment 25: Please provide complete disclosure about each directors
business experience for the most recent five years, and to the extent that a director is
self-employed or retired, so disclose. For example, it is unclear since when Mr. Bhattacharya has
served as Managing Director of Hindalco. Please see Item 401(e) of Regulation S-K.
Response: In response to the Staffs comment, the Company has revised its disclosure on page
122.
Compensation Discussion and Analysis, page 123
Elements of Our Compensation Program, page 125
Short-Term (Annual) Incentives, page 125
Staffs Comment 26: You disclose that it is your general philosophy to tie annual cash
compensation to company-wide and business unit goals as well as individual performance. However, we
are unable to locate disclosure regarding the compensation committees assessment of each named
executive officers individual performance. If individual performance was a significant factor in
determining compensation, please disclose each named executive officers personal objectives by
also identifying the specific contributions made by each named executive officer and contextualize
those achievements for purposes of demonstrating how they resulted in specific compensation
decisions. Although quantitative targets for subjective or qualitative assessments may not be
required, you should provide insight of how qualitative inputs are translated into objective pay
determinations. See Item 402(b)(2)(vii) of Regulation S-K.
Response: In response to the Staffs comment, the Company has revised its disclosure on pages
126 to 128 to clarify that amounts that can be earned under the annual cash compensation plan are
based on the achievement of company-wide and business unit performance goals. The Compensation
Committee also retains discretion to adjust, up or down, the amounts earned in accordance with
achievement under the performance goals based on the
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Committees subjective evaluation of each named executive officers individual performance. In
fiscal 2009, the Committee did not exercise its discretion to adjust the amounts otherwise earned
in accordance with the performance goals under the AIP, and therefore did not consider a subjective
evaluation of individual performance as part of determining the short-term incentive award.
Annual Incentive Plan 2008-2009, page 125
Staffs Comment 27: We note that for purposes of earning a bonus under the AIP, the
compensation committee selected three key components (i.e., EBITDA, operating free cash flow
performance and EHS) as performance benchmarks for the named executive officers. However, it
appears that you have not provided a quantitative disclosure for each performance target to be
achieved in order for each named executive officer to earn a cash bonus. Please disclose the
specific performance target used to determine the cash bonus amount. In addition, please disclose
the actual level of target achievement and disclose how you calculated and determined the Fiscal
2009 Actual numbers.
Response: In response to the Staffs comment, the Company has revised its disclosure on pages
127 and 128 to include a table that provides quantitative disclosure of each performance goal,
actual performance for each goal and details on the calculation of the actual bonus earned for each
named executive officer.
Staffs Comment 28: As noted above, two of the financial measures for purposes of determining
the performance-bonus under the AIP are the EBITDA and operating free cash flow performance. In
accordance with Instruction 5 of Item 402(b) of Regulation S-K, please identify how these measures
were calculated from your audited financial statements.
Response: In response to the Staffs comment, the Company has revised its disclosure on pages
126 and 127 to explain how these measures are calculated.
Staffs Comment 29: At the end of the first paragraph you disclose that the incentive
benchmarks are not the same for all named executive officers. The compensation discussion and
analysis should be sufficiently precise to identify material differences in compensation policies
with respect to individual named executive officers. If a named executive officers personal
performance is measured against individual objectives, please disclose them to the extent material
in determining the amount of the annual cash bonus. Please refer to Section II.B.1 of Commission
Release No. 33-8732A, which is available on our website at
http://www.see.gov/rules/final/2006/33-8732a.pdf. Please advise or revise your disclosure
accordingly.
Response: In response to the Staffs comment, the Company has revised its disclosure on pages
127 and 128 to include a table that provides quantitative detail on each performance goal for each
named executive officer in determining the amount of the annual cash bonus.
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Summary Compensation Table, page 129
Staffs Comment 30: For the awards reported in the Stock Awards and Option wards columns,
footnote (A) should disclose all assumptions made in the valuation. Refer to the Instruction to
Item 402(c)(2)(v) and (vi) of Regulation S-K. The discussion of the assumptions may be made by
reference to a discussion of those assumptions in the financial statements, footnotes to the
financial statements, or discussion in the Managements Discussion and Analysis. Please revise your
disclosure accordingly.
Response: In response to the Staffs comment, the Company has revised its disclosure on pages
131 and 132 to include a footnote to the relevant columns that makes reference to the assumptions
used in calculating the valuation included in Note 13 to the Companys audited consolidated
financial statements.
