Form S-3ASR
Table of Contents

As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on August 10, 2015

Registration No. 333-            

 

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, DC 20549

 

 

FORM S-3

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

UNDER

THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

 

 

Freeport-McMoRan Inc.

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)

 

 

 

Delaware   74-2480931

(State or Other Jurisdiction of

Incorporation or Organization)

 

(I.R.S. Employer

Identification Number)

333 North Central Avenue

Phoenix, AZ 85004-2189

(602) 366-8100

(Address, Including Zip Code, and Telephone Number, Including Area Code, of Registrant’s Principal Executive Offices)

 

 

Douglas N. Currault II

Deputy General Counsel and Secretary

Freeport-McMoRan Inc.

333 North Central Avenue

Phoenix, AZ 85004-2189

(602) 366-8100

(Name, Address, Including Zip Code, and Telephone Number, Including Area Code, of Agent For Service)

 

 

Copy to:

 

Dionne M. Rousseau

Jones Walker LLP

8555 United Plaza Boulevard, Suite 500

Baton Rouge, LA 70809

(225) 248-2000

 

Monique A. Cenac

Jones Walker LLP

333 North Central Avenue

Phoenix, AZ 85004-2189

(602) 366-7604

 

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

Large accelerated filer   x    Accelerated filer   ¨
Non-accelerated filer   ¨  (Do not check if a smaller reporting company)    Smaller reporting company   ¨

 

 

CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE(1)

 

 

Title Of Each Class Of

Securities To Be Registered

 

Amount

To Be

Registered

 

Proposed Maximum

Offering Price

Per Unit

 

Proposed Maximum

Aggregate

Offering Price

 

Amount of

Registration Fee

Common Stock, $0.10 par value

               

Preferred Stock, $0.10 par value

               

Debt Securities

               

Warrants

               

Purchase Contracts

               

Units

               

 

 

(1) An indeterminate amount of securities to be offered at indeterminate prices is being registered pursuant to this registration statement. The registrant is deferring payment of the registration fee pursuant to Rule 456(b) and is omitting this information in reliance on Rule 456(b) and Rule 457(r).

 

 

 


Table of Contents

Prospectus

Freeport-McMoRan Inc.

Common stock, Preferred stock, Debt securities, Warrants,

Purchase contracts and Units

 

 

We may offer from time to time common stock, preferred stock, debt securities, warrants, purchase contracts or units. In addition, certain selling securityholders to be identified in a prospectus supplement may offer and sell these securities from time to time, in amounts, at prices and on terms that will be determined at the time the securities are offered. We urge you to read this prospectus and the accompanying prospectus supplement, together with the documents we incorporate by reference, which will describe the specific terms of these securities, carefully before you make your investment decision.

Our common stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the trading symbol “FCX.”

 

 

Investing in these securities involves certain risks. See “Risk Factors” in the applicable prospectus supplement and in our most recent annual report on Form 10-K, along with the disclosure related to the risk factors contained in our subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, as updated by our subsequent filings with the United States (the “U.S.”) Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) that are incorporated by reference in this prospectus.

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

This prospectus may not be used to sell securities unless accompanied by a prospectus supplement.

 

 

The date of this prospectus is August 10, 2015.


Table of Contents

We are responsible for the information contained and incorporated by reference in this prospectus and in any prospectus supplement we prepare or authorize. We have not authorized anyone to give you any other information, and we do not take responsibility for any other information that others may give you. If anyone provides you with different or inconsistent information, you should not rely on it. If you are in a jurisdiction where offers to sell, or solicitations of offers to purchase, the securities offered by this document are unlawful, or if you are a person to whom it is unlawful to direct these types of activities, then the offer presented in this document does not extend to you. You should assume that the information contained and incorporated by reference in this prospectus and any accompanying prospectus supplement is only accurate as of the respective dates of such documents. All references to “FCX,” “we,” “us,” “our” and “ours” in this prospectus mean Freeport-McMoRan Inc. and its consolidated subsidiaries.

Table of Contents

 

     Page  

About This Prospectus

     1   

Risk Factors

     1   

Freeport-McMoRan Inc.

     1   

Use of Proceeds

     1   

Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges

     2   

Description of Securities

     2   

Description of Capital Stock

     2   

Description of Debt Securities

     2   

Description of Warrants

     3   

Description of Purchase Contracts

     3   

Description of Units

     3   

Forms of Securities

     3   

Plan of Distribution

     5   

Where You Can Find More Information

     6   

Information Concerning Forward-Looking Statements

     8   

Legal Opinions

     9   

Experts

     9   

 

 

 

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ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS

This prospectus is part of a registration statement that we filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or the SEC, utilizing a “shelf” registration process. Under this shelf process, we may sell any combination of the securities described in this prospectus in one or more offerings. This prospectus provides you with a general description of the securities we may offer. Each time we sell securities, we will provide a prospectus supplement that will contain specific information about the terms of that offering. The prospectus supplement may also add, update or change information contained in this prospectus. You should read both this prospectus and any prospectus supplement together with additional information described under the heading “Where You Can Find More Information.”

