<PAGE> 1
AS FILED WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION ON APRIL 14, 1999.
REGISTRATION NO. 333-75795
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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
------------------------
AMENDMENT NO. 1
TO
FORM S-1
REGISTRATION STATEMENT
UNDER
THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
ABOVENET COMMUNICATIONS INC.
(EXACT NAME OF REGISTRANT AS SPECIFIED IN OUR CHARTER)
<TABLE>
<S> <C> <C>
DELAWARE 4813 77-0424796
(STATE OR OTHER JURISDICTION OF (PRIMARY STANDARD INDUSTRIAL (I.R.S. EMPLOYER
INCORPORATION OR ORGANIZATION) CLASSIFICATION CODE NUMBER) IDENTIFICATION NUMBER)
</TABLE>
50 W. SAN FERNANDO STREET, SUITE #1010
SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA 95113
(408) 367-6666
(ADDRESS, INCLUDING ZIP CODE, AND TELEPHONE NUMBER, INCLUDING AREA CODE, OF
REGISTRANT'S PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE OFFICES)
SHERMAN TUAN
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
50 W. SAN FERNANDO STREET, SUITE #1010
SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA 95113
(408) 367-6666
(NAME, ADDRESS, INCLUDING ZIP CODE, AND TELEPHONE NUMBER, INCLUDING AREA CODE,
OF AGENT FOR SERVICE)
COPIES TO:
<TABLE>
<S> <C>
CARLA S. NEWELL, ESQ. JORGE DEL CALVO, ESQ.
BENNETT L. YEE, ESQ. STANTON D. WONG, ESQ.
ALLISON M. WING, ESQ. GABRIELLA A. LOMBARDI, ESQ.
TODD W. SMITH. ESQ. CHRISTINE F. NAKAGAWA, ESQ.
GUNDERSON DETTMER STOUGH PILLSBURY MADISON & SUTRO LLP
VILLENEUVE FRANKLIN & HACHIGIAN, LLP 2550 HANOVER STREET
155 CONSTITUTION DRIVE PALO ALTO, CA 94304
MENLO PARK, CA 94025 (650) 233-4500
(650) 321-2400
</TABLE>
APPROXIMATE DATE OF COMMENCEMENT OF PROPOSED SALE TO THE PUBLIC:
As soon as practicable after the effective date of this Registration Statement.
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, as amended, check the following box. [ ]
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 delivery of the prospectus is expected to be made pursuant to Rule 434,
please check the following box. [ ]
------------------------
THE REGISTRANT HEREBY AMENDS THIS REGISTRATION STATEMENT ON SUCH DATE OR DATES
AS MAY BE NECESSARY TO DELAY ITS EFFECTIVE DATE UNTIL THE REGISTRANT SHALL FILE
A FURTHER AMENDMENT THAT SPECIFICALLY STATES THAT THIS REGISTRATION STATEMENT
SHALL THEREAFTER BECOME EFFECTIVE IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 8(a) OF THE
SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED, OR UNTIL THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT SHALL
BECOME EFFECTIVE ON SUCH DATE AS THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION, ACTING
PURSUANT TO SUCH SECTION 8(a), MAY DETERMINE.
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<PAGE> 2
SUBJECT TO COMPLETION, DATED APRIL 14, 1999
THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS PROSPECTUS IS NOT COMPLETE AND MAY BE CHANGED.
THESE SECURITIES MAY NOT BE SOLD UNTIL THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT FILED WITH THE
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION IS EFFECTIVE. THIS PROSPECTUS IS NOT AN OFFER
TO SELL THESE SECURITIES AND IT IS NOT SOLICITING AN OFFER TO BUY THESE
SECURITIES IN ANY STATE WHERE THE OFFER OR SALE IS NOT PERMITTED.
4,000,000 SHARES
LOGO
ABOVENET COMMUNICATIONS INC.
COMMON STOCK
$ PER SHARE
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AboveNet Communications Inc. is offering 2,700,000 shares and the selling
stockholders identified in this prospectus are offering 1,300,000 shares with
this prospectus. AboveNet will not receive any proceeds from the sale of shares
by the selling stockholders. This is a firm commitment underwriting.
The common stock is listed on the Nasdaq National Market under the symbol
"ABOV." On April 13, 1999, the last reported sale price of the common stock on
the Nasdaq National Market was $139.25 per share.
INVESTING IN THE COMMON STOCK INVOLVES CERTAIN RISKS. SEE "RISK FACTORS"
BEGINNING ON PAGE 7.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
PER SHARE TOTAL
--------- ----------
<S> <C> <C>
Price to the public........................... $ $
Underwriting discount.........................
Proceeds to AboveNet..........................
Proceeds to the selling stockholders..........
</TABLE>
AboveNet has granted an over-allotment option to the underwriters. Under this
option, the underwriters may elect to purchase a maximum of 600,000 additional
shares from AboveNet within 30 days following the date of this prospectus to
cover over-allotments.
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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.
CIBC WORLD MARKETS
LEHMAN BROTHERS
PAINEWEBBER INCORPORATED
VOLPE BROWN WHELAN & COMPANY
The date of this Prospectus is , 1999
<PAGE> 3
TABLE OF CONTENTS
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
PAGE
---------
<S> <C>
Prospectus Summary.......................................... 4
Risk Factors................................................ 7
Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements........... 19
Use of Proceeds............................................. 20
Dividend Policy............................................. 20
Price Range of Common Stock................................. 20
Capitalization.............................................. 21
Dilution.................................................... 22
Selected Financial and Operating Data....................... 23
Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition
and Results of Operations................................. 24
Business.................................................... 35
Management.................................................. 52
Certain Transactions........................................ 64
Principal and Selling Stockholders.......................... 66
Description of Capital Stock................................ 68
Shares Eligible for Future Sale............................. 71
Underwriting................................................ 73
Legal Matters............................................... 75
Experts..................................................... 75
Change in Accountants....................................... 75
Additional Information...................................... 75
Index to Financial Statements............................... F-1
</TABLE>
------------------------------------
As used in this prospectus, the terms "we," "us," "our" and AboveNet mean
AboveNet Communications Inc. and the term "common stock" means our common stock,
$0.001 per share.
Our principal executive offices are located at 50 W. San Fernando Street, Suite
#1010, San Jose, California 95113. Our telephone number is (408) 367-6666.
Unless otherwise stated herein, all information contained in this prospectus
assumes no exercise of the over-allotment option granted to the underwriters.
On March 29, 1999, we announced a 2 for 1 stock split of our common stock. The
stock split will be effected through the issuance of a stock dividend and will
entitle each stockholder of record on April 14, 1999, to receive one share for
every outstanding share of common stock held by them on that date. The dividend
is expected to be distributed to stockholders on May 7, 1999. All common share
numbers in this prospectus do not reflect the stock split.
The underwriters are offering the shares subject to various conditions and may
reject all or part of any order. The shares should be ready for delivery on or
about , 1999 against payment in immediately available funds.
EtherValve is our registered trademark. Cabriolet and MRTG are our trademarks.
We have applied for federal trademark registration for the following names:
AboveNet APS, ASAP, As-Ur-Here and Internet Service Exchange. All other
trademarks, servicemarks or tradenames referred to in this prospectus are the
property of their respective owners.
3
<PAGE> 4
PROSPECTUS SUMMARY
The summary highlights information contained in other parts of this prospectus,
including "Risk Factors." It is not complete and may not contain all of the
information that you should consider before investing in the shares. You should
read the entire prospectus carefully.
OUR COMPANY
AboveNet is a leading provider of facilities-based, managed services for
customer-owned Web servers and related equipment, known as co-location, and high
performance Internet connectivity solutions for electronic commerce and other
business critical Internet operations. We have developed a network architecture
based upon strategically located facilities. These facilities, known as Internet
service exchanges, allow Internet content providers direct access to Internet
service providers. We are establishing two campuses, one located on the West
Coast and one located on the East Coast. Our West Coast campus is comprised of
our two San Jose, California Internet service exchange facilities, one of which
is under development. Our East Coast campus is comprised of our existing Vienna,
Virginia Internet service exchange facility and our planned facilities in New
York, New York and the Washington D.C. area. On March 31, 1999, we had 257
public and private data exchange connections, known as peering arrangements,
including relationships with most major network providers. Our network
architecture and extensive peering relationships are designed to reduce the
number of network connections or "hops" for data traveling across the Internet.
By having both Internet content providers and Internet service providers
co-located at our Internet service exchanges we enable our Internet service
provider customers to offer their users "one hop" connectivity, through our
local area network, to the sites of the Internet content providers that are
co-located at our facilities. As of March 31, 1999, we had 458 customers,
including Internet content providers, Web hosting companies and Internet service
providers.
The Internet has experienced tremendous growth and is emerging as a global
medium for communications and commerce. Internet-based businesses and other
enterprises need non-stop, high performance Internet operations that can handle
the growth in their businesses and allow them to communicate and transact
business globally over the Internet. However, many businesses that are seeking
to establish these operations lack the resources and expertise to
cost-effectively develop, maintain and enhance the necessary facilities and
network systems. As a result, many businesses are seeking to outsource these
functions to third party service providers to enhance their Web site reliability
and performance, provide continuous operation of their Internet solutions,
reduce related operating expenses and focus on their core businesses.
We design our solutions to be very flexible and to allow our customers to easily
expand their use of our services as their Internet operations grow. We charge
our customers based on how much space and bandwidth they use. This provides our
customers with a flexible, cost-effective method to increase their Internet
operations.
We design our services to enhance performance through a high speed network and
we provide our customers with monitoring, notification and diagnostic services
twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. Our internally developed software
monitors all of our direct and indirect network connections for delays in
delivery of data packets and loss of data packets. This monitoring software
allows our network engineers to enhance performance by rerouting data traffic as
problems occur to avoid congested points. We also provide our customers with
sophisticated monitoring, reporting and management tools that can be accessed by
customers remotely from their own facilities to control their Internet
operations. By providing a means to reduce the number of "hops" in the
transmission of data, we believe that our network design can provide significant
benefits to Internet service providers and their users as they seek to gain
fast, reliable access to the sites of Internet content providers.
4
<PAGE> 5
Our objective is to become the leading global provider of co-location and high
performance Internet connectivity for Internet content providers, Web hosting
companies and Internet service providers that require high-bandwidth, business
critical Internet operations. To achieve this objective, we intend to do the
following:
- Increase awareness of the AboveNet name on a global basis.
- Expand our customer base through increased sales and marketing efforts and
establish relationships with channel partners.
- Expand our global Internet service exchange network by connecting
centralized facilities in key domestic and international locations. As part
of this strategy, in March 1999, we entered into strategic agreements to
establish regional Internet service exchanges in Austria, Germany and the
United Kingdom.
- Leverage our Internet service exchange model to increase our customer base
and to generate additional recurring monthly revenues.
- Address the emerging requirements of Internet technologies such as audio and
video streaming and voice over the Internet.
Our customers include CNET Download.com, e-Media, LLC, Got.Net, IntelliChoice,
Inc., iXL, Inc., KDD America, Netscape Communications Corporation (acquired by
America Online, Inc.), RealNetworks, Inc., RemarQ Communities, Inc. (formerly
named Supernews, Inc.), WebMD, Inc. and The Web Zone, Inc. Our customer base
increased from 221 at March 31, 1998, to 278 at June 30, 1998, to 316 at
September 30, 1998, to 382 at December 31, 1998, to 458 at March 31, 1999.
THE OFFERING
Common stock offered by AboveNet........ 2,700,000 shares
Common stock offered by the selling
stockholders............................ 1,300,000 shares
Common stock to be outstanding after the
offering................................ 16,322,599 shares
Use of proceeds......................... For capital expenditures related to
the build out of Internet service
exchange facilities and increasing
network capacity, potential
strategic investments, working
capital and general corporate
purposes. See "Use of Proceeds."
Nasdaq National Market symbol........... ABOV
- -------------------------
The number of shares outstanding is based on shares outstanding as of December
31, 1998 and, excludes:
- 1,897,124 shares of common stock issuable upon exercise of options
outstanding under our 1996 and 1997 Stock Option Plans and non-plan options
at a weighted average exercise price of $4.50 per share and 1,555,127 shares
of common stock reserved for issuance under our 1998 Stock Incentive Plan.
From December 31, 1998 through March 31, 1999, we issued options to purchase
237,150 shares of common stock;
- 172,658 shares of common stock issuable upon exercise of outstanding warrants
at a weighted average exercise price of $8.76 per share; and
- 156,250 shares of common stock reserved for issuance under our 1998 Employee
Stock Purchase Plan.
5
<PAGE> 6
SUMMARY FINANCIAL AND OPERATING DATA
(In thousands, except per share and customer data)
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
PERIOD FROM SIX MONTHS ENDED
MARCH 8, 1996 YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, DECEMBER 31,
(INCEPTION) TO ------------------- -----------------
JUNE 30, 1996 1997 1998 1997 1998
-------------- -------- -------- ------- -------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS DATA:
Revenues.......................... $ 79 $ 552 $ 3,436 $ 1,105 $ 4,446
Loss from operations.............. (78) (1,804) (5,327) (1,150) (8,333)
Net loss.......................... $ (78) $(1,803) $(5,425) $(1,266) $(8,543)
====== ======= ======= ======= =======
Basic and diluted loss per
share........................... $(0.62) $ (9.17) $(20.68) $ (5.91) $ (4.50)
====== ======= ======= ======= =======
Shares used in basic and diluted
loss per share.................. 125 197 262 214 1,897
OTHER OPERATING DATA:
Capital expenditures.............. $ 101 $ 850 $ 4,145 $ 298 $20,075
Number of customers at period
end............................. 10 110 278 178 382
</TABLE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
DECEMBER 31, 1998
----------------------
ACTUAL AS ADJUSTED
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<S> <C> <C>
BALANCE SHEET DATA:
Cash and equivalents........................................ $67,904 $422,400
Working capital............................................. 58,724 413,220
Total assets................................................ 95,732 450,228
Long-term obligations, net of current portion............... 6,500 6,500
Total stockholders' equity.................................. 76,869 431,365
</TABLE>
The "as adjusted" numbers in the table above give effect to our receipt of the
net proceeds from the sale of 2,700,000 shares of common stock by us at an
assumed public offering price of $139.25 per share, after deducting the
estimated underwriting discount and estimated offering expenses payable by us.
Capital expenditures in the table above represent purchases of property and
equipment, including non-cash transactions such as the acquisition of equipment
under capital leases. See Notes 1 and 7 of Notes to Financial Statements for an
explanation of the method used to determine the number of shares used to compute
basic and diluted loss per share.
6
<PAGE> 7
RISK FACTORS
You should carefully consider the following factors and other information in
this prospectus before deciding to invest in the shares. The risks and
uncertainties described below may not be the only ones we face. If any of the
following risks actually occur, our business, financial condition or results of
operations could be materially and adversely affected. In this event, the
trading price of our common stock could decline, and you may lose all or part of
your investment. Please see the "Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking
Statements" on page 19 of this prospectus.
BECAUSE WE HAVE A LIMITED OPERATING HISTORY, OUR BUSINESS IS DIFFICULT TO
EVALUATE
We were incorporated in March 1996 and began offering our co-location and
Internet connectivity services to content providers through our first facility
in July 1996. We introduced our co-location and Internet connectivity services
to Internet service providers in August 1997 and began operating our second
Internet service exchange facility in Vienna, Virginia, in July 1998.
Accordingly, we have a limited operating history, and we face all of the risks
and uncertainties encountered by early-stage companies. Also, because we have a
limited operating history, our past results may not be meaningful and you should
not rely on them as indicators of our future performance. In addition, our
prospects must be considered in light of the risks, expenses and difficulties
associated with the new and rapidly evolving market for co-location and Internet
connectivity services. In sum, because of our limited history and the youth and
inherent risks of our industry, predictions of our future performance are very
difficult.
WE HAVE INCURRED SUBSTANTIAL LOSSES AND ANTICIPATE CONTINUING AND INCREASING
LOSSES
Since our inception we have incurred substantial losses. We expect our losses to
significantly increase as we make further investments. We experienced net losses
of $1.8 million, $5.4 million and $8.5 million in fiscal years 1997 and 1998,
and for the six months ended December 31, 1998. As of December 31, 1998, we had
an accumulated deficit of $15.8 million. Our losses are expected to increase as
we intend to:
- substantially increase our sales and marketing activities;
- establish additional Internet service exchange facilities in San Jose,
California, New York, New York, and the Washington D.C. area;
- purchase additional rights to use capacity on fiber optic cable systems;
- establish joint ventures with foreign entities developing international
Internet service exchanges; and
- expand our global network through purchases of long-term capacity and
related equipment.
We face significant challenges before we can become profitable. These challenges
include our ability to:
- increase our customer base and maintain existing customer relationships;
- expand domestically and internationally;
- provide scalable, reliable and cost-effective services;
- develop our infrastructure to accommodate expanded and new facilities,
additional customers and the increase of our network capacity;
- expand our channels of distribution;
- effectively establish our brand name;
- retain and motivate qualified personnel; and
- continue to respond to competitive developments.
7
<PAGE> 8
Although we have experienced significant growth in revenues in recent periods,
we do not believe that this growth rate is necessarily a good indication of
future operating results. We might not ever achieve or sustain profitability.
Please see "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and
Results of Operations" for more detailed information concerning our losses and
other operating results.
OUR BUSINESS WILL SUFFER IF WE DO NOT EXPAND AND MAINTAIN OUR CUSTOMER BASE
Our success depends on the continued growth of our customer base and the
retention of our customers. Our ability to attract new customers depends on a
variety of factors, including:
- the willingness of businesses to outsource their Internet operations;
- the reliability and cost-effectiveness of our services; and
- our ability to effectively market such services.
To attract new customers we intend to significantly increase our sales and
marketing expenditures. However, our efforts might not result in more sales as a
result of the following factors:
- we may be unsuccessful in implementing our marketing strategies;
- we may be unsuccessful in hiring a sufficient number of qualified sales and
marketing personnel; and
- any implemented strategies might not result in increased sales.
Our marketing efforts include developing relationships with hardware providers,
system integrators, value added resellers and Web hosting companies. We may
limit our ability to increase revenues if we fail to develop these
relationships.
In the past, we have lost customers to other service providers for various
reasons, including lower prices and other incentives offered by competitors that
we do not match. Our customers might terminate or decide not to renew their
commitments to use our services. A majority of our customer contracts are
cancelable on 30 days notice.
WE EXPECT OUR OPERATING RESULTS TO FLUCTUATE
We have experienced significant fluctuations in our operating results from
quarter to quarter. As a result of these fluctuations, period-to-period
comparison of our operating results is not necessarily meaningful and should not
be relied upon as an indicator of future performance. We expect our future
operating results to fluctuate. Factors that are likely to cause these
fluctuations include:
- demand for and market acceptance of our services;
- capacity utilization of our Internet service exchange facilities;
- fluctuations in data communications and telecommunications costs;
- customer retention;
- the timing and magnitude of capital expenditures;
- costs relating to the expansion of operations;
- expansion of existing facilities and completion of new facilities;
- fluctuations in bandwidth used by customers;
- introductions of new services or enhancements by us and our competitors;
- the timing of customer installations and related payments;
- the ability to maintain or increase peering relationships;
8
<PAGE> 9
- provisions for customer discounts and credits;
- changes in our pricing policies and those of our competitors;
- changes in regulatory laws and policies;
- economic conditions, particularly those related to the Internet industry;
- difficulties in collecting accounts receivable, particularly because many of
our customers are in an emerging stage;
- compensation costs related to certain option grants and warrants; and
- decreased revenues during the summer months and other seasonal effects on
sales.
In addition, a relatively large portion of our expenses are fixed in the
short-term, particularly with respect to data communications and
telecommunications costs, depreciation, real estate and personnel. Our future
operating results will be particularly sensitive to fluctuations in revenues
because of these and other short-term fixed costs.
Our operating results in the future may fall below the expectations of
securities analysts and investors. In this event, the trading price of our
common stock will likely decrease significantly. Please see "Management's
Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" for a
more detailed analysis of our period-to-period results.
WE MAY FACE PROBLEMS IN CONNECTION WITH OUR EXPANSION PLANS
We are currently expanding our West Coast campus by developing an additional
Internet service exchange facility in San Jose, California. In addition, we are
planning to expand our East Coast campus by developing additional Internet
service exchange facilities in New York, New York and in the Washington D.C.
area. The successful expansion of these facilities will involve significant
planning and resources. We may face problems in connection with our expansion
plans and, as a result, these expansion plans may be delayed or never completed.
We have not yet entered into a facility lease for our planned expansion in the
Washington D.C. area. Please see "Business -- Facilities" for a more detailed
description of our planned Internet service exchange facilities.
Our expansion plans will face many obstacles. In order to carry out our
expansion plans, we must:
- obtain the necessary permits and approvals;
- enter into leases for proposed facilities;
- pass the required inspections; and
- hire the necessary contractors, builders, electricians, architects and
designers.
Our expansion plans are subject to risks, such as:
- construction delay;
- cost estimation errors or overruns;
- equipment and material delays or shortages;
- inability to obtain necessary permits on a timely basis;
- strain on management and diversion of our attention from day-to-day
operations;
- failure to timely hire the necessary employees, including management and
sales personnel; and
- failure to predict customer demand for new facilities.
9
<PAGE> 10
In addition, our costs will increase as we expand. These increased costs
include:
- expenses associated with hiring;
- training and managing new employees;
- purchasing new equipment;
- implementing power and redundancy systems;
- implementing multiple data communications and telecommunications
connections; and
- leasing additional real estate and depreciation.
For a discussion of the risks associated with our needs for additional funding,
please see the Risk Factor entitled "Additional funding may not be available if
we need it."
WE HAVE A LONG SALES CYCLE
A customer's decision to purchase our services involves a significant commitment
of resources. As a result, we have a long sales cycle. We also need to educate
customers regarding the benefits of co-location and Internet connectivity
services. We generally incur significant expenses in sales and marketing prior
to getting customer commitments for our services. As a result, our inability to
get customer commitments or delays due to the lengthy sales cycles could
significantly harm our operating results.
WE DEPEND ON THIRD PARTIES TO ESTABLISH AND OPERATE INTERNATIONAL INTERNET
SERVICE EXCHANGES
As part of our strategy, we plan to continue to make investments in joint
ventures and foreign companies that are expected to develop regional Internet
service exchange facilities in Europe and Asia and license our trademarks and
technology to these entities. We do not expect to control or manage any of these
foreign entities. As a result, we will be required to depend on the management
of these foreign entities to successfully establish and operate these regional
Internet service exchange facilities.
The ability of these foreign companies to successfully establish and operate
Internet service exchange facilities is subject to a number of risks over which
we will have little or no control. These risks include:
- the inability to set up a data communications and telecommunications
infrastructure in a cost-effective manner;
- the inability to compete effectively in international markets; and
- a potentially more rigorous set of laws within each foreign country.
These foreign companies are expected to operate under the AboveNet name. If
these foreign companies are not successful, they could significantly damage our
reputation and brand equity. Also, we have granted exclusive licenses in
Austria, Germany and the United Kingdom and expect to do the same in other
countries. Under the terms of the license agreements in those countries, the
foreign companies have at least one year in which to meet their performance
targets before they risk losing exclusivity in their territories. Because of
these restrictions, if the foreign companies are not successful, we will not be
able to enter those markets on our own or with other third parties for a
significant period of time. For a description of our international Internet
service exchanges, please see "Business -- International Internet Service
Exchanges."
While our international sales are typically denominated in U.S. dollars,
fluctuations in currency exchange rates could cause our services to become
relatively more expensive to customers in a particular country, potentially
leading to a reduction in sales to local customers.
10
<PAGE> 11
WE FACE INTENSE COMPETITION FROM OTHER COMPANIES
Our business is intensely competitive. We expect to face additional competition
from existing competitors and new market entrants in the future as there are few
substantial barriers to entering the co-location service business. We must
distinguish ourselves through the quality of our network performance, service
offerings and brand name recognition. We may be unsuccessful in doing this. In
addition, our business model of establishing centralized Internet service
exchange facilities may not be widely adopted over the model established by
other outsource providers who have developed and are continuing to develop
numerous geographically dispersed facilities. We cannot be certain that we will
have the resources or expertise to compete successfully in the future.
Some of our competitors have certain advantages over us. These advantages
include:
- substantially greater financial, technical and marketing resources;
- larger customer bases;
- longer operating histories;
- greater name recognition; and
- more established relationships in the industry.
Our competitors may be able to utilize these advantages to:
- expand their offerings more quickly;
- adapt to new or emerging technologies and changes in customer requirements
more quickly;
- take advantage of acquisitions and other opportunities more readily;
- devote greater resources to the marketing and sale of their services; and
- adopt more aggressive pricing and incentive policies.
In addition, some of our competitors have offered co-location services at prices
lower than ours. Furthermore, some competitors offer incentives we do not match.
These incentives include free start-up and domain name registration, periods of
free service and low-priced Internet access. This and future price competition
may have a material adverse effect on our business and operating results.
In addition, some competitors have entered into joint ventures, consortiums or
consolidations to provide services competitive with our services. As a result,
these competitors may be able to provide customers with additional benefits,
including reduced communications costs, which could reduce the overall costs of
their services relative to our services. We might not be able to offset the
effects of those price reductions. We also believe that companies seeking
co-location and Internet connectivity for their business critical Internet
operations may use more than one company to provide this service. As a result,
these customers would be able to more easily shift the amount of service and
bandwidth usage from one provider to another. We may also face competition from
our suppliers.
WE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO MANAGE OUR GROWTH EFFECTIVELY
Our operating results and financial condition could suffer if we do not
effectively manage any growth that may occur. We have recently experienced a
period of rapid growth with respect to the expansion of our Internet service
exchange facilities and our customer base. To manage our growth effectively we
must continue to:
- expand our operating and financial procedures and controls;
- replace or upgrade our operational, financial and management information
systems;
11
<PAGE> 12
- attract, train, motivate, manage and retain key employees; and
- increase substantially the size of our sales and marketing organization.
WE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO HIRE OR RETAIN THE KEY EMPLOYEES WE NEED
The market for highly qualified personnel is very competitive. Particularly, we
are dependent on our ability to significantly increase the size of our sales and
marketing organization. If we are unable to hire the key personnel we need, we
may provide poor service and/or have difficulty signing up new customers.
In addition, we depend on the ability of a new management team to effectively
execute our strategies. We recently hired many of our key employees. Between
August and December 1998, we hired our Senior Vice President and Chief Financial
Officer, our Vice President of Construction and Real Estate and our Vice
President of Marketing. In December 1998, we also promoted an employee to Vice
President of Sales. Our Vice President of Engineering joined us in February
1999. Because many members of our management team have worked together for a
short period of time, we have to effectively integrate these managers into our
operations.
We may lose some of our current key personnel and any loss may have an adverse
effect on our business. It is important that we retain our Chief Executive
Officer, Sherman Tuan, President and Chief Operating Officer, Warren J. Kaplan,
Chief Technical Officer, David Rand, and Senior Vice President of Sales and
Marketing, David Dembitz. Any of our officers or employees can quit at any time.
We maintain a key man insurance policy in the amount of approximately $1.1
million on the life of Mr. Tuan, but not on any other executive officers. Also,
all options to purchase common stock held by Mr. Kaplan vested upon our initial
public offering.
WE MUST MAINTAIN AND INCREASE PEERING RELATIONSHIPS
The Internet is comprised of network providers who operate their own networks
and interconnect their networks at various public and private points. These
interconnections are called peering arrangements. Our establishment and
maintenance of peering relationships is necessary in order to effectively
exchange traffic with Internet service providers without having to pay the
higher costs of transit services and in order to maintain high network
performance levels. These arrangements are not subject to regulation and are
subject to changes in terms, conditions or costs. We may not be able to provide
our customers with affordable services if we are unable to maintain and increase
peering relationships with Internet service providers.
In addition, any increase in the costs associated with access to the Internet
that we are unable to pass to our customers may affect our financial condition
and operating results. We may have to pay increasing amounts to maintain our
relationships with Internet service providers to the point where it becomes
necessary to find alternatives. These Internet service providers may increase
their prices. In turn, we may be required to identify alternative methods to
distribute our customers' content. These alternatives may not exist.
WE DEPEND ON THIRD PARTY SUPPLIERS
We depend on third parties to maintain and provide us key components for our
network infrastructure. Our financial condition may suffer if the third parties
we depend on to provide our network infrastructure either increase their cost to
us or fail to maintain the operational integrity of their networks. We, and our
customers, depend upon data communications and telecommunications providers,
such as MCI WorldCom, Sprint, Pacific Bell, Teleport Communications Group, a
subsidiary of AT&T, and WinStar Communications, Inc., to provide the data
communications and/or telecommunications capacity we require. As a result, the
service we provide our customers may be interrupted if our data communications
and telecommunications providers' systems fail. If these systems fail, our
reputation could be harmed or
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<PAGE> 13
our customers could leave. In addition, MCI WorldCom is a current competitor of
ours. Other data communications providers are potential competitors of ours.
Furthermore, some equipment we depend on is available only from limited sources
because of the quantities and quality we demand. Currently, we order all of our
routers from Cisco Systems, Inc. We believe we could find alternative sources to
supply routers in the event routers from Cisco Systems were unavailable.
However, we would need to train our personnel in the use of these alternative
routers. This training could cause delay or interruption of our services.
We have purchased fiber optic cable capacity between the U.S. and the United
Kingdom from Global Crossing Ltd. In March 1999, we entered into an agreement
with Global Crossing to purchase fiber optic cable capacity between the U.S. and
the Netherlands. This agreement is subject to us entering into an additional
agreement with Global Crossing for fiber optic cable capacity connecting certain
European cities. If the contemplated agreements are entered into, we will be
dependent on Global Crossing for fiber connectivity to and within Europe.
OUR SYSTEMS OR OTHER SYSTEMS ON WHICH WE DEPEND MAY FAIL
Our customers depend on our ability to provide continuous service. As a result,
if our service is interrupted, our reputation will be harmed and our customers
may leave. Our systems and our customers' systems risk damage from numerous
forces, including:
- human error;
- fire;
- earthquakes;
- floods;
- power loss;
- telecommunications failures; or
- sabotage or vandalism.
In addition, our operations may be disrupted due to unannounced or unexpected
changes in transmission protocols or other technology.
We may be subject to legal claims and be liable for losses suffered by our
customers for disruption of service or damage to customer equipment. Our
contracts with our customers attempt to eliminate our liability for
consequential or punitive damages and for damage to customer equipment not
caused by our gross negligence or willful acts. However, those provisions may
not protect us from being held liable for those damages.
THE MARKET FOR CO-LOCATION AND INTERNET CONNECTIVITY SERVICES IS NEW AND MAY NOT
GROW
The market for co-location and Internet connectivity services is new and
evolving. As a result, our financial condition will be harmed if our market
fails to develop, or develops more slowly than we expect. The growth of our
market depends on several uncertain events or occurrences. These events or
occurrences include:
- the growth of the Internet as a global communication and commerce medium;
- the willingness of businesses to co-locate their Internet operations; and
- our ability to successfully and cost-effectively market our services to a
sufficiently large number of customers.
Our business may also suffer if our services do not achieve widespread
acceptance in this new market.
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<PAGE> 14
WE MUST BE ABLE TO EXPAND AND ADAPT OUR NETWORK INFRASTRUCTURE
We must continue to expand and adapt our network as the number of its users
grow, as its users place increasing demands on it, and as requirements change.
If we are unable to expand and adapt our network infrastructure, we may lose
customers. We have had limited deployment of our services. Accordingly, it is
difficult to determine if our network will be able to handle, connect and manage
large numbers of users at high transmission speeds. We may not be able to
provide our customers with the increasing levels of data transmission capacity
that they may require for a number of reasons, such as our possible inability to
raise the funds needed to develop the network infrastructure to maintain
adequate data transmission speeds and the lack of additional network capacity
from third-party suppliers. In addition, any future attempts we make to bolster
our network may be delayed or cause further complications. We may encounter
equipment or software incompatibility, among other things, if we upgrade our
network to increase its capacity. This may cause delays in our attempts to
expand or improve our services. For more detailed information regarding our
network, please see "Business -- Network Architecture."
WE MAY FACE RISKS AND COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH POTENTIAL FUTURE ACQUISITIONS
The costs and risks we may face if we pursue acquisitions of key technologies or
companies in the future may have an adverse impact on us. An acquisition may
result in the use of significant amounts of cash, potentially dilutive issuances
of equity securities, incurrence of debt or amortization expenses related to
goodwill and other intangible assets. Any acquisitions we may engage in may
involve numerous risks. These risks include:
- difficulties in the assimilation of the operations, technologies, products
and personnel of the acquired company;
- the diversion of management's attention from other business concerns;
- risks of entering markets in which we have no or limited direct prior
experience; and
- potential loss of key employees of the acquired company.
Our financial condition and operating results may be adversely affected if any
acquisitions occur.
WE DEPEND ON THE GROWTH AND PERFORMANCE OF THE INTERNET
Our success will depend in large part on growth in the use of the Internet. The
growth of the Internet is highly uncertain and depends on a variety of factors.
These factors include security, reliability, cost, ease of access, quality of
service and necessary increases in bandwidth availability. In addition, broad
adoption of the Internet for most business applications will require the
acceptance of a new medium of conducting business and exchanging information.
The recent growth in the use of the Internet has placed strain on the Internet.
This increased use has required the upgrade of routers and switches,
telecommunications links and other components forming the infrastructure of the
Internet by Internet service providers and other organizations with links to the
Internet. Any perceived weakening in the performance of the Internet could
undermine the benefits of our services. The benefits of our services are
ultimately dependent upon the speed and reliability of the networks operated by
third parties. Consequently, the emergence and growth of our market is dependent
on improvements being made to the entire Internet infrastructure to alleviate
overloading and congestion.
WE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO KEEP PACE WITH RAPID TECHNOLOGICAL CHANGES OR EMERGING
INDUSTRY STANDARDS
Our services will become relatively less useful to our customers if we are
unable to respond to technological advances. Our future success depends, in
part, on our ability to address the increasingly sophisticated and varied needs
of our current and prospective customers. Keeping pace with technological
advances in our industry may require substantial expenditures and lead time.
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<PAGE> 15
In addition, future advances in technology may harm our business. We may not be
able to incorporate technological advances on a cost-effective or timely basis
into our business. Future technological advances may also make our services
unnecessary or less cost-effective for our customers. Also technological
advances may encourage businesses to rely on in-house personnel and equipment to
furnish the services we currently provide.
We currently intend to support emerging standards if they become established and
our failure to conform to prevailing standards or the failure of a common
standard to emerge could hurt our business.
WE FACE RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH THE SECURITY OF OUR SYSTEMS
Despite our design and implementation of a variety of network security measures,
unauthorized access, computer viruses, accidental or intentional action and
other disruptions could occur. In addition, we may incur significant costs to
prevent breaches in security or to alleviate problems caused by such breaches.
Any breaches that may occur could result in liability to us, loss of existing
customers and the deterrence of future customers. We have been sued by a
customer alleging that we negligently allowed the customer's consultant access
to the customer's servers co-located at our San Jose facility. Please see
"Business -- Legal Proceedings" for a more detailed description of this lawsuit.
WE OPERATE IN AN UNCERTAIN LEGAL LANDSCAPE
The adoption and interpretation of any future or currently existing regulations
might have a negative impact on our business. The Internet and our market are
relatively new. Many of the laws and regulations that govern us have yet to be
interpreted or enforced. It is likely that in the future many new laws will take
effect that will regulate the Internet and our industry. The applicability to
the Internet of existing laws governing issues such as property ownership,
copyrights and other intellectual property issues, taxation, libel, obscenity
and personal privacy is uncertain. Current and future laws and regulations may:
- decrease the growth of the Internet;
- decrease demand for our services; and
- impose taxes or other costly technical requirements or otherwise increase
the cost of doing business.
We operate over the Internet in multiple states and foreign countries. In
addition, we facilitate sales by our customers to end users located in many
states and foreign jurisdictions. As a result, we are potentially subject to the
laws and regulations of jurisdictions in which we are not qualified to do
business. These jurisdictions may claim that we are required to qualify to do
business as a foreign corporation in each such state or foreign country,
potentially subjecting us to additional taxes and lawsuits in these
jurisdictions.
WE MAY FACE LIABILITY AND OTHER RISKS AS A RESULT OF INFORMATION DISSEMINATED
THROUGH OUR NETWORK
The liability we may face as a result of information disseminated through our
network could have a negative impact on our financial condition. The law
relating to the liability of online services companies and Internet access
providers for information carried on or disseminated through their networks is
currently unsettled. It is possible that claims could be made against online
services companies, co-location companies and Internet access providers under
both United States and foreign law for defamation, negligence, copyright or
trademark infringement or other legal theories. Content distributed by some of
our current or future customers may be regulated or banned. As a result, we may
lose some of our customers if their content is regulated. We have received
letters from recipients of information transmitted by our customers objecting to
the nature and content of the information. Several private lawsuits seeking to
impose liability on online services companies and Internet access providers are
currently pending. In addition, legislation has been recently passed and
continues to be proposed that imposes liability for or prohibits the
transmission over the Internet of certain types of information.
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<PAGE> 16
We may need to implement measures to reduce our exposure to this potential
liability. These measures may require the expenditure of substantial resources.
We also may need to discontinue certain service offerings. The increased
attention focused upon liability issues as a result of these lawsuits, new laws
and legislative proposals could impact the growth of Internet use. We carry
general liability insurance, but it may not be adequate to compensate or may not
cover us in the event we become liable for information carried on or
disseminated through our networks.
In addition, some of our customers have sent unsolicited commercial e-mails from
servers co-located at our facilities to massive numbers of people, typically to
advertise products or services. This practice, known as "spamming," can lead to
complaints against service providers that enable such activities, particularly
where recipients view the materials received as offensive. Internet service
providers and other online services companies might deny network access to us if
undesired content or spamming were to be transmitted from servers co-located by
us. The loss of these services could adversely affect our business and operating
results.
THE PROTECTION OF OUR PROPRIETARY INFORMATION IS LIMITED
We have no patented technology. We rely on a combination of copyright,
trademark, service mark and trade secret laws and contractual restrictions to
establish and protect certain proprietary rights in our technology. The steps we
have taken to protect our intellectual property may be insufficient. Our
technology may be misappropriated or a third party may independently develop
similar technologies. The laws of certain foreign countries may not protect our
intellectual property rights to the same extent as do the laws of the U.S.
WE MAY BE ACCUSED OF INFRINGING THE PROPRIETARY RIGHTS OF OTHERS
Our business may be adversely affected by a claim that we are infringing the
proprietary rights of others. We have not been notified that we infringe the
proprietary rights of third parties. However, we might face claims of
infringement in the future. Any claim, whether meritorious or not, could be
time-consuming, result in costly litigation, cause service delays or require us
to enter into royalty or licensing agreements. Any royalty or licensing
agreements required might not be available at all or on terms acceptable to us.
ADDITIONAL FUNDING MAY NOT BE AVAILABLE IF WE NEED IT
Our business may suffer if we require additional funding and are not able to
obtain it. We expect to incur significant expenditures as part of our expansion
plans. In March 1999, we entered into a commitment to pay $7.5 million for
additional fiber optic capacity. This $7.5 million commitment is subject to us
entering into an additional commitment to purchase fiber optic capacity
connecting certain European cities, which commitment is expected to be
approximately $11.0 million. We might not enter into the commitment to purchase
fiber optic cable capacity connecting certain European cities on reasonable
terms or at all. We intend to enter into additional arrangements to secure fiber
optic capacity for Europe, Asia and the Pacific Rim. These agreements may
require us to make substantial up front payments for long-term capacity that
could require us to seek additional debt or equity financing. In addition, we
have investment commitments and plan to continue to make future investments in
joint ventures and foreign companies to develop international Internet service
exchanges. We believe that, following this offering, our cash reserves and
available borrowings will be adequate to fund our operations for at least the
next 12 months. However, we may require additional funds either during or after
such 12 month period. Please see "Use of Proceeds."