Legal Matters, page 197
Staffs Comment 31: Please revise your disclosure here to indicate legal counsel that will
opine on the enforceability of the obligations under each guarantee.
Response: In response to the Staffs comment, the Company has revised its disclosure on page
200 to indicate that King & Spalding LLP will opine on the enforceability of the obligations under
each guarantee in reliance on legal opinions from other legal counsel as to certain matters of
non-U.S. law.
Financial Statements for the Year Ended March 31, 2009
General
Staffs Comment 32: You disclose on page 28 that you are sometimes exposed to warranty claims.
Please tell us what consideration you gave to disclosing your warranty liability activity for each
period presented. Refer to paragraph 14 of FIN 45.
Response: The Company believes warranty costs have not been material. Total warranty expense
has not exceeded $4 million in any year. As a result, the Company believes the warranty reserve
activity is immaterial to its consolidated financial statements and therefore the Company does not
intend to disclose changes in the reserves required by FIN 45.
Staffs Comment 33: It appears that you have attempted to disclose the accumulated balances
for each component of accumulated other comprehensive income in various footnotes within your
financial statements. Please revise your disclosure to facilitate reconciliation between each of
the individual components and the total amount presented as of each balance sheet date. See
paragraph 26 of SFAS 130. In addition, please disclose the amount of income tax expense or benefit
allocated to each component of other comprehensive income in accordance with paragraph 25 of SFAS
130.
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Response: In response to the Staffs comment, the Company has revised its disclosure on pages
F-82 and F-123 to include the accumulated balance for each classification of accumulated other
comprehensive income or loss in the notes to our financial statements. In addition, the Company has
revised its disclosure to include the amount of income tax expense or benefit allocated to each
component of other comprehensive income within the line item captions on its consolidated
statements of shareholders equity on pages F-9 and F-10.
Note 1 Business and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies, page F-12
Staffs Comment 34: Please disclose the types of expenses that you include in the cost of
goods sold (exclusive of depreciation and amortization) line item and the types of expenses that
you include in the selling, general and administrative expenses line item. Please also disclose
whether you include inbound freight charges, purchasing and receiving costs, inspection costs,
warehousing costs, internal transfer costs, and the other costs of your distribution network in the
cost of goods sold (exclusive of depreciation and amortization) line item. With the exception of
warehousing costs, if you currently exclude a portion of these costs from cost of goods sold
(exclusive of depreciation and amortization), please disclose:
| in a footnote the line items that these excluded costs are included in and the amounts included in each line item for each period presented; and | ||
| in MD&A that your cost of goods sold (exclusive of depreciation and amortization) may not be comparable to those of other entities, since some entities include all of the costs related to their distribution network in cost of goods sold (exclusive of depreciation and amortization) and others like you exclude a portion of them, including them instead in a line item such as selling, general and administrative expenses. |
Response: In response to the Staffs comment, the Company has revise its disclosure on page
F-17 to include additional significant accounting policies related to cost of goods sold and
selling, general and administrative expenses.
Inventories, page F-18
Staffs Comment 35: You use both the average cost and FIFO methods to determine the cost of
your inventory. You should generally use one inventory method for similar types of inventories.
Please disclose which types of inventory you use each method for. Please disclose whether you use
both methods for any similar types of inventory. If so, please also disclose your basis for doing
this.
Response: The Company has determined that the FIFO method is no longer used by any of its
operations to determine the cost of inventory. In response to the Staffs comment, the Company has
revised its disclosure on page F-18.
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Property, Plant and Equipment, page F-18
Staffs Comment 36: The range of useful lives for your machinery and equipment of five to
twenty-five years is very broad. Please breakout the machinery and equipment category into smaller
components and disclose the range of useful lives for each revised category. For categories that
still have very broad useful lives, please consider separately discussing the types of assets that
fall in each part of the range.
Response: The Company recognizes that the useful lives for its machinery and equipment of five
to twenty-five years is broad. In response to the Staffs comment, the Company has revised its
disclosure on page F-18 to add disclosure related to the types of assets included in machinery and
equipment and relative ranges for those assets.
Fair Value of Financial Instruments, page F-20
Staffs Comment 37: You disclose that SFAS 107 requires disclosure of the fair value of
financial instruments. Please revise your disclosure to address the fact that SFAS 157 has amended
the disclosure requirements set forth in SFAS 107 for financial assets and liabilities measured at
fair value.