We have filed or incorporated by reference exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part. You should read the exhibits carefully for provisions that may be important to you.

RISK FACTORS

Investing in these securities involves certain risks. Please see the “Risk Factors” section in the applicable prospectus supplement and in our most recent annual report on Form 10-K, along with the disclosure related to the risk factors contained in our subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, as updated by our subsequent filings with the SEC that are incorporated by reference in this prospectus. Before making an investment decision, you should carefully consider these risks as well as other information contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus. The prospectus supplement applicable to each sale of securities we offer pursuant to this prospectus may contain a discussion of additional risks applicable to an investment in us and the securities we are offering under that prospectus supplement.

FREEPORT-MCMORAN INC.

Freeport-McMoRan Inc., or FCX, is a premier U.S.-based natural resources company with an industry-leading global portfolio of mineral assets, significant oil and gas resources and a growing production profile. We are the world’s largest publicly traded copper producer. Our portfolio of assets includes the Grasberg minerals district in Indonesia, one of the world’s largest copper and gold deposits; significant mining operations in North and South America; the Tenke Fungurume minerals district in the Democratic Republic of Congo in Africa; and significant U.S. oil and natural gas assets, including reserves in the Deepwater Gulf of Mexico, onshore and offshore California, the Haynesville shale play in Louisiana, the Madden area in Central Wyoming, and a position in the Inboard Lower Tertiary/Cretaceous natural gas trend onshore in South Louisiana.

FCX’s principal executive offices are located at 333 North Central Avenue, Phoenix, Arizona 85004-2189, and our telephone number at that address is (602) 366-8100. We maintain a website at http://www.fcx.com, where general information about us is available. Information on our website is not part of, and we are not incorporating the contents of our website into, this prospectus or any prospectus supplement.

USE OF PROCEEDS

Unless otherwise indicated in a prospectus supplement, the net proceeds from the sale of the securities will be used for general corporate purposes, including working capital, acquisitions, retirement of debt and other business opportunities. In the case of a sale by a selling securityholder, we will not receive any of the proceeds from such sale.

 

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RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES

The following table sets forth our ratio of earnings to fixed charges for the periods indicated.

 

     Six Months
Ended
June 30,
2015
    Year Ended December 31,  
       2014     2013      2012      2011      2010  

Ratio of earnings to fixed charges

     a      b      7.4x         19.8x         20.7x         16.3x   

Ratio of earnings to combined fixed charges and preferred stock dividends

     a      b      7.4x         19.8x         20.7x         13.9x   

 

  a. As a result of the loss recorded for the six months ended June 30, 2015, the ratio coverage was less than 1:1. We would have needed to generate additional earnings of $5.7 billion to achieve coverage of 1:1 for the six months ended June 30, 2015.
  b. As a result of the loss recorded in 2014, the ratio coverage was less than 1:1. We would have needed to generate additional earnings of $657 million to achieve coverage of 1:1 in 2014.

For purposes of computing the consolidated ratio of earnings to fixed charges, earnings consist of (loss) income before income taxes and equity in affiliated companies’ net earnings. Noncontrolling interests were not deducted from earnings as all such subsidiaries had fixed charges. Fixed charges consist of interest (including capitalized interest) of all indebtedness; amortization of debt discounts, premiums and expenses; the portion of rental expense that we believe to be representative of interest; and preferred dividends of a consolidated subsidiary. For purposes of calculating the ratio of earnings to combined fixed charges and preferred stock dividends, the preferred stock dividend requirements were assumed to be equal to the pre-tax earnings that would be required to cover such dividend requirements. The amount of pre-tax earnings required to cover such preferred stock dividends was computed using the effective tax rate for each applicable year.

DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES

This prospectus contains a summary of the securities that FCX or certain selling securityholders to be identified in a prospectus supplement may sell. These summaries are not meant to be a complete description of each security. However, this prospectus and the accompanying prospectus supplement contain the material terms of the securities being offered.

DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STOCK

For a complete statement of the terms and rights of our capital stock, you should refer to the applicable provisions of FCX’s certificate of incorporation, by-laws and the documents that we have incorporated by reference, including the description of capital stock contained in the registration statement on Form 8-A, as amended, copies of which are exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part, and which are incorporated herein by reference. Copies of the FCX certificate of incorporation and by-laws will be sent to you at no charge upon request. See “Where You Can Find More Information” below.

DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES

The debt securities will be our direct unsecured general obligations. The debt securities will be either senior debt securities or subordinated debt securities. The debt securities will be issued under one or more separate indentures between us and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee. Senior debt securities will be issued under a senior indenture. Subordinated debt securities will be issued under a subordinated indenture. Each of the senior indenture and the subordinated indenture is referred to as an indenture. The material terms of any indenture will be set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF WARRANTS

We may issue warrants to purchase our debt or equity securities or securities of third parties or other rights, including rights to receive payment in cash or securities based on the value, rate or price of one or more specified commodities, currencies, securities or indices, or any combination of the foregoing. Warrants may be issued independently or together with any other securities and may be attached to, or separate from, such securities. Each series of warrants will be issued under a separate warrant agreement to be entered into between us and a warrant agent. The terms of any warrants to be issued and a description of the material provisions of the applicable warrant agreement will be set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement.

DESCRIPTION OF PURCHASE CONTRACTS

We may issue purchase contracts for the purchase or sale of:

 

    debt or equity securities issued by us or securities of third parties, a basket of such securities, an index or indices of such securities, or any combination of the above as specified in the applicable prospectus supplement;

 

    currencies; or

 

    commodities.

Each purchase contract will entitle the holder thereof to purchase or sell, and obligate us to sell or purchase, on specified dates, such securities, currencies or commodities at a specified purchase price, which may be based on a formula, all as set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement. We may, however, satisfy our obligations, if any, with respect to any purchase contract by delivering the cash value of such purchase contract or the cash value of the property otherwise deliverable or, in the case of purchase contracts on underlying currencies, by delivering the underlying currencies, as set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement. The applicable prospectus supplement will also specify the methods by which the holders may purchase or sell such securities, currencies or commodities and any acceleration, cancellation or termination provisions or other provisions relating to the settlement of a purchase contract.

The purchase contracts may require us to make periodic payments to the holders thereof or vice versa, which payments may be deferred to the extent set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement, and those payments may be unsecured or prefunded on some basis. The purchase contracts may require the holders thereof to secure their obligations in a specified manner to be described in the applicable prospectus supplement. Alternatively, purchase contracts may require holders to satisfy their obligations thereunder when the purchase contracts are issued. Our obligation to settle such pre-paid purchase contracts on the relevant settlement date may constitute indebtedness. Accordingly, pre-paid purchase contracts will be issued under either the senior indenture or the subordinated indenture.

DESCRIPTION OF UNITS

As specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, we may issue units consisting of one or more purchase contracts, warrants, debt securities, shares of preferred stock, shares of common stock or any combination of such securities.

FORMS OF SECURITIES

Each debt security, warrant and unit will be represented either by a certificate issued in definitive form to a particular investor or by one or more global securities representing the entire issuance of securities. Certificated securities in definitive form and global securities will be issued in registered form. Definitive securities name you

 

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or your nominee as the owner of the security, and in order to transfer or exchange these securities or to receive payments other than interest or other interim payments, you or your nominee must physically deliver the securities to the trustee, registrar, paying agent or other agent, as applicable. Global securities name a depositary or its nominee as the owner of the debt securities, warrants or units represented by these global securities. The depositary maintains a computerized system that will reflect each investor’s beneficial ownership of the securities through an account maintained by the investor with its broker/dealer, bank, trust company or other representative, as we explain more fully below.

Registered Global Securities

We may issue the registered debt securities, warrants and units in the form of one or more fully registered global securities that will be deposited with a depositary or its nominee identified in the applicable prospectus supplement and registered in the name of that depositary or nominee. In those cases, one or more registered global securities will be issued in a denomination or aggregate denominations equal to the portion of the aggregate principal or face amount of the securities to be represented by registered global securities. Unless and until it is exchanged in whole for securities in definitive registered form, a registered global security may not be transferred except as a whole by and among the depositary for the registered global security, the nominees of the depositary or any successors of the depositary or those nominees.

If not described below, any specific terms of the depositary arrangement with respect to any securities to be represented by a registered global security will be described in the prospectus supplement relating to those securities. We anticipate that the following provisions will apply to all depositary arrangements.

Ownership of beneficial interests in a registered global security will be limited to persons, called participants, that have accounts with the depositary or persons that may hold interests through participants. Upon the issuance of a registered global security, the depositary will credit, on its book-entry registration and transfer system, the participants’ accounts with the respective principal or face amounts of the securities beneficially owned by the participants. Any dealers, underwriters or agents participating in the distribution of the securities will designate the accounts to be credited. Ownership of beneficial interests in a registered global security will be shown on, and the transfer of ownership interests will be effected only through, records maintained by the depositary, with respect to interests of participants, and on the records of participants, with respect to interests of persons holding through participants. The laws of some states may require that some purchasers of securities take physical delivery of these securities in definitive form. These laws may impair your ability to own, transfer or pledge beneficial interests in registered global securities.

