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Item 1A. Risk Factors
Our business has many risks. Factors that could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition, operating results or liquidity and the trading price of our common stock, senior notes or convertible notes are described below and under “Risk Factors” in Item 1A of our 2010 Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2010 filed with the SEC on March 16, 2011. This information should be considered carefully, together with other information in this report and other reports and materials we file with the SEC.
The Company has announced that our board of directors has authorized the exploration of strategic alternatives.
The results and impact of our announcement to explore strategic alternatives, including the possible sale of the Company, are uncertain and may not solve our significant short-term liquidity issues.
In light of our significant near-term liquidity issues, on July 6, 2011, we announced the commencement of a formal process to pursue strategic alternatives, including the engagement of Macquarie Capital (USA) Inc. and Evercore Group LLC to act as our advisors, which could result in, among other things, a sale of the Company. There can be no assurance that the review of strategic alternatives will result in any agreement or transaction, or that if an agreement is executed, that a transaction will be consummated, or that, if a transaction is consummated, it will solve our significant short-term liquidity issues. We do not intend to disclose developments with respect to this review (whether or not material) unless and until the Board has approved a specific course of action or terminated the exploration of strategic alternatives. In connection with our exploration of strategic alternatives, we expect to incur expenses associated with identifying and evaluating strategic alternatives. The process of exploring strategic alternatives may be disruptive to our business operations. The inability to effectively manage the process and any resulting agreement or transaction could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition or results of operations. In addition, perceived uncertainties as to our future may result in the loss of potential business opportunities and may make it more difficult to attract and retain qualified personnel and business partners.
The formal process initiated by our board of directors to pursue strategic alternatives may not result in a transaction.
While we commenced a formal process to pursue strategic alternatives, we emphasize that there can be no assurance that the process will result in any transaction, and that, if a transaction is consummated, there can be no assurance it will solve our significant short-term liquidity issues. Additionally, if a sale transaction or other transaction is announced and does not occur, to the extent that the current market price reflects an assumption that such a transaction would occur, our stock price may be adversely affected.
Our largest stockholder has the power to significantly influence the future of our Company.
As of August 1, 2011, our largest stockholder, Tracinda Corporation (“Tracinda”), beneficially owned approximately 9,379,800 shares of our common stock, or approximately 33% of the outstanding shares of our common stock. Pursuant to the Company Stock Purchase Agreement that we entered into with Tracinda on December 29, 2007, Tracinda has certain rights, including the right to designate a number of members of our Board of Directors proportional to their ownership in the Company and consent rights over certain types of actions, including amendments to our Certificate of Incorporation, creation or issuance of preferred stock, mergers or similar transactions, and transactions involving the sale of over 50% of our assets. Tracinda has designated three out of the eight members currently comprising our Board of Directors, one of whom serves as our Board Chairman. Consequently, Tracinda Corporation has the power to significantly influence matters requiring approval by our stockholders, including the election of directors, and the approval of mergers and other significant corporate transactions. This concentration of ownership may make it more difficult for other stockholders to effect substantial changes in our
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Company and may also have the effect of delaying, preventing or expediting, as the case may be, a change in control of our Company. Tracinda also has the right to sell its Delta stock if it chooses to do so. In the event that Tracinda sells all or a substantial portion of its Delta shares, it is possible that the market price of our stock could be adversely affected.
DHS has significant near-term liquidity issues. There is a significant risk that DHS will continue to not be able to meet its debt covenants under its credit facility.
As of June 30, 2011, DHS had only nine of its 18 rigs in operation and it expects to continue to incur liquidity pressures during 2011 based on its current cash flows and level of indebtedness. DHS is now highly leveraged relative to its cash flow and its senior lender, Lehman Commercial Paper, Inc., (“LCPI”), has filed for bankruptcy protection. DHS is in the process of attempting to procure amended financing terms from LCPI or alternative financing from other sources with more favorable debt terms, but there can be no assurance that its efforts will be successful. At June 30, 2011, DHS owed $71.9 million under its credit facility ($69.9 million principal and $2.0 million accrued interest) and was not in compliance with its financial covenants. DHS has not paid its scheduled principal and interest payments in 2011, and has entered into a series of forbearance agreements with LCPI, the most recent of which expires on August 8, 2011. In the event that DHS is not successful in obtaining alternative financing or making satisfactory arrangements with the LCPI bankruptcy trustee, it is likely that DHS will continue to be in default of its debt covenants under its credit facility unless and until market conditions improve significantly. In such event and upon expiration of the current forbearance agreement, all of the amounts due under the credit facility would become immediately due and payable if LCPI exercised its rights under the terms of the credit facility. All of the DHS rigs are pledged as collateral for the credit facility, and would be subject to foreclosure in the event of a default under the credit facility. The DHS credit facility is non-recourse to Delta. At June 30, 2011, Delta had a net credit investment of approximately $3.7 million in DHS. Subsequent to year-end, the Board of Directors of DHS engaged transaction advisors to commence a strategic alternatives process, focused on a sale of the company or substantially all of its assets. There can be no assurance that the terms offered by a potential buyer, if any, will be acceptable to the DHS shareholders. Additionally, the consummation of certain transactions are subject to the approval of LCPI and the proceeds received will be required to be used to pay down amounts outstanding under its DHS credit facility.
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