Response: In response to the Staffs comment, the Company has revised its disclosure on page
F-20 to address the fact that SFAS 157 has amended the disclosure requirements set forth in SFAS
107 for financial assets and liabilities measured at fair value
Note 4 Restructuring Programs, page F-27
Staffs Comment 38: Please enhance your disclosure to include the total amount of
restructuring charges expected to be incurred as well as the cumulative amount of restructuring
charges incurred to date for each major type of cost as well as for each reportable segment as
required by paragraphs 20(b) and (d) of SFAS 146.
Response: The Company believes that the current disclosures included in Note 4 to its
consolidated financial statements substantially address the disclosure requirements of paragraphs
20(b) and (d) of SFAS 146 through the table and narrative discussion, including amounts incurred in
the period, amounts incurred to date and reconciliation of the beginning and ending liability
balances for each type of cost associated with that activity.
The majority of the Companys restructuring activities were related to severance and met the
requirements for accrual as of the balance sheet date. There were only immaterial costs associated
with exit or disposal activities where the costs were required or will be required to be recognized
in future periods when the liability is incurred.
Novelis Inc.
October 20, 2009
Page 15
October 20, 2009
Page 15
In response to the Staffs comment, for those restructuring activities that were composed of
more than one type of cost, the Company has revised its disclosure on pages F-28 and F-29 to
provide additional information as to total amount incurred.
Note 9 Consolidation of Variable Interest Entities, page F-35
Staffs Comment 39: Please expand your disclosure to address the requirements set forth in
paragraphs 23(b) and (c) of FIN 46(R) and paragraphs C4(c) and (d) of FSP FAS 140-4 and FIN
46(R)-8.
Response: The Company believes that it has met the disclosure requirements set forth in FIN
46(R) and FSP FAS 140-4 and FIN 46(R)-8. The Company has highlighted the following disclosures
included in Note 9 to its consolidated financial statements which address each requirement:
Paragraphs 23(b) and (c) of FIN 46(R) state the following:
23. In addition to disclosures required by other standards, the primary beneficiary of a variable
interest entity shall disclose the following (unless the primary beneficiary also holds a majority
voting interest):
...
b. The carrying amount and classification of consolidated assets that are collateral for the
variable interest entitys obligations
c. Lack of recourse if creditors (or beneficial interest holders) of a consolidated variable interest entity have no recourse to the general credit of the primary beneficiary.
c. Lack of recourse if creditors (or beneficial interest holders) of a consolidated variable interest entity have no recourse to the general credit of the primary beneficiary.
The requirement of FIN 46(R) paragraph (b) is fulfilled by the section entitled Carrying
Value. Within this section the Company shows the carrying value and classification of Logans
assets. The Company advises the Staff that there are no obligations that result in the
collateralization of the VIEs assets.
The requirement of FIN 46(R) paragraph (c) is fulfilled by the section entitled Logan
Organization and Operations. In the last sentence of that section, the Company discloses the
following, We are obligated to absorb a majority of the risk of loss; however, Logans creditors
do not have recourse to our general credit.
Paragraphs C4(c) and (d) of FSP FAS 140-4 and FIN 46(R)-8 state the following:
C4. In addition to disclosures required by other standards, an enterprise that is a primary
beneficiary in a variable interest entity, that holds a significant variable interest in a variable
interest entity but is not the primary beneficiary, or that is a sponsor that holds a variable
interest in a variable interest entity shall disclose:
...
...
Novelis Inc.
October 20, 2009
Page 16
October 20, 2009
Page 16
c. Whether the enterprise has provided financial or other support during the periods presented to
the variable interest entity that it was not previously contractually required to provide,
including:
(1) The type and amount of support, including situations where the enterprise assisted
the variable interest entity in obtaining another type of support
(2) The primary reasons for
providing the support.
d. Qualitative and quantitative information about the enterprises involvement (giving
consideration to both explicit arrangements and implicit variable interests) with the variable
interest entity, including, but not limited to, the nature, purpose, size, and activities of the
variable interest entity, including how the entity is financed.
The requirement of paragraphs C4(c) of FSP FAS 140-4 and FIN 46(R)-8 is fulfilled by the
section entitled Logan Organization and Operations. In the next to last sentence of that
aforementioned section, the Company states, Other than these contractually required
reimbursements, we do not provide other additional support to Logan.