So long as the depositary, or its nominee, is the registered owner of a registered global security, that depositary or its nominee, as the case may be, will be considered the sole owner or holder of the securities represented by the registered global security for all purposes under the applicable indenture, warrant agreement or unit agreement. Except as described below, owners of beneficial interests in a registered global security will not be entitled to have the securities represented by the registered global security registered in their names, will not receive or be entitled to receive physical delivery of the securities in definitive form and will not be considered the owners or holders of the securities under the applicable indenture, warrant agreement or unit agreement. Accordingly, each person owning a beneficial interest in a registered global security must rely on the procedures of the depositary for that registered global security and, if that person is not a participant, on the procedures of the participant through which the person owns its interest, to exercise any rights of a holder under the applicable indenture, warrant agreement or unit agreement. We understand that under existing industry practices, if we request any action of holders or if an owner of a beneficial interest in a registered global security desires to give or take any action that a holder is entitled to give or take under the applicable indenture, warrant agreement or unit agreement, the depositary for the registered global security would authorize the participants holding the relevant beneficial interests to give or take that action, and the participants would authorize beneficial owners owning through them to give or take that action or would otherwise act upon the instructions of beneficial owners holding through them.

 

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Principal, premium, if any, and interest payments on debt securities, and any payments to holders with respect to warrants or units, represented by a registered global security registered in the name of a depositary or its nominee will be made to the depositary or its nominee, as the case may be, as the registered owner of the registered global security. None of FCX, the trustees, the warrant agents, the unit agents or any other agent of FCX, agent of the trustees or agent of the warrant agents or unit agents will have any responsibility or liability for any aspect of the records relating to payments made on account of beneficial ownership interests in the registered global security or for maintaining, supervising or reviewing any records relating to those beneficial ownership interests.

We expect that the depositary for any of the securities represented by a registered global security, upon receipt of any payment of principal, premium, interest or other distribution of underlying securities or other property to holders on that registered global security, will immediately credit participants’ accounts in amounts proportionate to their respective beneficial interests in that registered global security as shown on the records of the depositary. We also expect that payments by participants to owners of beneficial interests in a registered global security held through participants will be governed by standing customer instructions and customary practices, as is now the case with the securities held for the accounts of customers in bearer form or registered in “street name,” and will be the responsibility of those participants.

If the depositary for any of these securities represented by a registered global security is at any time unwilling or unable to continue as depositary or ceases to be a clearing agency registered under the Exchange Act, and a successor depositary registered as a clearing agency under the Exchange Act is not appointed by us within 90 days, we will issue securities in definitive form in exchange for the registered global security that had been held by the depositary. Any securities issued in definitive form in exchange for a registered global security will be registered in the name or names that the depositary gives to the relevant trustee, warrant agent, unit agent or other relevant agent of ours or theirs. It is expected that the depositary’s instructions will be based upon directions received by the depositary from participants with respect to ownership of beneficial interests in the registered global security that had been held by the depositary.

PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

FCX and/or the selling securityholders, if applicable, may sell the securities in one or more of the following ways (or in any combination) from time to time:

 

    through underwriters or dealers;

 

    directly to a limited number of purchasers or to a single purchaser;

 

    through agents;

 

    through a combination of any such methods; or

 

    through any other methods described in a prospectus supplement.

The prospectus supplement will state the terms of the offering of the securities, including:

 

    the name or names of any underwriters, dealers or agents;

 

    the purchase price of such securities and the proceeds to be received by FCX, if any;

 

    any underwriting discounts or agency fees and other items constituting underwriters’ or agents’ compensation;

 

    any initial public offering price;

 

    any discounts or concessions allowed or reallowed or paid to dealers; and

 

    any securities exchanges on which the securities may be listed.

Any initial public offering price and any discounts or concessions allowed or reallowed or paid to dealers may be changed from time to time.

 

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If we and/or the selling securityholders, if applicable, use underwriters in the sale, the securities will be acquired by the underwriters for their own account and may be resold from time to time in one or more transactions, including:

 

    negotiated transactions;

 

    at a fixed public offering price or prices, which may be changed;

 

    at market prices prevailing at the time of sale;

 

    at prices related to prevailing market prices; or

 

    at negotiated prices.

Unless otherwise stated in a prospectus supplement, the obligations of the underwriters to purchase any securities will be conditioned on customary closing conditions and the underwriters will be obligated to purchase all of such series of securities, if any are purchased.

We and/or the selling securityholders, if applicable, may sell the securities through agents from time to time. The prospectus supplement will name any agent involved in the offer or sale of the securities and any commissions we pay to them. Generally, any agent will be acting on a best efforts basis for the period of its appointment.