We are currently seeking to enter into an equipment financing arrangement for up
to $10.0 million. This financing and any future financing may not be available
if required or may only be available on terms that are not favorable to us. If
additional funds are raised through the issuance of equity securities, the
percentage ownership of our stockholders could be significantly diluted. Any new
equity securities may have rights, preferences or privileges senior to those of
our stockholders. For a more detailed description of
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<PAGE> 17
our capital commitments and resources, please see "Management's Discussion and
Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" and Notes 4, 9 and 12
of Notes to Financial Statements.
WE FACE RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH THE YEAR 2000 COMPUTER PROBLEM
Although we have taken precautions, we may still encounter problems attributable
to the Year 2000 issue. Many currently installed computer systems and software
products are coded to accept only two digit dates. These systems will need to
distinguish 21st century dates from 20th century dates. Any inability to do so
could result in system failures or miscalculations causing disruptions of
operations, including a temporary inability to process transactions, send
invoices or engage in similar normal business activities. As a result, many
companies' software and computer systems may need to be upgraded or replaced in
order to comply with such "Year 2000" requirements.
We are in the process of establishing procedures for evaluating and managing the
risks and costs associated with this problem. We believe our computer systems on
a stand-alone basis are currently Year 2000 compliant. We cannot assure you that
our computer systems are Year 2000 compliant.
We may face losses due to the failure of our customers or suppliers to ensure
that their systems are Year 2000 compliant. Many of our customers' and
suppliers' Internet operations may be impacted by Year 2000 complications. This
impact may result in decreased Internet usage or the delay or inability to
obtain necessary data communications and telecommunications capacity. These
delays may have a direct effect on our operations.
WE ARE SUBJECT TO INFLUENCE FROM PRINCIPAL STOCKHOLDERS, EXECUTIVE OFFICERS AND
DIRECTORS
Some of our stockholders own a large enough stake in us to have an influence on
matters presented to the stockholders. Our executive officers, directors and
greater than 5% stockholders (and their affiliates) will, in the aggregate, own
approximately 25.0% of our outstanding common stock after this offering. If
these parties acted in concert they could influence, among other things, the
election and removal of directors and any merger, consolidation or sale of all
or substantially all of our assets. This concentration of ownership may delay or
prevent a change in control, merger, consolidation, takeover or other business
combination involving us. They may discourage a potential acquirer from making a
tender offer or otherwise attempting to obtain control of us. As a result, this
concentration of ownership may have an adverse effect on our value.
OUR STOCK PRICE IS VOLATILE
The market price of our stock has and is likely to experience extreme
fluctuations in response to a number of factors. These factors include:
- actual or anticipated variations in our results of operations;
- announcements of technological innovations;
- new services introduced by us or our competitors;
- changes in financial estimates by security analysts;
- conditions and trends in the Internet industry;
- general market conditions; and
- potential volatility due to the increase in the number of publicly traded
shares in connection with this offering.
The Nasdaq National Market has experienced extreme price and volume
fluctuations, as have other stock markets. For example, from December 10, 1998,
the date of the initial public offering of our common stock, through April 13,
1999, our stock price rose from $13.00 per share to $139.25 and has on many days
fluctuated more than 10%. Similar market fluctuations have particularly affected
the market prices of
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<PAGE> 18
equity securities of many technology companies. The effects on the stock prices
of these companies have often been unrelated or disproportionate to the
operating performance of these companies. The trading prices of many technology
companies' stocks are at or near historical highs and reflect valuations
substantially above historical levels. These trading prices and valuations may
fall significantly. In addition, these broad market factors may adversely affect
the market price of our common stock. Our stock price may also be adversely
affected by general economic, political and market conditions such as
recessions, interest rate changes or international currency fluctuations. Class
action litigation has often been instituted following periods of volatility in
the market price of a company's securities. We would be adversely affected if
such litigation were brought against us.
THIS OFFERING WILL BENEFIT SOME OF OUR EXISTING STOCKHOLDERS
The selling stockholders will receive substantial proceeds from selling their
shares of common stock in this offering. We will pay the offering expenses of
the selling stockholders in this offering other than the underwriting discount.
At an assumed offering price of $139.25 per share, the net proceeds to the
selling stockholders, most of whom are our affiliates, will be approximately
$171.1 million.
In addition, as a result of this offering, the pro forma net tangible book value
per share to existing stockholders will immediately increase and the net
tangible book value per share to new investors will immediately be diluted.
WE HAVE BROAD DISCRETION AS TO USE OF PROCEEDS
We estimate the net proceeds of this offering to be approximately $354.5
million. We expect to use the net proceeds for capital expenditures related to
the build-out of our facilities, increasing network capacity, potential
strategic investments, working capital and general corporate purposes. However,
we may change the allocation of these proceeds in response to economic or
industry developments or changes. Our management can spend the proceeds from
this offering in ways with which the stockholders may not agree. We cannot
predict that such proceeds will be invested to yield a favorable return. See
"Use of Proceeds."
WE HAVE ANTI-TAKEOVER PROVISIONS IN OUR CHARTER DOCUMENTS AND THERE ARE
PROVISIONS OF DELAWARE LAW THAT COULD PREVENT OR DELAY A CHANGE IN CONTROL OF
OUR COMPANY
Our certificate of incorporation, our bylaws and Delaware law contain provisions
that could make it more difficult for a third party to acquire us, even if doing
so would be beneficial to our stockholders. Such provisions include:
- authorizing the issuance of up to 5,000,000 shares of "blank check"
preferred stock;
- providing for a classified board of directors with staggered, three year
terms; and
- prohibiting certain stockholder action by written consent.
We are currently considering other anti-takeover measures, including a
stockholders' rights plan. Please see "Description of Capital Stock" for a more
complete discussion of these matters.
YOU WILL EXPERIENCE IMMEDIATE AND SUBSTANTIAL DILUTION IN THE NET TANGIBLE BOOK
VALUE OF THE STOCK YOUR PURCHASE
The assumed public offering price is substantially higher than the net tangible
book value per outstanding share of common stock. Purchasers of our common stock
will incur immediate and substantial dilution of $112.78 per share in the net
tangible book value of our common stock from the assumed public offering price
of $139.25. Additional dilution will occur upon the exercise of outstanding
options.
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<PAGE> 19
SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
Some of the statements under "Prospectus Summary," "Risk Factors," "Management's
Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,"
"Business" and elsewhere in this prospectus are forward-looking statements that
involve risks and uncertainties. These forward-looking statements include
statements about our plans, objectives, expectations, intentions and assumptions
and other statements contained in this prospectus that are not statements of
historical fact. You can identify these statements by words such as "may,"
"will," "should," "estimates," "predicts," "potential," "continue," "strategy,"
"believes," "anticipates," "plans," "expects," "intends" and similar
expressions. We cannot guarantee future results, levels of activity, performance
or achievements. Our actual results and the timing of certain events may differ
significantly from the results discussed in the forward-looking statements.
Factors that might cause such a discrepancy include those discussed in "Risk
Factors" and elsewhere in this prospectus.
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USE OF PROCEEDS
The net proceeds from the sale of the 2,700,000 shares of common stock offered
by us will be approximately $354.5 million assuming a public offering price of
$139.25 per share and after deducting the estimated underwriting discount and
estimated offering expenses payable by us. We will not receive any proceeds from
the sale of shares by the selling stockholders.
We currently expect to use between $56.0 million to $72.0 million of the net
proceeds of this offering for capital expenditures associated with our planned
expansion of our West and East Coast campuses. We also expect to use a
significant amount of the net proceeds for the purchase of fiber optic cable
capacity and related equipment. In addition, we intend to use a portion of the
net proceeds for strategic investments in companies developing Internet service
exchange facilities in Europe and Asia.
The balance of the net proceeds of this offering will be used for working
capital and general corporate purposes. From time to time we have had
discussions regarding possible acquisitions of businesses or technologies that
are complementary to our business. Although we may use a portion of the net
proceeds for these kinds of possible acquisitions, there are no current
agreements or commitments in this regard. We may, however, change the allocation
of these proceeds in response to developments or changes that affect our
business and/or our industry. Our management may spend the proceeds from this
offering in ways with which the stockholders may not deem desirable. Pending use
of the net proceeds for the above purposes, we plan to invest such funds in
short-term, investment grade, interest-bearing securities. We cannot predict
that the proceeds will be invested to yield a favorable return.
DIVIDEND POLICY
We have never declared or paid cash dividends on our capital stock. We currently
expect to retain future earnings, if any, for use in the operation and expansion
of our business and do not anticipate paying any cash dividends in the
foreseeable future. Our debt facilities contain restrictive covenants that limit
our ability to pay cash dividends without the prior written consent of the
lender.
PRICE RANGE OF COMMON STOCK
Our common stock began trading publicly on the Nasdaq National Market on
December 10, 1998 and is traded under the symbol "ABOV." The following table
shows the high and low per share closing prices of our common stock, as reported
by the Nasdaq National Market for the periods indicated.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
HIGH LOW
-------- -------
<S> <C> <C>
1998
Second Fiscal Quarter (beginning December 10, 1998)....... $ 25.75 $ 12.13
1999
Third Fiscal Quarter...................................... $131.88 $ 19.44
Fourth Fiscal Quarter (through April 13, 1999)............ $150.27 $104.88
</TABLE>
On April 13, 1999, the closing price of our common stock on the Nasdaq National
Market was $139.25 per share, and on March 31, 1999 there were approximately 147
holders of record of the common stock.
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CAPITALIZATION
The following table sets forth the following information as of December 31,
1998:
- our actual capitalization; and
- our "as adjusted" capitalization that gives effect to the sale of 2,700,000
shares of common stock at an assumed public offering price $139.25 per share
in this offering, less the estimated underwriting discount and our estimated
offering expenses.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
DECEMBER 31, 1998
-----------------------
ACTUAL AS ADJUSTED
-------- -----------
(In thousands)
<S> <C> <C>
Long term obligations, less current portion................. $ 6,500 $ 6,500
Stockholders' equity:
Preferred stock, $0.001 par value; 5,000,000 shares
authorized; no shares issued and outstanding, actual
and as adjusted........................................ -- --
Common stock, $0.001 par value; 60,000,000 shares
authorized, 13,593,956 shares issued and outstanding,
actual; 16,293,956 shares issued and outstanding, as
adjusted............................................... 89,327 443,823
Common stock options...................................... 3,467 3,467
Deferred stock compensation............................... (77) (77)
Accumulated deficit....................................... (15,848) (15,848)
-------- --------
Total stockholders' equity........................ 76,869 431,365
-------- --------
Total capitalization.............................. $ 83,369 $437,865
======== ========
</TABLE>
The number of outstanding shares of common stock excludes:
- 1,897,124 shares of common stock issuable upon exercise of options
outstanding under our 1996, 1997 and 1998 Stock Option Plans and non-plan
options at a weighted average price of $4.50;
- 172,658 shares of common stock issuable upon exercise of outstanding
warrants at a weighted average exercise price of $8.76 per share;
- 1,555,127 shares of common stock reserved for future issuance under our 1998
Stock Option Plan; and
- 156,250 shares of common stock reserved for future issuance under our 1998
Employee Stock Purchase Plan.
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DILUTION
The net tangible book value of our common stock as of December 31, 1998, was
$76.9 million, or approximately $5.65 per share. "Net tangible book value" per
share represents the amount of total tangible assets less total liabilities,
divided by the number of shares of common stock outstanding. Dilution in the net
tangible book value per share represents the difference between the amount per
share paid by purchasers of shares of our common stock in this offering and the
net tangible book value per share of common stock immediately afterwards. After
giving effect to the sale of 2,700,000 shares of common stock offered by this
prospectus and after deducting the estimated underwriting discount and our
estimated offering expenses, our net tangible book value would have been $431.4
million, or approximately $26.47 per share. This represents an immediate
increase in net tangible book value of $20.82 per share to existing stockholders
and an immediate dilution in net tangible book value of $112.78 per share to new
investors. The following table illustrates this per share dilution:
<TABLE>
<S> <C> <C>
Public offering price per share............................. $139.25
-------
Net tangible book value per share as of December 31,
1998................................................... $ 5.65
------
Increase in net tangible book value per share attributable
to the offering........................................ 20.82
------
Net tangible book value per share after giving effect to the
offering.................................................. 26.47
-------
Net tangible book value dilution per share to new investors
in the offering........................................... $112.78
=======
</TABLE>
This table excludes all options and warrants that were outstanding as of
December 31, 1998. See Notes 6 and 12 of Notes to Financial Statements. The
exercise of the outstanding options and warrants having an exercise price less
than the offering price would increase the dilutive effect to new investors.
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SELECTED FINANCIAL AND OPERATING DATA
This section presents historical financial data of AboveNet Communications Inc.
You should read carefully the financial statements included in this prospectus,
including the notes to the financial statements. The selected data in this
section is not intended to replace the financial statements.
We derived the statement of operations data for the period from March 8, 1996
(inception) to June 30, 1996 and the years ended June 30, 1997 and 1998 and
balance sheet data as of June 30, 1997 and 1998 from the audited financial
statements included in this prospectus. Those financial statements were audited
by Deloitte & Touche LLP, our independent auditors. We derived the balance sheet
data as of June 30, 1996 from unaudited financial statements that are not
included in this prospectus. We derived the statement of operations data for the
six months ended December 31, 1997 and 1998 and balance sheet data as of
December 31, 1998 from the unaudited financial statements included in this
prospectus. We believe that the unaudited historical financial statements
contain all adjustments needed to present fairly the information included in
those statements, and that the adjustments made consist only of recurring
adjustments.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
SIX MONTHS
PERIOD FROM ENDED
MARCH 8, 1996 YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, DECEMBER 31,
(INCEPTION) TO -------------------- -----------------
JUNE 30, 1996 1997 1998 1997 1998
-------------- -------- -------- ------- -------
(In thousands, except per share and customer data)
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS DATA:
Revenues........................................... $ 79 $ 552 $ 3,436 $ 1,105 $ 4,446
------ ------- ------- ------- -------
Costs and expenses:
Data communications and telecommunications....... -- 559 2,200 629 2,830
Network operations............................... 20 417 1,572 444 2,023
Sales and marketing.............................. 19 382 1,618 475 3,493
General and administrative....................... 66 434 1,621 476 2,061
Depreciation and amortization.................... 52 133 476 182 1,203
Stock-based compensation expense................. -- -- 1,276 49 1,169
Joint venture termination fee.................... -- 431 -- -- --
------ ------- ------- ------- -------
Total costs and expenses........................... 157 2,356 8,763 2,255 12,779
------ ------- ------- ------- -------
Loss from operations............................... (78) (1,804) (5,327) (1,150) (8,333)
Interest expense................................... -- (7) (161) (126) (493)
Interest income.................................... -- 8 63 10 283
------ ------- ------- ------- -------
Net loss........................................... $ (78) $(1,803) $(5,425) $(1,266) $(8,543)
====== ======= ======= ======= =======
Basic and diluted loss per share................... $(0.62) $ (9.17) $(20.68) $ (5.91) $ (4.50)
====== ======= ======= ======= =======
Shares used in basic and diluted loss per share.... 125 197 262 214 1,897
OTHER OPERATING DATA:
Capital expenditures............................... $ 101 $ 850 $ 4,145 $ 298 $20,075
Number of customers at period end.................. 10 110 278 178 382
</TABLE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
JUNE 30,
----------------------------- DECEMBER 31,
1996 1997 1998 1998
------- ------- ------- ------------
(in thousands)
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C>
BALANCE SHEET DATA:
Cash and equivalents.................................. $ 89 $ 331 $ 8,141 $67,904
Working capital (deficit)............................. 88 (946) 5,061 58,724
Total assets.......................................... 151 1,171 13,693 95,732
Long-term obligations, net of current portion......... 210 116 9,325 6,500
Total stockholders' equity (deficiency)............... (73) (262) 661 76,869
</TABLE>
See Notes 1 and 7 of Notes to Financial Statements for an explanation of the
method used to determine the number of shares used in computing basic and
diluted loss per share. Capital expenditures in the table above represent
purchases of property and equipment, including non-cash transactions such as the
acquisition of equipment under capital lease.
23
<PAGE> 24
MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS
OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
You should read this together with the financial statements and other financial
information included in this prospectus. This prospectus contains
forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Our actual
results may differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking
statements. Please see the "Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements"
elsewhere in this prospectus. Our fiscal year ends on June 30. The fiscal year
ended June 30, 1997 is referred to as fiscal 1997 and the fiscal year ended June
30, 1998 is referred to as fiscal 1998.
OVERVIEW
We are a leading provider of high performance, managed co-location and Internet
connectivity solutions for electronic commerce and other business critical
Internet operations. We were founded in March 1996 and, in July 1996, began
providing co-location and Internet connectivity services to content providers at
our San Jose, California facility. In August 1997, we expanded our service
offerings to provide co-location and Internet connectivity services to Internet
service providers, enabling the development of our Internet service exchange
model. In July 1998, we opened our second Internet service exchange facility,
located in Vienna, Virginia, and completed an expansion of our San Jose Internet
service exchange facility. The San Jose facility currently has approximately
6,800 square feet of co-location space and the Vienna facility has approximately
12,000 square feet of co-location space.
We derive most of our revenues from bandwidth charges, with additional revenues
generated from charges related to space requirements and one-time installation
fees. Bandwidth and space requirement charges are billed on a monthly basis.
Space requirement charges include access to our network, proprietary tools and
management services. In most instances, we charge our customers for a set amount
of bandwidth availability and charge incremental fees if the customer uses
additional bandwidth. Our contracts range from month-to-month to multiple year
commitments, a majority of which are cancelable on 30 days notice. Revenues
relating to bandwidth usage and space requirement charges are generally
recognized in the period in which the services are performed. Installation fees
are recognized in the period of installation.
A significant component of our expenses relates to data communications and
telecommunications costs. Data communications costs consist primarily of
payments to network providers, such as MCI WorldCom, Sprint, Pacific Bell,
Teleport Communications Group, a subsidiary of AT&T, and WinStar Communications,
Inc. Telecommunications charges generally consist of one time fees for circuit
installation and variable recurring circuit charges. Monthly circuit charges
vary based upon circuit type, the distance the circuit spans and/or the circuit
usage, as well as the term of the contract.
We intend to create a global Internet service exchange network by connecting
centralized facilities in key domestic and international locations. As part of
this strategy we have made and intend to continue to make strategic investments
in joint ventures and foreign companies to develop Internet service exchanges in
Europe and Asia. In March 1999, we made an aggregate investment of approximately
$600,000 in foreign entities in Austria, Germany and the United Kingdom. These
entities will establish regional Internet service exchanges in those markets.
Under our agreements with these entities, we are required to invest an
additional $1.9 million in the quarter ending June 30, 1999. We have committed
to invest up to an additional $6.5 million in the aggregate in the German and
United Kingdom entities. We will account for these investments under the equity
method of accounting, which requires us to recognize our proportionate share of
the net income or loss of these entities.
To further our global strategy, we entered into a series of agreements in
December 1998 with Global Crossing Ltd. providing for the acquisition of a right
to use capacity on a fiber optic cable system between the U.S. and the United
Kingdom. The agreements, which have 25 year terms, provide for us to pay Global
Crossing up to approximately $8.3 million for the capacity in installments
during December 1998
24
<PAGE> 25
and the third quarter of fiscal 1999. The capacity became available in March
1999. In the short term, we plan to resell all or a portion of the additional
capacity. In March 1999, we entered into another agreement with Global Crossing
for the acquisition of a right to use capacity on a fiber optic cable system
between the U.S. and the Netherlands. The agreement commits us to pay $7.5
million in a series of installments through December 30, 1999. Any outstanding
amounts will bear interest at the rate of 10.5% per year. Our commitment to pay
the $7.5 million to Global Crossing is conditioned on us entering into another
agreement with Global Crossing for the right to use capacity on a fiber optic
cable system connecting certain European cities. If we enter into this
contemplated agreement for the right to use this capacity connecting certain
European cities, we expect to pay up to approximately $11.0 million for this
capacity. We might not enter into the contemplated agreement on reasonable
terms, or at all. We intend to enter into additional rights to use capacity on
fiber optic cable systems or other types of arrangements to secure capacity for
Europe, Asia and the Pacific Rim. These agreements may require us to make
substantial up front payments for long-term capacity which could be a
significant use of the proceeds of this offering. See Note 12 of Notes to
Financial Statements.
We are establishing a West Coast campus by developing a second San Jose,
California Internet service exchange facility of approximately 124,000 square
feet, including approximately 61,000 square feet of co-location space. In March
1999, we opened this new facility with 4,500 square feet of co-location space
and we intend to build out an additional 6,800 square feet of co-location space
by the fall of 1999. Afterwards, we intend to build out approximately 13,000
additional square feet of co-location space by the spring of 2000. The build-out
of additional co-location space will occur incrementally over time based on
customer demand. In addition, we are establishing an East Coast campus. We have
entered into a lease in New York, New York and intend to develop a smaller
Internet service exchange facility there. We intend to connect the New York
facility to our Vienna, Virginia facility by a high speed, high capacity fiber
optic cable connection. The New York facility is expected to be approximately
27,000 square feet, including approximately 11,000 square feet of co-location
space. The new facility is targeted to open in the fall of 1999. We intend to
complete the initial build-out of approximately 5,500 square feet of co-location
space and the build-out of additional co-location space incrementally over time
based on customer demand. We also plan to expand our East coast campus by
developing an Internet service exchange facility in the Washington D.C. area. We
target opening the facility in the second half of calendar year 2000. We have
not yet signed a lease for this facility. The development and equipping of these
facilities will significantly increase our fixed and operating expenses,
including expenses associated with hiring, training and managing new employees,
purchasing new equipment, implementing power and redundancy systems,
implementing multiple data communications and telecommunications connections,
leasing additional real estate and depreciation.
In connection with our international Internet service exchange investments and
our expansion plans, we expect our data communications and telecommunications
costs to significantly increase in order to expand our network capacity. We
expect this increase in costs to begin in the quarter ending June 30, 1999.
A key aspect of our strategy is to significantly increase our sales and
marketing activities through the expansion of our sales force, increased focus
on developing reseller channels and increased marketing efforts to build the
AboveNet brand. We expect sales and marketing expenses to increase substantially
in future periods.
We recently hired many of our key employees and officers. Our President and
Chief Operating Officer joined us in November 1997. Our Senior Vice President of
Sales and Marketing joined us in April 1998. Our Vice President of Construction
and Real Estate and Vice President of International -- Europe each joined us in
August 1998. Our Chief Financial Officer joined us in November 1998 and, in
December 1998, we hired a Vice President of Marketing and promoted an existing
employee to serve as the new Vice President of Sales. Our Vice President of
Engineering joined us in February 1999.
During late fiscal 1997 and 1998, we granted stock options and warrants to
strategic business partners and non-employees. Additionally, during fiscal 1998
and the first quarter of fiscal 1999, we granted a key executive stock options
at an exercise price below market. As a result, we recognized stock-based
compensation expense of approximately $1.3 million and $1.2 million in fiscal
1998 and the first
25
<PAGE> 26
six months of fiscal 1999, respectively. At December 31, 1998, we had $77,000 of
deferred stock compensation which will be amortized through fiscal 2000.
In connection with our investments in international Internet service exchanges
in March 1999, we agreed to grant options to purchase up to 300,000 shares of
common stock to employees of those Internet service exchanges upon meeting
certain annual performance criteria over the next four years. We will recognize
compensation expense for these options as the performance criteria are being
achieved. In addition, we granted 42,500 options to purchase shares of common
stock to three non-employees, two of whom are members of our board of directors.
These options vest annually over three years and have a three-year term. We will
begin to recognize compensation expense for these service options in the quarter
ending June 30, 1999. While the ultimate amount of compensation expense for
these arrangements is unknown, the amount could be substantial as it will be
measured based on the value of the options when the options vest.
Since our inception in March 1996, we have experienced operating losses and
negative cash flows from operations in each quarterly and annual period. As of
December 31, 1998, we had an accumulated deficit of $15,848,500. The revenue and
income potential of our business and market is unproven, and our limited
operating history makes an evaluation of us and our prospects difficult. In
addition, although we have experienced significant growth in revenues in recent
periods, we do not believe that this growth rate is necessarily indicative of
future operating results. We may never achieve profitability or, if we achieve
profitability, we might not sustain profitability.
RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
The following table sets forth certain statements of operations data as a
percentage of revenues for the period from March 8, 1996 (Inception) to June 30,
1996, for the years ended June 30, 1997 and 1998 and for the six months ended
December 31, 1997 and 1998. This information should be read in conjunction with
the Financial Statements and Notes thereto included elsewhere in this
prospectus.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
SIX MONTHS
PERIOD FROM YEAR ENDED ENDED
MARCH 8, 1996 JUNE 30, DECEMBER 31,
(INCEPTION) TO --------------- ---------------
JUNE 30, 1996 1997 1998 1997 1998
-------------- ------ ------ ------ ------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Revenues.............................. 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0%
Costs and expenses:
Data communications and
telecommunications............... -- 101.3 64.0 56.9 63.6
Network operations.................. 24.7 75.5 45.7 40.2 45.5
Sales and marketing................. 24.3 69.4 47.1 43.0 78.6
General and administrative.......... 84.1 78.6 47.2 43.0 46.3
Depreciation and amortization....... 65.6 24.1 13.8 16.4 27.1
Stock-based compensation expense.... -- -- 37.2 4.5 26.3
Joint venture termination fee....... -- 78.1 -- -- --
----- ------ ------ ------ ------
Total costs and expenses......... 198.7 427.0 255.0 204.0 287.4
----- ------ ------ ------ ------
Loss from operations.................. (98.7) (327.0) (155.0) (104.0) (187.4)
Interest expense...................... -- (1.3) (4.7) (11.4) (11.1)
Interest and other income............. -- 1.5 1.8 0.8 6.4
----- ------ ------ ------ ------
Net loss.............................. (98.7)% (326.8)% (157.9)% (114.6)% (192.1)%
===== ====== ====== ====== ======
</TABLE>
COMPARISON OF THE SIX MONTHS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 1997 AND 1998
Revenues. We derive most of our revenues from monthly bandwidth charges, with
additional revenues from space requirement charges and one-time installation
fees. Our revenues increased 302% from
26
<PAGE> 27
$1.1 million in the six months ended December 31, 1997, to $4.4 million in the
six months ended December 31, 1998. This growth in revenues resulted primarily
from an increase in the number of customers, from 178 customers at December 31,
1997, to 382 customers at December 31, 1998. One customer, RemarQ Communities,
Inc. (formerly named Supernews, Inc.), accounted for 12% of revenues in the six
months ended December 31, 1997 and 10% of revenues in the six months ended
December 31, 1998. Our agreement with RemarQ Communities, Inc. has a term of one
year, which expires July 1999, and does not contain any minimum bandwidth usage
requirements.
Data Communications and Telecommunications. Data communications costs consist
primarily of payments to network providers. Telecommunications charges consist
of one-time fees for circuit installation and variable recurring circuit
charges. Our data communications and telecommunications expenses increased 350%
from $629,000 in the six months ended December 31, 1997, to $2.8 million in the
six months ended December 31, 1998. The increase is primarily due to the growth
in our customer base and usage of additional bandwidth. We expect that data
communications and telecommunications costs will continue to increase in
absolute dollars as we continue to expand our network infrastructure.
Network Operations. Network operations expenses are comprised primarily of
salaries, benefits and related expenses for our operations and engineering
personnel, as well as facility rent and expenses associated with maintaining our
co-location facilities. Our network operations expenses increased 355% from
$445,000 in the six months ended December 31, 1997, to $2.0 million in the six
months ended December 31, 1998. The increase is primarily due to the hiring of
additional operations and engineering personnel and associated costs. Most
recently, a significant factor in the increase has been due to the increased
staffing at the Vienna, Virginia Internet service exchange facility. We expect
that network operations expenses will continue to increase in absolute dollars
as we hire additional personnel to expand our operations.
Sales and Marketing. Our sales and marketing expenses are primarily comprised of
salaries, commissions and benefits related to our sales and marketing personnel,
the cost of our marketing and promotional efforts, including advertising,
printing and trade show costs, as well as related consultants' fees and travel
and entertainment expenses. Sales and marketing expenses increased 635% from
$475,000 in the six months ended December 31, 1997, to $3.5 million in the six
months ended December 31, 1998. This increase was due primarily to increased
compensation and related expenses resulting from the hiring of additional sales
and marketing personnel and increases in trade show, advertising and marketing
program costs. We expect that sales and marketing expenses will increase
substantially in future periods as we continue to expand our sales force and our
brand-building activities.
General and Administrative. Our general and administrative expenses are
comprised primarily of salaries and benefits for our management and
administrative personnel, as well as fees paid for professional services and
corporate overhead. General and administrative expenses increased 333% from
$476,000 in the six months ended December 31, 1997, to $2.1 million in the six
months ended December 31, 1998. This increase was primarily due to increased
compensation and related benefits associated with additional personnel,
increased professional services fees and the costs associated with supporting
our expansion. We expect that general and administrative expenses will continue
to increase in absolute dollars as we expand our operations and incur the higher
costs associated with being a publicly-traded company.
Depreciation and Amortization. Depreciation and amortization expenses relate
primarily to our facility improvement and construction efforts as well as
telecommunications equipment. Our depreciation and amortization expenses
increased 562% from $182,000 in the six months ended December 31, 1997 to $1.2
million in the six months ended December 31, 1998. The increase is primarily due
to capital expenditures incurred during the second half of fiscal 1998 and the
first half of fiscal 1999 related to facility improvement and construction costs
in San Jose, California, the construction of our Internet service exchange
facility in Vienna, Virginia, and additional telecommunications equipment. We
expect to incur increased depreciation and amortization expenses related to our
planned Internet service exchange facilities, as well as the amortization of the
rights to use capacity on fiber optic cable systems.
Stock-based Compensation. During fiscal 1998 and 1999, we granted stock options
to a key executive at an exercise price below market prices on the dates of the
grants. Additionally, during late fiscal 1997 and
27
<PAGE> 28
fiscal 1998 and 1999, we granted stock options and warrants to strategic
business partners and non-employees. Stock options and warrants result in
stock-based compensation charges, a portion of which is deferred and expensed
over the vesting period. On December 10, 1998, we completed our initial public
offering, at which time the vesting of a significant number of these options
accelerated. Consequently, the remaining deferred compensation costs related to
those options were recognized. For the six months ended December 31, 1998 and
December 31, 1997, stock-based compensation expenses were $1.2 million and
$49,000. At December 31, 1998, we had $77,000 in deferred stock compensation
which will continue to be amortized through fiscal 2000.
Interest Income (Expense), Net. Interest income (expense), net was $(117,000) in
the six months ended December 31, 1997 compared to $(210,000) in the six months
ended December 31, 1998. Interest expense for the six months ended December 31,
1998 related to borrowings to finance equipment purchases and improvements to
our Internet service exchange facilities in San Jose, California and Vienna,
Virginia. Interest expense during the six months ended December 31, 1997, was
primarily related to the issuance of warrants associated with our issuance of
convertible debt. We expect that interest expense will continue to increase in
absolute dollars as we enter into additional equipment leases and borrowing
facilities to finance expansion, including the development of our planned
Internet service exchange facilities.
COMPARISON OF FISCAL YEARS ENDED JUNE 30, 1997 AND 1998
Revenues. Our revenues increased 523% from $552,000 in fiscal 1997 to $3.4
million in fiscal 1998. This growth in revenues resulted primarily from an
increase in the number of customers, from 110 customers at June 30, 1997 to 278
customers at June 30, 1998. One customer, RemarQ Communities, Inc. (formerly
named Supernews, Inc.), accounted for 12% of revenues in fiscal 1997 and 14% of
revenues in fiscal 1998.
Data Communications and Telecommunications. Our data communications and
telecommunications expenses increased 294% from $559,000 in fiscal 1997 to $2.2
million in fiscal 1998. This increase is primarily due to the growth in our
customer base and usage of additional bandwidth.
Network Operations. Our network operations expenses increased 277% from $417,000
in fiscal 1997 to $1.6 million in fiscal 1998. The increase is primarily due to
the hiring of additional operations and engineering personnel and the costs
associated therewith.
Sales and Marketing. Sales and marketing expenses increased 323% from $383,000
in fiscal 1997 to $1.6 million in fiscal 1998. Sales and marketing expenses as a
percentage of total revenues decreased from 69% in fiscal 1997 to 47% in fiscal
1998. Of this increase, approximately $700,000 was due to increased compensation
and related expenses as the result of the hiring of additional sales and
marketing personnel. The increase was also attributable to increased marketing
program, trade show and advertising expenses. The decrease as a percentage of
revenue in fiscal 1998 was primarily due to increased revenues associated with
higher bandwidth utilization among the existing customer base, which had lower
associated sales and marketing expenses.
General and Administrative. General and administrative expenses increased 274%
from $434,000 in fiscal 1997 to $1.6 million in fiscal 1998. General and
administrative expenses as a percentage of revenues decreased from 79% in fiscal
1997 to 47% in fiscal 1998 due to the increase in revenues. Of this increase,
approximately $500,000 was due to increased compensation and related benefits
associated with additional personnel in management, finance and administration,
while the remaining increase was primarily attributable to the costs associated
with supporting our expansion.
Depreciation and Amortization. Our depreciation and amortization expenses
increased 258% from $133,000 in fiscal 1997 to $476,000 in fiscal 1998. The
increase is due to additional capital expenditures incurred during fiscal 1998,
primarily for telecommunications equipment.
Stock-Based Compensation. Stock-based compensation expense during fiscal 1997
and fiscal 1998 was zero and $1.3 million, respectively. Stock-based
compensation in fiscal 1998 related to services rendered
28
<PAGE> 29
during fiscal 1998 and the acceleration of the vesting during the fourth quarter
of 1998 of certain non-employee stock option and warrant grants.
Joint Venture Termination Fee. In fiscal 1996, we entered into a joint venture
agreement with DSK, Inc. to cooperatively market and develop our services. We
paid $33,700 to DSK during the year ended June 30, 1997 related to this
agreement. In the fourth quarter of fiscal 1997, we terminated this agreement
and hired the majority shareholders of DSK as employees or consultants by
issuing 500,000 fully vested shares of Series B preferred stock with a fair
value of $1.20 per share, or $600,000, for the outstanding shares of common
stock of DSK. We recorded the transaction by allocating the value of the shares
issued to property and equipment (at DSK's net book value of $169,000, which
approximated fair market value), with the balance of $431,000 reflected as a
joint venture termination fee.
Interest Income (Expense), Net. Interest income (expense), net decreased from
$1,000 in fiscal 1997 to $(98,000) in fiscal 1998. The decrease was primarily
the result of higher interest expense related to the issuance of stock purchase
warrants in conjunction with the issuance of our convertible debt during the
first half of fiscal 1998 as well as increased borrowings to finance equipment
purchases and improvements to our San Jose, California Internet service exchange
facility and construction of our Vienna, Virginia Internet service exchange
facility.
INCEPTION THROUGH JUNE 30, 1996
We generated $79,000 in revenues in the period from inception to June 30, 1996,
primarily as a result of consulting services provided as we were developing our
tools and preparing to commence our current co-location and Internet
connectivity operations. Our costs and expenses during this period consisted
primarily of salaries, depreciation and amortization expenses and consulting
services. Given the stage of our business and the shortness of the period, we do
not believe that the results of operations for this period are comparable to
fiscal 1997.
29
<PAGE> 30
QUARTERLY RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
The following tables set forth certain unaudited statement of operations data
for the six quarters ended December 31, 1998, as well as the percentage of our
revenues represented by each item. This data has been derived from unaudited
interim financial statements prepared on the same basis as the audited Financial
Statements contained herein and, in the opinion of management, include all
adjustments consisting only of normal recurring adjustments, that we consider
necessary for a fair presentation of such information when read in conjunction
with the Financial Statements and Notes thereto appearing elsewhere in this
prospectus. The operating results for any quarter should not be considered
indicative of results of any future period.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
THREE MONTHS ENDED
-------------------------------------------------------------------
SEP. 30, DEC. 31, MAR. 31, JUNE 30, SEP. 30, DEC. 31,
1997 1997 1998 1998 1998 1998
-------- -------- --------- --------- --------- ---------
(IN THOUSANDS)
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Revenues...................... $ 430.9 $ 674.6 $ 963.3 $ 1,367.6 $ 1,793.1 $ 2,653.1
-------- -------- --------- --------- --------- ---------
Costs and expenses:
Data communications and
telecommunications....... 256.0 372.8 639.1 931.9 1,079.9 1,749.8
Network operations.......... 221.8 222.8 411.8 715.4 772.8 1,250.0
Sales and marketing......... 258.6 216.4 433.4 710.3 1,355.8 2,137.0
General and
administrative........... 198.9 276.9 483.8 661.9 812.7 1,248.1
Depreciation and
amortization............. 86.4 95.4 117.6 176.1 659.8 543.5
Stock-based compensation
expense.................. 14.3 35.1 459.6 767.4 436.2 733.4
-------- -------- --------- --------- --------- ---------
Total costs and
expenses............... 1,036.0 1,219.4 2,545.3 3,963.0 5,117.2 7,661.8
-------- -------- --------- --------- --------- ---------
Loss from operations.......... (605.1) (544.8) (1,582.0) (2,595.4) (3,324.1) (5,008.7)
Interest expense.............. (58.8) (67.0) (2.6) (32.4) (147.6) (345.9)
Interest and other income..... 1.9 7.4 22.0 31.8 120.8 162.4
-------- -------- --------- --------- --------- ---------
Net loss...................... $ (662.0) $ (604.4) $(1,562.6) $(2,596.0) $(3,350.9) $(5,192.2)
======== ======== ========= ========= ========= =========
</TABLE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
THREE MONTHS ENDED
-------------------------------------------------------------------
SEP. 30, DEC. 31, MAR. 31, JUNE 30, SEP. 30, DEC. 31,
1997 1997 1998 1998 1998 1998
-------- -------- --------- --------- --------- ---------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Revenues...................... 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0%
-------- -------- --------- --------- --------- ---------
Costs and expenses:
Data communications and
telecommunications....... 59.4 55.3 66.3 68.2 60.2 66.1
Network operations.......... 51.5 33.0 42.8 52.3 43.1 47.1
Sales and marketing......... 60.0 32.1 45.0 51.9 75.6 80.5
General and
administrative........... 46.2 41.1 50.2 48.4 45.3 47.0
Depreciation and
amortization............. 20.0 14.1 12.2 12.9 36.8 20.5
Stock-based compensation
expense.................. 3.3 5.2 47.7 56.1 24.4 27.6
-------- -------- --------- --------- --------- ---------
Total costs and
expenses............... 240.4 180.8 264.2 289.8 285.4 288.8
-------- -------- --------- --------- --------- ---------
Loss from operations.......... (140.4) (80.8) (164.2) (189.8) (185.4) (188.8)
Interest expense.............. (13.6) (9.9) (0.3) (2.3) (8.2) (13.0)
Interest and other income..... 0.4 1.1 2.3 2.3 6.7 6.1
-------- -------- --------- --------- --------- ---------
Net loss...................... (153.6)% (89.6)% (162.2)% (189.8)% (186.9)% (195.7)%
======== ======== ========= ========= ========= =========
</TABLE>
30
<PAGE> 31
FACTORS AFFECTING OPERATING RESULTS
We have experienced significant fluctuations in our results of operations from
quarter to quarter. As a result of these fluctuations, period-to-period
comparison of our operating results is not necessarily meaningful and should not
be relied upon as an indicator of future performance. We expect our future
operating results to fluctuate. Factors that are likely to cause these
fluctuations include:
- demand for and market acceptance of our services;
- capacity utilization of our Internet service exchange facilities;
- fluctuations in data communications and telecommunications costs;
- customer retention;
- the timing and magnitude of capital expenditures;
- costs relating to the expansion of operations;
- expansion of existing facilities and completion of new facilities;
- fluctuations in bandwidth used by customers;
- introductions of new services or enhancements by us and our competitors;
- the timing of customer installations and related payments;
- the ability to maintain or increase peering relationships;
- provisions for customer discounts and credits;
- changes in our pricing policies and our competitors;
- changes in regulatory laws and policies;
- economic conditions, particularly those related to the Internet industry;
- difficulties in collecting accounts receivable as many of our customers are
in an emerging stage;
- compensation costs related to certain option grants and warrants; and
- decreased revenues during the summer months and other seasonal effects on
sales.