The requirement of paragraphs C4(d) of FSP FAS 140-4 and FIN 46(R)-8 is fulfilled by the
section entitled Logan Organization and Operations and Primary Beneficiaries. In these sections
the Company discusses the nature, purpose, size, and activities of the variable interest entity,
including how the entity is financed.
Note 20 Commitments and Contingencies, page F-71
Staffs Comment 40: You disclose that you are involved in various lawsuits as well as
proceedings related to environmental matters. Please disclose the amount of the accrual related to
each matter, if any, that you have recorded. Disclose the range of loss in excess of amounts
accrued or state that such an estimate cannot be made. See paragraphs 8-10 of SFAS 5. Refer to SAB
Topic 5:Y as well.
Response: The Company has revised its disclosure on Pages 117, F-73 and F-74 in response to
the Staffs comment. Please note that the Company has disclosed the amount of the accrual related
to each matter that has been recorded. Supplementally, the Company advises the Staff that at each
reporting date, the Company reviews all claims and potential losses in accordance with SFAS 5. The
key issues that management assesses are whether it is probable that a loss has been incurred and,
if so, whether the amount of the loss can be reasonably estimated. The analysis includes an
evaluation of the relevant facts in the cases and, if appropriate, discussion with outside counsel.
Note 24 Supplemental Guarantor Information, page F-82
Staffs Comment 41: You disclose that certain of your wholly-owned subsidiaries provided
guarantees of the senior notes. Please confirm, and revise your disclosure if true, that all the
subsidiary guarantors are 100% owned as defined by Rule 3-10(h)(1) of Regulation S-
Novelis Inc.
October 20, 2009
Page 17
October 20, 2009
Page 17
X. Note that wholly-owned, as defined in Rule 1-02(aa) of Regulation S-X, is not the same as
100% owned.
Response: The Company directs the Staffs attention to its Response to Comment 1 above. In
response to the Staffs comment, the Company has revised its disclosure on pages F-84 and F-123.
Financial Statements for the Period Ended June 30, 2009
General
Staffs Comment 42: Please address the above comments in your interim financial statements as
well, as applicable.
Response: In response to the Staffs comment, the Company has addressed the above comments in
its interim financial statements and noted page references for each change in disclosure, as
applicable.
Part II Information Not Required in Prospectus
Description of Exhibits, II-27
Staffs Comment 43: We note that you have only filed the bylaws for Novelis Deutschland Gmbh
and Novelis PAE S.A.S. Please confirm that there are no other formation documents for these two
entities, such as articles of formation, or otherwise file them with your next amendment.
Response: The Company confirms that the bylaws filed for Novelis Deutschland GMBH and Novelis
PAE S.A.S. represent the full formation documents for these entities.
Staffs Comment 44: It appears that the articles and bylaws of Novelis do Brasil Ltda. are
missing. Please advise.
Response: The Company directs the Staffs attention to Exhibit 3.22 (incorporated by reference
to Exhibit 3.12 to its Registration Statement on Form S-4 filed on August 3, 2005 (File No.
333-127139)) and Exhibits 3.23, 3.24 and 3.25 (filed with the Registration Statement), which
represent the governing documents of Novelis do Brasil Ltda., including all amendments to date. The
Company advises the Staff that the Company is currently in the process of amending the governing
documents of Novelis do Brasil Ltda., and will file the latest amendment with a subsequent
amendment to the Registration Statement.
Novelis Inc.
October 20, 2009
Page 18
October 20, 2009
Page 18
Exhibit 5.1 Opinion of King & Spalding LLP regarding the legality of securities being issued
Staffs Comment 45: Please have counsel confirm to us that it concurs with our understanding
that its reference to the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware includes the statutory
provisions and all applicable provisions of the Delaware Constitution and any reported judicial
decisions interpreting these laws. Please have counsel file this confirmation as correspondence on
EDGAR.
Response: The Companys counsel confirms that the legality opinion concurs with the Staffs
understanding that the reference and limitation to the General Corporation Law of the State of
Delaware in our opinion dated September 11, 2009 provided to the Company and filed as Exhibit 5.1
to the Registration Statement includes the statutory provisions and also all applicable provisions
of the Delaware Constitution and the reported judicial cases interpreting those laws currently in
effect. The Companys counsel has filed a confirmation as correspondence on EDGAR.