We and/or the selling securityholders, if applicable, may authorize underwriters, dealers or agents to solicit offers by certain purchasers to purchase the securities from FCX at the public offering price set forth in the prospectus supplement pursuant to delayed delivery contracts providing for payment and delivery on a specified date in the future. The contracts will be subject only to those conditions set forth in the prospectus supplement, and the prospectus supplement will set forth any commissions we pay for solicitation of these contracts.

Underwriters and agents may be entitled under agreements entered into with FCX and/or the selling securityholders, if applicable, to indemnification by FCX and/or the selling securityholders, if applicable, against certain civil liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), or to contribution with respect to payments which the underwriters or agents may be required to make. Underwriters and agents may be customers of, engage in transactions with, or perform services for FCX and its affiliates in the ordinary course of business.

Each series of securities will be a new issue of securities and will have no established trading market other than the common stock, which is listed on the New York Stock Exchange. Any underwriters to whom securities are sold for public offering and sale may make a market in the securities, but such underwriters will not be obligated to do so and may discontinue any market making at any time without notice. The securities, other than the common stock, may or may not be listed on a national securities exchange.

WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

We file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. These SEC filings are available to the public over the Internet at the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov and our website at http://www.fcx.com. Information on our website is not a part of, and we are not incorporating the contents of our website into, this prospectus. You may also read and copy any document we file with the SEC at the SEC’s public reference room at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549. Please call the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330 for further information on the public reference room.

We are “incorporating by reference” into this prospectus specific documents that we filed with the SEC, which means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to those documents that are considered part of this prospectus. Information that we file subsequently with the SEC will automatically update and supersede this information. We incorporate by reference the documents listed below, and any future documents that we file (other than information in the documents or filings that is deemed to have been furnished and not

 

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filed) with the SEC under Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, until the termination of the offerings of all of the securities covered by this prospectus. This prospectus is part of a registration statement filed with the SEC.

We are “incorporating by reference” into this prospectus the following documents:

 

SEC Filings

  

Period or Date Filed

Annual Report on Form 10-K

   Fiscal year ended December 31, 2014 (including portions of our Proxy Statement for our 2015 annual meeting of holders of our common shares held on June 10, 2015, to the extent specifically incorporated by reference in such Form 10-K), including the amendment on Form 10-K/A filed June 12, 2015

Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q

  

Fiscal quarter ended March 31, 2015;

Fiscal quarter ended June 30, 2015

Current Reports on Form 8-K

   Filed January 15, 2015, January 29, 2015, February 4, 2015, March 17, 2015, June 12, 2015, July 28, 2015, and August 5, 2015.

Registration Statement on Form 8-A

   Filed June 29, 1995, as amended by the amendment on Form 8-A/A filed on November 26, 1996, as further amended by the amendment on Form 8-A/A filed on January 26, 2009, and as further amended by the amendment on Form 8-A/A filed on August 10, 2015.

We will provide, upon written or oral request and without charge, a copy of the documents referred to above that we have incorporated by reference. You can request copies of such documents if you call or write us at the following address or telephone number: Freeport-McMoRan Inc., Attention: Investor Relations, 333 North Central Avenue, Phoenix, Arizona 85004-2189, (602) 366-8100.

This prospectus and the information incorporated by reference herein, contains summaries of certain agreements that we have filed as exhibits to various SEC filings, as well as certain agreements that we will enter into in connection with the offering of securities covered by this prospectus. The descriptions of these agreements contained in this prospectus or information incorporated by reference herein do not purport to be complete and are subject to, or qualified in their entirety by reference to, the definitive agreements. Copies of the definitive agreements will be made available without charge to you by making a written or oral request to us.

We are responsible for the information contained and incorporated by reference in this prospectus and in any prospectus supplement we prepare or authorize. We have not authorized anyone to give you any other information, and we do not take responsibility for any other information that others may give you. If anyone provides you with different or inconsistent information, you should not rely on it. If you are in a jurisdiction where offers to sell, or solicitations of offers to purchase, the securities offered by this document are unlawful, or if you are a person to whom it is unlawful to direct these types of activities, then the offer presented in this document does not extend to you. You should assume that the information contained and incorporated by reference in this prospectus and any accompanying prospectus supplement is only accurate as of the respective dates of such documents.

Any statement contained herein or in a document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference herein shall be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes of this prospectus to the extent that a statement contained herein, in any other subsequently filed document which also is or is deemed to be incorporated by reference herein modifies or supersedes such statement. Any such statement so modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified and superseded, to constitute a part of this prospectus.