In addition, a relatively large portion of our expenses are fixed in the
short-term, particularly with respect to data communications and
telecommunications costs, depreciation, real estate and personnel. Our future
results of operations will be particularly sensitive to fluctuations in revenues
because of these and other short-term fixed costs.
As a result of these and other factors, our future operating results may fall
below the expectations of securities analysts and investors. In this event, the
price of our common stock will likely decrease significantly.
YEAR 2000 COMPLIANCE
Many currently installed computer systems and software products are coded to
accept only two digit entries in the date code field. These date code fields
will need to distinguish 21st century dates from 20th century dates. This could
result in system failures or miscalculations causing disruptions of operations
including, among other things, a temporary inability to process transactions,
send invoices or engage in similar normal business activities. As a result, many
companies' software and computer systems may need to be upgraded or replaced in
order to comply with such "Year 2000" requirements.
We have begun the first phase of our Year 2000 readiness review. The review will
include assessment, implementation, testing and contingency planning. To date,
we have evaluated our internally developed software and believe that this
software is Year 2000 compliant. However, we utilize software and hardware
developed by third parties both for our network and internal information
systems. We have not done any testing of such third party software to determine
if such software is Year 2000 compliant. We have sought
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assurances from some of our vendors, and intend to continue to seek assurances
from others, that such vendors products are or will be Year 2000 compliant.
We expect to continue assessing and testing our internal information technology
and non-information technology systems into 1999. We are not currently aware of
any material operations issues or costs associated with preparing our internal
information technology and non-information technology systems for the Year 2000.
However, we may experience material unanticipated problems and costs caused by
undetected errors or defects in the technology used in our internal information
technology and non-information technology systems.
Based upon the public filings and press releases of our primary equipment,
telecommunications and data communications providers, we are aware that all such
providers are in the process of reviewing and implementing their own Year 2000
compliance programs. Since we do not believe that we will be afforded the
opportunity to test the systems of these providers, we will seek assurances from
them that they are Year 2000 compliant. If our primary vendors experience
business interruptions as a result of the failure to achieve Year 2000
compliance, our ability to provide Internet connectivity could be impaired,
which could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of
operations and financial condition.
We do not currently have any information regarding the Year 2000 status of our
customers, most of whom are private companies. However, we are in the process of
developing a plan to survey all of our customers regarding their Year 2000
compliance. As is the case with similarly situated companies, if our customers
experience Year 2000 problems, which result in business interruptions or
otherwise impact their operations, we could experience a decrease in the demand
for our services, which could have a material adverse impact on our business,
results of operations and financial condition.
We have not incurred any significant expenses to date associated with our Year
2000 plan and are not aware of any material costs associated with our
anticipated Year 2000 efforts. We believe that a material loss of revenues would
arise if our major customers or providers fail to achieve Year 2000 readiness.
We have not yet developed a comprehensive contingency plan to address the issues
which could result from such failure.
QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK
We are exposed to fluctuations in interest rates and market values of our
investments. Our exposure to fluctuations in interest rates and market values of
our investments relates primarily to our short-term investment portfolio, which
is included in cash and cash equivalents and short-term investments. We have not
used derivative financial instruments in our investment portfolio. We invest our
excess cash in debt instruments of the U.S. Government, and, by policy, we limit
the amount of credit exposure to any one issuer. Due to the short-term nature of
our investments, the impact of interest rate changes would not be expected to
have a significant impact on the value of these investments. The effect of
interest rate and investment risk on us has not been significant.
Investments in both fixed rate and floating rate interest earning instruments
carry a degree of interest rate risk. Fixed rate securities may have their fair
market value adversely impacted due to a rise in interest rates, while floating
rate securities may produce less income than expected if interest rates fall.
Due in part to these factors, our future investment income may fall short of
expectations due to changes in interest rates or we may suffer losses in
principal if we are forced to sell securities which have declined in market
value due to changes in interest rates.
We are also exposed to interest rate risk on our fixed rate debt obligations. At
June 30, 1998 and December 31, 1998, fixed rate debt obligations totaled $1.2
million and $7.9 million, respectively. The fixed rate debt obligations bear
interest at annual rates ranging from 14.3% to 15.1% and are payable in 42
monthly installments. While generally an increase in market interest rates will
decrease the value of this debt, and decreases in rates will have the opposite
effect, we are unable to estimate the impact that interest rate changes will
have on the value of the substantial majority of this debt as there is no active
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public market for the debt and we are unable to determine the market interest
rate at which alternate financing would have been available.
LIQUIDITY AND CAPITAL RESOURCES
We have financed our operations principally from the private and public sale of
equity securities and, to a lesser extent, lease financing. We had cash and cash
equivalents of approximately $67.9 million as of December 31, 1998.
Net cash used in operating activities was $1.1 million and $6.9 million for the
six months ended December 31, 1997 and 1998, respectively, and $777,000 and $1.8
million for fiscal years 1997 and 1998, respectively. Net cash used in operating
activities is primarily attributable to our net losses. These losses were
partially offset by depreciation and amortization, stock-based compensation
expense and increases in accounts payable and accrued liabilities.
Net cash used by investing activities was $298,000 and $14.6 million for the six
months ended December 31, 1997 and 1998, respectively, and $475,000 and $3.7
million in fiscal years 1997 and 1998, respectively. Net cash used by investing
activities consists primarily of purchases of property and equipment, including
costs associated with the establishment of our Internet service exchange
facility in Vienna, Virginia and the expansion of our Internet service exchange
facility in San Jose, California. In addition, in the six months ended December
31, 1998, we used cash to pay the first installment of $1.9 million toward the
purchase of an $8.3 million 25-year right to use fiber optic capacity. The
remaining payments for that purchase were made in the quarter ended March 31,
1999.
Net cash provided by financing activities was $2.4 million and $81.2 million for
the six months ended December 31, 1997 and 1998, respectively, and $1.5 million
and $13.3 million in fiscal years 1997 and 1998, respectively. Net cash provided
by financing activities for the six months ended December 31, 1997, and in
fiscal 1998 resulted primarily from the sale of notes and advances, partially
offset by debt and capital lease repayments. Net cash provided by financing
activities for the six months ended December 31, 1998 resulted primarily from
the proceeds of our initial public offering and, to a lesser extent, the
issuance of convertible preferred stock and utilization of our equipment
financing facility, partially offset by debt and capital lease repayments.
We have a $15 million equipment financing arrangement. Borrowings under this
arrangement are payable in 42 monthly installments. Borrowings incurred prior to
December 31, 1998, bear interest at the rate of 14.7% and borrowings subsequent
to December 31, 1998, bear interest at 13.25%. As of December 31, 1998,
approximately $6 million remained available for borrowings under this
arrangement. We expect to utilize the available credit for the development of
the planned second Internet service exchange facility in San Jose, California.
We also have a $2.5 million equipment lease facility, of which $2.0 million was
available for future use at December 31, 1998. We intend to enter into an
additional equipment financing arrangement for up to $10 million. We might not
be able to enter into this arrangement on reasonable terms or at all.
We have a $750,000 line of credit facility with a bank, none of which was
outstanding at December 31, 1998. Borrowings under the line of credit facility
bear interest at the bank's prime rate plus 1% and the line of credit facility
expires in May 1999.
We currently expect to utilize approximately $56 million to $72 million for
capital expenditures in connection with the development of additional Internet
service exchange facilities in San Jose, California, New York, New York and in
the Washington, D.C. area.
In connection with a December 1998 agreement for the purchase of the right to
use fiber optic cable capacity between the U.S. and the United Kingdom, we have
a remaining commitment to pay $800,000 as of March 31, 1999. In March 1999, we
entered into an agreement for the purchase of the right to use capacity on a
fiber optic cable system between the U.S. and the Netherlands which commits us
to pay $7.5 million in a series of installments through calendar year 1999. Any
outstanding amounts payable will bear interest at an annual rate of 10.5%. Our
commitment to pay the $7.5 million is conditioned on us
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entering into an additional agreement for us to purchase fiber optic cable
capacity connecting certain European cities. If we enter into the contemplated
agreement to purchase fiber optic cable capacity to connect certain European
cities, we expect to pay up to approximately $11.0 million for the right to use
this capacity. We might not be able to enter into this agreement on reasonable
terms or at all. We may enter into rights to use fiber capacity or other types
of arrangements to secure capacity for Europe, Asia and the Pacific Rim. These
agreements may require us to make substantial up front payments for long-term
capacity.
We believe that the net proceeds from this offering, together with existing cash
balances and financing arrangements, will provide us with sufficient funds to
finance our operations and planned capital expenditures for at least the next 12
months. We may require additional funds during or after this period to support
our working capital requirements or for other uses and may seek to raise
additional funds through public or private equity or debt financings or other
sources. Additional financing might not be available at all or on favorable
terms.
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BUSINESS
You should read the following description of our business together with the
information included elsewhere in this prospectus. This description contains
certain forward-looking statements based upon current expectations that involve
risks and uncertainties. Any statements contained herein that are not statements
of historical fact may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. You can
identify these statements by words such as "may," "will," "should," "estimates,"
"predicts," "potential," "continue," "strategy," "believes," "anticipates,"
"plans," "expects," "intends" and similar expressions. Our actual results and
the timing of certain events may differ significantly from the results discussed
in the forward-looking statements. Factors that might cause such a discrepancy
include those discussed in "Risk Factors" and elsewhere in this prospectus.
GENERAL
AboveNet is a leading provider of high performance, managed co-location and
Internet connectivity solutions for electronic commerce and other business
critical Internet operations. We have developed a network architecture based
upon strategically located, fault-tolerant facilities that combine co-location
services for Internet content providers with direct access to Internet service
providers, or ISPs, to create Internet service exchanges, or ISXs. As of March
31, 1999, we had 257 direct public and private data exchange connections, known
as peering arrangements, including relationships with most major network
providers. Our network architecture and extensive peering relationships are
designed to reduce the number of network connections or "hops" for data
traveling across the Internet. By having both Internet content providers and
ISPs at our ISXs we enable our ISP customers to provide their users with "one
hop" connectivity, through our local area network, to the Web sites of the
Internet content providers that are co-located at the same facility. As of March
31, 1999, we had 458 customers, including a wide range of Internet content
providers, Web hosting companies and ISPs.
INDUSTRY BACKGROUND
The Growth of the Internet
The Internet has experienced tremendous growth and is emerging as a global
medium for communications and commerce. According to International Data
Corporation, or IDC, the number of Internet users worldwide will grow from 69
million at the end of 1997 to 320 million by 2002. Of the total number of
worldwide Internet users, IDC estimates that the number in Asia/Asia Pacific,
excluding Japan, will grow from 6.6 million in 1997 to 34.2 million in 2002 and
the number in Western Europe will grow from 16.8 million to 82.0 million in the
same period. In addition, according to Forrester Research, Inc., or Forrester,
the number of Internet sites worldwide is expected to grow from less than
500,000 in 1997 to approximately 4.0 million in 2002. The growth of the Internet
is being driven by a number of factors, including the large and growing
installed base of personal computers, improvements in network architectures,
increasing numbers of network-enabled applications, the emergence of compelling
content and commerce-enabling technologies, and easier, faster and cheaper
Internet access. The future growth in Internet usage is also projected to be
fueled by increased use of high speed access devices, such as cable, ADSL and
other high speed access devices as these become more widely available and
affordable. Forrester projects that the penetration of broadband Internet access
through cable, ADSL and other high speed access devices will grow from
approximately 200,000 households in 1997 to approximately 5.5 million households
in 2000 and approximately 17.6 million households in 2002. The increase in the
availability of high-speed access devices is also expected to increase the
demand for emerging high bandwidth technologies such as audio and video
streaming and voice over the Internet.
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IDC estimates are based upon their Internet Commerce Market Model. This model
uses both supply and demand-side research based on responses from 40,000
interviews per year. Other data components include Web usage figures,
penetration rates, quarterly trend research, lead user research and device base
information. The estimates are subject to the following assumptions: no
catastrophic failure of the Internet will occur; regional economies will
continue their current expansion without upheaval; and security on the Internet,
as well as consumer confidence, will continue to improve slowly. The projected
amounts in this report may not be achieved.
Forrester estimates are based upon interviews with more than 41,000 households
as part of Forrester's "Technographics '98" survey. In addition, Forrester's
report stated that 81 ISPs were asked to provide detailed unit sales, prices and
projections for 1996 through 1998. The ISP data was extrapolated to provide a
total market size and direction. Finally, Forrester contacted 22 vendors of
hosting services and related organizations. Actual results may differ
significantly.
The Expansion of Electronic Commerce
The functionality and accessibility of the Internet and commercial online
services have created an increasingly attractive commercial medium by providing
features that historically have been unavailable through traditional channels.
In the last several years, many enterprises that focus solely on delivering
services over the Internet have emerged and many businesses have implemented Web
sites and electronic commerce applications. Internet-based businesses have
developed Internet products and services in areas such as finance, banking,
entertainment, education and advertising, while other businesses are using the
Internet for an expanding variety of applications, ranging from corporate
publicity and advertising to sales, customer service, employee training and
communication with business partners. The ability to offer these kinds of
products and services requires high bandwidth Internet sites and operations. In
addition, due to advances in on-line security and payment mechanisms, the number
of businesses establishing commerce-enabled Web sites is expected to increase
dramatically. IDC estimates that the number of consumers buying goods and
services on the Internet will grow from 17.6 million in 1997 to 128.4 million in
2002, and that the total value of goods and services purchased over the Internet
will increase from approximately $12 billion in 1997 to approximately $425
billion by 2002.
The Internet Infrastructure
The Internet is a worldwide network of private and public computer networks that
link businesses, individuals, government agencies, universities and other users
having disparate computer systems and networks. A multi-tiered system of local,
regional and national ISPs has evolved to provide connectivity among Internet
users. Data traveling across the Internet is broken down into multiple packets.
ISPs exchange these packets of data generated by their users through either
direct or indirect connections with other ISPs. Large ISPs often have multiple
direct data exchange connections with other ISPs, known as peering
relationships, either through private line connections between their routers or
through a public peering arrangement where multiple ISPs can be connected
through a single interface. However, significant peering relationships are
generally unavailable to many small and mid-sized ISPs and, even if available,
the associated telecommunications costs could be prohibitive. As a result, these
ISPs typically need to purchase indirect connection services, known as
"transit," from a third party ISP.
To address the needs of ISPs to exchange data at centralized points, a series of
Internet exchanges were established by Internet backbone providers. Although
there are numerous exchanges, the Company believes the two principal exchanges
in the United States, based upon traffic volume, are MAE West in San Jose,
California, and MAE East in Vienna, Virginia. Despite the relatively centralized
nature of these exchange points, data traveling across the dispersed Internet
architecture often must make multiple connections or "hops" through a variety of
local, regional and national ISPs, as data moves from the originating site to
the Internet backbone and back to the destination site.
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The Trend Toward Outsourcing of Internet Operations
Internet operations are increasingly becoming critical to an enterprise's
commercial and communication operations. Internet-based businesses and other
enterprises need non-stop, non-congested, fault-tolerant and scalable Internet
operations to allow them to perform sophisticated digital communications and
commerce transactions globally over the Internet. However, many businesses that
are seeking to establish these sophisticated Internet operations lack the
resources and expertise to cost-effectively develop, maintain and continually
enhance the necessary facilities and network systems. In addition, individuals
with the expertise to establish and maintain a sophisticated Internet service
are scarce and their services are costly. Furthermore, businesses often find it
difficult to keep up with new technology introductions and to integrate new
technologies into their own information technology infrastructure. Finally, many
businesses are currently being forced to deploy their limited information
technology resources to address the impending Year 2000 issues. As a result of
these and other factors, many enterprises are seeking outsourcing arrangements
to enhance Web site reliability and performance, provide continuous operation of
their Internet solutions, reduce related operating expenses and focus on their
core business. By outsourcing these services, businesses, particularly non
Internet-centric enterprises, can focus on their core business rather than using
their resources to support their Internet operations. Forrester estimates that
by 2002, approximately 40% of Internet Web sites will be outsourced and that
Internet hosting revenues for complex sites will increase from approximately
$200 million in 1997 to almost $8 billion by 2002.
The Emergence of Co-Location Services
A variety of companies including Web hosting companies and ISPs have begun to
focus on providing Internet co-location services. These co-location companies
typically build networks of numerous geographically dispersed data centers in
order to be physically close to their customers. As a result of this dispersed
geographic network, data moving from one customer to another is subject to
increased risks of latency and data loss, as data travels across multiple
network connections or "hops." These problems are compounded by the lack of
available tools to monitor all of the various connection points on the Internet
in order to identify and avoid the congested links which can cause latency and
data loss. While these problems existed to some extent with early, less data
intensive applications, such as e-mail, they are becoming increasingly acute
with the growth of bandwidth intensive applications such as audio and video
streaming. In addition, many co-location providers do not have the flexibility
or capacity to quickly scale their services to meet the sharp growth and high
bandwidth requirements of business critical Internet operations.
Internet co-location companies also typically fail to address the increasing
need of local and regional ISPs to provide enhanced connectivity to compelling
content for their customers. Without the ability to maintain extensive peering
relationships with large ISPs, the cost of providing redundant, reliable and
scalable connectivity is often prohibitive for these local and regional ISPs. As
a result, they face increasing congestion as emerging applications consume more
bandwidth. International ISPs are also seeking a means to obtain fast, reliable
access to the large concentration of U.S.-based content. While many of these
problems could be addressed if these ISPs co-located their facilities with
content providers, many of the Web hosting and co-location companies also
compete with ISPs for sales of Internet access and, therefore, ISPs are often
reluctant to co-locate in their facilities.
THE ABOVENET SOLUTION
AboveNet provides high performance, managed co-location and Internet
connectivity services to a wide range of Internet content providers, Web hosting
companies and ISPs. Our ISX facilities provide high performance, reliable and
scalable solutions for electronic commerce and other business critical
applications. We currently operate two ISX campuses, located near MAE West and
MAE East, using our suite of sophisticated network management and remote
monitoring tools. We believe that our centralized
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network architecture provides enhanced connectivity while eliminating the need
to build numerous geographically dispersed data centers. Our ISX model offers
customers the benefits of combining co-location services with direct ISP access.
The convergence of content providers and ISPs at our ISXs enables ISPs to
provide their users with "one hop" connectivity, through our local area network,
to the co-located content site. This direct connectivity minimizes the risk of
delays and data loss often encountered in the transmission of data over the
public Internet infrastructure.
Our solution provides the following key advantages to our customers:
Scalability and Flexibility. Our services are designed to be highly scalable and
flexible in order to meet the needs of our customers as their Internet
operations expand. Our network is designed to enable us to quickly scale
bandwidth to meet our customers' needs. In addition, since we charge our
customers based on the amount of space and bandwidth they use, customers are
afforded a flexible, cost-effective path to increasing their Internet
operations. We also provide flexibility for our customers by supporting most
leading Internet hardware and software systems vendor platforms.
High Performance and Enhanced Connectivity. Our services are designed to enhance
Internet performance through redundant and high speed network design and we
provide monitoring, notification and diagnostic services twenty-four hours a
day, seven days a week. We are able to address the high bandwidth needs and
rapid growth of our customers' business critical operations by maintaining an
extensive number of direct public and private network peering interconnections,
including peering relationships with major network providers. In order to
provide our customers with available and uncongested bandwidth during network
traffic spikes, we are committed to maintaining excess network capacity. The
amount of excess bandwidth at any given time depends upon many factors including
the timing of the addition of new circuits, the timing of customer additions and
increases in usage by existing customers.
Enhanced Access for ISPs. By connecting within our ISX, ISPs have "one hop"
connectivity to content providers co-located in the same facility. We believe
that by providing a means to reduce the number of "hops" in the transmission of
data, our network design offers significant benefits to international ISPs as
they seek to gain fast, reliable access to U.S.-based content. In addition, ISPs
that participate in our Internet service exchanges are able to take advantage of
peering relationships generally available only to major network providers.
Sophisticated Network Management Services and Tools. By leveraging the knowledge
gained from supporting many leading-edge Internet operations, we provide
sophisticated network management and monitoring services on twenty-four hours a
day, seven days a week basis. Our proprietary ASAP software monitors all of our
direct and indirect network connections for latency and packet loss, allowing
our network engineers to dynamically reroute traffic to avoid congested points.
By utilizing ASAP, we are able to identify and resolve many potential problems
before they impact an Internet site's availability or performance.
Remote Management Capabilities. We provide our customers with sophisticated
monitoring, reporting and management tools that can be accessed by customers
remotely to control their Internet hardware, software and application
environments. Our monitoring system probes each customer's equipment every five
minutes and provides the customer with notice of potential problems. We believe
that these tools, combined with our trained twenty-four hours a day, seven days
a week support staff, provide customers with a highly effective means of
monitoring, responding to and resolving problems, significantly reducing
customers' needs for on-site access to their equipment.
Fault-Tolerant Facilities. We have built fault-tolerant facilities designed to
enable the uninterrupted operations necessary for business critical Internet
operations. Each of our facilities is equipped with an uninterruptible DC and AC
power supply and back-up generators for power redundancy, multi-tiered fire
suppression systems, seismically braced racks, separate and redundant cooling
zones and security systems.
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STRATEGY
Our objective is to become the leading global Internet service exchange network
for business enterprises and ISPs that require high-bandwidth and business
critical Internet operations. To achieve this objective, our strategy includes
the following key elements:
Build Brand Name. We intend to increase awareness of the AboveNet brand name
among Internet content providers, Web hosting companies and ISPs on a global
basis. We believe that associating the AboveNet brand with high quality and
technologically advanced network and services for outsourcing business critical
Internet operations is key to the expansion of our customer base. We have
recently begun to aggressively invest in building the AboveNet brand through
integrated marketing, including traditional and online advertising in business
and trade publications, trade show participations and public relations
campaigns. We also intend to continue to conduct seminars to increase awareness
of our services among potential customers.
Expand Customer Base. We intend to expand our customer base, which numbered 458
as of March 31, 1999, by significantly increasing our sales and marketing
efforts. Our direct sales force has grown to 35 persons as of March 31, 1999.
Our direct sales force is organized into groups to target leading Internet
content providers, Web hosting companies and ISPs. In addition, we have
personnel responsible for addressing the development of customers in the Asian
and European markets. Our sales force is supported in their sales efforts by
sales engineers and, in many instances, by our senior management. We intend to
significantly expand our direct sales force and sales engineers, as well as hire
experienced channel managers. We seek to establish and expand relationships with
potential channel partners including hardware vendors, value added resellers,
system integrators and Web hosting companies in order to leverage their sales
organizations.
Extend Internet Service Exchange Network Globally. We seek to create a global
ISX network by connecting centralized facilities in key domestic and
international locations. Domestically, we currently have ISXs in San Jose,
California (near MAE West) and Vienna, Virginia (near MAE East) and are
developing a second ISX facility in San Jose, California and a facility in New
York, New York. Additionally, we are planning to develop an ISX facility in the
Washington D.C. area. Internationally, we have formed joint ventures in Austria,
Germany and the United Kingdom with experienced Internet management teams and
strategic partners to develop regional ISXs. We intend to continue to expand our
European network, primarily through strategic investments in additional joint
ventures and foreign companies in major business centers and countries with high
levels of Internet traffic. We also intend to make similar investments in Asian
markets.
Leverage Internet Service Exchange Model. We intend to leverage our ISX model to
increase our customer base and generate recurring revenue. We believe that as
our customer base expands, the benefits to both content providers and ISPs of
our "one hop" solution will increase, creating greater incentives for new
customers to use our services. Since we charge these customers monthly based
upon space and bandwidth usage, we are generally able to increase revenue as our
customers' Internet usage grows. In addition, since our service fees are based
upon bandwidth usage, we believe that we are well positioned to capitalize on
the requirements of high bandwidth applications.
Address Emerging Internet Technology Markets. We believe that our centralized
ISX network will enable us to address the needs of emerging Internet
technologies such as audio and video streaming and voice over the Internet.
Since these applications require a solution that provides low latency and packet
loss, we believe that our high bandwidth, centralized network and enhanced
connectivity capabilities will enable us to offer significant advantages to
customers utilizing these emerging technologies.
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THE ABOVENET INTERNET SERVICE EXCHANGE
Our ISX provides co-location services, Internet connectivity services and
network management services and tools. Our ISXs are designed to provide
customers with the high performance, scalability, connectivity, security,
reliability and expertise they need to enhance their business critical Internet
applications. We create solutions for our customers based on their specific
business and technical requirements, modifying the services as each customer's
needs evolve. Our services are primarily delivered through centralized campuses
located near MAE West and MAE East. Our planned New York facility will be
connected to our facility located near MAE East by high speed, high capacity
fiber optic cable. This planned facility is intended to facilitate access to
European Internet traffic. Our management services and tools enable us and our
customers to continuously manage customers' Internet operations jointly,
proactively and remotely.
Co-Location Services
We provide co-location services designed to meet the demands of sophisticated,
multi-vendor business critical Internet operations. We support most leading
Internet hardware and software system vendor platforms, including those from
Ascend Communications, Inc., Nortel Networks, Cisco Systems, Inc., Compaq
Computer Corporation, Dell Computer Corporation, EMC Corporation,
Hewlett-Packard Company, International Business Machines Corporation, Lucent
Technologies Inc., Microsoft Corporation, Apple Computer, Inc., Network
Appliance, Inc., Silicon Graphics Inc., Sun Microsystems Inc. and 3Com
Corporation. This multi-vendor compatibility enables our customers to retain
control over their choice of technical solution and to integrate their Internet
operations into our existing information technology architecture. Because
business critical Internet operations are dynamic and often require timely
hardware and software upgrades to maintain targeted service levels, customers
have twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week physical and remote access to
the ISX facilities. Additional space and electrical power can be added as needed
in order to provide our customers with access to additional server co-location
services. Customers install and manage their own hardware and software at our
facilities and we do not provide any Web hosting services.
Our co-location facilities include dedicated electrical power circuits to ensure
that each customer's electrical power requirements are met. Each ISX facility is
constructed to address the requirements of business critical network operations
with an uninterruptible DC and AC power supply and back-up generators, FM-200
Fire Suppression with pre-action backup, HVAC, separate cooling zones,
seismically braced racks, twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week operations,
and high levels of physical security. Any damage to or failure of the systems of
our service providers could result in reductions in, or terminations of,
services supplied to our customers, which could have a significant adverse
effect on our business and operating results. See "Risk Factors -- Our systems
or other systems on which we depend may fail."
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Customers can select from shared rack facilities, secure cabinets or enclosed
cage facilities, based upon their business and technical requirements. These
facilities have the following features:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TYPE OF SPACE SIZE FEATURES
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S> <C> <C>
Open Rack Single shelf, 1/4, 1/2, or full 9(#) or Entry-level service providing a
6(#) racks cost-effective solution for our
customers who do not need dedicated
environments. Secured environment that
is shared by multiple customers.
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cabriolet 9(#) or 6(#) stainless steel enclosed, secure Dedicated, locked cabinet. Provides a
cabinet, 1/4, 1/2, or full rack single rack with the security of a
dedicated environment.
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cage 8(#) x 6(#), 8(#) x 8(#) or customized to Dedicated, locked cage. Provides
order flexibility in designing and configuring
Internet servers, including space for
multiple racks and other equipment.
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
</TABLE>
Internet Connectivity
Our Internet connectivity services are designed to meet the requirements of high
bandwidth, business critical Internet operations by providing highly reliable,
scalable, non-stop and uncongested operations. On March 31, 1999, we had peering
relationships with 257 network providers, including 78 private peering
relationships. Any failure by us to maintain and increase peering relationships
would have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and
financial condition. See "Risk Factors -- We must maintain and increase peering
relationships."
Our network is designed to minimize the likelihood of service interruptions.
Each ISX has multiple physical fiber paths into the facility. We maintain
multiple network links from multiple vendors and regularly check that our
network traffic traverses physically separated paths. This network architecture
enhances the availability of a customer's site, even in the event of a link
failure. In addition, since our customers' Internet operations often experience
network traffic spikes due to promotions or events, we have a policy of
maintaining significant excess capacity. We might not be able to expand or adapt
our telecommunications infrastructure to meet additional demand or our
customers' changing requirements on a timely basis and at a commercially
reasonable cost, or at all. See "Risk Factors -- We must be able to expand and
adapt our network infrastructure."
Our Internet connectivity services are also designed to reduce latency and to
enhance network performance. Our engineering personnel continuously monitor
traffic patterns and congestion points throughout the Internet and dynamically
reroute traffic flows to improve end-user response times. We also enhance
network performance by maintaining what we believe is among the largest number
of direct public and private network peering interconnections in the industry.
For customers seeking a direct communications link to the site of another
customer that is located at the same ISX, we offer highly secure, fast and
efficient cross-connections.
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Our connectivity services utilize our proprietary ASAP technology to enhance
Internet connectivity by monitoring all of our direct and indirect network
connections for congestion.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TOOL DESCRIPTION BENEFITS
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S> <C> <C>
ASAP -- ASAP automatically monitors all of our major If packet loss and congestion is
Asymmetric providers' and peers' direct and indirect detected on any of the links that
Allocation of connections on a real-time 24-hour basis to directly affect customers' performance,
Packets identify congestion. our network engineers are able to
dynamically reroute traffic temporarily
away from the problem link. This
functionality is particularly important
for emerging applications such as audio
and video streaming and voice over the
Internet.
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
</TABLE>
Management Services and Tools
Our management services and tools support business critical Internet operations
by providing the customer with detailed monitoring, reporting and management
tools to control their hardware, network, software and application environments.
Through our network management services and tools, customers are able to
remotely manage their business critical Internet operations housed at our ISX
facilities. We believe that this provides an important advantage to enterprises
that seek to outsource a portion of their Internet operations and to link the
management of the outsourced operations with in-house operations. Our proactive
management services and tools enable us to identify and resolve hardware,
software, network and application problems, often before the customer is aware
that a problem exists.
Customers may access their co-located equipment by visiting the ISX facility or
by using our software tools and services for remote access. Using our remote
access tools, customers can perform emergency tasks, control power functions and
monitor their own system usage. These remote access tools alleviate the need for
us to build numerous, geographically dispersed ISX facilities. In the event of a
system problem, we notify our customer who can then attempt to resolve the issue
remotely. We intend to continue to enhance our software tools in order to meet
the needs of customers with business critical Internet operations. Our space
requirement charges include access to all of our management services and tools.
See "Risk Factors -- We may not be able to keep pace with rapid technological
changes or emerging industry standards."
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We offer the tools and services summarized below:
<TABLE>
<S> <C> <C>
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TOOLS/SERVICES DESCRIPTION BENEFITS
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MRTG MRTG is a widely used tool licensed by MRTG shows customers the amount of
us that provides real-time monitoring bandwidth being used and, therefore,
and management of bandwidth. Currently the actual cost of that business
used by most major backbone providers, expense. Through a graphical
MRTG generates HTML pages containing interface, users can view, in
GIF images which provide a real-time real-time, the actual amount of
visual representation of this traffic. bandwidth flowing through their
MRTG can also be used to display servers and/or networking equipment.
historical statistical data in graphic MRTG also allows us and our customers
form. to view our connections and bandwidth
usage with each of our backbone
providers.
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
EtherValve EtherValve is a tool licensed by us EtherValve allows us to provide each
that regulates the actual flow of customer a clear channel of the
bandwidth from a customer's server bandwidth purchased. This assures
through a 10 Mbps or 100 Mbps Ethernet customers that they will have the
segment. bandwidth they have purchased
available to them at any given time.
EtherValve also allows the customer's
bandwidth to be scaled up immediately,
in increments as small as 8 bps (0.008
Kbps).
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
APS -- APS is a suite of proprietary tools APS provides real-time information
Automatic developed to continually monitor the about a customer's remote equipment.
Pro-Active performance of customer equipment. APS automatically notifies the
Services Three levels of predetermined customer and our technical personnel
escalation procedures include of system malfunctions. Predetermined
automatic notification by e-mail, escalation procedures customized for
notification by pager and automatic each customer are then carried out by
power cycle. our personnel. Automatic rebooting and
other predetermined procedures often
serve to correct problems before the
customer is aware of the problem.
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
As-Ur-Here As-Ur-Here provides various service As-Ur-Here allows customers to
Service aspects including automatic remote maintain access and control over their
power cycle and remote services equipment and perform effective
terminal server access. equipment maintenance and problem
solving while they outsource their
servers and/or networking equipment.
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
</TABLE>
CUSTOMERS
We have established a diversified base of customers including Internet content
providers, Web hosting companies and ISPs. As of March 31, 1999, we had
approximately 458 customers. One customer, RemarQ Communities, Inc., (formerly
named Supernews, Inc.) accounted for 12% and 14% of our revenues in fiscal 1997
and 1998, respectively. No other customer accounted for more than 10% of
revenues in either fiscal 1997 or 1998. Our success is substantially dependent
on the continued growth of our customer base and the retention of our customers.
Our customer base increased from 278 at June 30,
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1998 to 382 at December 31, 1998 to 458 at March 31, 1999. We had a monthly
customer retention rate of 97.8% or greater in each of the nine months ended
March 31, 1999. See "Risk Factors -- We must grow and retain our customer base."
The following is a representative list of customers as of March 31, 1999:
<TABLE>
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
INTERNET CONTENT PROVIDERS WEB HOSTING COMPANIES ISPS
<S> <C> <C>
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
e-Media, LLC Bay Area Gold Direct Network Access, Ltd.
Imagine Radio, Inc. (acquired by MTV) CNET Download.com Flashcom
IntelliChoice, Inc. FRNK Technology Group Got.Net Corporation
Netscape Communications Corporation Floating Point Software Hinet, a wholly-owned
(acquired by America Online, Inc.) iXL, Inc. subsidiary
RealNetworks, Inc. Lars Mapstead of Chung Hwa Telecom
RemarQ Communities, Inc. PulseWeb Ventures Hurricane Electric
Visual Dynamics LLC The Web Zone, Inc. Innetix
WebMD, Inc. VirtuaLynx Internet, LLC KDD America
Westech ExpoCorp. WebAsyst Corporation Linkage Online Limited
PH Communications
Singapore Telecommunications
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
</TABLE>
The following examples illustrate how our customers use our services:
Internet Content Providers
- - RealNetworks, Inc. RealNetworks is a leading developer of software products
and services designed to enable users of personal computers and other consumer
electronic devices to send and receive audio, video and other multimedia
services using the World Wide Web. RealNetworks uses our facilities to host
its Web site for users to download its client and server software.
RealNetworks selected us because of the speed and high performance of our
network (enabling fast, reliable downloading of their products), our ability
to rapidly scale the amount of bandwidth and our extensive peering
relationships. Since becoming a customer in February 1998, RealNetworks has
co-located an increasing portion of their downloading operations with us.
- - e-Media, LLC. e-Media's core focus is the production and broadcast of live
events over the Internet. The viewers of these streaming events are sensitive
to the visual degradation that occurs as a result of the Internet's packet
loss and latency. e-Media moved to our facilities over six months ago to solve
this degradation problem and meet the stringent demands of their Internet
viewers. e-Media chose AboveNet because of our ability to scale to support the
large and unpredictable number of online viewers for their live events.
- - RemarQ Communities, Inc. RemarQ, formerly named Supernews, is a leading
Internet discussion service for corporate, ISP and individual clients. RemarQ
serves hundreds of thousands of users through corporations, ISPs and direct
subscriptions. RemarQ supports over 30,000 newsgroups and an average of 30
gigabytes of data daily. As its business grew, RemarQ realized it had to
outsource its Internet connectivity and the computers that served the Internet
discussion groups. We reliably handle RemarQ's traffic which can reach 300
Mbps. The cost savings realized by co-locating provided RemarQ the ability to
focus on its core business.
- - WebMD. WebMD is an Internet-based healthcare network that connects physicians,
hospitals, third-party payers and consumers to a virtual world of medical
information, tools, and services. WebMD needed to be able to send and receive
their medical content quickly and securely. We provide WebMD with a secure,
highly reliable co-location solution for the critical medical records located
on WebMD's servers. Additionally, because WebMD's users come to the WebMD site
from numerous ISPs, WebMD chose us because of our substantial public and
private peering relationships. WebMD is co-locating at our San Jose,
California and Vienna, Virginia ISXs.
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Web Hosting Companies
- - CNET Download.com. CNET is an Internet media company that operates a network
of sites on the Web. Download.com, a division of CNET, is a leading site for
downloading software titles. CNET Download.com selected us to provide
co-location and connectivity services for its servers due to the high
performance of our network and peering relationships with major ISPs and other
large companies, including America Online, Inc. Our scalable bandwidth also
allows CNET Download.com the flexibility necessary to accommodate traffic
surges accompanying new software releases.
- - The Web Zone, Inc. The Web Zone, Inc. is a full service Internet and
networking solutions company. Web Zone relies on us to offer its customers
reliable, high performance Internet connection and secure facilities. Our
connectivity and co-location services enable Web Zone to offer a full set of
services including Web hosting to its customers who want to focus on their
core businesses and not the cost and problems associated with maintaining
their own Web sites, servers and Internet connections.
ISPs
- - PH Communications. PH Communications is a San Francisco Bay Area ISP that
provides its customers access, Web hosting, e-mail and support services. PH
Communications chose us to provide highly reliable and high performance
co-location and Internet connectivity services. PH Communications uses our
management tools, including APS and MRTG, to enable it to remotely manage its
equipment and bandwidth utilization on a twenty-four hours a day, seven days a
week basis. PH Communications has relied on the scalability and extensive
peering relationships of our solution to support the growth of its business
over the last two years.
- - KDD America. KDD America is a subsidiary of Japan's largest international
telecommunications carrier, KDD Corporation. KDD America is a leading provider
of global telecommunications services. KDD America selected AboveNet's San
Jose, California facility as one of its primary U.S. Internet access points
because of our scalable facility management and high performance network, our
ability to rapidly scale the amount of available bandwidth and our extensive
peering relationships.
INTERNATIONAL INTERNET SERVICE EXCHANGES
We are seeking to create a global network by investing in joint ventures and
foreign companies that can develop regional ISXs in Europe and Asia. In March
1999, we entered into agreements with local partners to establish regional ISXs
in Austria, Germany and the United Kingdom. We intend to continue to expand our
European network through additional investments in joint ventures in other major
business centers and countries with high levels of Internet traffic. These
regional service exchanges will be based on our business model and facility
design and will offer co-location and Internet connectivity services to both
Internet content providers and ISPs in their markets.
Austria. We founded AboveNet Austria GmbH (AboveNet Austria) in partnership with
Raiffeisen Rechenzentrum RRZ, an affiliate of the Raiffeisen group. We acquired
a 50% ownership interest in AboveNet Austria in consideration of a cash
investment and the grant of a royalty-free license to our tools and trademarks.