Staffs Comment 46: Refer to the second to last paragraph of the legality opinion. We
understand that counsel expresses no opinion with respect to the matters contained in this section
of the opinion and that these elements are necessary to the legal conclusions expressed. Yet, we
cannot consent to inclusion of the assumptions as they currently appear. We would not object if
counsel states that with regard to these matters of foreign law, counsel has relied, with the
companys permission, on the local opinions filed as Exhibits 5.2 through 5.11 to the Registration
Statement. If the legal conclusions contained in Exhibits 5.2-5.11 did not inform counsels
determinations, please advise us of the factual and legal bases that allow counsel to assume the
matters contained in this section of the opinion and why this permits counsel to render an
enforceable opinion.
Response: The Companys counsel proposes to revise the second to last paragraph of the legality
opinion as follows and to file a revised opinion with a subsequent amendment:
We have relied as to
certain factual matters on information obtained from public officials, officers of the Company and
the Guarantors and other sources believed by us to be responsible. Also, with permission from the
Company and the counsel listed below, we have relied upon, insofar as the opinions expressed herein
relate to or are dependent upon matters governed by the law of (i) Canada and the Province of
Ontario, the opinion of Torys LLP, (ii) the Province of Quebec, the opinion of Lavery, de Billy,
L.L.P., (iii) the United Kingdom, the opinion of Macfarlanes LLP, (iv) Luxembourg, the opinion of
Elvinger Dessoy Dennewald, (v) France, the opinion of Ernst & Young Societe dAvocats, (vi)
Germany, the opinion of Norr Stiefenhofer Lutz, (vii) Switzerland, the opinion of CMS von Erlach
Henrici Ltd, (viii) Ireland, the opinion of A&L Goodbody, (ix) Brazil, the opinion of Levy &
Salomão Advogados, and (x) Portugal, the opinion of Vieira de Almeida & Associados, RL, filed as
Exhibits 5.2-5.11, including the opinions regarding the due authorization, execution and delivery
of the Indenture by each of the parties thereto (other than the U.S. Guarantors), the due
authorization of the Notes by the
Novelis Inc.
October 20, 2009
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October 20, 2009
Page 19
Company, the due authorization of the Guarantees by the Guarantors (other than the U.S.
Guarantors) and the due organization and good standing of the Company and the Guarantors
(other than the U.S. Guarantors). We have also assumed the genuineness of all signatures on
the Indenture.
Exhibits 10.1 and 10.2
Staffs Comment 47: We note that you have not filed the exhibits and schedules to the $800
million asset-based lending credit facility dated July 6, 2007 (Exhibit 10.1), and the $960 million
term loan facility dated as of July 6, 2007 (Exhibit 10.2). Please file complete copies of these
material agreements with your next amendment.
Response: In response to the Staffs comment, the Company has filed the exhibits and schedules
to Exhibit 10.1 and Exhibit 10.2 with Amendment No. 1.
Annual Report on Form 10-K for the Fiscal Year Ended March 31, 2009
General
Staffs Comment 48: Please address the above comments in the Forms 10-K and 10-Q, as
applicable.
Response: The Company is of the view that the changes in the Form S-4 made in response to the
Staffs comments are not material and do not require amending the Form 10-K for the year ended
March 31, 2009 and the Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2009. The Company believes its
disclosure in these prior filings is adequate. The Company will address the Staffs comments in the
Registration Statement and in future filings made with the Commission.
Exhibit 31.1 CEO Certification
Exhibit 31.2 CFO Certification
Exhibit 31.2 CFO Certification
Staffs Comment 49: In future filings please remove the chief executive officer and chief
financial officers title in the introductory line to each 302 certification. In this regard, Item
601(b)(31) of Regulation S-K requires that the certification must be provided exactly as stated
therein. Also refer to SEC Release No. 33-8124 dated August 29, 2002 and SEC Staff Alert, Annual
Report Reminders, dated March 4, 2005 for additional guidance. Please address this comment in your
future filings of your periodic reports.
Response: In response to the Staffs comment, in future filings, the Company will remove the
chief executive officer and chief financial officers title in the introductory line to each 302
certification.
Novelis Inc.
October 20, 2009
Page 20
October 20, 2009
Page 20
* * *
Please contact the undersigned at (404) 814-4200 with any questions concerning this letter.
Sincerely,
/s/ Leslie J. Parrette Jr.
Leslie J. Parrette Jr.
Senior Vice President, General Counsel and
Compliance Officer
Senior Vice President, General Counsel and
Compliance Officer
cc: | Mr. John J. Kelley III King & Spalding LLP Mr. Keith M. Townsend King & Spalding LLP |