 

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INFORMATION CONCERNING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This prospectus, including the documents incorporated by reference herein, contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Exchange Act. Such forward-looking information is intended to be covered by the safe harbor for “forward-looking statements” provided by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements may be made directly in this prospectus or may be incorporated in this prospectus by reference to other documents. Representatives of FCX may also make forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are all statements other than statements of historical facts, such as projections or expectations relating to ore grades and milling rates; production and sales volumes; unit net cash costs; cash production costs per barrel of oil equivalents; operating cash flows; capital expenditures; exploration efforts and results; development and production activities and costs; liquidity; tax rates; the impact of copper, gold, molybdenum, cobalt, crude oil and natural gas price changes; the impact of derivative positions; the impact of deferred intercompany profits on earnings; reserve estimates; future dividend payments; debt reduction and share purchases. The words “anticipates,” “may,” “can,” “plans,” “believes,” “potential,” “estimates,” “expects,” “projects,” “targets,” “intends,” “likely,” “will,” “should,” “to be” and any similar expressions are intended to identify those assertions as forward-looking statements. This prospectus, including the documents incorporated by reference herein, may also include forward-looking statements regarding mineralized material not included in reserves. The mineralized material described will not qualify as reserves until comprehensive engineering studies establish their feasibility. Accordingly, no assurance can be given that the estimated mineralized material not included in reserves will become proven and probable reserves.

We caution readers that those statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results may differ materially from those anticipated, projected or assumed in the forward-looking statements. In particular, on July 28, 2015, we announced that we are undertaking a comprehensive review of operating plans to target significant additional reductions in capital spending, and operating and administrative costs. As part of this process, on August 5, 2015, we announced revisions to our oil and gas capital expenditure and production outlook. We expect to report revised plans for our mining operations during third-quarter 2015.

Important factors that can cause our actual results to differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements include supply of and demand for, and prices of, copper, gold, molybdenum, cobalt, crude oil and natural gas, mine sequencing, production rates, industry risks, regulatory changes, political risks, drilling results, potential additional oil and gas property impairment charges, potential lower of cost or market inventory adjustments, potential impairment of long-lived mining assets, the outcome of negotiations with the Indonesian government regarding PT Freeport Indonesia’s Contract of Work, PT Freeport Indonesia’s ability to obtain renewal of its export license after January 28, 2016, PT Freeport Indonesia’s ability to renew its bi-annual labor agreement expiring in September 2015, PT Smelting’s ability to restart smelter operations as expected in September 2015, the potential effects of violence in Indonesia, the resolution of administrative disputes in the Democratic Republic of Congo, weather- and climate-related risks, labor relations, environmental risks, litigation results and other factors described in more detail in Part I, Item 1A. “Risk Factors” of our annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014, as updated by our subsequent filings with the SEC.

Investors are cautioned that many of the assumptions upon which our forward-looking statements are based are likely to change after the forward-looking statements are made, including for example commodity prices, which we cannot control, and production volumes and costs, some aspects of which we may not be able to control. Further, we may make changes to our business plans that could affect our results. We caution investors that, except for our expectation that we will report revised plans for our mining operations during third-quarter 2015, we do not intend to update forward-looking statements more frequently than quarterly notwithstanding any changes in our assumptions, changes in business plans, actual experience or other changes, and we undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statements.

 

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LEGAL OPINIONS

The validity of the securities in respect of which this prospectus is being delivered will be passed on for us by Jones Walker LLP.

EXPERTS

The consolidated financial statements of FCX appearing in its annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014 (including the financial statement schedule appearing therein), and the effectiveness of FCX’s internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2014, have been audited by Ernst & Young LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, as set forth in their reports thereon, included therein, and incorporated herein by reference. Such consolidated financial statements and FCX management’s assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2014, are incorporated herein by reference in reliance upon such reports given on the authority of such firm as experts in accounting and auditing.

With respect to the unaudited condensed consolidated interim financial information of FCX for the three-month periods ended March 31, 2015 and 2014, and for the three and six-month periods ended June 30, 2015 and 2014, incorporated by reference in this prospectus, Ernst & Young LLP reported that they have applied limited procedures in accordance with professional standards for a review of such information. However, their separate reports dated May 8, 2015, and August 10, 2015, included in FCX’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended March 31, 2015, and June 30, 2015, respectively, and incorporated by reference herein, states that they did not audit and they do not express an opinion on that interim financial information. Accordingly, the degree of reliance on their report on such information should be restricted in light of the limited nature of the review procedures applied. Ernst & Young LLP is not subject to the liability provisions of Section 11 of the Securities Act for their report on the unaudited interim financial information because that report is not a “report” or a “part” of the registration statement, of which this prospectus forms a part, prepared or certified by Ernst & Young LLP within the meaning of Sections 7 and 11 of the Securities Act.