The Austrian ISX expects to be operational by the second half of calendar year
1999. However, the development of this ISX might encounter unanticipated delays.
Germany. We founded AboveNet Germany GmbH (AboveNet Germany) in partnership with
three German nationals. The German partners include founders of EUNet Germany, a
large German ISP which was subsequently acquired by UUNet, and managing
directors of the German Internet exchange point DE-CIX. We acquired a 50%
ownership interest in AboveNet Germany for a cash investment and the grant of a
royalty-free license to our tools and trademarks. The German ISX is currently
expected to be operational by the first quarter of calendar year 2000. However,
the development of this ISX might encounter unanticipated delays.
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<PAGE> 46
United Kingdom. We founded AboveNet UK Limited (AboveNet UK) in partnership with
two Scottish nationals who were the founders of Teledata Holdings, a call center
and Internet services company which was acquired by Scottish Telecom in 1995. We
currently have a 40% ownership interest in AboveNet UK for a cash investment and
the grant of a royalty-free license for our tools and trademarks. The UK ISX is
currently expected to be operational in the fourth quarter of calendar year
1999. However, the development of this ISX might encounter unanticipated delays.
We have currently committed up to an aggregate of $6.5 million in additional
financing to the joint ventures and have the right to participate in future
financings to maintain our percentage of interest. We also have a right of first
refusal to purchase the shares of our foreign partners if they seek to transfer
them to a third party. In addition, in Germany and the United Kingdom, we have
an option to purchase the shares of our partners in years three through five at
a price determined through an independent appraisal mechanism.
The investment in these regional ISXs subjects us to a number of risks. See
"Risk Factors --We depend on third parties to establish and operate
international Internet service exchanges."
SALES AND MARKETING
Our sales and marketing objective is to achieve broad market penetration and
increase brand name recognition among Internet content providers, Web hosting
companies and ISPs on a global basis through investments in the expansion of our
sales organization and extensive marketing activities. As of March 31, 1999, we
employed 46 persons in sales and marketing. We have developed a two-tiered sales
strategy to target leading Internet content providers, Web hosting companies and
ISPs through direct sales and channel relationships. See "Risk Factors -- We may
not be able to hire and retain the key employees we need."
Direct Sales Force
We maintain a direct sales force of highly trained individuals in San Jose,
California, and Vienna, Virginia. As of March 31, 1999, we had 35 persons in
direct sales targeting Internet content providers, Web hosting companies and
ISPs. We also have personnel responsible for addressing the development of
customers in Asia and Europe. We are actively seeking to expand our direct sales
force and sales engineers. Substantially all of our sales are currently
generated by our direct sales force. Our sales force is supported in their sales
efforts by our sales engineers and, in many instances, by our senior management.
We believe that the integration of our sales engineers with our sales account
managers assists in both the establishment of customer relationships as well as
the migration of customers to increased use of our services. We have developed
programs to attract and retain high quality, motivated sales representatives
that have the necessary technical skills, consultative sales experience and
knowledge of their local markets. These programs include technical and sales
process training and instruction in consultative selling techniques. We have
also developed sales compensation plans which provide for significant incentives
for exceeding performance targets.
Under the terms of license, connectivity and marketing agreements entered into
between us and the joint venture entities, we have granted those entities the
exclusive right to use our tools and trademarks in their respective countries,
subject to meeting certain minimum performance targets. In return, the joint
ventures have agreed that, so long as they maintain their exclusivity under the
license, connectivity and marketing agreements, we will be their exclusive
provider of connectivity services.
Develop Channel Relationships
We are seeking to develop relationships with potential channel partners
including hardware vendors, value added resellers, system integrators,
application hosting and Web hosting companies in order to leverage their sales
organizations. We believe that by leveraging the sales forces of these
companies, we
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can attract customers for our services in a cost-effective manner, as well as
provide co-branded Internet service offerings for our channel partners. For
example, some of our Web hosting customers market our service as part of their
overall bundled offering and we have been involved in joint marketing and sales
efforts with those customers. We are actively seeking to hire experienced
channel managers to focus exclusively on developing these relationships. We also
plan to develop seminar programs and other cooperative sales programs to further
develop these relationships.
Marketing
Our strategy is to significantly expand our marketing efforts to stimulate
increased demand for our services and build the AboveNet brand. We plan to
aggressively invest in building the AboveNet brand through integrated marketing
campaigns, including traditional and online advertising in business and trade
publications, trade show participations, direct mail and public relations
campaigns to increase customer awareness and demand. We have also established a
client advisory council to strengthen our relationship with our customers.
NETWORK ARCHITECTURE
Our high performance network is designed to provide enhanced connectivity to our
customers. Our two Internet service exchange campuses are connected to one
another with high speed SONET circuits, and connected to the Internet through
public and private peering arrangements.
Our Internet service exchange campuses are located near MAE West and MAE East
and are connected to local Internet exchange points by multiple high-speed
backbone connections, provided by MCI WorldCom, Sprint, Pacific Bell, Teleport
Communications Group, a subsidiary of AT&T, and WinStar Communications. These
links to the local exchange points, combined with private exchanges with ISPs,
connect our customers' traffic to the Internet. We have engineered our peering
using a geographically diverse fiber path to provide high reliability, even in
the event of a link failure. We have developed dynamic rerouting and load
balancing technologies to enhance the performance of our customers' connections
Internet operations.
We have determined that as voice, video and other services are carried across
the Internet, the need for ATM in network infrastructures is reduced. We have
built our network using DS-3 and OC-3 clear channel circuits. By using clear
channel circuits, we are able to make highly efficient use of these connections,
lowering infrastructure costs and providing high performance connectivity.
Inside of each ISX facility, we have multiple local area networks, each
connected to the outside network through redundant routers and network
connections. These routers are configured such that in case of failure of a
single connection, or piece of equipment, alternative equipment or network paths
are automatically utilized, without human intervention, or performance
degradation. See "Risk Factors -- We depend on third party suppliers."
We utilize a combination of public and private peering in order to provide a
high level of network performance. On March 31, 1999, we had peering
relationships with 257 network providers including 78 private peering
relationships. Our ISXs are connected to all of the major U.S. Internet exchange
points. The combination of public and private peering sessions allows us to
provide high levels of performance and reliability to their customers. To ensure
that this connectivity is not degraded, we have a policy of providing
significant excess capacity on all local area network, wide area network and
Internet exchange point connections in our network. Any failure to maintain and
increase peering relationships would have a material adverse effect on our
business, results of operations and financial condition. See "Risk Factors -- We
must maintain and increase peering relationships."
Our operations are dependent upon our ability to protect our network
infrastructure and customers' equipment against damage from human error, fire,
earthquakes, floods, power loss, telecommunications failures, sabotage,
intentional acts of vandalism and similar events. Despite precautions taken by,
and planned to be taken by us, the occurrence of a natural disaster or other
unanticipated problem at one or more of our Internet service exchange facilities
could result in interruptions in the services provided by us.
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Such an event could significantly impact the ability of suppliers to provide the
data communications capacity required by us and could result in interruptions in
our services. See "Risk Factors -- Our systems or other systems on which we
depend on may fail" and "-- We face risks associated with the security of our
systems."
CUSTOMER SERVICE AND QUALITY ASSURANCE
We offer a high level of customer service and quality assurance by understanding
the technical requirements and business objectives of our customers and
addressing their needs proactively on an individual basis. By working closely
with our customers, we are able to enhance the performance of our customers'
Internet operations, avoid downtime, resolve quickly any problems that may arise
and make appropriate adjustments in services as customer needs change over time.
We work with our customers to ensure that we are offering the appropriate types
and quality of service. We use advanced software tools to aid in our customer
monitoring and service efforts. We received our ISO 9002 certification in March
1998. As of March 31, 1999, we had 44 employees dedicated to customer service
and quality assurance.
Customer service begins before a sale, when we provide technical support for
complex orders. During the installation phase, we assign a transition team and a
project manager, who also retains responsibility for the account after
installation, to assist the new customer with the installation process. After
installation, the customer's equipment is overviewed by our network operation
center in San Jose, California, which is operated twenty-four hours a day, seven
days a week by engineers who answer customer calls, monitor site and network
operations and activate teams to solve problems that arise. Our customer service
personnel are also available to assist customers whose operations require
specialized procedures.
We believe that our quality assurance programs are key to building our brand
name. The objectives of our quality assurance system are to comply with ISO
9002: 1994 quality administration systems; to achieve and maintain a level of
quality that enhances our reputation with our customers; to ensure compliance
with relevant safety and environmental requirements; and to endeavor to deliver
high quality services to customers in an environment centered on adherence to
high legal and ethical standards.
COMPETITION
Our business is intensely competitive. There are few substantial barriers to
entering the co-location service business, and we expect that we will face
additional competition from existing competitors and new market entrants in the
future. We believe that participants in this market must grow rapidly and
achieve a significant presence in the market in order to compete effectively. We
believe that the principal competitive factors in our market are uncongested
connectivity, quality of facilities, level of customer service, price, the
financial stability and credibility of the provider, brand name and the
availability of network management tools. We might not have the resources or
expertise to compete successfully in the future. Our current and potential
competitors in the market include: (i) providers of co-location services, such
as Exodus Communications, Inc., Frontier GlobalCenter, Inc., which is being
acquired by Global Crossing Holdings, Ltd, Hiway Technologies, Inc., which was
acquired by Verio Inc. and Globix Corporation; (ii) national and regional ISPs,
such as Concentric Network Corporation, PSINet, Inc., MCI WorldCom and certain
subsidiaries of GTE Corporation; (iii) global, regional and local
telecommunications companies, such as Sprint, MCI WorldCom and regional bell
operating companies, some of whom supply capacity to us; and (iv) large
information technology outsourcing firms, such as International Business
Machines Corporation and Electronic Data Systems. Some of these companies
operate in one or more of these markets. In addition, many of our current and
potential competitors have substantially greater financial, technical and
marketing resources, larger customer bases, longer operating histories, greater
name recognition and more established relationships in the industry than we do.
As a result, some of these competitors may be able to develop and expand their
network infrastructures and service offerings more quickly, adapt to new or
emerging technologies and changes in customer requirements more quickly, take
advantage of acquisitions and other opportunities more readily, devote greater
resources to the
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marketing and sale of their services and adopt more aggressive pricing policies
than we can. In an effort to gain market share, some of our competitors have
offered co-location services similar to ours at lower prices or with incentives
not matched by us, including free start-up and domain name registration, periods
of free service and low-priced Internet access. As a result of these policies,
we may encounter increasing pricing pressure which could have a significant
adverse effect on our business and operating results.
In addition, these competitors have entered and will likely continue to enter
into joint ventures, consortiums or consolidations to provide additional
services competitive with those provided by us. As a result, such competitors
may be able to provide customers with additional benefits in connection with
their co-location and network management solutions, including reduced
communications costs, which could reduce the overall costs of their services
relative to our services. We might not be able to offset the effects of any such
price reductions. In addition, we expect competition to intensify as our current
and potential competitors incorporate a broader range of bandwidth, connectivity
and Internet networking services and tools into their service offerings. We
believe that companies seeking co-location and Internet connectivity providers
for their critical Internet operations may use more than one company to provide
this service. As a result, these customers would be able to shift the amount of
service and bandwidth usage from one provider to another. We may also face
competition from our suppliers. Our agreements with our suppliers and other
partners do not limit or restrict those parties from offering similar services
to our customers, thereby enabling such parties to compete against us.
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS
We rely on a combination of copyright, trademark, service mark and trade secret
laws and contractual restrictions to establish and protect certain proprietary
rights in our software. We have no patented technology that would preclude or
inhibit competitors from entering our market. We have generally entered into
confidentiality and invention assignment agreements with our employees in order
to limit access to and disclosure of certain of our proprietary information. We
cannot be certain that these contractual arrangements or the other steps taken
by us to protect our intellectual property will prove sufficient to prevent
misappropriation of our technology or to deter independent third-party
development of similar technologies. The laws of certain foreign countries may
not protect our services or intellectual property rights to the same extent as
do the laws of the U.S. We also rely on certain technologies that we license
from third parties. Two key technologies offered by us, MRTG and EtherValve, are
licensed from David Rand, our Chief Technical Officer. We have perpetual,
irrevocable, royalty-free worldwide licenses to both technologies. The license
to MRTG is non-exclusive and the license to EtherValve is exclusive subject to
one previously granted license. We do not license any other technology which is
not generally available. To date, we have not been notified that we infringe the
proprietary rights of third parties, but we cannot be certain that third parties
will not claim infringement by us. We expect that participants in our markets
will be increasingly subject to infringement claims as the number of
technologies and competitors in our industry segment grows. Any such claim,
whether meritorious or not, could be time-consuming, result in costly
litigation, cause service delays or require us to enter into royalty or
licensing agreements. Such royalty or licensing agreements might not be
available on terms acceptable to us or at all. As a result, any such claim could
have a material adverse effect upon our business, results of operations and
financial condition.
GOVERNMENT REGULATION
There is currently a small but growing body of laws and regulations directly
applicable to access to or commerce on the Internet. Due to the increasing
popularity and use of the Internet, it is likely that a growing number of laws
and regulations will be adopted at the international, federal, state and local
levels with respect to the Internet, covering issues such as user privacy,
freedom of expression, pricing, characteristics and quality of products and
services, taxation, advertising, intellectual property rights, information
security and the convergence of traditional telecommunications services with
Internet communications. Moreover, a number of laws and regulations have been
proposed and are currently being
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considered by federal, state and foreign legislatures with respect to such
issues. The nature of any new laws and regulations and the manner in which
existing and new laws and regulations may be interpreted and enforced cannot be
fully determined. For example, although sections of the Communications Decency
Act of 1996 (the "CDA") that, among other things, proposed to impose criminal
penalties on anyone distributing "indecent" material to minors over the
Internet, were held to be unconstitutional by the U.S. Supreme Court, there can
be no assurance that similar laws will not be proposed and adopted. Legislation
similar to the CDA could subject us and/or our customers to potential liability,
which in turn could have an adverse effect on our business, operating results
and financial condition. The adoption of any future laws or regulations might
decrease the growth of the Internet, decrease demand for our services, impose
taxes or other costly technical requirements or otherwise increase the cost of
doing business or in some other manner have a significant adverse effect on us
or our customers, which, in turn, could have a significant adverse effect on our
business and operating results. In addition, applying existing laws governing
issues such as property ownership, copyrights and other intellectual property
issues, taxation, libel, obscenity and personal privacy to the Internet is
uncertain. The vast majority of these laws were adopted prior to the advent of
the Internet and related technologies and, as a result, do not contemplate or
address the unique issues of the Internet and related technologies. Changes to
these laws intended to address these issues, including some recently proposed
changes, could create uncertainty in the marketplace which could reduce demand
for our services or increase the cost of doing business as a result of costs of
litigation or increased service delivery costs, or could in some other manner
have a significant adverse effect on our business and operating results. In
addition, as our services are available over the Internet in multiple states and
foreign countries, and as we facilitate sales by our customers to end users
located in these states and foreign countries, these jurisdictions may claim
that we are required to qualify to do business as a foreign corporation in each
of these states or foreign countries. Any new legislation or regulation, or the
application of laws or regulations from jurisdictions whose laws may not
currently apply to our business, could have a significant adverse effect on our
business and operating results.
EMPLOYEES
As of March 31, 1999, we had 130 employees, including 46 people in sales and
marketing, 62 people in customer service, network and backbone engineering and
product development and 22 people in general and administration. We believe that
our future success will depend in part on our continued ability to attract, hire
and retain qualified personnel. The competition for these personnel is intense,
and we might not be able to hire or retain these personnel. See "Risk
Factors -- We may not be able to manage our growth effectively," and "We may not
be able to hire or retain the key employees we need."
FACILITIES
Our principal executive and administrative offices are located in San Jose,
California and consist of approximately 20,000 square feet that are leased until
2008, with an option by us to expand to 2018. We lease our ISX facilities in San
Jose, California and Vienna, Virginia (in the Washington, D.C. area). The San
Jose, California facility consists of approximately 10,000 square feet,
including 6,800 square feet of co-location space and is leased until 2008, with
an option for us to extend to 2018. The Vienna, Virginia facility, which
consists of approximately 17,000 square feet, including 12,000 square feet of
co-location space is leased until 2007, with an option for us to extend to 2012.
We are establishing a West Coast campus by developing a second ISX facility of
approximately 124,000 square feet, including approximately 61,000 square feet of
co-location space, near our San Jose, California facility. We opened this
facility with an initial build-out of 4,200 square feet of co-location space in
March 1999 and we intend to build out an additional 6,800 square feet of
co-location space by the fall of 1999. Afterwards, we intend to build out
approximately 13,000 additional square feet of co-location space by the spring
of 2000. The build-out of additional co-location space will occur incrementally
over time based on customer demand. The lease for this planned facility is a
twenty year lease commencing on the earlier of such time when any portion of the
facility can be occupied or one year
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following the earlier of the date on which construction on the planned facility
commences or should have commenced.
In addition, we are establishing an East Coast campus with plans to develop
another ISX in New York, New York which will be connected by fiber optic cable
to our Vienna, Virginia facility. This facility is expected to be about 27,000
square feet, including approximately 11,000 square feet of co-location space. We
intend to initially complete the build-out of approximately 5,500 square feet of
co-location space and continue to add co-location space over time based on
customer demand. The lease for this planned facility has a fifteen year term.
We are also planning to develop an additional ISX in the Washington D.C. area to
be a part of our East Coast campus. The target date for opening the facility is
in the second half of calendar year 2000. However, we have not entered into a
lease for this planned facility. Any of the ISXs planned for development might
not be completed in a timely manner, or at all. See "Risk Factors -- We may face
problems in connection with out expansion plans."
LEGAL PROCEEDINGS
We have a dispute with one of our customers, Pathway Communications, Inc.,
involving one of Pathway's consultants. The consultant misrepresented his
identity to us to gain access to Pathway's servers in order to delete files. On
September 3, 1998, Pathway Communications filed a complaint against us for
negligence, breach of contract, conversion, and intentional and negligent
interference with prospective economic advantage in the Superior Court of the
State of California, County of Santa Clara. The lawsuit seeks general, special
and punitive damages upon proof, as well as costs and reasonable attorneys'
fees. We obtained an order requiring that the dispute be submitted to
arbitration. We intend to vigorously defend against such action. However, we
might not prevail in this litigation and this litigation might have a
significant adverse effect on our business or operating results.
We disagree with one of our network providers over currently invoiced amounts
and credits available to apply against amounts invoiced in the future. We
believe we are entitled to net credits under our agreements with them. We are
discussing a settlement of our disagreement, but we may be unable to reach a
mutually agreeable settlement. If a settlement is not reached, this dispute
might result in litigation. Litigation could be costly and could have an adverse
effect on our operating results, regardless of the outcome.
51
<PAGE> 52
MANAGEMENT
EXECUTIVE OFFICERS, DIRECTORS AND KEY EMPLOYEES
The executive officers, directors and key employees of AboveNet are as follows:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
NAME AGE POSITION
---- --- --------
<S> <C> <C>
Sherman Tuan............................... 45 Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive
Officer
Peter C. Chen, Ph.D.(2).................... 59 Vice Chairman of the Board
Warren J. Kaplan........................... 56 President, Chief Operating Officer and
Director
David Rand................................. 36 Chief Technology Officer
Stephen P. Belomy.......................... 40 Executive Vice President and Secretary
David Dembitz.............................. 45 Senior Vice President of Sales and
Marketing
David F. Larson............................ 51 Senior Vice President and Chief Financial
Officer
Jerry Chen................................. 34 Vice President of International -- Asia
Avi Freedman............................... 29 Vice President of Engineering
Kevin Hourigan............................. 34 Vice President of Finance and Controller
Van D. Jepson.............................. 45 Vice President of Marketing
Mark Kaleem................................ 52 Vice President of Sales
Jeffrey Monroe............................. 32 Vice President of Construction and Real
Estate
Wayne Sanders.............................. 56 Vice President of Corporate Development
Paul Steiner, Ph.D......................... 42 Vice President of International -- Europe
Robert A. Burgelman, Ph.D.(1).............. 53 Director
Frank R. Kline(2).......................... 48 Director
James Sha(1)............................... 48 Director
Tom Shao, Ph.D.(2)......................... 64 Director
Kimball W. Small(2)........................ 63 Director
Fred A. Vierra(1).......................... 67 Director
</TABLE>
- -------------------------
(1) Member of Compensation Committee
(2) Member of Audit Committee
Mr. Tuan, the founder of AboveNet, has served as Chief Executive Officer and a
Director since 1996, and President until January 1998. Mr. Tuan has served as
Chairman of the Board since August 1998. Mr. Tuan was President of InterNex
Information Services, Inc., an Internet infrastructure provider, from November
1994 to October 1995 and from February 1994 to November 1995 was President of
Tiara Computer, Inc., a network equipment manufacturer, which merged with
InterNex Information Services, Inc. in November 1994. From January 1992 to June
1993, Mr. Tuan was Vice President of Worldwide Sales and Marketing of Primus
Technologies, Inc., a provider of problem resolution and knowledge management
software, and President of Celerite Graphics, Inc., a manufacturer of video
chips. Mr. Tuan received an Electrical Engineering degree from Feng-Chia
University in Taiwan.
Dr. Chen has served as Vice Chairman of the Board since August 1998. Dr. Chen
served as Chairman from December 1996 to August 1998, and has been our Director
since March 1996. Dr. Chen is the Founder and Chairman of Crosslink Technology
Partners, an investment firm specializing in funding and developing early stage
semiconductor, healthcare and Internet related technology ventures, where he has
been employed since August 1992. From September 1983 to May 1992, Dr. Chen was
Founder, General
52
<PAGE> 53
Manager and Chief Executive Officer of Mosel Corporation, a semiconductor
manufacturer in Taiwan. Dr. Chen received a B.S. in Engineering from National
Taiwan University and a Ph.D. in Engineering from Cornell University.
Mr. Kaplan has served as President, Chief Operating Officer and a Director since
January 1998, and as Acting President and Chief Operating Officer from November
1997 to January 1998. From March 1996 to November 1997, Mr. Kaplan was an
investor and consultant to various Internet software start-up companies. Mr.
Kaplan served as Chief Executive Officer and a director of Simply Interactive,
Inc., a software company, from June 1996 to December 1996, and was President
from April 1996 to June 1996. Until February 1996, Mr. Kaplan served (i) as a
Managing Director -- International at NETCOM On-Line Communication Services,
Inc., an ISP and Web hosting company, from August 1995, (ii) as Executive Vice
President from February 1994, (iii) as Secretary from October 1994, and (iv) as
a Director since April 1994. Mr. Kaplan also served as NETCOM's Chief Financial
Officer from February 1994 through September 1995. From September 1989 to
December 1993, Mr. Kaplan was Vice President of Operations of Gefinor (USA)
Inc., a merchant banking business, and also served as Senior Vice President and
Chief Financial Officer and Interim Chief Executive Officer of its
majority-owned subsidiary, Sheaffer Pen Company, from September 1989 to August
1991 and September 1989 to August 1990, respectively. Mr. Kaplan received a B.S.
in Accounting from New York University and an M.B.A. in Taxation from Long
Island University.
Mr. Rand has served as Chief Technology Officer since March 1996, initially as a
consultant, and since May 1998 as an employee. Mr. Rand has served as a member
of the Internet Engineering Task Force for the past seven years. Mr. Rand
authored rfc 1962 and rfc 1663, developed the EtherValve technology and
developed ASAP and APS, as well as co-developed MRTG. From September 1995 to May
1998, Mr. Rand was an engineer at Cisco Systems, Inc., a router manufacturer.
From February 1994 to August 1995, Mr. Rand was an engineer at Innovative
Systems and Technologies, a video compression company. From October 1993 to
February 1994, Mr. Rand was a software engineer at Novell, Inc., a network
server company.
Mr. Belomy has served as Executive Vice President since January 1998. Mr. Belomy
also served as AboveNet's Chief Financial Officer from January 1998 to November
1998, and as AboveNet's Director of Operations from January 1997 to January
1998. From August 1985 to December 1996, Mr. Belomy served as Vice President of
Kimball Small Properties, a commercial real estate developer in San Jose,
California. Mr. Belomy has a B.S. in Engineering from the University of
California at Los Angeles.
Mr. Dembitz has served as Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing since
April 1998. From February 1996 to April 1997, Mr. Dembitz was Vice President of
Sales and Marketing of ISDNet, a start-up company that provided remote access
solutions, which was acquired in 1997. From June 1993 to December 1995, Mr.
Dembitz was an independent consultant providing networking consulting services.
From January 1990 to June 1993, Mr. Dembitz held various sales positions,
including Senior Manager of Major Account Programs and Channel Programs, as well
as the Senior Manager of Sales Operations for SynOptics Communications, which
was acquired by Bay Networks, a provider of routers, switches and hubs. Mr.
Dembitz received a B.S. in Management and a B.S. in Economics, as well as an
M.B.A. with a minor in Marketing, from the University of Utah.
Mr. Larson has served as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer since
November 1998. From December 1997 to November 1998, Mr. Larson served as Vice
President and Treasurer of Silicon Valley Group, Inc., which designs,
manufactures and markets semiconductor processing equipment. From August 1993 to
December 1997, Mr. Larson served as Silicon Valley Group's Director of Planning
and from July 1991 to August 1993, Mr. Larson served as Silicon Valley Group's
Corporate Controller. Mr. Larson received a B.S. with honors (with a
concentration in Accounting) from California Polytechnic State University, San
Luis Obispo. Mr. Larson is a Certified Public Accountant.
Mr. Chen has served as Vice President of International -- Asia since October
1998. Previously, Mr. Chen served as Sales and Marketing Manager from January to
December 1996, as Senior Customer Service Manager from January to December 1997,
as San Jose Operations Director from January 1998 to June
53
<PAGE> 54
1998 and as a Director of Asia Pacific from July 1998 to October 1998. Prior to
joining AboveNet, Mr. Chen was a Director of Postable Systems for Everex
Systems, Inc., a computer manufacturer, from January 1995 to January 1996 and
the Co-founder and Vice President of Intelligent Notebook Systems, a computer
reseller, from May 1994 to January 1996. From July 1991 to May 1994, Mr. Chen
was a sales manager for Santron Inc., a computer reseller. Mr. Chen received a
B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Feng-Chia University in Taiwan, and an
M.B.A. from the University of Hartford.
Mr. Freedman has served as Vice President of Engineering since February 1999.
From August 1992 until he joined AboveNet, Mr. Freedman was the founder and
served as the Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer and Chief
Technology Officer of Net Access, an Internet service provider. Mr. Freedman has
served as a board member of the Internet Service Provider Consortium since 1996.
Mr. Freedman has completed studies towards a B.S. in Computer Science at Temple
University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as well as Ph.D. courses at the State
University of New York in Stony Brook, New York.
Mr. Hourigan was promoted to Vice President of Finance in August 1998, and has
served as Controller since February 1998. Mr. Hourigan served as a consulting
associate with Deloitte & Touche LLP from October 1997 to February 1998. From
August 1993 to April 1997, Mr. Hourigan worked for NETCOM, serving in the
positions of Controller and Director of Internal Audit, Budgeting and Analysis.
From August 1991 to August 1993, Mr. Hourigan served as Financial Analyst for
Hewlett-Packard Company, a computer manufacturer. Mr. Hourigan received a B.A.
in Business Economics and a B.A. in Law & Society from University of California,
Santa Barbara and an M.B.A. from Santa Clara University.
Mr. Jepson has served as Vice President of Marketing since December 1998. From
1997 until he joined AboveNet, Mr. Jepson served as the Director of Worldwide
Field Marketing and, prior to that, the Business Development Manager for
Marimba, Inc. From 1990 to 1997, Mr. Jepson worked for Sun Microsystems, Inc.,
serving in the positions of Director of Worldwide Industry Marketing, Director
of Worldwide Manufacturing Industry Marketing and Director of Worldwide Higher
Education Marketing. Mr. Jepson received his B.S. in Electrical Engineering from
the University of California at Davis.
Mr. Kaleem has served as Vice President of Sales since January 1999. From
September 1998 to December 1998, Mr. Kaleem served as Managing Director of
National Accounts. From December 1997 to August 1998, Mr. Kaleem was the
proprietor of Unetix International. From June 1996 to October 1997, Mr. Kaleem
was the Vice President, Corporate Development and Strategic Planning of
InfoSpace, Inc. and, from 1992 to November 1995, he was the President of
ComTrade, Inc.
Mr. Monroe has served as Vice President of Construction and Real Estate since
August 1998. Mr. Monroe was a Project Manager for Cupertino Electric, an
electrical contractor, from February 1998 to August 1998. Prior to that, Mr.
Monroe was a Project Manager from April 1992 to January 1998, an Assistant
Manager from 1990 to 1992 and an Estimator from 1989 to 1990 for Truland Systems
Corporation, an electrical engineering and contracting company. Mr. Monroe
completed a four year IBEN Electrical apprenticeship program and is a licensed
electrician in the State of Virginia and Washington, D.C.
Mr. Sanders has served as Vice President of Corporate Development since August
1998. Mr. Sanders served as AboveNet's Director of Sales from May 1996 to August
1998. From April 1994 to April 1996, Mr. Sanders was the Director of Sales for
InterNex Communications, Inc., an Internet infrastructure provider. Prior
thereto, Mr. Sanders was the Founder of InterSell, a computer peripheral
manufacturer and distribution company, which subsequently was split into three
companies, from July 1976 to January 1993. The three companies were: Integrated
Marketing, a manufacturing representative firm where he held the position of
Chief Executive Officer and President; Paragon Sales, a distributor of computer
peripherals where he held the position of Chief Executive Officer; and Intek
Manufacturing, a manufacturer of intelligent printers and smart switch boxes
where he held the position of Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Sanders attended
Olympic College in Bremerton, Washington.
Dr. Steiner has served as Vice President of International -- Europe since August
1998. From August 1995 until August 1998, Dr. Steiner was the Managing Director
of Europe, Africa, Middle East and India, and from February 1995 until August
1995, Dr. Steiner was a consultant for NETCOM. From January 1994 to
54
<PAGE> 55
January 1995, Dr. Steiner was an independent consultant in Palo Alto,
California. From April 1986 to December 1993, Dr. Steiner served as a Managing
Director and Partner for HOT Engineering Ltd., a petroleum engineering software
and consulting company in Leoben, Austria. Dr. Steiner received a B.S. and M.S.
in Petroleum Engineering, and a Ph.D. in Reservoir Engineering from Leoben
Mining University in Leoben, Austria, and an M.B.A. from the University of
Michigan.
Dr. Burgelman has served as a Director since November 1998. Dr. Burgelman is
currently the Edmond W. Littlefield Professor of Management and Director of the
Stanford Executive Program at Stanford Business School and has been a professor
at Stanford Business School since August 1981. From 1991 to 1992, Dr. Burgelman
also served as Chair of the Division of Business Policy and Strategy of the
Academy of Management and was a Marvin Bower Fellow at Harvard Business School.
From 1996 to 1997 and 1988 to 1989, Dr. Burgelman was a GSB Trust Faculty Fellow
and a BP America Faculty Fellow at Stanford Business School. Dr. Burgelman
earned a Licenciate degree in Applied Economics from Antwerp University in
Belgium, an M.A. in Sociology and a Ph.D. in Management of Organizations from
Columbia University.
Mr. Kline has served as a Director since August 1998. Mr. Kline has served as a
Managing Partner of Kline Hawkes California, L.P./Kline Hawkes California SBIC,
L.P., a private equity firm, since 1994. From June 1984 to June 1994, Mr. Kline
served as a private equity manager of Lambda Fund Management, Inc., a venture
capital firm. Mr. Kline currently serves as a director of four companies:
CampusLink Communications Systems, Inc., EOS Corporation, SuperShuttle
International, Inc. and TranSoft Networks, Inc. Mr. Kline also serves on the
Board of Governors of the National Association of Small Business Investment
Companies. Mr. Kline received a B.S. in Commerce from Rider College and an M.S.
from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.
Mr. Sha has served as a Director since August 1998. Since January 1998, Mr. Sha
has served as Senior Vice President, Commerce Solutions at Netscape
Communications, a provider of software and Internet services for businesses.
From April 1996 to December 1997, Mr. Sha was the President and Chief Executive
Officer of Actra Business Systems, a developer of high-end Internet commerce
applications. Actra, a joint venture between Netscape and GE Information
Services, was acquired by Netscape in December 1997. Mr. Sha served as Vice
President and General Manager of integrated application at Netscape from August
1994 to April 1996. From June 1990 to August 1994, Mr. Sha was the Vice
President of the Unix Product Division at Oracle Corporation, a software
company. Mr. Sha received an M.S. Electrical Engineering from the University of
California at Berkeley, an M.B.A. from Santa Clara University and a B.S. in
Electrical Engineering from Taiwan University.
Dr. Shao has served as Director since January 1998. Since September 1997, Dr.
Shao has served as Managing Director of Technology Associates Management Co.,
Ltd., a venture fund manager. Dr. Shao served as a senior consultant for
Technology Associates Corporation of Taiwan, a venture investment firm, from
September 1995 to September 1997. From September 1985 to September 1995, Dr.
Shao served as Senior Vice President of DynaTech Development Corporation, a
management consulting and venture investment firm. Since August 1992, Dr. Shao
has served as President of TSS Enterprises, a privately held high technology
management consulting, investing and trading company. Dr. Shao received a Ph.D.
in Applied Mathematics/Computer Science, a M.S. in Engineering from the
University of Illinois, and a B.S. in Engineering from National Taiwan
University.
Mr. Small has served as Director since March 1997. Mr. Small is the Founder and
President of Kimball Small Properties, a San Jose, California commercial real
estate development company incorporated in 1978. Mr. Small received a B.S. from
the University of California at Los Angeles.
Mr. Vierra has served as Director since October 1998. Mr. Vierra is the Vice
Chairman of the Board of Directors and a consultant to Tele-Communications
International, Inc. (TINTA), a cable television and telecommunications company.
Prior to his current position with TINTA, Mr. Vierra served as the Chief
Executive Officer from June 1995 to January 1998 and as Executive Vice President
from December 1991 to June 1995. Prior to joining TINTA, Mr. Vierra was
President and Chief Operating Officer of the
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<PAGE> 56
United Artists Entertainment Company, a cable television and motion picture
theatre company, from 1989 to 1991. Mr. Vierra received a B.S. in Business
Administration from the University of Tulsa.
Classified Board
Our certificate of incorporation provides for a classified board of directors
consisting of three classes of directors, each serving staggered three-year
terms. As a result, a portion of our board of directors is elected each year. To
implement the classified structure, prior to the consummation of the offering,
two of the nominees to the board of directors were elected to one-year terms,
two were elected to two-year terms, and three were elected to three-year terms.
Thereafter, directors will be elected for three-year terms. Robert A. Burgelman,
Frank R. Kline and Tom Shao have been designated Class I directors whose term
expires at the 1999 annual meeting of stockholders. Peter C. Chen, Warren J.
Kaplan and Fred A. Vierra have been designated Class II directors whose term
expires at the 2000 annual meeting of stockholders. James Sha, Kimball W. Small
and Sherman Tuan have been designated Class III directors whose term expires at
the 2001 annual meeting of stockholders. See "Description of Capital
Stock -- Antitakeover Effects of Provisions of Certificate of Incorporation,
Bylaws and Delaware Law."
Executive officers are appointed by the board of directors on an annual basis
and serve until their successors have been duly elected and qualified.
BOARD COMMITTEES
Our board of directors has a compensation committee and an audit committee.
Compensation Committee
The compensation committee of the board reviews and makes recommendations to our
board regarding all forms of compensation provided to our executive officers and
directors including stock compensation and loans. In addition, the compensation
committee reviews and makes recommendations on bonus and stock compensation
arrangements for all our employees. The compensation committee also administers
our 1996 and 1997 Stock Option Plans, 1998 Stock Incentive Plan and 1998
Employee Stock Purchase Plan. The current members of the compensation committee
are Messrs. Burgelman, Sha and Vierra.
Audit Committee
The audit committee reviews and monitors the corporate financial reporting and
our internal and external audits, including, among other things, our internal
audit and control functions, the results and scope of the annual audit and other
services provided by our independent auditors and our compliance with legal
matters that have a significant impact on our financial reports. The audit
committee also consults with our management and our independent auditors prior
to the presentation of financial statements to stockholders and, as appropriate,
initiates inquiries into aspects of our financial affairs. In addition, the
audit committee has the responsibility to consider and recommend the appointment
of, and to review fee arrangements with, our independent auditors. The current
members of the audit committee are Messrs. Chen, Kline, Shao and Small.
DIRECTOR COMPENSATION AND OTHER ARRANGEMENTS
Our directors who are not employees receive cash payments of $2,000 per board
meeting and committee meeting. From time to time, certain directors who are
non-employees have received grants of options to purchase shares of our common
stock. Directors receive automatic option grants under our 1998 Stock Incentive
Plan. See "-- Stock Incentive Plan."
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<PAGE> 57
COMPENSATION COMMITTEE INTERLOCKS AND INSIDER PARTICIPATION
The compensation committee currently consists of Messrs. Burgelman, Sha and
Vierra. No interlocking relationship exists between any member of our board or
our compensation committee and any member of the board of directors or
compensation committee of any other company, and no such interlocking
relationship has existed in the past.
ADVISORY BOARD
We have an advisory board whose members advise our management with respect to
strategic issues and other business matters. Our advisory board currently
consists of the following persons:
Robert Berger is President of Internet Bandwidth Development, an Internet
infrastructure and service consultancy. Mr. Berger founded InterNex Information
Services, Inc. in 1993 and held various executive management positions through
1996 and served as a board member until the company was sold to Concentric
Network in March 1997.
Dr. Gregg Carse is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of CWA Communications
Products Inc., a designer of systems for telecommunications products both
domestically and internationally for over 20 years.
Adam Cioth is the Managing Partner of Rolling Hills Capital, a private equity
investment and strategic advisory firm. Prior to that he served as a Managing
Director of Volpe Brown Whelan & Company.
Michael Conley is Director of Asian Operations for Nuance Communications, a
provider of speech recognition technologies for telecommunication and enterprise
applications. Mr. Conley had previous Asia-related positions with Spyglass Inc.,
a leading Internet software provider, and NetFRAME Systems where he worked as
Vice President, Asia Pacific.
Daniel Gatti has been President and Chief Executive Officer of Mayan Networks, a
multiservice carrier class access switch company, since June 1998. Prior to
joining Mayan Networks, Mr. Gatti served as Vice President and General Manager
of 3Com Corporation's Network Service Provider Division.
Glenn Kohner is President of ISO-Online Inc. Prior to 1996, Mr. Kohner was a
consultant and business owner.
James Lee is Director of Strategy at the Singapore National Information
Technology Research Institute, Kent Ridge Digital Labs.
Frank McGrath retired on March 1, 1999. Prior to that time he served as Vice
President of MCI WorldCom, Inc. since 1988. From 1980 to 1988, Mr. McGrath was
Vice President of ITT World Communications.
Richard Steranka has held several positions at Cisco Systems, Inc. since 1992.
Mr. Steranka is presently Director, Small-Medium Business Channel Marketing.
Bruce Weber has been President of QMS Quality Management Systems, Inc. since
1995 and a Managing Director of Boca Corporate Resources, a successor of Martin,
Randolph and Barnes since 1992, a firm specializing in corporate acquisitions,
restructuring and leveraged buyouts.
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<PAGE> 58
EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION
The following table sets forth the compensation earned during the fiscal year
ended June 30, 1998, by our Chief Executive Officer and our three other most
highly compensated executive officers for services rendered in all capacities
for that fiscal year.