The information incorporated in this prospectus by reference to FCX’s annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014, relating to estimated proved and probable oil and gas reserves has been so incorporated in reliance on the reserve reports of Netherland, Sewell & Associates, Inc. and Ryder Scott Company, L.P., independent petroleum engineers. These estimates are included in this prospectus in reliance upon the authority of such firms as experts in these matters.

 

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Part II

Information not required in prospectus

Item 14. Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution

The following table sets forth the costs and expenses to be borne by the Registrant in connection with the offerings described in this Registration Statement.

 

Registration fee

   $           *   

Transfer agent and trustee fees and expenses

   $           **   

Printing

   $           **   

Accounting fees and expenses

   $           **   

Legal fees and expenses

   $           **   

Rating agency fees

   $           **   

Miscellaneous

   $           **   

Total

   $           **   

 

  * Omitted because the registration fee is being deferred pursuant to Rule 456(b).
  ** Not presently known.

Item 15. Indemnification of Directors and Officers

Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law authorizes a court to award, or a corporation’s board of directors to grant, indemnity to directors and officers in terms sufficiently broad to permit indemnification for liabilities (including reimbursement for expenses incurred) arising under the Securities Act.

As permitted by the Delaware General Corporation Law, the FCX certificate of incorporation includes a provision that eliminates the personal liability of FCX’s directors for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director, except for liability (1) for any breach of the director’s duty of loyalty to FCX or its stockholders, (2) for acts or omissions not in good faith or that involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law, (3) under section 174 of the Delaware General Corporation Law or (4) for any transaction from which the director derived an improper personal benefit.

As a result of this provision, FCX’s ability or that of FCX’s stockholders to successfully prosecute an action against a director for breach of his or her duty of care is limited. However, this provision does not affect the availability of equitable remedies such as an injunction or rescission based upon a director’s breach of his or her duty of care. The SEC has taken the position that this provision will have no effect on claims arising under the federal securities laws.

In addition, the FCX certificate of incorporation provides for mandatory indemnification rights, subject to limited exceptions, to any director or executive officer who (because of the fact that he or she is or was FCX’s director or officer) is involved in a legal proceeding of any nature. These indemnification rights include reimbursement for expenses incurred by FCX’s director or officer in advance of the final disposition of a proceeding according to applicable law.

The indemnification provisions in the FCX certificate of incorporation and bylaws may be sufficiently broad to permit indemnification of FCX’s directors and executive officers for liabilities arising under the Securities Act.

FCX also provides insurance from commercial carriers against some liabilities incurred by FCX’s directors and officers.

 

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Item 16. Exhibits

The following is a list of all exhibits filed as a part of this registration statement on Form S-3, including those incorporated herein by reference.

 

Exhibit No.

  

Document

  1.1*    Form of Underwriting Agreement.
  4.1    Composite Certificate of Incorporation of FCX (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2014 (File No. 001-11307-01) filed August 8, 2014).
  4.2    Composite By-Laws of FCX (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to the Current Report on Form 8-K (File No. 001-11307-01) filed July 2, 2014).
  4.3    Form of Indenture for Senior Notes.
  4.4    Form of Indenture for Subordinated Notes.
  4.5*    Form of Senior Note.
  4.6*    Form of Subordinated Note.
  4.7*    Form of Warrant Agreement.
  4.8*    Form of Warrant Certificate.
  4.9*    Form of Purchase Contract Agreement.
  4.10*    Form of Purchase Contract.
  4.11*    Form of Unit Agreement.
  4.12*    Form of Unit Certificate.
  4.13    Form of Certificate representing shares of common stock, par value $0.10 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3 to the Registration Statement on Form 8-A/A filed on August 10, 2015).
  5.1    Opinion of Jones Walker LLP.
12.1    Statement regarding Computation of Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges.
15.1    Letter regarding Unaudited Interim Financial Statements.
23.1    Consent of Ernst & Young LLP.
23.2    Consent of Jones Walker LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1).
23.3    Consent of Netherland, Sewell & Associates, Inc.
23.4    Consent of Ryder Scott Company, L.P.
24.1    Power of Attorney (included on the signature page of the Registration Statement).
25.1    Statement of Eligibility of U.S. Bank National Association on Form T-1 for Senior Note Indenture.
25.2    Statement of Eligibility of U.S. Bank National Association on Form T-1 for Subordinated Note Indenture.

 

* To be filed, if necessary, by amendment or as an exhibit to a Current Report on Form 8-K.

 

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Item 17. Undertakings

(a) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

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effective date, supersede or modify any statement that was made in the registration statement or prospectus that was part of the registration statement or made in any such document immediately prior to such effective date.