SUMMARY COMPENSATION TABLE FOR LAST FISCAL YEAR
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
LONG TERM
COMPENSATION AWARDS
-------------------
ANNUAL COMPENSATION SECURITIES
----------------------- UNDERLYING
NAME AND PRINCIPAL POSITION SALARY($) BONUS($) OPTIONS(#)
--------------------------- --------- -------- -------------------
<S> <C> <C> <C>
Sherman Tuan
Chief Executive Officer.................. 132,500(1) --(2) 67,500(3)
Warren J. Kaplan
President, Chief Operating Officer....... 71,635(4) --(5) 202,500(6)
Stephen P. Belomy
Executive Vice President................. 112,500(7) -- 42,500(8)
David Rand
Chief Technology Officer................. 103,333(9)(10) -- 30,000(11)
</TABLE>
- -------------------------
(1) Mr. Tuan's annual base salary is currently $225,000 with a minimum annual
increase of 10% each year. See "-- Employment Agreements."
(2) Mr. Tuan will receive a minimum annual bonus of $50,000 per year with a
minimum bonus increase of 10% each year. However, this bonus will not exceed
the amount of Mr. Tuan's then current salary. See "-- Employment
Agreements."
(3) On August 18, 1998, Mr. Tuan received an option to purchase 131,500 shares
of common stock at an exercise price of $12.00 per share. This option will
vest in equal installments over 48 months. On December 1, 1998, our board of
directors approved an amendment to reduce the exercise price of the option
to $10.00 per share. On April 6, our board of directors approved a
correction to change the vesting schedule as follows: 20% of the option
shares are fully vested and the balance becomes vested over the next 36
months of service measured from August 18, 1998. See "Certain Transactions."
On December 18, 1998 Mr. Tuan received an option to purchase 2,500 shares at
an exercise price of $12.125 per share. The option shares were fully vested
on the date of grant.
(4) Mr. Kaplan's annual base salary is currently $225,000 with a minimum annual
increase of 10% each year. See "-- Employment Agreements."
(5) Mr. Kaplan will receive a minimum annual bonus of $50,000 per year with a
minimum annual bonus increase of 10% each year. However, this bonus will not
exceed the amount of Mr. Kaplan's then current salary. See "-- Employment
Agreements."
(6) On December 18, 1998 Mr. Kaplan received an option to purchase 2,500 shares
at an exercise price of $12.125 per share. The option shares were fully
vested on the date of grant.
(7) Mr. Belomy's annual base salary is currently $160,000.
(8) On December 18, 1998 Mr. Belomy received an option to purchase 2,500 shares
at an exercise price of $12.125 per share. The option shares were fully
vested on the date of grant.
(9) Mr. Rand's employment started on May 1, 1998 at an annual salary of
$140,000. Mr. Rand's annual base salary is currently $190,000.
(10) Includes $80,000 earned as a consultant.
(11) On August 18, 1998, Mr. Rand received an option to purchase 101,250 shares
of common stock at an exercise price of $12.00 per share. On December 1,
1998, our board of directors approved an amendment to reduce the exercise
price of the option to $10.00 per share. On April 6, our board of directors
approved a correction to change the vesting schedule as follows: 20% of the
option shares are fully vested and the balance becomes vested over the next
36 months of service measured from August 18, 1998. See "Certain
Transactions." On December 18, 1998 Mr. Rand received an option to purchase
2,500 shares at an exercise price of $12.125 per share. The option shares
were fully vested on the date of grant. On March 21, 1999, Mr. Rand
received an option to purchase an additional 25,000 shares of common stock.
The option shares were fully vested on the date of grant. On March 21, 1999
Mr. Rand received an option to purchase 25,000 shares of common stock. This
option will vest in equal installments over 36 months.
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<PAGE> 59
OPTION GRANTS IN LAST FISCAL YEAR
The following table sets forth each grant of stock options during the fiscal
year ended June 30, 1998 to our Chief Executive Officer and our three other most
highly compensated executive officers. No stock appreciation rights were granted
during the last fiscal year.
The assumed 5% and 10% rates of stock price appreciation are provided in
accordance with rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission and do not
represent our estimate or projection of our common stock price. Actual gains, if
any, on stock option exercises are dependent on the future performance of our
common stock, overall market conditions and the option holders' continued
employment through the vesting period. Unless the market price of our common
stock appreciates over the option term, no value will be realized from the
option grants made to these executive officers. The potential realizable values
shown in the table are calculated by assuming that the estimated fair market
value of our common stock on the date of grant increases by 5% and 10%,
respectively, during each year of the option term. See footnote 7 for
information on how the fair market value was estimated.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
POTENTIAL REALIZABLE
INDIVIDUAL GRANTS VALUE AT
----------------------------------------------------------- ASSUMED ANNUAL
NUMBER OF PERCENT OF RATES OF STOCK PRICE
SECURITIES TOTAL APPRECIATION FOR
UNDERLYING OPTIONS GRANTED EXERCISE OR OPTION TERM($)
OPTIONS TO EMPLOYEES IN BASE PRICE EXPIRATION ---------------------
NAME GRANTED(#) FISCAL YEAR(6) ($/SHARE)(7) DATE(8) 5% 10%
---- ---------- --------------- ------------ ---------- -------- ---------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Sherman Tuan......... 62,500(1) 11.18 0.40 12/09/07 15,722 39,844
5,000(2) * 1.20 1/26/08 3,773 9,562
Warren J. Kaplan..... 27,500(3) 4.92 0.20 11/09/07 3,459 8,766
175,000(4) 31.30 0.40 11/09/07 44,023 111,562
Stephen P. Belomy.... 37,500(5) 6.71 0.40 12/09/07 9,433 23,906
5,000(2) * 1.20 1/26/08 3,773 9,562
David Rand........... 25,000(5) 4.47 0.40 12/09/07 6,289 15,937
5,000(2) * 1.20 1/26/08 3,773 9,562
</TABLE>
- -------------------------
* Less than one percent.
(1) 6.25% of the shares vest every 3 months after the vesting commencement date
until the first anniversary of the vesting commencement date. 1/36 of the
remaining shares vest each month thereafter. Under the terms of Mr. Tuan's
employment agreement, all of the shares subject to this option will
accelerate and become fully vested if either Mr. Tuan's employment with us
is terminated without cause or there is a material breach by us of his
employment agreement. See "-- Employment Agreements."
(2) Each of the options granted to Messrs. Tuan, Belomy and Rand on January 27,
1998 were fully vested at the time of grant.
(3) 1/3 of the shares vested on December 10, 1997, 1/3 of the shares vested on
January 10, 1998 and 1/3 of the shares vested on February 9, 1998. 9,166 of
the option shares were cancelled when Mr. Kaplan joined us as President and
Chief Operating Officer.
(4) 1/5 of the shares were immediately exercisable on the date of grant and
1/36 of the remaining shares become exercisable each month thereafter. All
unvested options accelerated upon the closing of our initial public offering
on December 10, 1998.
(5) 6.25% of the shares vest every 3 months after the vesting commencement date
until the first anniversary of the vesting commencement date. 1/36 of the
remaining shares vest each month thereafter.
(6) Based on an aggregate of 559,125 options granted to our employees under our
1997 Stock Option Plan and the option granted to Mr. Kaplan on November 10,
1997 with an exercise price of $0.40 per share. See "-- Employment
Agreements."
(7) The exercise price is equal to the deemed fair market value of our common
stock as estimated by our board of directors on the date of grant. However,
the exercise price of the option granted to Mr. Kaplan on November 10, 1997
to purchase 175,000 shares of common stock at an exercise price of $0.40 per
share was deemed to be above the fair market value on the date of grant. The
fair market value of our common stock was estimated by our board of
directors on the basis of the purchase price paid by investors for shares of
our preferred stock, taking into account the liquidation preferences and
other rights, privileges and preferences associated with such preferred
stock, and an evaluation by our board of directors of our revenues,
operating history and prospects.
(8) Each of the options has a ten-year term. However, the options will terminate
earlier if the optionee ceases service with us.
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<PAGE> 60
AGGREGATE OPTION EXERCISES IN LAST FISCAL YEAR AND FISCAL YEAR-END OPTION VALUES
The following table sets forth information concerning the options exercised by
our Chief Executive Officer and our three other most highly compensated
executive officers in fiscal year 1998 and the year-end number and value of
unexercised options with respect to each of these executive officers. No stock
appreciation rights were exercised by these executive officers in fiscal year
1998 or were outstanding at the end of that year.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
NUMBER OF SECURITIES VALUE OF UNEXERCISED
UNDERLYING UNEXERCISED OPTIONS IN-THE-MONEY OPTIONS
SHARES AT FISCAL YEAR-END(#) AT FISCAL YEAR-END($)(3)
ACQUIRED ON VALUE ------------------------------ ---------------------------
NAME EXERCISE(#) REALIZED($)(1) EXERCISABLE(2) UNEXERCISABLE EXERCISABLE UNEXERCISABLE
---- ----------- -------------- -------------- ------------- ----------- -------------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Sherman Tuan........... -- -- 155,000 87,500 771,500 451,500
Warren J. Kaplan....... 65,833 64,833 14,721 112,777 70,661 541,330
Stephen P. Belomy...... 7,551 37,708 55,781 -- 268,124 --
David Rand............. -- -- 86,250 62,500 427,250 317,500
</TABLE>
- -------------------------
(1) Based on the fair market value of our common stock on the date of exercise,
less the exercise price payable for such shares.
(2) Certain of the options are then immediately exercisable for all the option
shares as of the date of grant but any shares purchased are subject to
repurchase by us at the original exercise price paid per share if the
optionee ceases service with us before vesting in such shares.
(3) Based on the fair market value of our common stock at fiscal year end of
$5.20 per share less the exercise price payable for such shares. The fair
market value of our common stock at the end of fiscal year 1998 was
estimated by our board of directors on the basis of the purchase price paid
by investors for shares of our preferred stock, taking into account the
liquidation preferences and other rights, privileges and preferences
associated with such preferred stock, and an evaluation by our board of
directors of our revenues, operating history and prospects.
STOCK INCENTIVE PLAN
In August 1998, our board of directors adopted our 1998 Stock Incentive Plan. It
replaces our 1996 Stock Option Plan and our 1997 Stock Plan. The 1996 Stock
Option Plan and 1997 Stock Plan terminated when we adopted the 1998 Stock
Incentive Plan. No further grants will be made under the 1996 Stock Option Plan
and 1997 Stock Plan, although they will continue to govern all outstanding
awards made under their terms. All awards will be made under the 1998 Stock
Incentive Plan.
We reserved 1,562,500 shares of common stock for issuance under the 1998 Stock
Incentive Plan. If we forfeit or terminate any options granted under the 1998
Stock Incentive Plan for any reason without the grants having been exercised in
full, then the unpurchased shares subject to those options will become available
for additional grants of stock options or shares under the 1998 Stock Incentive
Plan. If we forfeit any shares granted or purchased under the 1998 Stock
Incentive Plan, then those shares will also become available for additional
grants under the 1998 Stock Incentive Plan. The number of shares reserved for
issuance under the 1998 Stock Incentive Plan will increase automatically on July
1 of each year by a number equal to the lesser of (1) 312,500 shares or (2) 4%
of the shares of common stock outstanding at that time. Options granted to any
optionee in a single fiscal year shall not cover more than 312,500 shares.
However, options granted to a new employee in the fiscal year in which his or
her service as an employee first commences shall not cover more than 625,000
shares.
Under the 1998 Stock Incentive Plan, directors, employees, and consultants and
advisors to us, or a subsidiary or affiliate of us, are eligible to purchase
shares of common stock and to receive awards of shares or grants of nonstatutory
options. Employees are also eligible to receive grants of incentive stock
options intended to qualify under Section 422 of the Internal Revenue Code of
1986, as amended. Collectively, these grants are known as awards. Our
compensation committee of our board of directors administers the 1998 Stock
Incentive Plan and selects the persons to whom shares will be sold or awarded or
options will be granted, determines the type, number, vesting requirements and
other features and conditions of each sale, award or grant, interprets this plan
and makes all other decisions relating to the operation of the plan.
The exercise price under any nonstatutory stock options generally must be at
least 85% of the fair market value of the common stock on the date of grant, and
the exercise price may vary in accordance with a
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<PAGE> 61
predetermined formula while the nonstatutory stock option is outstanding. The
exercise price under incentive stock options cannot be lower than 100% of fair
market value of the common stock on the date of grant and, in the case of
incentive stock options granted to holders of more than 10% of our voting power,
not less than 110% of such fair market value. The term of an incentive stock
option cannot exceed 10 years, and the term of an incentive stock option granted
to a holder of more than 10% of our voting power cannot exceed five years.
The exercise price of common stock issued upon exercise of options is payable in
cash equivalents at the time when such shares are purchased. However, the stock
option agreement for an incentive stock option, and with respect to nonstatutory
stock option, the compensation committee at any time, may specify that payment
may be made in any of the following forms: (1) by surrendering, or attesting to
the ownership of, shares of common stock that are already owned by the optionee;
(2) by delivering an irrevocable direction to a securities broker approved by us
to sell all or part of the shares being purchased under the 1998 Stock Incentive
Plan and to deliver all or part of the sales proceeds to us; (3) by delivering
an irrevocable direction to pledge all or part of the shares being purchased
under the 1998 Stock Incentive Plan to a securities broker or lender approved by
us, as security for a loan, and to deliver all or part of the loan proceeds to
us; (4) by delivering a full-recourse promissory note; or (5) any other form
that is consistent with applicable laws, regulations and rules. The par value of
the shares being purchased under the 1998 Stock Incentive Plan, if newly issued,
must be paid in cash or cash equivalents.
Each new non-employee director who is elected to our board of directors will
automatically be granted as of the date of election a nonstatutory stock option
to purchase 9,375 shares of common stock at an exercise price equal to the fair
market value of the common stock on the date of grant. The shares subject to
these options will vest in 36 equal installments at monthly intervals over the
three-year period commencing on the date of grant. In addition, each
non-employee director who will continue to serve following any annual meeting of
stockholders will automatically be granted an option as of the date of such
meeting to purchase 3,125 shares of common stock at an exercise price equal to
the fair market value of the common stock on the date of grant. These options
will vest on the first anniversary of grant. These options will expire on the
earliest of (1) the 10th anniversary of grant, (2) 3 months after termination of
service for any reason other than death or total and permanent disability or (3)
12 months after termination of service due to death or disability. No director
will receive the 9,375-share grant and a 3,125-share grant in the same fiscal
year.
Our compensation committee may permit or require an optionee to have shares that
otherwise would be delivered to such optionee as a result of the exercise of an
option converted into amounts credited to a deferred compensation account
established for such optionee as an entry on our books. In addition to options,
shares may be sold or awarded under the 1998 Stock Incentive Plan for such
consideration as the compensation committee may determine, including, without
limitation, cash, cash equivalents, full-recourse promissory notes, past
services and future services. To the extent that an award consists of newly
issued shares, the recipient must furnish consideration with a value not less
than the par value of such shares in the form of cash, cash equivalents or past
services rendered to us or a parent or subsidiary, as the compensation committee
may determine. The holders of shares awarded under the 1998 Stock Incentive Plan
shall have the same voting, dividend and other rights as our other stockholders
except that the award agreement may require that the holders of shares invest
any cash dividends received in additional shares. These additional shares are
subject to the same conditions and restrictions as the award with respect to
which the dividends were paid.
Immediately before the effective date of a change in control, an award will
become fully exercisable as to all shares subject to this award, except that (1)
in the case of an incentive stock plan, the acceleration of exercisability shall
not occur without the optionee's written consent; and (2) if we and the other
party to the transaction constituting a change in control agree that such
transaction is to be treated as a "pooling of interest" for financial reporting
purposes, and if such transaction in fact is so treated, then the acceleration
of exercisability shall not occur to the extent that our independent accountants
and the other party's independent accountants separately determine in good faith
that such acceleration would preclude the use of "pooling of interest"
accounting. In addition, all options granted to non-employee directors will
become fully exercisable if the director's service terminates because of death,
total and permanent disability or retirement at or after age 70.
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<PAGE> 62
Our board of directors may amend or terminate the 1998 Stock Incentive Plan at
any time. The 1998 Stock Incentive Plan shall remain in effect until it is
terminated except that no incentive stock options shall be granted on or after
the 10th anniversary of the later of (1) the date when our board of directors
adopted the 1998 Stock Incentive Plan or (2) the date when the board adopted the
most recent increase in the number of shares of common stock available under the
1998 Stock Incentive Plan which was approved by our stockholders. Amendments may
be subject to stockholder approval to the extent required by applicable laws.
EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE PLAN
In August 1998, our board of directors adopted our Employee Stock Purchase Plan
to provide our employees with an opportunity to purchase common stock through
payroll deductions. Under the Employee Stock Purchase Plan, 156,250 shares of
common stock have been reserved for issuance. As of July 1 of each year, the
number of shares reserved for issuance under the Employee Stock Purchase Plan
will increase automatically by the number of shares necessary to cause the
number of shares then available for purchase to be restored to 156,250. The
Employee Stock Purchase Plan became effective at the time of our initial public
offering. All employees whose customary employment is for more than five months
per calendar year and for more than 20 hours per week are eligible to
participate in the Employee Stock Purchase Plan.
Eligible employees may contribute up to 15% of their total cash compensation to
the Employee Stock Purchase Plan. Amounts withheld are applied at the end of
every six-month accumulation period to purchase shares of common stock, but not
more than 3,125 shares per accumulation period. The value of the common stock
(determined as of the beginning of the offering period) that may be purchased by
any participant in a calendar year is limited to $25,000. Participants may
withdraw their contributions at any time before stock is purchased.
The purchase price is equal to 85% of the lower of (1) the market price of
common stock immediately before the beginning of the applicable offering period
or (2) the market price of common stock at the time of the purchase. In general,
each offering period is 24 months long, but a new offering period begins every
six months. Thus, up to four overlapping offering periods may be in effect at
the same time. An offering period continues to apply to a participant for the
full 24 months, unless the market price of common stock is lower when a
subsequent offering period begins. In that event, the subsequent offering period
automatically becomes the applicable period for purposes of determining the
purchase price. The first accumulation and offering periods commenced on
December 10, 1998 and will end on April 30, 1999, and October 31, 2000,
respectively.
EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENTS
We entered into an employment agreement with Sherman Tuan dated as of February
1, 1998. Under this employment agreement, Mr. Tuan receives certain compensation
and benefits including, but not limited to, an annual base salary of $225,000,
bonus, and stock options. Mr. Tuan's current bonus amount is at a minimum
$50,000. The bonus cannot exceed the amount of Mr. Tuan's then current salary.
In addition, Mr. Tuan is guaranteed a minimum annual salary and bonus increase
of 10% each year. Mr. Tuan receives his base salary for twelve months and fully
vests in his option shares following either a termination without cause or a
material breach of his employment agreement by us before December 31, 1999. For
the purposes of this agreement, "cause" means (1) Mr. Tuan's conviction of,
guilty or "no contest" plea to or confession of guilt of a felony, (2) a willful
act by Mr. Tuan which constitutes gross misconduct and which is materially
injurious to us or (3) violation by Mr. Tuan of our proprietary information and
inventions agreement without our prior written consent. "Material Breach" means
(a) the failure of us to pay base salary or additional compensation in
accordance with his employment agreement, (b) the assignment to Mr. Tuan without
Mr. Tuan's consent of duties substantially inconsistent with his duties as set
forth in his employment agreement, (c) the relocation of our principal offices
to a geographic location other than Northern California, or (d) a failure to
reelect Mr. Tuan as a member of the board.
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<PAGE> 63
We have entered into an employment agreement with Warren J. Kaplan dated as of
November 10, 1997. Under his employment agreement, Mr. Kaplan receives certain
compensation and benefits including, but not limited to an annual base salary of
$225,000, a bonus of at least $50,000 which does not exceed his then current
salary, and stock options. We shall continue to pay Mr. Kaplan his base salary
for twelve months following a termination without cause during the term of his
employment agreement. In addition, Mr. Kaplan is guaranteed a minimum annual
salary and bonus increase of 10% each year.
Under the terms of his employment agreement, Mr. Kaplan received an option to
purchase shares of our common stock. This option was initially for 175,000
shares. However, the option contained an anti-dilution clause which guaranteed
that, prior to any underwritten initial public offering of our securities, the
number of option shares granted to Mr. Kaplan would always be equal to 5% of our
outstanding common stock less 18,333 option shares. Under the terms of this
anti-dilution clause, Mr. Kaplan received an additional 264,862 option shares on
July 31, 1998, an additional 30,110 option shares on September 4, 1998 and an
additional 22,240 option shares on December 1, 1998. This option is immediately
exercisable with respect to 20% of the option shares and the balance becomes
exercisable in equal monthly installments over the next 36 months of employment
with us measured from November 10, 1997, the date of Mr. Kaplan's employment
agreement. The exercise price is $0.40 per share which was above the fair market
value of our common stock on November 10, 1997. All outstanding options are
fully vested.
We have entered into an employment agreement with David Rand effective as of May
1, 1998. Under his employment agreement, Mr. Rand was appointed our Chief
Technology Officer. Mr. Rand's base salary is currently $190,000. Mr. Rand
receives six months' severance if he is terminated without cause.
See "Risk Factors -- We may not be able to hire or retain the key employees we
need."
LIMITATION OF LIABILITY AND INDEMNIFICATION MATTERS
Our Restated Certificate of Incorporation limits the liability of directors to
the maximum extent not prohibited by Delaware law. Delaware law provides that a
corporation's certificate of incorporation may contain a provision eliminating
or limiting the personal liability of a director for monetary damages for breach
of their fiduciary duties as directors, except for liability for any of the
following:
- for any breach of their duty of loyalty to the corporation or our
stockholders;
- for acts or omissions not in good faith or which involve intentional
misconduct or a knowing violation of law;
- for unlawful payments of dividends or unlawful stock repurchases or
redemptions as provided in Section 174 of the Delaware General Corporation
Law; or
- for any transaction from which the director derived an improper personal
benefit.
Our bylaws provide that we shall indemnify our directors, officers and employee
benefit plan fiduciaries, and may indemnify our employees and agents to the
fullest extent permitted by law. We believe that indemnification under our
bylaws covers at least negligence and gross negligence on the part of
indemnified parties. Our bylaws also permit us to advance expenses incurred by
an indemnified director or officer in connection with the defense of any action
or proceeding arising out of the director's or officer's status or service as
our director or officer upon any undertaking by the director or officer to repay
any advances if it is ultimately determined that such director or officer is not
entitled to such indemnification.
We have also entered into agreements to indemnify our directors and officers.
These agreements, among other things, indemnify our directors and officers for
certain expenses (including attorneys' fees and associated legal expenses),
judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement amounts if this settlement is
approved in advance by us, which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld,
actually and reasonably incurred by any person in any action, suit, proceeding
or alternative dispute resolution mechanism arising out of that person's
services as our director or officer, any subsidiary of us or any other company
or enterprise to which the person provides services at our request. We believe
that those provisions and agreements are necessary to attract and retain
qualified directors and officers.
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CERTAIN TRANSACTIONS
Since our inception in March 1996, there has not been any transaction or series
of similar transactions to which we were or are a party in which the amount
involved exceeded or exceeds $60,000 and in which any director, executive
officer, holder of more than 5% of any class of our voting securities or any
member of the immediate family of any of the foregoing persons had or will have
a direct or indirect material interest, other than the transactions described
below.
EQUITY FINANCINGS
From inception to our initial public offering in December, 1998, we financed our
growth primarily through the sale of preferred stock, resulting in the issuance
of an aggregate of 1,025,000 shares of series A preferred stock at purchase
price of $0.40 per share; 1,631,896 shares of series B preferred stock at a
weighted-average purchase price of $1.35 per share; 2,003,000 shares of series C
preferred stock at a weighted-average purchase price of $1.93 per share;
2,115,378 shares of series D preferred stock at a purchase price of $5.20 per
share; and 408,775 shares of series E preferred stock at a purchase price of
$10.00 per share. The purchasers of our series A preferred stock, series B
preferred stock, series C preferred stock, series D preferred stock and series E
preferred stock include the following directors, executive officers and 5% or
greater stockholders:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
NUMBER OF SHARES OF PREFERRED STOCK
----------------------------------------------------
NAME SERIES A SERIES B SERIES C SERIES D SERIES E
---- -------- -------- -------- -------- --------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Hui-Tzu Hu(1)............................ -- 150,013 500,000 192,307 --
Kline Hawkes California SBIC,
L.P.(1)(2)............................. -- -- -- 769,230 40,000
Techgains Corp. and Technology Associates
Management Co., Ltd.(1)(3)............. -- -- 552,500 192,307 --
Primus Technology Fund(1)................ -- -- -- 384,615 112,000
Peter C. Chen(1)(4)...................... 275,000 171,078 -- -- --
Warren J. Kaplan(5)...................... -- -- 12,500 -- 2,500
Kimball Small(6)......................... -- 325,000 -- -- --
Spring Creek Investments(7).............. -- -- -- 96,153 --
Jerry Chen(8)............................ -- 33,750 -- -- --
</TABLE>
- -------------------------
(1) Holds 5% or more of our outstanding capital stock. Includes all shares held
by affiliated entities.
(2) Frank R. Kline, a director, is a private equity manager of Kline Hawkes
California SBIC, L.P.
(3) Tom Shao, a director, is a Managing Director of Technology Associates
Management Co., Ltd.
(4) Peter C. Chen is a director.
(5) Includes shares held by Mr. Kaplan and his wife. Warren J. Kaplan is
President, Chief Operating Officer and a director.
(6) Kimball Small is a director.
(7) James Sha, a director, is a principal of Spring Creek Investments.
(8) Jerry Chen is an executive officer.
CONSULTING WARRANTS
We issued a warrant to Primus Technology Fund, a holder of more than 5% of our
capital stock, to purchase 8,750 shares of our common stock at a per share
exercise price of $5.20 in connection with services provided by Primus in
assisting us in establishing operations in Asia.
In December 1996, we granted options to purchase an aggregate of 104,166 shares
of our common stock at an exercise price of $0.12 per share to Stephen Belomy,
our Executive Vice President and Secretary, and Kimball Small, a member of our
board of directors, in consideration of their real estate consulting services.
In June 1998, our Board fully accelerated the vesting of these options.
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REAL PROPERTY AGREEMENTS
Kimball Small Properties co-manages the building in which our San Jose,
California office and Internet service exchange facility is located, and has an
ownership interest in the building. Kimball Small, President of Kimball Small
Properties, holds more than 5% of our capital stock and is a director.
We entered into a lease for an approximately 110,000 square foot Internet
service exchange facility in San Jose, California. Kimball Small Properties
co-manages the building in which the new facility is being developed and has an
ownership interest in the building. See "Risk Factors -- We may face problems in
connection with our expansion plans."
WARRANTS
In connection with the exchange of outstanding notes and warrants for our series
B preferred stock, we issued a warrant to the Peter and Pat Chen Living Trust,
owned as community property by Peter C. Chen, a holder of more than 5% of our
capital stock and Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors, to purchase 26,972
shares of our common stock at a per share exercise price of $2.00.
In connection with the exchange of outstanding notes and warrants for our series
B preferred stock, we issued a warrant to Hui-Tzu Hu, a holder of more than 5%
of our capital stock, to purchase 29,375 shares of our common stock at a per
share exercise price of $2.00.
TECHNOLOGY AGREEMENT
David Rand, our Chief Technology Officer, has granted to us perpetual,
non-royalty bearing worldwide licenses to the EtherValve and MRTG technologies
and assigned the APS and ASAP technology to us pursuant to a technology
agreement dated August 18, 1998. In consideration for entering into the
agreement, Mr. Rand received options to purchase 101,250 shares of our common
stock at an exercise price of $12.00 per share. On December 1, 1998, the Board
approved an amendment to reduce the exercise price of the option to $10.00 per
share. See "-- Option Repricing." The options vest over four years.
SERVICE OPTIONS
On March 27, 1999, the board of directors granted options to each of Kimball
Small and Frank R. Kline, both of whom are our directors, for 12,500 and 15,000
shares of our common stock. The options have an exercise price of $85.06 per
share and vest in three equal annual installments and terminate in 3 years.
OPTION REPRICING
On December 1, 1998, the board of directors approved the amendment of all
outstanding stock options under our 1997 Stock Plan with an exercise price in
excess of $10.00 per share. As a result, all options granted in August 1998,
September 1998 and October 1998 were repriced at $10.00 per share, including the
options granted to Sherman Tuan, our Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of our
Board of Directors, on August 18, 1998 for 131,500 shares, the option granted to
David Rand, our Chief Technology Officer, on August 18, 1998 for 101,250 shares
and options granted to each of Fred A. Vierra and Robert A. Burgelman, both of
whom are directors, on October 14, 1998 and October 28, 1998, respectively, for
9,375 shares.
We believe that all of the transactions set forth above were made on terms no
less favorable to us than could have been obtained from unaffiliated third
parties. All future transactions, including loans between us and our officers,
directors, principal stockholders and their affiliates, will be approved by a
majority of our board, including a majority of the independent and disinterested
outside directors on the board of directors, and will continue to be on terms no
less favorable to us than could be obtained from unaffiliated third parties.
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PRINCIPAL AND SELLING STOCKHOLDERS
The following table sets forth information regarding the beneficial ownership of
common stock as of March 31, 1999, and as adjusted to reflect the sale by us of
1,300,000 shares of common stock by the following individuals or groups:
- each person or entity who is known by us to own beneficially more than 5% of
our common stock;
- each director;
- each of the Named Executive Officers;
- all of our executive officers and directors as a group; and
- all other selling stockholders.
Unless otherwise indicated, the address for each stockholder listed in the
following table is c/o AboveNet Communications, Inc, 50 W. San Fernando Street,
Suite #1010, San Jose, California 95113. Except as otherwise indicated, and
subject to applicable community property laws, the persons named in the table
have sole voting and investment power with respect to all shares of common stock
held by them.
Applicable percentage ownership in the following table is based on 13,622,599
shares of common stock outstanding as of March 31, 1999.
To the extent that any shares are issued upon exercise of options, warrants or
other rights to acquire capital stock that are presently outstanding or granted
in the future or reserved for future issuance under stock plans, there will be
further dilution to new public investors.
The numbers shown in the table below assume no exercise by the underwriters of
their over-allotment option. AboveNet has granted the underwriters an option to
purchase up to 600,000 shares, to cover over-allotments, if any.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
SHARES BENEFICIALLY SHARES BENEFICIALLY
OWNED OWNED
PRIOR TO OFFERING AFTER OFFERING
-------------------- SHARES --------------------
DIRECTORS, OFFICERS AND 5% STOCKHOLDERS NUMBER PERCENT OFFERED NUMBER PERCENT
--------------------------------------- --------- ------- ------- --------- -------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Kline Hawkes California SBIC, L.P.(1)..... 910,063 6.7 -- 910,063 5.6
11726 San Vicente Blvd
Suite 300
Los Angeles, California 90049
Hui-Tzu Hu................................ 867,175 6.4 150,000 717,175 4.4
c/o D-Link Corporation
2F No. 233-2 Pro-Chino Road
Tsin-Tren
Taipei, Taiwan R.O.C
Techgains Corp. and Technology
Associates.............................. 744,807 5.5 148,961 595,846 3.7
Management Co., Ltd.(2)
2378 W. 239th Street
Torrance, California 90501
Robert A. Burgelman, Ph.D.(3)............. 9,375 * -- 9,375 *
Peter C. Chen, Ph.D.(4)................... 468,900 3.4 100,000 368,900 2.3
Warren J. Kaplan(5)....................... 524,007 3.7 77,000 447,007 2.7
Frank R. Kline(6)......................... 910,063 6.7 -- 910,063 5.6
James Sha(7).............................. 96,153 * 9,615 86,538 *
Tom Shao, Ph.D.(8)........................ 744,807 5.5 148,961 595,846 3.7
Kimball Small(9).......................... 409,027 3.0 70,000 339,027 2.1
Sherman Tuan(10).......................... 427,125 3.1 20,000 407,125 2.5
Fred A. Vierra(11)........................ 9,375 * -- 9,375 *
Stephen P. Belomy(12)..................... 108,333 * 20,000 88,333 *
David Rand(13)............................ 228,888 1.7 40,000 188,888 1.2
All directors and officers as a group (21
persons)(14)............................ 4,106,423 27.9 524,294 3,582,129 20.5
</TABLE>
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<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
SHARES BENEFICIALLY SHARES BENEFICIALLY
OWNED OWNED
PRIOR TO OFFERING AFTER OFFERING
-------------------- SHARES --------------------
OTHER SELLING STOCKHOLDERS NUMBER PERCENT OFFERED NUMBER PERCENT
-------------------------- --------- ------- ------- --------- -------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
En-Lei Tuan............................... 375,000 2.8 200,000 175,000 1.1
North American
Venture Fund L.P........................ 242,307 1.8 121,153 121,154 *
Synergy (formerly Prosperity.............. 250,000 1.8 50,000 200,000 1.2
Capital)
Ching-Jung Chen........................... 208,000 1.5 48,000 160,000 1.0
Jerry Chen(15)............................ 157,185 1.2 20,000 137,185 *
Other Selling Stockholders................ 608,459 4.5 131,087 467,759 2.9
each holding less than one percent of
the common stock prior to the offering,
as a group (9 persons or entities)
Selling Stockholder -- Additional
Allocation.............................. * * 75,466 * *
</TABLE>
- -------------------------
* Each stockholder represents less than 1 percent.
(1) The General Partner of Kline Hawkes California SBIC, a California limited
partnership, is Kline Hawkes California SBIC GP, a limited partnership. The
General Partner of Kline Hawkes California SBIC GPLP is Kline Hawkes
Management SBIC, Inc. The controlling shareholder of Kline Hawkes
Management SBIC, Inc. is Frank R. Kline, Jr.
(2) Includes all shares held by TAMC. Mr. Shao is a Managing Director of TAMC.
Mr. Shao, a director of AboveNet, disclaims beneficial ownership of such
shares except to the extent of his pecuniary interest therein.
(3) Includes 9,375 shares of common stock issuable pursuant to options
exercisable within 60 days of March 31, 1999. Mr. Burgelman is a director
of AboveNet.
(4) Includes all shares owned as community property with Pat Chen and all
shares owned by the Peter Cheng-Yu and Pat Te-Hui Living Trust. Mr. Chen is
a director of AboveNet.
(5) Includes 424,424 shares of common stock issuable pursuant to options
exercisable within 60 days of March 31, 1999. Includes 15,000 shares of
common stock owned by Judith A. Kaplan, Mr. Kaplan's wife. Excludes shares
of common stock owned by Mr. Kaplan's adult children. Mr. Kaplan is a
director and an officer of AboveNet. In December 1998, Mr. Kaplan bought
2,000 shares of our common stock on the open market. In connection with
this offering, Mr. Kaplan will disgorge his profits on the sale of 2,000
shares of common stock to us pursuant to Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act
of 1934, as amended.
(6) Includes 909,230 shares held by Kline Hawkes California SBIC, L.P. and our
affiliates. Includes 833 shares of common stock issuable to Mr. Kline
pursuant to options exercisable within 60 days of March 31, 1999. Mr.
Kline, a director of AboveNet and a private equity manager of Kline Hawkes
California L.P./Kline Hawkes California SBIC, L.P., disclaims beneficial
ownership of such shares except to the extent of his pecuniary interest.
(7) Includes 96,153 shares held by Spring Creek Investments. Mr. Sha, a
director of AboveNet, is a principal of Spring Creek Investments.
(8) Includes 744,807 shares held by Techgains Corp. and Technology Associates
Management Co., Ltd. (collectively, "TAMC"). Mr. Shao is a Managing
Director of TAMC. Mr. Shao, a director of AboveNet, disclaims beneficial
ownership of such shares except to the extent of his pecuniary interest
therein.
(9) Includes 84,027 shares of common stock issuable pursuant to options
exercisable within 60 days of March 31, 1999. Includes all shares held in
community property with Martha Small. Mr. Small is a director of AboveNet.
(10) Includes 245,250 shares of common stock issuable pursuant to options
exercisable within 60 days of March 31, 1999. Mr. Tuan is a director and an
officer of AboveNet.
(11) Includes 9,375 shares of common stock issuable pursuant to options
exercisable within 60 days of March 31, 1999. Mr. Vierra is a director of
AboveNet.
(12) Includes 33,281 shares of common stock issuable pursuant to options
exercisable within 60 days of March 31, 1999. Mr. Belomy is an officer of
AboveNet.
(13) Includes 210,138 shares of common stock issuable pursuant to options
exercisable within 60 days of March 31, 1999. Mr. Rand is an officer of
AboveNet.
(14) Includes 1,121,312 shares of common stock issuable pursuant to options
exercisable within 60 days of March 31, 1999. See also footnotes 4, 6 and
8.
(15) Includes 27,499 shares of common stock issuable pursuant to options
exercisable within 60 days of March 31, 1999. Mr. Chen is an officer of
AboveNet.
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<PAGE> 68
DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STOCK
GENERAL
We are authorized to issue 60,000,000 shares of common stock, $0.001 par value,
and 5,000,000 shares of undesignated preferred stock, $0.001 par value. The
following description of our capital stock and certain provisions of our
certificate of incorporation and bylaws is not complete and is subject to and
qualified in its entirety by our certificate of incorporation and bylaws, which
are included as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus
forms a part, and by applicable provisions of Delaware law.
COMMON STOCK
As of March 31, 1999, there were 13,622,599 shares of common stock outstanding
that were held of record by 147 stockholders. There will be 16,322,599 shares of
common stock outstanding (assuming no exercise of options and warrants
outstanding as of March 31, 1999 or granted thereafter) after giving effect to
the sale of common stock offered to the public hereby. The holders of common
stock are entitled to one vote per share held of record in all matters submitted
to a vote of stockholders. Holders of common stock do not have cumulative voting
rights, and, therefore, holders of a majority of the shares voting for the
election of directors can elect all of the directors. In such event, the holders
of the remaining shares will not be able to elect any directors.
Holders of the common stock are entitled to receive such dividends as may be
declared from time to time by the board of directors out of funds legally
available therefor, subject to the terms of any existing or future agreements
between us and our debtholders. We have never declared or paid cash dividends on
our capital stock, expect to retain future earnings, if any, for use in the
operation and expansion of our business, and do not anticipate paying cash
dividends in the foreseeable future. In the event of our liquidation,
dissolution or winding up, the holders of common stock are entitled to share
ratably in all assets legally available for distribution after payment of all
debts and other liabilities and subject to the prior rights of holders of
preferred stock then outstanding, if any. See -- "Dividend Policy."
PREFERRED STOCK
Our board of directors has the authority to issue the preferred stock in one or
more series and to fix the price, rights, preferences, privileges and
restrictions thereof, including dividend rights, dividend rates, conversion
rights, voting rights, terms of redemption, redemption prices, liquidation
preferences and the number of shares constituting a series or the designation of
such series, without any further vote or action by our stockholders. The
issuance of preferred stock, while providing desirable flexibility in connection
with possible acquisitions and other corporate purposes, could have the effect
of delaying, deferring or preventing a change in control of us without further
action by the stockholders and may adversely affect the market price of, and the
voting and other rights of, the holders of common stock. The issuance of
preferred stock with voting and conversion rights may adversely affect the
voting power of the holders of common stock, including the loss of voting
control to others. We have no current plans to issue any shares of preferred
stock.
ANTITAKEOVER EFFECTS OF PROVISIONS OF CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION, BYLAWS AND
DELAWARE LAW
Our certificate of incorporation provides that all stockholder actions must be
effected at a duly called annual or special meeting and may not be effected by
written consent. In addition, we have a classified board of directors such that
approximately one-third of the members of our board of directors are elected at
each annual meeting of the stockholders. Our bylaws provide that, except as
otherwise required by law, special meetings of the stockholders can only be
called pursuant to a resolution adopted by a majority of
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<PAGE> 69
the board of directors, or by our president, or by the chairman of the board or
at the request of stockholders holding at least a majority of our outstanding
stock. In addition, the bylaws establish an advance notice procedure for
stockholder proposals to be brought before an annual meeting of stockholders,
including proposed nominations of persons for election to the board.
Stockholders at an annual meeting may only consider proposals or nominations
specified in the notice of meeting or brought before the meeting by or at the
direction of the board of directors or by a stockholder who was a stockholder of
record on the record date for the meeting, who is entitled to vote at the
meeting and who has delivered timely written notice in proper form to our
Secretary of the stockholder's intention to bring such business before the
meeting. Our certificate of incorporation provides that the affirmative vote of
holders of at least a majority of the total votes eligible to be cast in the
election of directors is required to amend, alter, change or appeal certain of
its provisions. Our bylaws provide that the affirmative vote of the holders of
at least 80 percent of the voting stock is required to amend, alter or repeal
any of its provisions.
The foregoing provisions of our certificate of incorporation and bylaws are
intended to enhance the likelihood of continuity and stability in the
composition of the board of directors and in the policies formulated by the
board of directors and to discourage certain types of transactions which may
involve an actual or threatened change of control of us. These provisions are
designed to reduce the vulnerability of us to an unsolicited acquisition
proposal and, accordingly, could discourage potential acquisition proposals and
could delay or prevent a change in control of us. These provisions are also
intended to discourage certain tactics that may be used in proxy fights but
could, however, have the effect of discouraging others from making tender offers
for our shares and, consequently, may also inhibit fluctuations in the market
price of our shares that could result from actual or rumored takeover attempts.
These provisions may also have the effect of preventing changes in our
management. We are currently considering other anti-takeover measures, including
the adoption of a stockholder rights plan. See "Risk Factors -- We have
antitakeover provisions in our charter documents and there are provisions of
Delaware law that could prevent or delay a change of control of our company."
EFFECT OF DELAWARE ANTITAKEOVER STATUTE
We are subject to Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law ("Section
203") which, subject to certain exceptions, prohibits a Delaware corporation
from engaging in any business combination with any interested stockholder for a
period of three years following the date that such stockholder became an
interested stockholder, unless:
- prior to such date, the board of directors of the corporation approved
either the business combination or the transaction which resulted in the
stockholder becoming an interested stockholder;
- upon consummation of the transaction which resulted in the stockholder
becoming an interested stockholder, the interested stockholder owned at
least 85% of the voting stock of the corporation outstanding at the time the
transaction commenced, excluding for purposes of determining the number of
shares outstanding those shares owned (1) by persons who are directors and
also officers and (2) by the employee stock plans in which employee
participants do not have the right to determine confidentially whether
shares held subject to the plan will be tendered in a tender or exchange
offer; or
- on or subsequent to such date, the business combination is approved by the
board of directors and authorized at an annual or special meeting of
stockholders, and not by written consent, by the affirmative vote of at
least 66 2/3% of the outstanding voting stock which is not owned by the
interested stockholder.
Section 203 defines a business combination to include:
- any merger or consolidation involving the corporation and an interested
stockholder;
- any sale, lease, exchange, mortgage, transfer, pledge or other disposition
of 10% or more of the assets or stock of the corporation involving an
interested stockholder;
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<PAGE> 70
- subject to certain exceptions, any transaction which results in the issuance
or transfer by the corporation of any stock of the corporation to an
interested stockholder;
- any transaction involving the corporation which has the effect of increasing
the proportionate share of the stock of any class or series, or convertible
into the stock of any class or series, of the corporation which is owned by
an interested stockholder; or
- the receipt by an interested stockholder of the benefit of any loans,
advances, guarantees, pledges or other financial benefits provided by or
through the corporation. In general, Section 203 defines an interested
stockholder as any entity or person beneficially owning 15% or more of the
outstanding voting stock of the corporation or any entity or person
affiliated with or controlling or controlled by such entity or person. See
"Risk Factors -- We have antitakeover provisions in our charter documents
and there are provisions of Delaware law that could prevent or delay a
change of control of our company."
REGISTRATION RIGHTS OF CERTAIN HOLDERS
The holders of approximately 6,261,267 shares of common stock are entitled to
certain rights with respect to the registration of those shares under the
Securities Act. Under the terms of the agreement between us and the holders of
these registrable securities, if we propose to register any of our securities
under the Securities Act, either for our own account or for the account of other
securities holders exercising registration rights, these holders are entitled to
notice of such registration and are entitled to include their shares therein.
Holders of registration rights may also require us to file a registration
statement under the Securities Act at our expense with respect to their shares
of common stock, and we are required to use our best efforts to effect such
registration. Further, holders may require us to file registration statements on
Form S-3 at our expense when that form becomes available for use by us. All such
registration rights are subject to certain conditions and limitations, including
the right of the underwriters of an offering to limit the number of shares to be
included in such registration.
WARRANTS
As of March 31, 1999, warrants to purchase 170,158 shares of our common stock.
TRANSFER AGENT
The transfer agent and registrar for our common stock is Boston EquiServe L.P.
Its address is 150 Royall Street, Canton, Massachusetts, and its telephone
number at this location is (781) 575-3010.
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<PAGE> 71
SHARES ELIGIBLE FOR FUTURE SALE
Upon completion of this offering, based on shares outstanding as of March 31,
1999, we will have 16,322,599 shares of common stock outstanding, assuming no
exercise of the underwriters' over-allotment option. Of this amount, the
4,000,000 shares sold in this offering, assuming no exercise of the
underwriters' over-allotment option, will be freely tradeable without
restriction or further registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended, unless the shares are purchased by our "affiliates" as that term in
Rule 144 under the Securities Act. In addition, the 5,750,000 shares sold in our
December 1998 initial public offering are currently eligible to be resold
immediately in the public market without restriction unless the shares were
purchased by affiliates. Of the remaining shares, approximately (1) 106,182
shares will be available for immediate sale in the public market as of the date
of this prospectus, (2) 2,133,136 shares will be available for sale on June 10,
1999, the expiration date of the contractual lock-up agreements entered into in
connection with our initial public offering, (3) 673,073 shares will be
available for sale at various times during the period beginning June 10, 1999
and ending 90 days after the date of this prospectus (4) 3,251,433 shares will
be eligible 90 days after the date of this prospectus following the expiration
of 90-day lockup agreements entered into with the underwriters, in some cases
subject to the volume limitations described below and (5) 408,775 shares will be
eligible for sale thereafter. Shares issuable upon exercise of outstanding
options after March 31, 1999 are not included in this analysis.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
DAYS AFTER DATE APPROXIMATE SHARES
OF THIS PROSPECTUS ELIGIBLE FOR FUTURE SALE COMMENT
------------------ ------------------------ -------
<S> <C> <C>
Upon Effectiveness................... 9,856,182 Freely tradable shares sold in our
initial public offering, this
offering and shares saleable under
Rules 144(k) or 701 that are not
subject to additional 90 day
contractual lockup restrictions
June 10, 1999........................ 2,133,136 Initial public offering lockup
released; shares saleable under
Rule 144, 144(k) or 701 that are
not subject to additional 90 day
lockup restrictions
Period between June 10, 1999 and 90 673,073 Initial public offering lockup
days after prospectus.............. released; shares saleable under
Rule 144, 144(k) or 701 that are
not subject to additional 90 day
lockup restrictions
90 days after prospectus............. 3,251,433 90-day lockup in connection with
this offering released; shares
saleable under Rule 144 or 701
Thereafter........................... 408,775 Restricted securities held for one
year or less
</TABLE>
In general, under Rule 144 as currently in effect, a person (or persons whose
shares are aggregated) who has beneficially owned shares for at least one year
is entitled to sell within any three-month period a number of shares that does
not exceed the greater of (1) 1% of the then outstanding shares of common stock
(approximately 163,225 shares immediately after this offering) or (2) the
average weekly trading volume during the four calendar weeks preceding such
sale, subject to the filing of a Form 144 with respect to such sale. A person
(or persons whose shares are aggregated) who is not deemed to have been our
affiliate at any time during the 90 days immediately preceding the sale who has
beneficially owned his or her shares for at least two years is entitled to sell
those shares pursuant to Rule 144(k) without regard to the limitations described
above. Persons deemed to be affiliates must always sell pursuant to Rule 144,
even after the applicable holding periods have been satisfied.
AboveNet, our directors, executive officers, the selling stockholders and
certain other stockholders have agreed pursuant to the underwriting agreement
and other agreements that they will not sell any common
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<PAGE> 72
stock without the prior consent of CIBC Oppenheimer Corp. for a period of 90
days from the date of this prospectus, except that we may, without such consent,
grant options and sell shares pursuant to our stock plans. We have agreed with
the underwriters that we will not release any shares subject to lock-up
agreements with us without the prior consent of CIBC Oppenheimer Corp.
We are unable to estimate the number of shares that will be sold under Rule 144,
since this will depend on the market price for our common stock, the personal
circumstances of the sellers and other factors. Any sale of substantial amounts
of the common stock in the open market may adversely affect the price of the
common stock offered hereby.
In addition, the holders of approximately 6,261,267 shares of common stock
entitled to certain rights with respect to registration of those shares under
the Securities Act. Registration of those shares under the Securities Act would
result in those shares becoming freely tradable without restriction under the
Securities Act (except for shares purchased by our affiliates) immediately upon
the effectiveness of that registration. See "Description of Capital
Stock -- Registration Rights of Certain Holders."
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<PAGE> 73
UNDERWRITING
AboveNet and the selling stockholders have entered into an underwriting
agreement with the underwriters named below. CIBC Oppenheimer Corp., Lehman
Brothers Inc., PaineWebber Incorporated and Volpe Brown Whelan & Company, LLC
are acting as representatives of the underwriters.
The underwriting agreement provides for the purchase of a specific number of
shares of common stock by each of the underwriters. The underwriters'
obligations are several, which means that each underwriter is required to
purchase a specified number of shares, but is not responsible for the commitment
of any other underwriter to purchase shares. Subject to the terms and conditions
of the underwriting agreement, each underwriter has severally agreed to purchase
the number of common stock set forth opposite its name below:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
NUMBER OF
UNDERWRITERS SHARES
------------ ---------
<S> <C>
CIBC Oppenheimer Corp. .....................................
Lehman Brothers Inc. .......................................
PaineWebber Incorporated....................................
Volpe Brown Whelan & Company, LLC...........................
--------
Total............................................. 4,000,000
========
</TABLE>
This is a firm commitment underwriting. This means that the underwriters have
agreed to purchase all of the shares offered by this prospectus (other than
those covered by the over-allotment option described below) if any are
purchased. Under the underwriting agreement, if an underwriter defaults in its
commitment to purchase shares, the commitments of non-defaulting underwriters
may be increased or the underwriting agreement may be terminated, depending on
the circumstances.
The representatives have advised AboveNet and the selling stockholders that the
underwriters propose to offer the shares directly to the public at the public
offering price that appears on the cover page of this prospectus. In addition,
the representatives may offer some of the shares to certain securities dealers
at such price less a concession of $ per share. The underwriters may
also allow, and such dealers may reallow, a concession not in excess of
$ per share to certain other dealers. After the shares are released for
sale to the public, the representatives may change the offering price and other
selling terms at various times.
AboveNet has granted the underwriters an over-allotment option. This option,
which is exercisable for up to 30 days after the date of this prospectus,
permits the underwriters to purchase a maximum of additional
shares from AboveNet to cover over-allotments. If the underwriters exercise all
or part of this option, they will purchase shares covered by the option at the
public offering price that appears on the cover page of this prospectus, less
the underwriting discount. If this option is exercised in full, the total price
to public will be $ million, and the total proceeds to AboveNet will be
$ . The underwriters have severally agreed that, to the extent the
over-allotment option is exercised, they will each purchase a number of
additional shares proportionate to the underwriter's initial amount reflected in
the foregoing table.
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<PAGE> 74
The following table provides information regarding the amount of the discount to
be given to the underwriters by AboveNet and the selling stockholders.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
TOTAL WITH FULL
TOTAL WITHOUT EXERCISE EXERCISE OF
PER SHARE OF OVER-ALLOTMENT OVER-ALLOTMENT
--------- ---------------------- ---------------
<S> <C> <C>
AboveNet.......................................... $ $
Selling stockholders..............................
Total.............................................
</TABLE>
AboveNet estimates that its total expenses of the offering, excluding the
underwriting discount, will be approximately $ and $ ,
respectively.
AboveNet and the selling stockholders have agreed to indemnify the underwriters
against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act of
1933.
AboveNet, its officers and directors, the selling stockholders and certain other
stockholders have agreed to a 90-day "lock up" with respect to approximately
shares of common stock and certain other AboveNet securities that
they beneficially own, including securities that are convertible into shares of
common stock and securities that are exchangeable or exercisable for shares of
common stock. This means that, subject to certain exceptions, for a period of 90
days following the date of this prospectus, AboveNet and such persons may not
offer, sell, pledge or otherwise dispose of the AboveNet securities without the
prior written consent of CIBC Oppenheimer Corp.
Rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission may limit the ability of the
underwriters to bid for or purchase shares before the distribution of the shares
is completed. However, the underwriters may engage in the following activities
in accordance with the rules:
- Stabilizing transactions -- The representatives may make bids or purchases
for the purpose of pegging, fixing or maintaining the price of the shares,
so long as stabilizing bids do not exceed a specified maximum.
- Over-allotments and syndicate covering transactions -- The underwriters may
create a short position in the shares by selling more shares than are set
forth on the cover page of this prospectus. If a short position is created
in connection with the offering, the representatives may engage in syndicate
covering transactions by purchasing shares in the open market. The
representatives may also elect to reduce any short position by exercising
all or part of the over-allotment option.
- Penalty bids -- If the representatives purchase shares in the open market in
a stabilizing transaction or syndicate covering transaction, they may
reclaim a selling concession from the underwriters and selling group members
who sold those shares as part of this offering.
- Passive market making -- Market makers in the shares who are underwriters or
prospective underwriters may make bids for or purchases of shares, subject
to certain limitations, until the time, if ever, at which a stabilizing bid
is made.
Stabilization and syndicate covering transactions may cause the price of the
shares to be higher than it would be in the absence of such transactions. The
imposition of a penalty bid might also have an effect on the price of the shares
if it discourages resales of the shares.
Neither AboveNet nor the underwriters make any representation or prediction as
to the effect that the transactions described above may have on the price of the
shares. These transactions may occur on the Nasdaq National Market or otherwise.
If these transactions are commenced, they may be discontinued without notice at
any time.
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<PAGE> 75
LEGAL MATTERS
The validity of the common stock offered hereby will be passed upon for AboveNet
by Gunderson Dettmer Stough Villeneuve Franklin & Hachigian, LLP, Menlo Park,
California. An investment partnership comprised of members of that firm
beneficially owns a warrant to purchase 2,500 shares of our common stock at an
exercise price of $5.20 per share. Certain legal matters in connection with this
offering will be passed upon for the Underwriters by Pillsbury Madison & Sutro
LLP, Palo Alto, California. Pillsbury Madison & Sutro LLP has acted and
continues to act as counsel to us in connection with certain legal matters.
EXPERTS
Our financial statements as of June 30, 1997 and 1998 and for the period from
March 8, 1996 (inception) to June 30, 1996 and each of the years in the two-year
period ended June 30, 1998 included in this Prospectus and the related financial
statement schedule included elsewhere in the Registration Statement have been
audited by Deloitte & Touche LLP, independent auditors, as stated in their
reports appearing herein and elsewhere in the Registration Statement, and have
been so included in reliance upon the reports of such firm given upon their
authority as experts in accounting and auditing.
CHANGE IN ACCOUNTANTS
In April 1998, we appointed Deloitte & Touche LLP to replace our former
accountants as our principal accountants. There were no disagreements with our
former accountants during the period from inception to April 30, 1998 or during
any subsequent interim period preceding their replacement on any matter of
accounting principles or practices, financial statement disclosure, or auditing
scope or procedures, which disagreements, if not resolved to the former
accountants' satisfaction, would have caused them to make reference to the
subject matter of the disagreement in connection with their reports. Our former
accountants issued an unqualified opinion on the financial statements as of and
for the year ended June 30, 1997 and the period from inception to June 30, 1997.
We did not consult with Deloitte & Touche LLP on any accounting or financial
reporting matters in the periods prior to their appointment. The change in
accountants was approved by our board of directors.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
AboveNet has filed a registration statement on Form S-1 with the Securities and
Exchange Commission in connection with this offering. We are subject to the
informational requirements of the Exchange Act and file annual, quarterly and
current reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. You may
read and copy the registration statement and any other documents we filed at the
SEC's Public Reference Room at the principal office of the SEC, 450 Fifth
Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20549 or at the Regional Offices of the SEC:
Citicorp Center, 500 West Madison Street, Suite 1400, Chicago, Illinois
60661-2511, and Seven World Trade Center, New York, New York 10048. Please call
the Securities and Exchange Commission at 1-800-SEC-0330 for further information
on the Public Reference Room. Our SEC filings are also available to the public
at the SEC's Internet site at "http://www.sec.gov."
This prospectus is a part of the registration statement and does not contain all
of the information included in the registration statement. Whenever a reference
is made in this prospectus to any contract or other document, the reference may
not be complete and you should refer to the exhibits that are part of the
registration statement for a copy of the contract or document.
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<PAGE> 76
ABOVENET COMMUNICATIONS INC.
INDEX TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
PAGE
----
<S> <C>
Independent Auditors' Report................................ F-2
Balance Sheets as of June 30, 1997 and 1998 and December 31,
1998 (Unaudited).......................................... F-3
Statements of Operations for the Period from December 31,
1996 (Inception) to June 30, 1996, the Years Ended June
30, 1997 and 1998 and the Six Months Ended December 31,
1997 and 1998 (Unaudited)................................. F-4
Statements of Stockholders' Equity (Deficiency) for the
Period from March 8, 1996 (Inception) to June 30, 1996,
the Years Ended June 30, 1997 and 1998 and the Six Months
Ended December 31, 1998 (Unaudited)....................... F-5
Statements of Cash Flows for the Period from March 8, 1996
(Inception) to June 30, 1996, the Years Ended June 30,
1997 and 1998 and the Six Months Ended December 31, 1997
and 1998 (Unaudited)...................................... F-6
Notes to Financial Statements............................... F-7
</TABLE>
F-1
<PAGE> 77
INDEPENDENT AUDITORS' REPORT
To the Board of Directors and Stockholders of
AboveNet Communications Inc.:
We have audited the accompanying balance sheets of AboveNet Communications Inc.
as of June 30, 1997 and 1998, and the related statements of operations,
stockholders' equity (deficiency) and cash flows for the period from March 8,
1996 (inception) to June 30, 1996 and for each of the two years in the period
ended June 30, 1998. These financial statements are the responsibility of the
Company's management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these
financial statements based on our audits.
We conducted our audits in accordance with generally accepted auditing
standards. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain
reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material
misstatement. An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting
the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. An audit also includes
assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by
management, as well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation.
We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.
In our opinion, such financial statements present fairly, in all material
respects, the financial position of AboveNet Communications Inc. as of June 30,
1997 and 1998, and the results of their operations and their cash flows for the
period from March 8, 1996 (inception) to June 30, 1996 and for each of the two
years in the period ended June 30, 1998, in conformity with generally accepted
accounting principles.
DELOITTE & TOUCHE LLP
San Jose, California
August 7, 1998
(December 4, 1998 as to the first eight paragraphs
of Note 12 and March 31, 1999 as to the
last seven paragraphs of Note 12)
F-2
<PAGE> 78
ABOVENET COMMUNICATIONS INC.
BALANCE SHEETS
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
JUNE 30,
-------------------------- DECEMBER 31,
1997 1998 1998
----------- ----------- ------------
(UNAUDITED)
<S> <C> <C> <C>
ASSETS
Current assets:
Cash and equivalents...................................... $ 331,100 $ 8,141,200 $ 67,903,500
Short-term investments.................................... -- -- 974,900
Accounts receivable, net of reserve for doubtful accounts
of $15,000, $60,000 and $257,100, respectively.......... 41,100 357,000 1,471,000
Prepaid expenses and other current assets................. -- 269,600 737,100
----------- ----------- ------------
Total current assets............................... 372,200 8,767,800 71,086,500
Property and equipment, net................................. 766,400 4,436,100 15,007,600
Restricted cash............................................. -- 300,000 --
Right to use fiber optic capacity........................... -- -- 8,300,000
Deposits and other assets................................... 32,700 189,400 1,337,700
----------- ----------- ------------
Total.............................................. $ 1,171,300 $13,693,300 $ 95,731,800
=========== =========== ============
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY (DEFICIENCY)
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable.......................................... $ 312,000 $ 2,301,300 $ 2,329,600
Remaining obligation for right to use fiber optic
capacity................................................ -- -- 6,425,000
Accrued liabilities....................................... 109,700 619,900 1,016,500
Customer deposits......................................... 85,000 309,400 653,800
Advances.................................................. 739,900 -- --
Current portion of long-term obligations.................. 71,500 476,000 1,937,700
----------- ----------- ------------
Total current liabilities.......................... 1,318,100 3,706,600 12,362,600
----------- ----------- ------------
Convertible notes payable and advances...................... -- 8,000,000 --
----------- ----------- ------------
Other long-term obligations................................. 115,500 1,325,300 6,500,100
----------- ----------- ------------
Commitments and contingencies (Note 9) Stockholders' equity
(deficiency):
Preferred stock, $0.001 par value, 14,000,000 shares
authorized:
Series A convertible preferred stock; 1,025,000 shares
designated, 1,025,000, 1,025,000 and none issued and
outstanding, respectively............................. 410,000 410,000 --
Series B convertible preferred stock; 1,775,000 shares
designated; 1,000,000, 1,631,896 and none issued and
outstanding, respectively............................. 1,200,000 2,323,100 --
Series C convertible preferred stock; 2,025,000 shares
designated; none, 2,003,000 and none issued and
outstanding, respectively............................. -- 3,873,400 --
Series D convertible preferred stock; 2,125,000 shares
designated; none issued and outstanding............... -- -- --
Series E convertible preferred stock; 1,750,000 shares
designated; none issued and outstanding............... -- -- --
Common stock, $0.001 par value, 20,000,000 shares
authorized; 203,125, 364,348 and 13,593,942 shares
issued and outstanding, respectively.................... 8,100 38,900 89,327,100
Common stock options...................................... -- 1,861,500 3,467,400
Deferred stock compensation............................... -- (540,100) (76,900)
Accumulated deficit....................................... (1,880,400) (7,305,400) (15,848,500)
----------- ----------- ------------
Total stockholders' equity (deficiency)............ (262,300) 661,400 76,869,100
----------- ----------- ------------
Total.............................................. $ 1,171,300 $13,693,300 $ 95,731,800
=========== =========== ============
</TABLE>
See notes to financial statements.
F-3
<PAGE> 79
ABOVENET COMMUNICATIONS INC.
STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
MARCH 8, 1996 SIX MONTHS ENDED
(INCEPTION) YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, DECEMBER 31,
TO ------------------------- -------------------------
JUNE 30, 1996 1997 1998 1997 1998
------------- ----------- ----------- ----------- -----------
(UNAUDITED)
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Revenues..................... $ 78,600 $ 551,600 $ 3,436,400 $ 1,105,500 $ 4,446,200
-------- ----------- ----------- ----------- -----------
Costs and expenses:
Data communications and
telecommunications...... -- 558,600 2,199,800 628,800 2,829,700
Network operations......... 19,400 416,700 1,571,800 444,600 2,022,800
Sales and marketing........ 19,100 382,600 1,618,700 475,000 3,492,800
General and
administrative.......... 66,100 433,700 1,621,500 475,800 2,060,800
Depreciation and
amortization............ 51,600 132,700 475,500 181,800 1,203,300
Stock-based compensation
expense................. -- -- 1,276,400 49,400 1,169,600
Joint venture termination
fee..................... -- 431,100 -- -- --
-------- ----------- ----------- ----------- -----------
Total costs and
expenses......... 156,200 2,355,400 8,763,700 2,255,400 12,779,000
-------- ----------- ----------- ----------- -----------
Loss from operations......... (77,600) (1,803,800) (5,327,300) (1,149,900) (8,332,800)
Interest expense............. -- (7,400) (160,800) (125,800) (493,500)
Interest and other income.... -- 8,400 63,100 9,300 283,200
-------- ----------- ----------- ----------- -----------
Net loss..................... $(77,600) $(1,802,800) $(5,425,000) $(1,266,400) $(8,543,100)
======== =========== =========== =========== ===========
Basic and diluted loss per
share...................... $ (0.62) $ (9.17) $ (20.68) $ (5.91) $ (4.50)
======== =========== =========== =========== ===========
Shares used in basic and
diluted loss per share..... 125,000 196,618 262,304 214,400 1,897,000
======== =========== =========== =========== ===========
</TABLE>
See notes to financial statements.
F-4
<PAGE> 80
ABOVENET COMMUNICATIONS INC.
STATEMENTS OF STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY (DEFICIENCY)
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
CONVERTIBLE
PREFERRED STOCK COMMON STOCK COMMON DEFERRED
------------------------- ------------------------ STOCK STOCK
SHARES AMOUNT SHARES AMOUNT OPTIONS COMPENSATION
---------- ------------ ---------- ----------- ---------- ------------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Balances, March 8, 1996
(inception)...................... -- $ -- -- $ -- $ -- $ --
Issuance of common stock........... -- -- 125,000 5,000 -- --
Net loss........................... -- -- -- -- -- --
---------- ------------ ---------- ----------- ---------- -----------
Balances, June 30, 1996............ -- -- 125,000 5,000 -- --
Issuance of common stock........... -- -- 62,500 2,500 -- --
Issuance of Series A convertible
preferred stock.................. 1,025,000 410,000 -- -- -- --
Exercise of common stock options... -- -- 15,625 600 -- --
Issuance of Series B convertible
preferred stock.................. 500,000 600,000 -- -- -- --
Issuance of Series B convertible
preferred stock in conjunction
with acquisition of DSK, Inc.
(Note 8)......................... 500,000 600,000 -- -- -- --
Net loss........................... -- -- -- -- -- --
---------- ------------ ---------- ----------- ---------- -----------
Balances, June 30, 1997............ 2,025,000 1,610,000 203,125 8,100 -- --
Exercise of common stock options... -- -- 161,223 30,800 -- --
Issuance of warrants in connection
with issuance of debt............ -- 112,000 -- -- 45,000 --
Issuance of Series B convertible
preferred stock.................. 631,896 1,011,100 -- -- -- --
Issuance of Series C convertible
preferred stock.................. 2,003,000 3,873,400 -- -- -- --
Compensatory stock arrangements.... -- -- -- -- 1,816,500 (1,816,500)
Amortization of deferred stock
compensation..................... -- -- -- -- -- 1,276,400
Net loss........................... -- -- -- -- -- --
---------- ------------ ---------- ----------- ---------- -----------
Balances, June 30, 1998............ 4,659,896 6,606,500 364,348 38,900 1,861,500 (540,100)
Issuance of Series D convertible
preferred stock*................. 2,115,378 10,771,000 -- -- -- --
Issuance of Series E convertible
preferred stock*................. 408,775 3,846,400 -- -- -- --
Exercise of Series B warrants*..... 104,700 -- -- -- -- --
Conversion of convertible preferred
stock to common stock*........... (7,288,749) (21,223,900) 7,288,749 21,223,900 -- --
Issuance of common stock upon
initial public offering*......... -- -- 5,750,000 67,986,900 -- --
Exercise of common stock options
and warrants*.................... -- -- 190,845 77,400 -- --
Issuance of warrants in connection
with issuance of debt*........... -- -- -- -- 899,500 --
Compensatory stock arrangements*... -- -- -- -- 706,400 (706,400)
Amortization of deferred stock
compensation*.................... -- -- -- -- -- 1,169,600
Net loss*.......................... -- -- -- -- -- --
---------- ------------ ---------- ----------- ---------- -----------
Balances, December 31, 1998*....... -- $ -- 13,593,942 $89,327,100 $3,467,400 $ (76,900)
========== ============ ========== =========== ========== ===========
<CAPTION>
TOTAL
STOCKHOLDERS'
ACCUMULATED EQUITY
DEFICIT (DEFICIENCY)
------------ -------------
<S> <C> <C>
Balances, March 8, 1996
(inception)...................... $ -- $ --
Issuance of common stock........... -- 5,000
Net loss........................... (77,600) (77,600)
------------ -----------
Balances, June 30, 1996............ (77,600) (72,600)
Issuance of common stock........... -- 2,500
Issuance of Series A convertible
preferred stock.................. -- 410,000
Exercise of common stock options... -- 600
Issuance of Series B convertible
preferred stock.................. -- 600,000
Issuance of Series B convertible
preferred stock in conjunction
with acquisition of DSK, Inc.
(Note 8)......................... -- 600,000
Net loss........................... (1,802,800) (1,802,800)
------------ -----------
Balances, June 30, 1997............ (1,880,400) (262,300)
Exercise of common stock options... -- 30,800
Issuance of warrants in connection
with issuance of debt............ -- 157,000
Issuance of Series B convertible
preferred stock.................. -- 1,011,100
Issuance of Series C convertible
preferred stock.................. -- 3,873,400
Compensatory stock arrangements.... -- --
Amortization of deferred stock
compensation..................... -- 1,276,400
Net loss........................... (5,425,000) (5,425,000)
------------ -----------
Balances, June 30, 1998............ (7,305,400) 661,400
Issuance of Series D convertible
preferred stock*................. -- 10,771,000
Issuance of Series E convertible
preferred stock*................. -- 3,846,400
Exercise of Series B warrants*..... -- --
Conversion of convertible preferred
stock to common stock*........... -- --
Issuance of common stock upon
initial public offering*......... -- 67,986,900
Exercise of common stock options
and warrants*.................... -- 77,400
Issuance of warrants in connection
with issuance of debt*........... -- 899,500
Compensatory stock arrangements*... -- --
Amortization of deferred stock
compensation*.................... -- 1,169,600
Net loss*.......................... (8,543,100) (8,543,100)
------------ -----------
Balances, December 31, 1998*....... $(15,848,500) $76,869,100
============ ===========
</TABLE>
- ---------------
* Unaudited
See notes to financial statements.
F-5
<PAGE> 81
ABOVENET COMMUNICATIONS INC.
STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
MARCH 8, 1996 SIX MONTHS ENDED
(INCEPTION) YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, DECEMBER 31,
TO ------------------------- -------------------------
JUNE 30, 1996 1997 1998 1997 1998
------------- ----------- ----------- ----------- -----------
(UNAUDITED)
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net loss............................................ $ (77,600) $(1,802,800) $(5,425,000) $(1,266,400) $(8,543,100)
Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash used
in operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization..................... 51,600 132,700 475,500 181,800 1,203,300
Stock-based compensation expense.................. -- -- 1,276,400 49,400 1,169,600
Noncash interest expense.......................... -- -- 133,200 112,000 22,900
Joint venture termination fee..................... -- 431,100 -- -- --
Changes in assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable............................. (12,000) (29,100) (315,900) (112,600) (1,114,000)
Prepaid expenses and other current assets....... -- -- (269,600) (21,600) (467,500)
Restricted cash................................. -- -- (300,000) (300,000) 300,000
Deposits and other assets....................... -- (32,700) (111,700) (21,000) (271,700)
Accounts payable................................ 13,100 298,900 1,989,300 73,100 28,300
Accrued liabilities............................. -- 109,700 510,200 92,700 396,600
Customer deposits............................... -- 85,000 224,400 82,200 344,400
Deferred rent................................... -- 30,400 18,200 -- 78,900
--------- ----------- ----------- ----------- -----------
Net cash used in operating activities......... (24,900) (776,800) (1,795,000) (1,130,400) (6,852,300)
--------- ----------- ----------- ----------- -----------
Cash flows from investing activities:
Cash paid for right to use fiber optic capacity..... -- -- -- -- (1,875,000)
Purchase of property and equipment.................. (101,100) (474,500) (3,666,000) (297,900) (11,774,800)
Purchase of short-term investments.................. -- -- -- -- (974,900)
--------- ----------- ----------- ----------- -----------
Net cash used in investing activities......... (101,100) (474,500) (3,666,000) (297,900) (14,624,700)
--------- ----------- ----------- ----------- -----------
Cash flows from financing activities:
Proceeds from notes payable and advances............ 210,000 739,900 13,395,000 2,402,700 7,676,800
Payments on debt.................................... -- -- (70,000) -- (976,600)
Principal payments on capital leases................ -- (49,600) (84,700) (27,800) (142,600)
Proceeds from issuance of common stock.............. 5,000 3,100 30,800 3,600 68,064,300
Proceeds from issuance of convertible preferred
stock............................................. -- 800,000 -- -- 6,617,400
--------- ----------- ----------- ----------- -----------
Net cash provided by financing activities..... 215,000 1,493,400 13,271,100 2,378,500 81,239,300
--------- ----------- ----------- ----------- -----------
Net increase in cash and equivalents.................. 89,000 242,100 7,810,100 950,200 59,762,300
Cash and equivalents, beginning of period............. -- 89,000 331,100 331,100 8,141,200
--------- ----------- ----------- ----------- -----------
Cash and equivalents, end of period................... $ 89,000 $ 331,100 $ 8,141,200 $ 1,281,300 $67,903,500
========= =========== =========== =========== ===========
Supplemental cash flow information -- Cash paid for
interest............................................ $ -- $ 7,400 $ 27,600 $ 5,200 $ 493,500
========= =========== =========== =========== ===========
Noncash investing and financing activities:
Remaining obligation for right to use fiber optic
capacity.......................................... $ -- $ -- $ -- $ -- $ 6,425,000
========= =========== =========== =========== ===========
Acquisition of equipment under capital lease........ $ -- $ 206,200 $ 479,200 $ -- $ --
========= =========== =========== =========== ===========
Acquisition of leasehold improvements in conjunction
with DSK, Inc. acquisition........................ $ -- $ 168,900 $ -- $ -- $ --
========= =========== =========== =========== ===========
Exchange of notes, advances, accrued interest and
warrants for convertible preferred stock.......... $ -- $ 210,000 $ 4,884,500 $ 1,011,100 $ 8,000,000
========= =========== =========== =========== ===========
Conversion of preferred stock into common stock..... $ -- $ -- $ -- $ -- $21,223,900
========= =========== =========== =========== ===========
Issuance of warrants in connection with issuance of
debt.............................................. $ -- $ -- $ 45,000 $ -- $ 899,500
========= =========== =========== =========== ===========
</TABLE>
See notes to financial statements.
F-6
<PAGE> 82
ABOVENET COMMUNICATIONS INC.
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE PERIOD FROM MARCH 8, 1996 (INCEPTION) TO JUNE 30, 1996,
THE YEARS ENDED JUNE 30, 1997 AND 1998,
AND THE SIX MONTHS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 1998 (UNAUDITED)
1. ORGANIZATION AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES
ORGANIZATION -- AboveNet Communications Inc. (the "Company"), a California
corporation, was formed on March 8, 1996 (inception). The Company provides
managed co-location and Internet connectivity solutions for mission critical
Internet operations.
USE OF ESTIMATES -- The preparation of financial statements in conformity with
generally accepted accounting principles requires management to make estimates
and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and
disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial
statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the
reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.
CONCENTRATION OF CREDIT RISK -- Financial instruments that potentially subject
the Company to concentration of credit risk consist of trade receivables.
However, the Company's credit risk is mitigated by its credit evaluation process
and the reasonably short collection terms. The Company does not require
collateral or other security to support accounts receivable and maintains
reserves for potential credit losses. To date, such losses have not been
significant.
CASH AND EQUIVALENTS -- The Company considers all highly liquid investments with
an original maturity of ninety days or less to be cash equivalents.
PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT -- Property and equipment are stated at cost.
Depreciation is computed using the straight-line method over the estimated
useful lives of three to five years. Leasehold improvements and assets acquired
under capital lease are amortized over the shorter of the lease term or the
useful lives of the improvement.
DEPOSITS AND OTHER ASSETS -- Deposits and other assets at December 31, 1998
include deferred financing costs of approximately $921,300.
RESTRICTED CASH -- Restricted cash consists of certificates of deposit which are
restricted from use pursuant to certain capital lease agreements.
REVENUE RECOGNITION -- Revenue consists primarily of service revenue for which
revenue is recognized in the period in which the services are provided. The
services primarily include bandwidth and space requirement charges which are
recognized monthly as well as installation fees which are recognized as revenue
in the period of installation. Advance customer deposits received are deferred
until the period in which the services are rendered.
INCOME TAXES -- Deferred tax liabilities are recognized for future taxable
amounts, and deferred tax assets are recognized for future deductions, net of a
valuation allowance to reduce net deferred tax assets to amounts that are more
likely than not to be realized.
STOCK-BASED COMPENSATION -- The Company accounts for stock-based awards to
employees using the intrinsic value method in accordance with Accounting
Principles Board (APB) Opinion No. 25, "Accounting for Stock Issued to
Employees."
IMPAIRMENT OF LONG-LIVED ASSETS AND LONG-LIVED ASSETS TO BE DISPOSED OF -- The
Company evaluates its long-lived assets and certain identifiable intangibles for
impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the
carrying amount of such assets or intangibles may not be recoverable.
Recoverability of assets to be held and used is measured by a comparison of the
carrying amount of an asset to future net cash flows expected to be generated by
the asset. If such assets are considered to be
F-7
<PAGE> 83
ABOVENET COMMUNICATIONS INC.
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
FOR THE PERIOD FROM MARCH 8, 1996 (INCEPTION) TO JUNE 30, 1996,
THE YEARS ENDED JUNE 30, 1997 AND 1998,
AND THE SIX MONTHS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 1998 (UNAUDITED)
1. ORGANIZATION AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (CONTINUED)
impaired, the impairment to be recognized is measured by the amount by which the
carrying amount of the assets exceed the fair value of the assets. Assets to be
disposed of are reported at the lower of the carrying amount or fair value less
costs to sell.
NET INCOME (LOSS) PER SHARE -- Basic income (loss) per share excludes dilution
and is computed by dividing net income (loss) by the weighted-average number of
common shares outstanding, less shares subject to repurchase by the Company, for
the period. Diluted income (loss) per share reflects the potential dilution that
could occur if securities or other contracts to issue common stock were
exercised or converted into common stock. Common shares equivalents are excluded
from the computation in loss periods as their effect would be antidilutive.
UNAUDITED INTERIM FINANCIAL INFORMATION -- The interim financial information as
of December 31, 1998 and for the six months ended December 31, 1997 and 1998 is
unaudited and has been prepared on the same basis as the audited financial
statements. In the opinion of management, such unaudited information includes
all adjustments (consisting only of normal recurring adjustments) necessary for
a fair presentation of the interim information. Operating results for the six
months ended December 31, 1998 are not necessarily indicative of the results
that may be expected for the year ending June 30, 1999.
RECLASSIFICATIONS -- Certain prior year amounts have been reclassified to
conform to the current year presentation. Such reclassifications had no effect
on stockholders equity (deficiency) or net loss.
RECENTLY ISSUED ACCOUNTING STANDARDS -- In June 1997, the Financial Accounting
Standards Board (FASB) issued Statement of Financial Accounting Standards (SFAS)
No. 130, "Reporting Comprehensive Income," which requires an enterprise to
report, by major components and as a single total, the change in the Company's
net assets during the period from nonowner sources; and SFAS No. 131,
"Disclosures About Segments of an Enterprise and Related Information," which
establishes annual and interim reporting standards for an enterprise's business
segments and related disclosures about the Company's products, services,
geographic areas and major customers. The Company will adopt both statements in
fiscal 1999. The Company has not yet identified its SFAS No. 131 reporting
segments. Adoption of these statements will not impact the Company's financial
position, results of operations or cash flows.