(5) That, for the purpose of determining liability of the registrant under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser in the initial distribution of the securities:

The undersigned registrant undertakes that in a primary offering of securities of the undersigned registrant pursuant to this registration statement, regardless of the underwriting method used to sell the securities to the purchaser, if the securities are offered or sold to such purchaser by means of any of the following communications, the undersigned registrant will be a seller to the purchaser and will be considered to offer or sell such securities to such purchaser:

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

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

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

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

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

(c) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

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

 

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SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Phoenix, State of Arizona, on August 10, 2015.

 

FREEPORT-MCMORAN INC.

By:

 

/s/ Richard C. Adkerson

  Richard C. Adkerson
  Vice Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer

 

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KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears below constitutes and appoints James R. Moffett, Richard C. Adkerson, James C. Flores and Kathleen L. Quirk, and each of them, his or her true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, with full power to act separately and full power of substitution and resubstitution, for him or her and in his or her name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments (including post-effective amendments) to this registration statement and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and all other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto each said attorney-in-fact and agent full power and authority to do and perform each and every act in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents or either of them or his or her or their substitute or substitutes may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

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

 

Signature    Title   Date

/s/ James R. Moffett

James R. Moffett

  

Chairman of the Board

  August 10, 2015

/s/ Richard C. Adkerson

Richard C. Adkerson

  

Vice Chairman, President and

Chief Executive Officer

(Principal Executive Officer)

  August 10, 2015

/s/ James C. Flores

James C. Flores

  

Vice Chairman of the Board

  August 10, 2015

/s/ Kathleen L. Quirk

Kathleen L. Quirk

  

Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, and Treasurer

(Principal Financial Officer)

  August 10, 2015

/s/ C. Donald Whitmire, Jr.

C. Donald Whitmire, Jr.

  

Vice President and Controller – Financial Reporting

(Principal Accounting Officer)

  August 10, 2015

/s/ Robert J. Allison, Jr.

Robert J. Allison, Jr.

  

Director

  August 10, 2015

/s/ Alan R. Buckwalter, III

Alan R. Buckwalter, III

  

Director

  August 10, 2015

     

Robert A. Day

  

Director

 

/s/ Gerald J. Ford

Gerald J. Ford

  

Director

  August 10, 2015

/s/ Thomas A. Fry, III

Thomas A. Fry, III

  

Director

  August 10, 2015

/s/ H. Devon Graham, Jr.

H. Devon Graham, Jr.

  

Director

  August 10, 2015

/s/ Lydia H. Kennard

Lydia H. Kennard

  

Director

  August 10, 2015

 

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Signature    Title   Date

/s/ Charles C. Krulak

Charles C. Krulak

  

Director

  August 10, 2015

/s/ Bobby Lee Lackey

Bobby Lee Lackey

  

Director

  August 10, 2015

/s/ Jon C. Madonna

Jon C. Madonna

  

Director

  August 10, 2015

/s/ Dustan E. McCoy

Dustan E. McCoy

  

Director

  August 10, 2015

/s/ Stephen H. Siegele

Stephen H. Siegele

  

Director

  August 10, 2015

/s/ Frances Fragos Townsend

Frances Fragos Townsend

  

Director

  August 10, 2015

 

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EXHIBIT INDEX

 

Exhibit No.

  

Document

  1.1*    Form of Underwriting Agreement.
  4.1    Composite Certificate of Incorporation of FCX (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2014 (File No. 001-11307-01) filed August 8, 2014).
  4.2    Composite By-Laws of FCX (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to the Current Report on Form 8-K (File No. 001-11307-01) filed August 2, 2014).
  4.3    Form of Indenture for Senior Notes.
  4.4    Form of Indenture for Subordinated Notes.
  4.5*    Form of Senior Note.
  4.6*    Form of Subordinated Note.
  4.7*    Form of Warrant Agreement.
  4.8*    Form of Warrant Certificate.
  4.9*    Form of Purchase Contract Agreement.
  4.10*    Form of Purchase Contract.
  4.11*    Form of Unit Agreement.
  4.12*    Form of Unit Certificate.
  4.13    Form of Certificate representing shares of common stock, par value $0.10 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3 to the Registration Statement on Form 8-A/A filed on August 10, 2015).
  5.1    Opinion of Jones Walker LLP.
12.1    Statement regarding Computation of Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges.
15.1    Letter regarding Unaudited Interim Financial Statements.
23.1    Consent of Ernst & Young LLP.
23.2    Consent of Jones Walker LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1).
23.3    Consent of Netherland, Sewell & Associates, Inc.
23.4    Consent of Ryder Scott Company, L.P.
24.1    Power of Attorney (included on the signature page of the Registration Statement).
25.1    Statement of Eligibility of U.S. Bank National Association on Form T-1 for Senior Note Indenture.
25.2    Statement of Eligibility of U.S. Bank National Association on Form T-1 for Subordinated Note Indenture.

 

* To be filed, if necessary, by amendment or as an exhibit to a Current Report on Form 8-K.