In March 1998, the Accounting Standards Executive Committee of the American
Institute of Certified Public Accountants issued SOP 98-1, "Accounting for the
Costs of Computer Software Developed or Obtained for Internal Use." SOP 98-1
provides guidance for an enterprise on accounting for the costs of computer
software developed or obtained for internal use. SOP 98-1 is effective for the
Company in fiscal 2000. The Company anticipates that accounting for transactions
under SOP 98-1 will not have a material impact on its financial position or
results of operations.
In June 1998, the FASB issued SFAS No. 133, "Accounting for Derivative
Instruments and Hedging Activities," which defines derivatives, requires that
all derivatives be carried at fair value, and provides for hedge accounting when
certain conditions are met. SFAS No. 133 is effective for the Company in fiscal
2000. Although the Company has not fully assessed the implications of SFAS No.
133, the Company does not believe adoption of this statement will have a
material impact on its financial position or results of operations.
F-8
<PAGE> 84
ABOVENET COMMUNICATIONS INC.
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
FOR THE PERIOD FROM MARCH 8, 1996 (INCEPTION) TO JUNE 30, 1996,
THE YEARS ENDED JUNE 30, 1997 AND 1998,
AND THE SIX MONTHS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 1998 (UNAUDITED)
2. PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT, NET
Property and equipment are comprised of the following:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
JUNE 30,
----------------------- DECEMBER 31,
1997 1998 1998
--------- ---------- ------------
<S> <C> <C> <C>
Property and equipment, at cost:
Telecommunication equipment................. $ 774,300 $2,295,300 $ 3,406,800
Leasehold improvements (primarily
co-location facilities).................. 168,900 224,700 11,605,400
Office equipment............................ 7,500 186,500 695,700
Construction in progress.................... -- 2,389,400 830,800
--------- ---------- -----------
Total............................... 950,700 5,095,900 16,538,700
Less accumulated depreciation and
amortization................................ (184,300) (659,800) (1,531,100)
--------- ---------- -----------
Property and equipment, net................... $ 766,400 $4,436,100 $15,007,600
========= ========== ===========
</TABLE>
Construction in progress primarily relates to costs incurred during the
expansion of our facilities.
3. CONVERTIBLE NOTES PAYABLE AND ADVANCES
In June 1997, the Company received $739,900 in cash advances from certain
individuals, including stockholders and employees. In July and August 1997, the
Company received an additional $250,000 in cash advances. In August 1997, the
advances were converted into notes payable of $989,900 and warrants to acquire
494,953 shares of Series B convertible preferred stock at $2.00 per share. The
notes generally bore an annual interest rate of 10%. The related warrants were
valued at $112,000, or $0.23 per share, and were recorded as a noncash interest
charge in 1998.
On December 31, 1997, the Company entered into exchange agreements with the note
holders. Pursuant to the exchange agreements, the above notes, accrued interest
of $21,200 and the related warrants were exchanged for (i) 631,896 shares of
Series B convertible preferred stock and (ii) warrants to acquire 123,736 shares
of Series B convertible preferred stock at $2.00 per share.
During fiscal 1998, the Company received $3,873,400 of cash advances from
certain potential investors. In May 1998, these advances were converted into
2,003,000 shares of Series C convertible preferred stock.
On June 30, 1998, in anticipation of the Company's pending sale of preferred
stock, the Company received $8 million in cash, of which $1 million represented
a noninterest bearing cash advance and $7 million represented convertible notes
payable. The notes bore interest at 6%, were due on July 15, 1998 and were
convertible into Series D convertible preferred stock at $5.20 per share. On
July 15, 1998, the convertible notes and advance were converted into Series D
convertible preferred stock (see Note 6).
F-9
<PAGE> 85
ABOVENET COMMUNICATIONS INC.
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
FOR THE PERIOD FROM MARCH 8, 1996 (INCEPTION) TO JUNE 30, 1996,
THE YEARS ENDED JUNE 30, 1997 AND 1998,
AND THE SIX MONTHS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 1998 (UNAUDITED)
4. OTHER LONG-TERM OBLIGATIONS
Long-term obligations consist of:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
JUNE 30,
---------------------- DECEMBER 31,
1997 1998 1998
-------- ---------- ------------
<S> <C> <C> <C>
Credit facility........................................ $ -- $1,201,600 $ 7,901,700
Capital lease facility................................. 156,600 551,100 408,600
Deferred rent.......................................... 30,400 48,600 127,500
-------- ---------- -----------
Total obligations............................ 187,000 1,801,300 8,437,800
Current portion of long-term obligations............... (71,500) (476,000) (1,937,700)
-------- ---------- -----------
Long-term obligations.................................. $115,500 $1,325,300 $ 6,500,100
======== ========== ===========
</TABLE>
Credit Facility
At June 30, 1998, the Company had a $6 million credit facility (the "Credit
Facility"), $1,271,600 of which had been drawn as of June 30, 1998. Proceeds
from borrowings on the Credit Facility may be used solely for the purpose of
acquiring network operating center equipment, office equipment and leasehold
improvements. Borrowings outstanding under the Credit Facility are payable in 42
monthly installments, bear interest at 14.7% and are collateralized by the
equipment and improvements purchased with the proceeds of the borrowing. The
ability to borrow on the Credit Facility expires June 30, 1999. At June 30,
1998, the outstanding borrowings on the Credit Facility are due as follows:
fiscal 1999, $252,000; fiscal 2000, $301,800; fiscal 2001, $349,300 and fiscal
2002, $298,500.
During the six months ended December 31, 1998, the Company and the financing
company amended the Credit Facility to increase the total facility to $15.0
million. At December 31, 1998, approximately $9.0 million had been drawn on the
Credit Facility.
Capital Lease Facility
At June 30, 1998, the Company had $1.45 million available on a $2 million
capital lease facility for which the Company leases certain equipment under
noncancelable capital leases. Leases outstanding at June 30, 1998 expire on
various dates through 2001 (see Note 9). In August 1998, the Company increased
its capital lease facility to $2.5 million. At December 31, 1998, the Company
had approximately $1.95 million available under this facility.
Line of Credit
The Company has a revolving line of credit from a bank which provides for
borrowings up to $750,000 through May 1999. Borrowings under the line bear
interest at the bank's prime rate plus 1% per annum (9.5% at June 30, 1998) and
are collateralized by substantially all of the Company's assets. As of June 30,
1998, the Company had no borrowings outstanding on the line of credit. The line
of credit agreement limits the Company's ability to pay cash dividends without
the bank's consent and requires, among other things, that the Company satisfy
certain financial covenants. As of June 30, 1998, the Company was not in
compliance with the profitability covenant of its revolving line of credit
agreement. The Company has obtained a waiver with respect to this covenant from
the bank as of June 30, 1998, and has renegotiated the covenant terms with the
bank. In connection with the line of credit agreement, in June 1998, the
F-10
<PAGE> 86
ABOVENET COMMUNICATIONS INC.
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
FOR THE PERIOD FROM MARCH 8, 1996 (INCEPTION) TO JUNE 30, 1996,
THE YEARS ENDED JUNE 30, 1997 AND 1998,
AND THE SIX MONTHS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 1998 (UNAUDITED)
4. OTHER LONG-TERM OBLIGATIONS (CONTINUED)
Company issued to the bank a warrant to purchase 1,250 shares of its Series D
preferred stock at $4.00 per share. The warrant had an estimated fair value of
$1,900 or $1.52 per share.
5. INCOME TAXES
The Company's deferred income tax assets are comprised of the following:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
JUNE 30,
------------------------
1997 1998
--------- -----------
<S> <C> <C>
Net deferred tax assets:
Net operating loss carryforwards......................... $ 516,900 $ 1,975,900
Stock compensation expense on nonqualified stock
options............................................... -- 512,300
Accruals deductible in different periods................. 57,000 121,100
Depreciation and amortization............................ (14,800) (68,800)
--------- -----------
559,100 2,540,500
Valuation allowance........................................ (559,100) (2,540,500)
--------- -----------
Total............................................ $ -- $ --
========= ===========
</TABLE>
The Company's effective rate differs from the federal statutory tax rate as
follows:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
MARCH 8, 1996 YEAR ENDED
(INCEPTION) JUNE 30,
TO JUNE 30, --------------
1996 1997 1998
------------- ----- -----
<S> <C> <C> <C>
Federal statutory tax rate............................. 35.0% 35.0% 35.0%
State taxes, net of federal benefit.................... 6.0 6.0 6.0
Joint venture termination fee.......................... -- (9.8) --
Other.................................................. (8.8) (1.8) (1.2)
Valuation allowance.................................... (32.2) (29.4) (39.8)
----- ----- -----
Effective tax rate................................... --% --% --%
===== ===== =====
</TABLE>
The Company has no income tax provision due to its history of operating losses.
Due to the uncertainty surrounding the realization of the benefits of its
favorable tax attributes in future tax returns, the Company has fully reserved
its net deferred tax assets as of June 30, 1997 and 1998.
At June 30, 1998, the Company had net operating loss carryforwards of
approximately $4.9 million for federal and state income tax purposes. These
carryforwards begin to expire in 2003 for state and 2010 for federal purposes.
Additionally, Section 382 of the Internal Revenue Code and the applicable
California law impose annual limitations on the use of net operating loss
carryforwards if there is a change in ownership, as defined, within any
three-year period. The utilization of certain net operating loss carryforwards
may be limited due to the Company's capital stock transactions.
F-11
<PAGE> 87
ABOVENET COMMUNICATIONS INC.
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
FOR THE PERIOD FROM MARCH 8, 1996 (INCEPTION) TO JUNE 30, 1996,
THE YEARS ENDED JUNE 30, 1997 AND 1998,
AND THE SIX MONTHS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 1998 (UNAUDITED)
6. STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY (DEFICIENCY)
Common Stock Reserved for Future Issuance
At June 30, 1998 and December 31, 1998, the Company has reserved the following
shares of common stock for issuance in connection with:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
JUNE 30, 1998 DECEMBER 31, 1998
------------- -----------------
<S> <C> <C>
Conversion of Series A preferred stock...................... 1,025,000 --
Conversion of Series B preferred stock...................... 1,631,896 --
Conversion of Series C preferred stock...................... 2,003,000 --
Warrants issued and outstanding............................. 157,330 172,658
Options issued and outstanding.............................. 978,916 1,897,124
Options available under stock option plans.................. 744,283 1,459,250
Shares available under 1998 Purchase Plan................... -- 156,250
--------- ---------
Total............................................. 6,540,425 3,685,282
========= =========
</TABLE>
Convertible Preferred Stock
Significant terms of the Series A, B, C, D and E convertible preferred stock are
as follows (see Note 12):
- At the option of the holder, each share of preferred stock is convertible at
any time into one share of common stock, subject to adjustment for certain
dilutive issuances. Shares automatically convert into common stock upon the
completion of a public offering with aggregate proceeds greater than
$20,000,000 and at a price per share of not less than $12.00 (see Note 12).
- Series A, B, C, D and E convertible preferred stock have no preference as to
dividends but have a noncumulative right to participate in and receive the
same dividends as may be declared for common stockholders.
- In the event of a liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company
(which includes the acquisition of the Company by another entity), the
holders of Series A, B, C, D and E convertible preferred stock have a
liquidation preference over common stock of $0.40, $1.20, $2.00, $5.20 and
$12.00 per share, respectively. Upon payment of the preferred stock
liquidation preference (aggregating $6,374,300 at June 30, 1998), the
remaining proceeds will be allocated to the preferred and common
stockholders on an as converted basis.
- Each share of preferred stock has voting rights equivalent to the number of
shares of common stock into which it is convertible.
In fiscal 1997, the Company issued 1,025,000 shares of Series A convertible
preferred stock for cash of $200,000 and the conversion of advances of $210,000.
Also in fiscal 1997, the Company issued 500,000 shares of Series B convertible
preferred stock in connection with the acquisition of DSK, Inc. (see Note 8) and
issued 500,000 shares of Series B convertible preferred stock for cash of
$600,000. In fiscal 1998, the Company issued 631,896 shares of Series B
convertible preferred stock and 2,003,000 shares of Series C convertible
preferred stock upon conversions of notes, advances and accrued interest of
$1,011,100 and $3,873,400, respectively (see Note 3). During the six months
ended December 31, 1998, the Company issued 2,115,378 shares of Series D
convertible preferred stock for cash of $2,771,000 (net
F-12
<PAGE> 88
ABOVENET COMMUNICATIONS INC.
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
FOR THE PERIOD FROM MARCH 8, 1996 (INCEPTION) TO JUNE 30, 1996,
THE YEARS ENDED JUNE 30, 1997 AND 1998,
AND THE SIX MONTHS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 1998 (UNAUDITED)
6. STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY (DEFICIENCY) (CONTINUED)
of costs of $229,000) and the conversion of notes and advances of $8,000,000.
During the same period, the Company issued 408,775 shares of Series E
convertible preferred stock for cash of $3,846,400 (net of costs of $223,600).
See Note 12 related to the conversion of all outstanding preferred stock into
common stock upon completion of the Company's initial public offering in
December 1998.
Convertible Preferred Stock Warrants
As discussed in Note 3, pursuant to certain exchange agreements entered into on
December 31, 1997, the Company issued warrants to acquire 123,736 shares of
Series B convertible preferred stock at $2.00 per share. These warrants expire
on the earlier of (i) January 1, 2002, (ii) an underwritten public offering or
(iii) a change in control (See Note 12). Also, as discussed in Note 4, warrants
to purchase 1,250 shares of Series D convertible preferred stock at $4.00 per
share were outstanding at June 30, 1998.
Common Stock Subject to Repurchase
In fiscal 1998, upon the exercise of an option the Company sold 12,500 shares of
common stock at $0.40 per share to an employee subject to repurchase whereby the
Company has the right to repurchase such shares at their original purchase
price. This right lapses over four years. At June 30, 1998, 12,500 shares were
subject to such repurchase rights.
1996 Stock Option Plan
In March 1996, the Company adopted the 1996 Stock Option Plan (the "1996 Plan").
As of June 30, 1998, there were 505,885 options authorized for issuance under
the 1996 Plan. The 1996 Plan is administered by the Board of Directors and
encompasses nonstatutory and incentive stock options. Nonstatutory stock options
may be granted to employees and consultants, whereas incentive stock options may
only be granted to employees.
The 1996 Plan provides for the granting of incentive stock options at not less
than 100% of the fair market value of the underlying stock at the grant date.
Nonstatutory options may be granted at not less than 85% of the fair market
value of the underlying stock at the date of grant. Options under the 1996 Plan
generally vest over four years and expire ten years from the date of grant.
1997 Stock Option Plan
In fiscal 1998, the Company adopted the 1997 Stock Option Plan (the "1997
Plan"), authorizing 1,124,423 shares of common stock to be issued as options.
Upon a change in control, all shares granted under the 1997 Plan shall
immediately vest. Other provisions of the 1997 Plan are generally the same as
the 1996 Plan.
Nonplan Option Grant
In connection with its hiring of the Company's President and Chief Operating
Officer in November 1997, the Company granted to this officer options to
purchase 175,000 shares of common stock with an exercise price of $0.40 per
share. The option is immediately exercisable with respect to 20% of the option
shares and the balance becomes exercisable in equal monthly installments over
the next 36 months of employment with the Company measured from November 1997.
However, vesting accelerates upon the
F-13
<PAGE> 89
ABOVENET COMMUNICATIONS INC.
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
FOR THE PERIOD FROM MARCH 8, 1996 (INCEPTION) TO JUNE 30, 1996,
THE YEARS ENDED JUNE 30, 1997 AND 1998,
AND THE SIX MONTHS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 1998 (UNAUDITED)
6. STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY (DEFICIENCY) (CONTINUED)
closing of an underwritten public offering. In addition, the option grant
contains an antidilution clause which guarantees that, prior to any underwritten
initial public offering of the Company's common stock, the number of shares
under the option grant will always be equal to 5% of its outstanding common
stock on a fully diluted basis less 18,333 shares. As a result of various sales
of equity securities and option grants since the initial grant in November 1997,
the officer was issued options to acquire an additional 319,425 shares of common
stock at an exercise price of $0.40 per share during the six months ended
December 31, 1998. In connection with this award, the Company recognized
$362,100 and $1,087,200 in stock-based compensation expense during fiscal 1998
and the six months ended December 31, 1998, respectively.
Options and Warrants Granted to Nonemployees
The Company has granted options and warrants to nonemployees for services
performed and to be performed after the date of grant. In connection with these
awards, the Company recognized $310,100 in stock-based compensation expense
during fiscal 1998 ($33,300 during the six months ended December 31, 1998). At
June 30, 1998 and December 31, 1998, all services relating to these awards has
been rendered and the options and warrants were fully exercisable.
In connection with the Credit Facility (see Note 4), in fiscal 1998, the Company
issued warrants to acquire 22,500 shares of common stock at a weighted-average
exercise price of $4.61 per share. The fair value of these warrants are being
recognized as interest expense through June 30, 1999. During the six months
ended December 31, 1998, in connection with the amendment to the Credit Facility
(see Note 4), the Company issued warrants to acquire 25,000 shares of common
stock, 25,000 of which have a weighted-average exercise price of $10.20 per
share and have a term of five years. The estimated fair value of these warrants
of $290,300 is included in Deposits and other assets at December 31, 1998 and
will be amortized to interest expense over the repayment period.
At June 30, 1998, warrants to acquire 32,344 shares of common stock at a
weighted-average exercise price of $4.19 per share were outstanding; such
warrants expire in 2003. All of these warrants were issued during the year ended
June 30, 1998 (none issued in fiscal 1996 or 1997) and had an estimated
weighted-average fair value of $2.46 per share at the date of grant. At December
31, 1998, warrants to acquire 172,658 shares of common stock at a
weighted-average exercise price of $8.76 per share were outstanding.
Deferred Stock Compensation
At June 30, 1998 and December 31, 1998, the Company had $540,100 and $76,900,
respectively, in deferred stock compensation related to options granted to
employees. This amount will be amortized to stock-based compensation expense
through fiscal 2000. See Note 12.
Option Repricing
On December 1, 1998, the Company repriced 473,800 options previously granted at
$12.00 per share to fair value at that date of $10.00 per share.
F-14
<PAGE> 90
ABOVENET COMMUNICATIONS INC.
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
FOR THE PERIOD FROM MARCH 8, 1996 (INCEPTION) TO JUNE 30, 1996,
THE YEARS ENDED JUNE 30, 1997 AND 1998,
AND THE SIX MONTHS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 1998 (UNAUDITED)
6. STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY (DEFICIENCY) (CONTINUED)
Stock option activity under the Plans and the Nonplan Option Grant are
summarized as follows:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
OUTSTANDING OPTIONS
----------------------------
NUMBER WEIGHTED AVERAGE
OF SHARES EXERCISE PRICE
--------- ----------------
<S> <C> <C>
Balance, March 8, 1996 (inception)......................... -- $ --
Granted.................................................... 570,000 0.04
---------
Balance, June 30, 1996 (68,750 shares vested at a weighted
average exercise price of $0.04 per share)............... 570,000 0.04
Granted.................................................... 225,000 0.13
Exercised.................................................. (15,625) 0.04
Canceled................................................... (194,375) 0.04
---------
Balance, June 30, 1997 (109,687 shares vested at a weighted
average exercise price of $0.04 per share)............... 585,000 0.06
Granted.................................................... 571,306 1.17
Exercised.................................................. (161,223) 0.19
Canceled................................................... (16,167) 0.62
---------
Balance, June 30, 1998..................................... 978,916 0.67
Granted.................................................... 1,626,775 8.57
Exercised.................................................. (187,100) 0.36
Canceled................................................... (521,467) 11.47
---------
Balance, December 31, 1998................................. 1,897,124 $ 4.50
=========
</TABLE>
The following table summarizes information as of June 30, 1998 concerning
currently outstanding and vested options:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
OPTIONS OUTSTANDING
------------------------------------ OPTIONS VESTED
WEIGHTED --------------------
AVERAGE WEIGHTED WEIGHTED
NUMBER REMAINING AVERAGE AVERAGE
EXERCISE OF CONTRACTUAL EXERCISE NUMBER EXERCISE
PRICES SHARES LIFE (YEARS) PRICE OF SHARES PRICE
-------- --------- ------------- -------- --------- --------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
$0.04 - $0.20 524,386 8.0 $0.08 283,229 $0.08
0.40 271,250 9.4 0.40 25,000 0.40
1.20 79,655 9.6 1.20 47,656 1.20
4.00 103,625 9.9 4.00 11,250 4.00
------- -------
$0.04 - $4.00 978,916 8.7 0.67 367,135 0.37
======= =======
</TABLE>
At June 30, 1998, none and 744,283 shares were available for future grant under
the 1996 and 1997 Plans, respectively. At December 31, 1998, 1,459,250 shares
remained available for future grant under the 1998 Plan (none under the 1996 and
1997 Plans).
F-15
<PAGE> 91
ABOVENET COMMUNICATIONS INC.
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
FOR THE PERIOD FROM MARCH 8, 1996 (INCEPTION) TO JUNE 30, 1996,
THE YEARS ENDED JUNE 30, 1997 AND 1998,
AND THE SIX MONTHS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 1998 (UNAUDITED)
6. STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY (DEFICIENCY) (CONTINUED)
Additional Stock Plan Information
As discussed in Note 1, the Company accounts for its stock-based awards to
employees using the intrinsic value method in accordance with APB Opinion No.
25, "Accounting for Stock Issued to Employees," and its related interpretations.
SFAS No. 123, "Accounting for Stock-Based Compensation," requires the disclosure
of pro forma net income (loss) and earnings (loss) per share had the Company
adopted the fair value method since the Company's inception. Under SFAS No. 123,
the fair value of stock-based awards to employees is calculated through the use
of option pricing models, even though such models were developed to estimate the
fair value of freely tradable, fully transferable options without vesting
restrictions, which significantly differ from the Company's stock option awards.
These models also require subjective assumptions, including future stock price
volatility and expected time to exercise, which greatly affect the calculated
values.
The Company's calculations for employee grants were made using the minimum value
method with the following weighted average assumptions: expected life, one year
following vest; no stock volatility; risk free interest rate of 6%; and no
dividends during the expected term. The Company's calculations are based on a
multiple award valuation approach, and forfeitures are recognized as they occur.
If the computed minimum values of the Company's stock-based awards to employees
had been amortized to expense over the vesting period of the awards as specified
under SFAS No. 123, net loss would have been $78,000 ($0.62 per basic and
diluted share), $1,803,800 ($9.17 per basic and diluted share), and $5,111,000
($19.49 per basic and diluted share) for the period from inception to June 30,
1996 and for the years ended June 30, 1997 and 1998, respectively.
The number and estimated weighted-average minimum and fair value per option for
employee and nonemployee awards, respectively, granted are as follows:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
YEAR ENDED JUNE 30,
INCEPTION TO JUNE 30, --------------------
1996 1997 1998
--------------------- -------- --------
<S> <C> <C> <C>
Employee Options:
Number of shares.......................... 551,250 -- 501,625
Estimate weighted-average minimum value... $ 0.01 $ -- $ 0.20
Nonemployee Options:
Number of shares.......................... 18,750 225,000 69,681
Estimated weighted-average fair value..... $ 0.01 $ 0.03 $ 0.15
</TABLE>
F-16
<PAGE> 92
ABOVENET COMMUNICATIONS INC.
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
FOR THE PERIOD FROM MARCH 8, 1996 (INCEPTION) TO JUNE 30, 1996,
THE YEARS ENDED JUNE 30, 1997 AND 1998,
AND THE SIX MONTHS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 1998 (UNAUDITED)
7. NET LOSS PER SHARE
The following is a reconciliation of the numerators and denominators used in
computing basic and diluted net loss per share.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
SIX MONTHS ENDED
INCEPTION YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, DECEMBER 31,
TO JUNE 30, ------------------------- -------------------------
1996 1997 1998 1997 1998
----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- -----------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Net loss (numerator), basic and
diluted......................... $(77,600) $(1,802,800) $(5,425,000) $(1,266,400) $(8,543,100)
======== =========== =========== =========== ===========
Shares (denominator):
Weighted average common shares
outstanding.................. 125,000 196,618 265,112 214,400 1,911,100
Weighted average common shares
outstanding subject to
repurchase................... -- -- (2,808) -- (14,100)
-------- ----------- ----------- ----------- -----------
Shares used in computation, basic
and diluted..................... 125,000 196,618 262,304 214,400 1,897,000
-------- ----------- ----------- ----------- -----------
Net loss per share, basic and
diluted......................... $ (0.62) $ (9.17) $ (20.68) $ (5.91) $ (4.50)
======== =========== =========== =========== ===========
</TABLE>
For the above mentioned periods, the Company had securities outstanding which
could potentially dilute basic earnings per share in the future, but were
excluded in the computation of diluted net loss per share in the periods
presented, as their effect would have been antidilutive. Such outstanding
securities consist of the following at June 30, 1998 (at December 31, 1998 in
parenthesis): 4,659,896 (none) shares of convertible preferred stock, warrants
to purchase 124,986 (none) shares of convertible preferred stock, 12,500
(14,750) outstanding shares of common stock subject to repurchase, and options
and warrants to purchase 1,011,260 (2,069,782) shares of common stock.
8. JOINT VENTURE TERMINATION FEE
In fiscal 1996, the Company entered into a joint venture agreement (the
"Agreement") with DSK, Inc. ("DSK") to cooperatively market and develop the
Company's services. The Company paid $33,700 to DSK during the year ended June
30, 1997 related to the Agreement.
In April 1997, the Company terminated the Agreement and hired the majority
stockholders of DSK as either employees or consultants by issuing 500,000 fully
vested shares of the Series B preferred stock with a fair value of $1.20 per
share, or $600,000, for the outstanding shares of common stock of DSK. The
Company recorded the transaction by allocating the value of the shares issued to
property and equipment (at DSK's net book value of $168,900, which approximated
fair market value), with the balance of $431,100 reflected as a joint venture
termination fee.
Additionally, in April 1997, the Company granted to certain of the former owners
of DSK options to acquire a total of 125,000 shares of its common stock at $0.12
per share for real estate consulting services to be performed. In June 1998, the
Company accelerated the vesting of all the DSK options awarded. In conjunction
with this award, the Company recognized $604,200 of stock-based compensation
expense during fiscal 1998.
F-17
<PAGE> 93
ABOVENET COMMUNICATIONS INC.
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
FOR THE PERIOD FROM MARCH 8, 1996 (INCEPTION) TO JUNE 30, 1996,
THE YEARS ENDED JUNE 30, 1997 AND 1998,
AND THE SIX MONTHS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 1998 (UNAUDITED)
9. COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
Leases
The Company leases its facilities under noncancelable operating leases. These
leases expire on various dates through 2002. Minimum future lease payments under
noncancelable operating and capital leases as of June 30, 1998 are summarized as
follows:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
CAPITAL OPERATING
FISCAL YEAR LEASES LEASES
----------- -------- -----------
<S> <C> <C>
1999................................................ $248,300 $ 968,800
2000................................................ 196,900 1,055,000
2001................................................ 180,400 1,099,700
2002................................................ -- 1,132,500
2003................................................ -- 1,185,700
Thereafter.......................................... -- 5,002,900
-------- -----------
Total minimum lease payments........................ 625,600 $10,444,600
===========
Less amount representing interest................... (74,500)
--------
Present value of minimum lease payments............. 551,100
Less current portion................................ (224,000)
--------
Long term portion................................... $327,100
========
</TABLE>
Rent expense under the operating leases for the period from March 8, 1996
(inception) to June 30, 1996 and for the years ended June 30, 1997 and 1998 was
approximately none, $61,500, and $444,905, respectively.
During the six months ended December 31, 1998, the Company entered into
agreements to lease optical fiber. These leases are expected to commence in
early calendar 1999 upon the installation and acceptance of the connected fiber.
The lease will require annual payments of $630,000 for 20 years from
installation. This arrangement will be accounted for as a capital lease upon
initiation of the lease term.
Purchase Commitments
In fiscal 1998, the Company entered into noncancelable commitments to purchase
property and equipment related to the expansion of its operations facilities. As
of June 30, 1998, approximately $1.7 million was committed for fiscal 1999
purchases under these agreements.
Telecommunications and Peering Arrangements
The Company has guaranteed to pay certain monthly usage levels or fees with
various communications or interconnect providers. Minimum payments under these
agreements at June 30, 1998 are as follows: $3.9 million in fiscal 1999 and $1.3
million in fiscal 2000.
The Company is a party to numerous peering agreements with other internet
providers to allow for the exchange of internet traffic. These agreements do not
have fee commitments and generally have a one year term with automatic renewals.
The Company does not record any revenue or expense associated with these
F-18
<PAGE> 94
ABOVENET COMMUNICATIONS INC.
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
FOR THE PERIOD FROM MARCH 8, 1996 (INCEPTION) TO JUNE 30, 1996,
THE YEARS ENDED JUNE 30, 1997 AND 1998,
AND THE SIX MONTHS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 1998 (UNAUDITED)
9. COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES (CONTINUED)
non-cash transactions as such transactions do not represent the culmination of
the earnings process and the fair value of such transactions are not reasonably
determinable.
Legal Matters
The Company is involved in various claims and legal actions arising out of the
normal course of business. Management does not expect that the outcome of these
cases will have a material effect on the Company's financial position or results
of operations.
10. RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS
A member of the Board of Directors is the President of an entity which is the
co-manager of our primary facilities. Rent expense in fiscal 1996, 1997 and 1998
and for the six months ended December 31, 1998 for these facilities was none,
$16,400, $265,200, and $397,300 respectively. The Company believes that its
lease arrangements were at an arm's length basis.
11. MAJOR CUSTOMERS
Two customers accounted for 32% and 25% of revenues in fiscal 1996, while
another customer accounted for 12% and 14% of revenues in fiscal 1997 and 1998,
respectively.
At June 30, 1998, two customers accounted for approximately 22% and 13% of trade
receivables, while four other customers accounted for 13%, 13%, 11% and 10% of
trade receivables at June 30, 1997.
12. SUBSEQUENT EVENTS
Subsequent to June 30, 1998, the Company changed the authorized number of shares
of the common and preferred stock to 20,000,000 and 14,000,000 respectively.
Additionally, the Company designated 2,125,000 and 1,750,000 shares of preferred
stock as Series D and E, respectively. In July 1998, the Company issued
2,115,378 shares of Series D convertible preferred stock in exchange for the
conversion of the $8,000,000 notes payable and advances outstanding at June 30,
1998 and additional cash of $2,771,000 (net of costs of $229,000). On September
4, 1998, we sold 408,775 shares of Series E convertible preferred stock at
$10.00 per share for proceeds of $3,846,400 (net of costs of $223,600).
On August 27, 1998, the Board of Directors adopted the 1998 Stock Incentive Plan
(the "1998 Stock Plan"). The 1998 Stock Plan will serve as the successor equity
incentive program to our existing 1997 Plan effective upon the execution of an
underwriting agreement to sell shares in an initial public offering. A total of
1,562,500 shares of common stock have been reserved for issuance under the 1998
Stock Plan.
Additionally, on August 27, 1998, the Board of Directors adopted the 1998
Employee Stock Purchase Plan (the "1998 Purchase Plan"). Under the 1998 Purchase
Plan, eligible employees are allowed to have salary withholdings of up to 10% of
their base compensation to purchase shares of common stock at a price equal to
85% of the lower of the market value of the stock at the beginning or end of
defined purchase periods. The initial purchase period commenced on December 10,
1998. The Company has reserved 156,250 shares of common stock for issuance under
this plan.
F-19
<PAGE> 95
ABOVENET COMMUNICATIONS INC.
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
FOR THE PERIOD FROM MARCH 8, 1996 (INCEPTION) TO JUNE 30, 1996,
THE YEARS ENDED JUNE 30, 1997 AND 1998,
AND THE SIX MONTHS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 1998 (UNAUDITED)
12. SUBSEQUENT EVENTS (CONTINUED)
On August 27, 1998, the Board of Directors approved a change in the authorized
number of shares of the common and preferred stock upon the closing of the
initial public offering to 60,000,000 and 5,000,000, respectively.
On September 3, 1998, the Board of Directors approved the Company's
reincorporation in the State of Delaware and the associated exchange of one
share of common stock and preferred stock of the Company for every two and
one-half shares of common stock and preferred stock, respectively, of its
California predecessor entity. Such reincorporation and stock exchange became
effective on November 5, 1998.
On November 11, 1998, the Board of Directors adopted a 1-for-1.6 reverse split
of the outstanding shares of common and preferred stock. Additionally, on
November 11, 1998, the Board of Directors approved, subject to stockholder
approval, an amendment to the Certificate of Incorporation to require the
automatic conversion of preferred stock into common stock in connection with any
public offering occurring prior to March 31, 1999 regardless of the offering
price.
All share and per share amounts in these financial statements have been adjusted
to give effect to the reincorporation, the associated 1-for-2.5 exchange and the
subsequent 1-for-1.6 reverse stock split.
On December 4, 1998, the Company entered into a new facility lease agreement.
The agreement is for a minimum of 20 years with annual rent payments increasing
from approximately $3 million to $5 million over the lease term. In connection
with the lease, the Company issued the lessor a warrant to buy 100,000 shares of
its common stock at $10.00 per share.
On December 10, 1998, the Company sold 5,000,000 shares of common stock in an
underwritten public offering and on December 30, 1998 sold an additional 750,000
shares through the exercise of the underwriters' over-allotment option for net
proceeds of approximately $67,986,900. Simultaneously with the closing of the
public offering, all 7,184,049 shares of the Company's preferred stock were
converted to common stock on a share for share basis. Additionally, all of the
holders of warrants to purchase 123,736 shares of Series B convertible preferred
stock exercised such warrants through a net issuance provision and were issued
104,700 shares of common stock.
As discussed in Note 6, the vesting of the options related to the Nonplan Option
Grant accelerated upon the closing of the offering. Accordingly, all remaining
unamortized compensation relating to this grant was recognized.
On December 29, 1998, the Company entered into a series of agreements with
affiliates of Global Crossing Ltd. providing for the acquisition of an
indefeasible right to use ("IRU") capacity on a fiber optic cable system between
the U.S. and the United Kingdom. The agreements, which have 25 year terms,
provide for the Company to pay affiliates of Global Crossing Ltd. up to
approximately $8.3 million for the capacity in installments during December 1998
and the first calendar quarter of 1999.
On March 24, 1999, the Company entered into a series of agreements with
affiliates of Global Crossing Ltd. providing for the acquisition of a 25 year
indefeasible right to use ("IRU") capacity on a fiber optic cable system between
the U.S. and the Netherlands. The agreements, provide for the Company to pay
affiliates of Global Crossing Ltd. up to approximately $7.5 million for the
capacity, in installments through December 30, 1999 and bear an annual interest
rate of 10.5%.
F-20
<PAGE> 96
ABOVENET COMMUNICATIONS INC.
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
FOR THE PERIOD FROM MARCH 8, 1996 (INCEPTION) TO JUNE 30, 1996,
THE YEARS ENDED JUNE 30, 1997 AND 1998,
AND THE SIX MONTHS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 1998 (UNAUDITED)
12. SUBSEQUENT EVENTS (CONTINUED)
On March 27, 1999, the Company granted options to purchase 42,500 shares of
common stock to certain nonemployees, two of whom are members of the Board of
Directors, for services. These options vest over three years, have an exercise
price of $ 85.06 and have a term of three years. The Company will begin to
recognize compensation expense for these options in the quarter ended June 30,
1999.
On March 30, 1999, the Company announced a 2-for-1 stock split to be effected as
a stock dividend. The dividend for each outstanding share of common stock will
be payable to stockholders of record as of April 14, 1999 and is expected to be
distributed on May 7, 1999. No share or per share amounts in the financial
statements have been adjusted to give effect of this stock split.
In March 1999, the Company, as part of its international expansion strategy,
entered into agreements to form joint ventures in Austria, Germany and the
United Kingdom to provide managed co-location and Internet connectivity
solutions for mission critical Internet operations. The Company has invested a
total of $.6 million in March 1999 and is required to invest an additional $1.9
million in the quarter ending June 30, 1999, for up to a 50% ownership in each
of these joint ventures. In addition, the Company has agreed to provide up to $2
million of additional financing to certain of these joint ventures, if required,
and to arrange or provide for an additional $4.5 million contingent upon the
joint ventures raising an equivalent amount from third parties. These joint
ventures will be accounted for under the equity method of accounting. In
addition, the Company has also agreed to grant options to purchase up to 300,000
shares of common stock to employees of the joint ventures upon meeting certain
annual performance criteria over the next four years.
F-21
<PAGE> 97
Narrative Description of Inside Front Cover
Inside Front Cover
Top Center -- [AboveNet logo -- depicting the Company's name inserted through a
spherical circle]
Caption beneath logo and centered to page: "Global Internet Service Exchange
Strategy"
A world map with North and South America in the center. The United States is
clearly defined by being shaded in blue. To the left is the Asian continent and
Australia. To the right is the European continent. Across the United States map
are two curved lines connecting two ISX facilities, one located on the East and
one located on the West coast of the United States. From the facility on the
West Coast is a series of lines connected to locations in the Asian continent
and Australia. From the facility on the East Coast are three lines connected to
locations in three European countries.
Below the world map is a box captioned "Existing Customer Connections In:" and
listed below the caption are: Australia, France, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea,
Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan and United Kingdom.
To the right of the boxes is the following text: "Our objective is to become the
leading global Internet Service Exchange network for Internet content providers,
Web hosting companies and Internet Service Providers that require reliable and
scalable Internet connectivity and co-location services to support their
business critical Internet operations."
<PAGE> 98
Narrative Description of Inside Back Cover
The Inside of the Back Cover shows a series of photographs. The top photograph
is of a room with a series of monitors and computers with a person standing
behind a counter talking to another person in front of the counter. Underneath
the picture is the caption "Internet Service Exchange facility professionally
staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week." To the right is a picture that shows
network switching and router units housed in racks. That picture is captioned
"Telecom and Datacom Connectivity." Below is a series of three pictures
captioned "Co-Location Offerings." The left picture shows a person working on a
computer server which is housed in one of the Company's cabinets. The picture is
captioned "Cabriolet Cabinet." The middle picture shows a series of network
servers placed on racks with a person typing on a keyboard housed on one of the
racks. The picture is captioned "Open Rack." To the right is a picture showing a
corridor with cages along the right side. The picture is captioned "Cage." Below
the three pictures is a picture showing a series of power generators with an
individual standing in front of the generators. The picture is captioned
"Redundant Power Systems."
To the right of the bottom picture is the following text: "AboveNet has
developed a network architecture based upon two strategically located, campuses
that combine content co-location services for Internet Content Providers with
direct access to Internet Service Providers to create Internet Service
Exchanges."
2
<PAGE> 99
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
LOGO
ABOVENET
COMMUNICATIONS INC.
4,000,000 SHARES
COMMON STOCK
---------------------------
PROSPECTUS
---------------------------
, 1999
CIBC WORLD MARKETS
LEHMAN BROTHERS
PAINEWEBBER INCORPORATED
VOLPE BROWN WHELAN
& COMPANY
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
YOU SHOULD RELY ONLY ON THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS PROSPECTUS. NO DEALER,
SALESPERSON OR OTHER PERSON IS AUTHORIZED TO GIVE INFORMATION THAT IS NOT
CONTAINED IN THIS PROSPECTUS. THIS PROSPECTUS IS NOT AN OFFER TO SELL NOR IS IT
SEEKING AN OFFER TO BUY THESE SECURITIES IN ANY JURISDICTION WHERE THE OFFER OR
SALE IS NOT PERMITTED. THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS PROSPECTUS IS CORRECT
ONLY AS OF THE DATE OF THIS PROSPECTUS, REGARDLESS OF THE TIME OF THE DELIVERY
OF THIS PROSPECTUS OR ANY SALE OF THESE SECURITIES.
<PAGE> 100
PART II
INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS
ITEM 13. OTHER EXPENSES OF ISSUANCE AND DISTRIBUTION
The following table sets forth the costs and expenses, other than underwriting
discounts and commissions, payable by the Registrant in connection with the sale
of common stock being registered. All amounts are estimates except the SEC
registration fee, the NASD filing fee and the Nasdaq National Market listing
fee.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
AMOUNT
TO BE PAID
----------
<S> <C>
SEC registration fee........................................ $158,000
NASD filing fee............................................. 30,500
Nasdaq National Market listing fee.......................... 50,000
Printing and shipping fees.................................. 150,000
Legal fees and expenses..................................... 250,000
Accounting fees and expenses................................ 125,000
Blue Sky qualification fees and expenses.................... 5,000
Transfer agent and registrar fees........................... 10,000
Miscellaneous fees.......................................... 21,500
--------
Total............................................. $800,000
========
</TABLE>
ITEM 14. 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 indemnification to directors and
officers in terms sufficiently broad to permit such indemnification under
certain circumstances for liabilities (including reimbursement for expenses
incurred) arising under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities
Act"). Article VII, Section 6, of the Registrant's Bylaws provides for mandatory
indemnification of our directors and officers and permissible indemnification of
employees and other agents to the maximum extent permitted by the Delaware
General Corporation Law. The Registrant's Certificate of Incorporation provides
that, pursuant to Delaware law, our directors shall not be liable for monetary
damages for breach of the directors' fiduciary duty as directors to us and our
stockholders. This provision in the Certificate of Incorporation does not
eliminate the directors' fiduciary duty, and in appropriate circumstances
equitable remedies such as injunctive or other forms of non-monetary relief will
remain available under Delaware law. In addition, each director will continue to
be subject to liability for breach of the director's duty of loyalty to us for
acts of omissions not in good faith or involving intentional misconduct, for
knowing violations of law, for actions leading to improper personal benefit to
the director, and for payment of dividends or approval of stock repurchases or
redemptions that are unlawful under Delaware law. The provision also does not
affect a director's responsibilities under any other law, such as the federal
securities laws or state or federal environmental laws. The Registrant has
entered into Indemnification Agreements with our officers and directors, a form
of which is attached as Exhibit 10.1 hereto and incorporated herein by
reference. The Indemnification Agreements provide the Registrant's officers and
directors with further indemnification to the maximum extent permitted by the
Delaware General Corporation Law. Reference is made to Section 7 of the
Underwriting Agreement filed as Exhibit 1.1 hereto, indemnifying officers and
directors of the Registrant against certain liabilities.
II-1
<PAGE> 101
ITEM 15. RECENT SALES OF UNREGISTERED SECURITIES
Since March 8, 1996, the Registrant's predecessor company has issued and sold
the following securities (which numbers do not reflect either the one for two
and one-half exchange effected in connection with our reincorporation into
Delaware the 1-for-1.6 reverse stock split effected in December 1998 or the
2-for-1 stock split to be effected May 7, 1999).
(1) On August 28, 1996, Registrant sold and issued an aggregate of 4,100,000
shares of Series A preferred stock, at a purchase price of $0.10 per share,
for cash in the aggregate amount of $410,000 to a group of investors
pursuant to a Series A preferred stock Purchase Agreement.
(2) On March 14, 1997, Registrant sold and issued an aggregate of 2,000,000
shares of Series B preferred stock, at a purchase price of $0.30 per share,
for cash in the aggregate of $600,000 to a group of investors pursuant to a
Series B preferred stock Purchase Agreement.
(3) On April 30, 1997, Registrant terminated a joint venture agreement with
DSK, Inc. by issuing 2,000,000 shares of Series B preferred stock.
(4) On August 7, 1997, Registrant issued promissory notes in the principal
amount of $989,000 and warrants to acquire 1,979,804 shares of Series B
preferred stock at $0.50 per share. On December 31, 1997, Registrant
entered into exchange agreements with the noteholders. Pursuant to the
exchange agreements, the above notes, accrued interest of $21,200 and the
related warrants were exchanged for (i) 2,527,640 shares of Series B
preferred stock and (ii) warrants to acquire 494,951 shares of Series B
preferred stock at $0.50 per share.
(5) On May 11, 1998, Registrant sold and issued an aggregate of 8,012,000
shares of Series C preferred stock, at a weighted-average purchase price of
$0.48 per share, for cash in the aggregate amount of $3,882,400 to a group
of investors pursuant to a Series C preferred stock Purchase Agreement.
(6) On June 30, 1998, Registrant issued promissory notes, in the principal
amount of $7,000,000, convertible into Series D preferred stock (the
"Series D Notes") to a group of investors pursuant to a Note Purchase
Agreement. On July 15, 1998, Registrant sold and issued an aggregate of
8,461,538 shares of Series D preferred stock, at a purchase price of $1.30
per share, for cash and cancellation of indebtedness in the aggregate
amount of $10,999,999.40 to a group of investors pursuant to a Series D
preferred stock Purchase Agreement. All of the Series D Notes were
converted into shares of Series D preferred stock on July 15, 1998.
(7) On September 4, 1998, Registrant sold and issued an aggregate of 1,628,000
shares of Series E preferred stock, at a purchase price of $2.50 per share,
for cash in the aggregate amount of $4,070,000 to a group of investors
pursuant to a Series E preferred stock Purchase Agreement. In addition, the
Registrant issued 7,100 shares of Series E Preferred in consideration for
placement agent services.
(8) As of October 31, 1998, Registrant has sold and issued 2,086,482 shares of
our common stock for an aggregate purchase price of $68,288 to employees,
directors and consultants pursuant to direct issuances and to exercises of
options under our 1996 and 1997 Stock Option Plans and non-plan options.
(9) During May 1998, Registrant issued warrants for 15,000 shares of common
stock, with an exercise price of $.50 per share, to Jerry Weissman at Power
Presentations for services to the Company. During the same time period,
Registrant issued warrants for 24,375 shares of common stock, with an
exercise price of $1.00 per share, to DEF Public Relations, Heidrich &
Struggles and Greg Moyer at Flying Beyond for services to us.
(10) During May 1998, Registrant issued warrants, in connection with various
financing arrangements, to purchase 90,000 shares of common stock, with a
weighted-average exercise price of $1.15 per share to Transamerica and
5,000 warrants of Series D preferred stock, with an exercise price of $1.00
per share to Silicon Valley Bank.
II-2
<PAGE> 102
(11) In July 1998, Registrant sold and issued warrants for 35,000 shares of our
common stock, at an exercise price of $1.30 per share, to Primus Technology
for services in connection with developing Registrant's Asian business
opportunities. During the same time period, Registrant issued warrants for
10,000 shares of common stock, at a purchase price of $1.30 per share, for
cash in the aggregate amount of $500 to Gunderson Dettmer Stough Villeneuve
Franklin & Hachigian, LLP.
(12) In September 1998, Registrant issued warrants to purchase 100,000 shares of
common stock in connection with a financing arrangement, to TransAmerica
Business Credit Corporation. The exercise price for 50,000 shares is equal
to $2.50 per share and the exercise price for the remaining 50,000 shares
is equal to 80% of the price of this offering or, if this offering is not
completed, 80% of the price of the next equity financing.
(13) In October 1998, we issued warrants with an exercise price equal to $4.00
per share to purchase 26,250 shares to various consultants in connection
with the construction of our new Internet service exchange.
(14) In December 1998, we issued a warrant to purchase 100,000 shares of common
stock in connection with a real estate lease to Forest City Enterprises,
L.L.C. at an exercise price of $10.00 per share (the share numbers and
exercise price reflect the exchange and reverse stock split).
(15) In November 1998, David K. Small exercised options to purchase 15,625
shares of our common stock for an aggregate purchase price of $1,875 (the
share numbers and exercise price reflect the exchange and reverse stock
split).
The sale of the above securities was deemed to be exempt from registration under
the Securities Act in reliance upon Section 4(2) of the Securities Act or
Regulation D promulgated thereunder, or Rule 701 promulgated under Section 3(b)
of the Securities Act as transactions by an issuer not involving any public
offering or transactions pursuant to compensation benefit plans and contracts
relating to compensation as provided under such Rule 701. The recipients of
securities in each such transaction represented their intentions to acquire the
securities for investment only and now with a view to or for sale in connection
with any distribution thereof, and appropriate legends were affixed to the share
certificates issued in such transactions. All recipients had adequate access,
through their relationships with the Registrant, to information about the
Registrant.
ITEM 16. EXHIBITS AND FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES
(a) Exhibits
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
EXHIBIT NO. DESCRIPTION
----------- -----------
<S> <C>
1.1 Form of Underwriting Agreement.
3.1(1) Third Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation.
3.5(1) Bylaws of Registrant.
4.2(1) Form of Registrant's Common Stock Certificate.
4.3(1) Amended and Restated Investors' Rights Agreement dated
September 4, 1998.
4.4(a)(1) Stock Subscription Warrant No. 1 to purchase shares of
Common Stock of Registrant issued to Transamerica Business
Credit Corporation.
4.4(b)(1) Stock Subscription Warrant No. 2 to purchase shares of
Common Stock of Registrant issued to Transamerica Business
Credit Corporation.
4.4(c)(1) Stock Subscription Warrant No. 3 to purchase shares of
Common Stock of Registrant issued to Transamerica Business
Credit Corporation (see Exhibit No. 10.28).
4.4(d)(1) Stock Subscription Warrant No. 4 to purchase shares of
Common Stock of Registrant issued to Transamerica Business
Credit Corporation (see Exhibit No. 10.28).
4.5(1) Warrants to purchase shares of Series D Preferred Stock of
Registrant issued to Silicon Valley Bank.
4.6(1) Form of Warrant to purchase shares of Common Stock of
Registrant.
</TABLE>
II-3
<PAGE> 103
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
EXHIBIT NO. DESCRIPTION
----------- -----------
<S> <C>
5.1 Opinion of Gunderson Dettmer Stough Villeneuve Franklin &
Hachigian, LLP ("Gunderson Dettmer").
10.1(1) Form of Indemnification Agreement entered into by Registrant
with each of our directors and executive officers.
10.2(1) 1996 Stock Option Plan.
10.3(1) 1997 Stock Option Plan.
10.4(1) 1998 Stock Incentive Plan.
10.5(1) 1998 Employee Stock Purchase Plan.
10.6(1) Employment Agreement between Registrant and Warren J.
Kaplan.
10.7(1) Employment Agreement between Registrant and Sherman Tuan.
10.8(1) Employment Agreement between Registrant and David Rand.
10.9(1) Stock Option Agreement between Registrant and Warren J.
Kaplan.
10.10(1) Technology Agreement between Registrant and David Rand.
10.11(1) Lease Equipment Agreement between Registrant and Cisco
Systems Capital Corporation.
10.12(1) Loan and Security Agreement between Registrant and Silicon
Valley Bank.
10.13(1) Master Loan and Security Agreements between Registrant and
Transamerica Business Credit Corporation.
10.14(1) Promissory Note by Registrant to Transamerica Business
Credit Corporation.
10.15(1) Office Lease between 50 West San Fernando Associates and
Registrant dated May 15, 1996 (San Jose Office, 10th Floor).
10.16(1) First Amendment to Lease Agreement between 50 West San
Fernando Associates and Registrant, dated December 12, 1996
(San Jose Office, 10th Floor).
10.17(1) Second Amendment to Lease between 50 West San Fernando
Associates and Registrant, dated February 23, 1998 (San Jose
Office, 10th Floor).
10.18(1) Office Lease between 50 West San Fernando Associates and
Registrant, dated May 15, 1996 (San Jose Office, 18th
Floor).
10.19(1) First Amendment to Lease Agreement between 50 West San
Fernando Associates and Registrant, dated December 12, 1996
(San Jose Office, 18th Floor).
10.20(1) Second Amendment to Lease between 50 West San Fernando
Associates and Registrant, dated February 24, 1998 (San Jose
Office, 18th Floor).
10.21(1) Consent of Landlord between Registrant and Halcyon Software
California Inc., dated March 31, 1998 (San Jose Office,
Suite 1012).
10.22(1) Consent of Landlord between 50 West San Fernando Associates
and KPMG Peat Marwick LLP, dated April 6, 1998 and April 12,
1998 (Registrant sublease from KPMG Peat Marwick LLP, San
Jose Office, 10th Floor).
10.23(1) Sublease between KPMG Peat Marwick (USA) LLP and Registrant,
dated March 13, 1998 (Registrant sublease from KPMG Peat
Marwick LLP (USA), San Jose Office, 10th Floor).
10.24(1) Deed of Lease between Gosnell Properties, Inc. and
Registrant dated September 3, 1997 (Suite B-290, Vienna,
VA/"D.C.").
10.25(1) Deed of Lease between Gosnell Properties, Inc. and
Registrant dated January 30, 1998 (Suite 110, Vienna,
VA/"D.C.").
10.26(1) Network Access Agreement between Goodnet and Registrant
dated June 11, 1996.
10.27(1)(3) Fiber Optic Private Network Agreement Product Order between
Metromedia Fiber Network Services, Inc. and Registrant,
dated September 1, 1998.
10.28(1) Amended and Restated Master Loan and Security Agreement
between Registrant and Transamerica Business Credit
Corporation.
10.29(1) Loan Modification Agreement between Registrant and Silicon
Valley Bank dated as of October 26, 1998.
10.30(1) Lease by and between F.C. Pavilion, L.L.C. and Registrant
dated as of December 4, 1998.
</TABLE>
II-4
<PAGE> 104
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
EXHIBIT NO. DESCRIPTION
----------- -----------
<S> <C>
10.31(2)(3) Atlantic Crossing/AC-1 Submarine Cable System Capacity
Purchase Agreement, dated December 23, 1998, by and between
Atlantic Crossing LTD, a Bermuda corporation, and AboveNet.
10.32(2)(3) Atlantic Crossing/AC-1 Submarine Cable System Capacity
Indefeasible Right of Use Agreement in Inland Capacity
(United Kingdom), dated December 23, 1998, by and between GT
U.K. LTD and AboveNet.
10.33(2)(3) Atlantic Crossing/AC-1 Submarine Cable System Indefeasible
Right of Use 1.1 Agreement in Inland Capacity (United
States), dated December 23, 1998, by and between GT U.K. LTD
and AboveNet.
10.34(4)(6) Letter Agreement by and between Global Crossing Ltd. and
Registrant, dated March 23, 1999.
10.35(6) Agreement of Lease between 111 Eighth Avenue LLC and
Registrant, dated January, 1999 (Registrant lease from 111
Eighth Avenue LLC portion of 2nd Floor, 111 Eighth Ave., New
York, NY).
10.36(4)(6) Shareholders Agreement by and between Raiffeisen
Rechenzentrum Ges. m.b.H and Registrant, dated March 8,
1999.
10.37(4)(6) Cooperation Agreement, by and between Registrant and
AboveNet Deutschland GmbH, dated March 25, 1999.
10.38(4)(6) Shareholder Agreement relating to AboveNet UK Limited, by
and between Registrant, Mr. W. Dobbie and Mr. A. MacSween
and AboveNet UK Limited, dated March, 1999.
16.1(1) Letter Regarding Change in Certifying Accountants.
23.1 Consent of Gunderson Dettmer (included in Exhibit 5.1).
23.2 Consent of Deloitte & Touche LLP, Independent Accountants.
23.3(6) Independent Auditors' Report on Schedule.
99.1(1) Consent of Forrester Research, Inc.
99.2(1) Consent of International Data Corporation.
</TABLE>
- -------------------------
(1) Incorporated by reference to the Company's Registration Statement on Form
S-1 (No. 333-63141) originally filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission on September 10, 1998.
(2) Incorporated by reference to the Company's filing on Form 10-Q filed with
the Securities and Exchange Commission on February 11, 1999
(3) Confidential treatment granted as to certain portions of exhibit.
(4) Confidential treatment requested as to certain portions of exhibit.
(5) To be filed by amendment.
(6) Previously filed.
(b) Financial Statement Schedule
(i) Schedule II. Valuation and Qualifying Accounts.
Schedules not listed above have been omitted because the information required to
be set forth therein is not applicable.
ITEM 17. UNDERTAKINGS
The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes to provide to the Underwriters at
the closing specified in the Underwriting Agreement, certificates in such
denominations and registered in such names as required by the Underwriters to
permit prompt delivery to each purchaser.
Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may
be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the Registrant
pursuant to the Delaware General Corporation Law, the Registrant's Restated
Certificate of Incorporation, the Registrant's Bylaws, and Registrant's
indemnification agreements 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 Securities Act, and
II-5
<PAGE> 105
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 hereunder, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of our 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 Securities Act and will be governed by
the final adjudication of such issue.
The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes that:
(1) For purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act, the
information omitted from the form of Prospectus filed as part of this
Registration Statement in reliance upon Rule 430A and contained in a form
of Prospectus filed by the Registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(1) or (4) or
497(h) under the Securities Act shall be deemed to be part of this
Registration Statement as of the time it was declared effective.
(2) For the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act,
each post-effective amendment that contains a form of Prospectus 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.
II-6
<PAGE> 106
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Registrant has
duly caused this Amendment No. 1 to Registration Statement on Form S-1 to be
signed on our behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City
of San Jose, State of California, on this 14th day of April 1999.
ABOVENET COMMUNICATIONS INC.
By: /s/ DAVID F. LARSON
------------------------------------
David F. Larson
Senior Vice President and
Chief Financial Officer
Pursuant to the requirement of the Securities Act of 1933, this Amendment No. 1
to Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the
capacities and on the dates indicated:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
NAME AND SIGNATURE TITLE DATE
------------------ ----- ----
<C> <C> <S>
/s/ SHERMAN TUAN* Chairman of the Board and Chief April 14, 1999
- ------------------------------------------------ Executive Officer (Principal
Sherman Tuan Executive Officer) and Director
/s/ DAVID F. LARSON Senior Vice President and Chief April 14, 1999
- ------------------------------------------------ Financial Officer (Principal
David F. Larson Financial Officer)
/s/ KEVIN HOURIGAN* Vice President Finance (Principal April 14, 1999
- ------------------------------------------------ Accounting Officer)
Kevin Hourigan
/s/ PETER C. CHEN, PH.D.* Vice Chairman of the Board April 14, 1999
- ------------------------------------------------
Peter C. Chen, Ph.D.
/s/ WARREN J. KAPLAN* President, Chief Operating Officer April 14, 1999
- ------------------------------------------------ and Director
Warren J. Kaplan
/s/ ROBERT A. BURGELMAN* Director April 14, 1999
- ------------------------------------------------
Robert A. Burgelman
/s/ FRANK R. KLINE* Director April 14, 1999
- ------------------------------------------------
Frank R. Kline
/s/ JAMES SHA* Director April 14, 1999
- ------------------------------------------------
James Sha
/s/ TOM SHAO, PH.D.* Director April 14, 1999
- ------------------------------------------------
Tom Shao, Ph.D.
/s/ KIMBALL W. SMALL* Director April 14, 1999
- ------------------------------------------------
Kimball W. Small
/s/ FRED A. VIERRA* Director April 14, 1999
- ------------------------------------------------
Fred A. Vierra
*By: /s/ DAVID F. LARSON
------------------------------------------
David F. Larson
Attorney-In-Fact
</TABLE>
II-7
<PAGE> 107
SCHEDULE II
VALUATION AND QUALIFYING ACCOUNTS
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
BALANCE AT CHARGED TO BALANCE AT
BEGINNING OF COST AND DEDUCTIONS/ END OF
PERIOD EXPENSES WRITE-OFF PERIOD
------------ ---------- ----------- ----------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C>
PERIOD FROM MARCH 8, 1996 (INCEPTION)
TO JUNE 30, 1996
Accounts receivable allowance............... $ -- $ -- $ -- $ --
YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 1997
Accounts receivable allowance............... $ -- $15,000 $ -- $15,000
YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 1998
Accounts receivable allowance............... $15,000 $58,787 $13,787 $60,000
</TABLE>
<PAGE> 108
EXHIBIT INDEX
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
EXHIBIT SEQUENTIALLY
NUMBER DESCRIPTION OF DOCUMENT NUMBERED PAGE
- ----------- ----------------------- -------------
<S> <C> <C>
1.1 Form of Underwriting Agreement.
3.1(1) Third Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation.
3.5(1) Bylaws of Registrant.
4.2(1) Form of Registrant's Common Stock Certificate.
4.3(1) Amended and Restated Investors' Rights Agreement dated
September 4, 1998.
4.4(a)(1) Stock Subscription Warrant No. 1 to purchase shares of
Common Stock of Registrant issued to Transamerica Business
Credit Corporation.
4.4(b)(1) Stock Subscription Warrant No. 2 to purchase shares of
Common Stock of Registrant issued to Transamerica Business
Credit Corporation.
4.4(c)(1) Stock Subscription Warrant No. 3 to purchase shares of
Common Stock of Registrant issued to Transamerica Business
Credit Corporation (see Exhibit No. 10.28).
4.4(d)(1) Stock Subscription Warrant No. 4 to purchase shares of
Common Stock of Registrant issued to Transamerica Business
Credit Corporation (see Exhibit No. 10.28).
4.5(1) Warrants to purchase shares of Series D Preferred Stock of
the Registrant issued to Silicon Valley Bank.
4.6(1) Form of Warrant to purchase shares of Common Stock of the
Registrant.
5.1 Opinion of Gunderson Dettmer Stough Villeneuve Franklin &
Hachigian, LLP ("Gunderson Dettmer").
10.1(1) Form of Indemnification Agreement entered into by Registrant
with each of our directors and executive officers.
10.2(1) 1996 Stock Option Plan.
10.3(1) 1997 Stock Option Plan.
10.4(1) 1998 Stock Incentive Plan.
10.5(1) 1998 Employee Stock Purchase Plan.
10.6(1) Employment Agreement between the Registrant and Warren J.
Kaplan.
10.7(1) Employment Agreement between the Registrant and Sherman
Tuan.
10.8(1) Employment Agreement between the Registrant and David Rand.
10.9(1) Stock Option Agreement between the Registrant and Warren J.
Kaplan.
10.10(1) Technology Agreement between the Registrant and David Rand.
10.11(1) Lease Equipment Agreement between Registrant and Cisco
Systems Capital Corporation.
10.12(1) Loan and Security Agreement between the Registrant and
Silicon Valley Bank.
10.13(1) Loan and Security Agreements between the Registrant and
Transamerica Business Credit Corporation.
10.14(1) Promissory Note by Registrant to Transamerica Business
Credit Corporation.
10.15(1) Office Lease between 50 West San Fernando Associates and
Registrant dated May 15, 1996 (San Jose Office, 10th Floor).
10.16(1) First Amendment to Lease Agreement between 50 West San
Fernando Associates and Registrant, dated December 12, 1996
(San Jose Office, 10th Floor).
10.17(1) Second Amendment to Lease between 50 West San Fernando
Associates and Registrant, dated February 23, 1998 (San Jose
Office, 10th Floor).
10.18(1) Office Lease between 50 West San Fernando Associates and
Registrant, dated May 15, 1996 (San Jose Office, 18th
Floor).
</TABLE>
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10.19(1) First Amendment to Lease Agreement between 50 West San
Fernando Associates and Registrant, dated December 12, 1996
(San Jose Office, 18th Floor).
10.20(1) Second Amendment to Lease between 50 West San Fernando
Associates and Registrant, dated February 24, 1998 (San Jose
Office, 18th Floor).
10.21(1) Consent of Landlord between Registrant and Halcyon Software
California Inc., dated March 31, 1998 (San Jose Office,
Suite 1012).
10.22(1) Consent of Landlord between 50 West San Fernando Associates
and KPMG Peat Marwick LLP, dated April 6, 1998 and April 12,
1998 (Registrant sublease from KPMG Peat Marwick LLP, San
Jose Office, 10th Floor).
10.23(1) Sublease between KPMG Peat Marwick (USA) LLP and Registrant,
dated March 13, 1998 (Registrant sublease from KPMG Peat
Marwick LLP (USA), San Jose Office, 10th Floor).
10.24(1) Deed of Lease between Gosnell Properties, Inc. and
Registrant dated September 3, 1997 (Suite B-290, Vienna,
VA/"D.C.").
10.25(1) Deed of Lease between Gosnell Properties, Inc. and
Registrant dated January 30, 1998 (Suite 110, Vienna,
VA/"D.C.").
10.26(1) Network Access Agreement between Goodnet and Registrant
dated June 11, 1996.
10.27(1)(3) Fiber Optic Private Network Agreement Product Order between
Metromedia Fiber Network Services, Inc. and Registrant,
dated September 1, 1998.
10.28(1) Amended and Restated Master Loan and Security Agreement
between Registrant and Transamerica Business Credit
Corporation.
10.29(1) Loan Modification Agreement between Registrant and Silicon
Valley Bank dated as of October 26, 1998.
10.30(1) Lease by and between F.C. Pavilion, L.L.C. and Registrant
dated December 4, 1998.
10.31(2)(3) Atlantic Crossing/AC-1 Submarine Cable System Capacity
Purchase Agreement, dated December 23, 1998, by and between
Atlantic Crossing LTD, a Bermuda corporation, and AboveNet.
10.32(2)(3) Atlantic Crossing/AC-1 Submarine Cable System Capacity
Indefeasible Right of Use Agreement in Inland Capacity
(United Kingdom), dated December 23, 1998, by and between GT
U.K. LTD and AboveNet.
10.33(2)(3) Atlantic Crossing/AC-1 Submarine Cable System Indefeasible
Right of Use 1.1 Agreement in Inland Capacity (United
States), dated December 23, 1998, by and between GT U.K. LTD
and AboveNet.
10.34(4)(6) Letter Agreement by and between Global Crossing Ltd. and
Registrant, dated March 23, 1999.
10.35(6) Agreement of Lease between 111 Eighth Avenue LLC and
Registrant, dated January, 1999 (Registrant lease from 111
Eighth Avenue LLC portion of 2nd Floor, 111 Eighth Ave., New
York, NY).
10.36(4)(6) Shareholders Agreement by and between Raiffeisen
Rechenzentrum Ges. m.b.H and Registrant, dated March 8,
1999.
10.37(4)(6) Cooperation Agreement, by and between Registrant and
AboveNet Deutschland GmbH, dated March 25, 1999.
10.38(4)(6) Shareholder Agreement relating to AboveNet UK Limited, by
and between Registrant, Mr. W. Dobbie and Mr. A. MacSween
and AboveNet UK Limited, dated March, 1999.
16.1(1) Letter Regarding Change in Certifying Accountants.
23.1 Consent of Gunderson Dettmer (included in Exhibit 5.1).
</TABLE>
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23.2 Consent of Deloitte & Touche LLP, Independent Accountants.
23.3 Independent Auditors' Report on Schedule.
99.1(1) Consent of Forrester Research, Inc.
99.2(1) Consent of International Data Corporation.
</TABLE>
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(1) Incorporated by reference to the Company's Registration Statement on Form
S-1 (No. 333-63141) originally filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission on September 10, 1998.
(2) Incorporated by reference to the Company's filing on Form 10-Q filed with
the Securities and Exchange Commission on February 11, 1999.
(3) Confidential treatment granted as to certain portions of exhibit.
(4) Confidential treatment requested as to certain portions of exhibit.
(5) To be filed by amendment.
(6) Previously filed.
<PAGE> 1
EXHIBIT 1.1
4,000,000 SHARES
ABOVENET COMMUNICATIONS INC
COMMON STOCK
UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
April ____, 1999
CIBC Oppenheimer Corp.
Lehman Brothers Inc.
PaineWebber Incorporated
Volpe Brown Whelan & Company
c/o CIBC Oppenheimer Corp.
CIBC Oppenheimer Tower
World Financial Center
New York, New York 10281
On behalf of the Several
Underwriters named on
Schedule I attached hereto.
Ladies and Gentlemen:
AboveNet Communications Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "Company") and
the Company's stockholders listed on Exhibit A attached hereto, acting severally
and not jointly, (the "Selling Stockholders"), propose, subject to the terms and
conditions contained herein, to sell to you and the other underwriters named on
Schedule I to this Agreement (the "Underwriters"), for whom you are acting as
Representatives (the "Representatives"), an aggregate of 4,000,000 shares (the
"Firm Shares") of the Company's Common Stock, $0.01 par value (the "Common
Stock"). Of the 4,000,000 Firm Shares, 2,700,000 are to be issued and sold by
the Company and 1,300,000 are to be sold by the Selling Stockholders. The
respective amounts of the Firm Shares to be purchased by each of the several
Underwriters are set forth opposite their names on Schedule I hereto. In
addition, the Company proposes to grant to the Underwriters an option to
purchase up to an additional 600,000 shares (the "Option Shares") of Common
Stock from it for the purpose of covering over-allotments in connection with the
sale of the Firm Shares. The Firm Shares and the Option Shares are together
called the "Shares."
1. Sale and Purchase of the Shares. On the basis of the representations,
warranties and agreements contained in, and subject to the terms and conditions
of, this Agreement:
(a) The Company agrees to sell to each of the Underwriters, and
each of the Underwriters agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase
from the Company, at a price of $_____ per share (the "Initial Price"),
the number of Firm Shares set forth opposite the name of such
Underwriter under the column
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<PAGE> 2
"Number of Firm Shares to be Purchased from the Company" on Schedule I
to this Agreement, subject to adjustment in accordance with Section 11
hereof. The Selling Stockholders agrees to sell to each of the
Underwriters, and each of the Underwriters agrees, severally and not
jointly, to purchase from the Selling Stockholders, at the "Initial
Price," the number of Firm Shares set forth opposite the name of such
Underwriter under the column "Number of Firm Shares to be Purchased from
the Selling Stockholders" on Schedule I to this Agreement, subject to
adjustment in accordance with Section 11 hereof.
(b) The Company grants to the several Underwriters an option to
purchase, severally and not jointly, all or any part of the Option
Shares at the Initial Price. The number of Option Shares to be purchased
by each Underwriter shall be the same percentage (adjusted by the
Representatives to eliminate fractions) of the total number of Option
Shares to be purchased by the Underwriters as such Underwriter is
purchasing of the Firm Shares. Such option may be exercised only to
cover over-allotments in the sales of the Firm Shares by the
Underwriters and may be exercised in whole or in part at any time on or
before 9:00 a.m. San Francisco, California time, on the business day
before the Firm Shares Closing Date (as defined below), and only once
thereafter within 30 days after the date of this Agreement, in each case
upon written or facsimile notice, or verbal or telephonic notice
confirmed by written or facsimile notice, by the Representatives to the
Company no later than 9:00 a.m. San Francisco, California time, on the
business day before the Firm Shares Closing Date or at least two
business days before the Option Shares Closing Date (as defined below),
as the case may be, setting forth the number of Option Shares to be
purchased and the time and date (if other than the Firm Shares Closing
Date) of such purchase.
2. Delivery and Payment. Delivery by the Company and the Selling
Stockholders of the Firm Shares to the Representatives for the respective
accounts of the Underwriters, and payment of the purchase price by certified or
official bank check or checks payable in New York Clearing House (next day)
funds drawn to the order of, or by wire transfer to the account designated by,
the Company for the shares purchased from the Company and the Selling
Stockholders for the shares purchased from the Selling Stockholders, against
delivery of the respective certificates therefor to the Representatives, shall
take place at the offices of CIBC Oppenheimer Corp., at CIBC Oppenheimer Tower,
World Financial Center, New York, New York 10281, at 10:00 a.m., New York City
time, (a) on the third (3rd) full business day following the date of this
Agreement, (b) if this Agreemetn is executed and delivered after 4:30 p.m., New
York City time, the fourth (4th) full business day following the day that this
Agreement is executed and delivered or (c) at such time on such other date, not
later than 10 business days after the date of this Agreement, as shall be agreed
upon by the Company and the Representatives (such time and date of delivery and
payment are called the "Firm Shares Closing Date").
In the event the option with respect to the Option Shares is exercised,
delivery by the Company of the Option Shares to the Representatives for the
respective accounts of the Underwriters and payment of the purchase price by
certified or official bank check or checks payable in New York Clearing House
(next day) funds or by wire transfer to the Company shall
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<PAGE> 3
take place at the offices of CIBC Oppenheimer Corp. specified above at the time
and on the date (which may be the same date as, but in no event shall be earlier
than, the Firm Shares Closing Date) specified in the notice referred to in
Section 1(b) (such time and date of delivery and payment are called the "Option
Shares Closing Date"). The Firm Shares Closing Date and the Option Shares
Closing Date are called, individually, a "Closing Date" and, together, the
"Closing Dates."
Certificates evidencing the Shares shall be registered in such names and
shall be in such denominations as the Representatives shall request at least two
full business days before the Firm Shares Closing Date or, in the case of Option
Shares, on the day of notice of exercise of the option as described in Section
l(b) and shall be made available to the Representatives for checking and
packaging, at such place as is designated by the Representatives, on the full
business day before the Firm Shares Closing Date (or the Option Shares Closing
Date in the case of the Option Shares).
3. Registration Statement and Prospectus; Public Offering. The Company
has prepared in conformity with the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933,
as amended (the "Securities Act"), and the published rules and regulations
thereunder (the "Rules") adopted by the Securities and Exchange Commission (the
"Commission") a registration statement on Form S-1 (No. 333-75795), including a
preliminary prospectus relating to the Shares, and has filed with the Commission
the Registration Statement (as hereinafter defined) and such amendments thereof
as may have been required to the date of this Agreement. Copies of such
Registration Statement (including all amendments thereof) and of the related
preliminary prospectus have heretofore been delivered by the Company to you. The
term "preliminary prospectus" means any preliminary prospectus (as described in
Rule 430 of the Rules) included at any time as a part of the Registration
Statement. The Registration Statement as amended at the time and on the date it
becomes effective (the "Effective Date"), including all exhibits and
information, if any, deemed to be part of the Registration Statement pursuant to
Rule 424(b) and Rule 430A of the Rules, is called the "Registration Statement."
The term "Prospectus" means the prospectus in the form first used to confirm
sales of the Shares (whether such prospectus was included in the Registration
Statement at the time of effectiveness or was subsequently filed with the
Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) of the Rules).
The Company and the Selling Stockholders understand that the
Underwriters propose to make a public offering of the Shares, as set forth in
and pursuant to the Prospectus, as soon after the Effective Date and the date of
this Agreement as the Representatives deem advisable. The Company and the
Selling Stockholders hereby confirm that the Underwriters and dealers have been
authorized to distribute or cause to be distributed each preliminary prospectus
and are authorized to distribute the Prospectus (as from time to time amended or
supplemented if the Company furnishes amendments or supplements thereto to the
Underwriters).
4. Representations and Warranties of the Company. The Company hereby
represents and warrant to each Underwriter as follows:
(a) On the Effective Date, the Registration Statement complied,
and on the date of the Prospectus, on the date any post-effective
amendment to the Registration Statement becomes effective, on the date
any supplement or
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<PAGE> 4
amendment to the Prospectus is filed with the Commission and on each
Closing Date, the Registration Statement and the Prospectus (and any
amendment thereof or supplement thereto) will comply, in all material
respects, with the applicable provisions of the Securities Act and the
Rules and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange
Act"), and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder. The
Registration Statement did not, as of the Effective Date, contain any
untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact
required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the
statements therein not misleading; and on the other dates referred to
above neither the Registration Statement nor the Prospectus, nor any
amendment thereof or supplement thereto, will contain any untrue
statement of a material fact or will omit to state any material fact
required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the
statements therein not misleading. When any related preliminary
prospectus was first filed with the Commission (whether filed as part of
the Registration Statement or any amendment thereto or pursuant to Rule
424(a) of the Rules) and when any amendment thereof or supplement
thereto was first filed with the Commission, such preliminary prospectus
as amended or supplemented complied in all material respects with the
applicable provisions of the Securities Act and the Rules and did not
contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any
material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to
make the statements therein not misleading. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, the Company makes no representation or warranty as to the
statements contained under the caption "Underwriting" in the Prospectus.
The Company acknowledges that the only information furnished in writing
by the Representatives on behalf of the several Underwriters for use in
the Registration Statement or the Prospectus is the statements contained
under the caption "Underwriting" in the Prospectus.
(b) All contracts and other documents required to be filed as
exhibits to the Registration Statement have been filed with the
Commission as exhibits to the Registration Statement.
(c) The financial statements of the Company (including all notes
and schedules thereto) included in the Registration Statement and
Prospectus present fairly the financial position, the results of
operations, cash flows and the stockholders' equity and the other
information purported to be shown therein of the Company at the
respective dates and for the respective periods to which they apply; and
such financial statements have been prepared in conformity with
generally accepted accounting principles, consistently applied
throughout the periods involved, and all adjustments necessary for a
fair presentation of the results for such periods have been made. The
summary and selected financial data included in the Prospectus present
fairly the information shown therein as at the respective dates and for
the respective periods specified and the summary and selected financial
data have been presented on a basis consistent with the consolidated
financial statements so set forth in the Prospectus and other financial
information.
- 4 -
<PAGE> 5
(d) Deloitte & Touche LLP, whose reports are filed with the
Commission as a part of the Registration Statement, are and, during the
periods covered by their reports, were independent public accountants as
required by the Securities Act and the Rules.
(e) The Registration Statement is effective under the Securities
Act and no stop order preventing or suspending the effectiveness of the
Registration Statement or suspending or preventing the use of the
Prospectus has been issued and no proceedings for that purpose have been
instituted or are threatened under the Securities Act; any required
filing of the Prospectus and any supplement thereto pursuant to Rule
424(b) of the Rules has been or will be made in the manner and within
the time period required by such Rule 424(b).
(f) The Company has been duly incorporated and is validly
existing and in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware.
The Company has no subsidiary or subsidiaries and does not control,
directly or indirectly, any corporation, partnership, joint venture,
association or other business organization. The Company is duly
qualified to do business and is in good standing as a foreign
corporation in each jurisdiction in which the character or location of
its assets or properties (owned, leased or licensed) or the nature of
its business makes such qualification necessary, except for such
jurisdictions where the failure to so qualify would not have a material
adverse effect on the assets or properties, business, results of
operations, prospects or condition (financial or otherwise) of the
Company (a "Material Adverse Effect"). Except as disclosed in the
Registration Statement and the Prospectus, the Company does not own,
lease or license any asset or property or conduct any material business
outside the United States of America. The Company has all requisite
corporate power and authority, and all necessary authorizations,
approvals, consents, orders, licenses, certificates and permits of and
from all governmental or regulatory bodies or any other person or entity
(collectively, the "Permits"), to own, lease and license its assets and
properties and conduct its business as now being conducted and as
described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, all of which
are valid and in full force and effect, except where the lack of such
Permits would not have a Material Adverse Effect; no such Permit
contains a materially burdensome restriction other than as disclosed in
the Registration Statement and the Prospectus; the Company has fulfilled
and performed in all material respects all its material obligations with
respect to such Permits and no event has occurred that allows, or after
notice or lapse of time would allow, revocation or termination thereof
or results in any other material impairment of the rights of the Company
thereunder. Except as may be required under the Securities Act and state
and foreign Blue Sky laws, the Company has all such corporate power and
authority, and all such Permits as are required to enter into, deliver
and perform this Agreement and to issue and sell the Shares.
(g) Except as disclosed in the Prospectus, the Company owns or
is licensed, or otherwise possesses adequate and enforceable rights to
use all copyrights, copyright applications, licenses, know-how and other
similar rights
- 5 -
<PAGE> 6
and proprietary knowledge (collectively, "Intangibles") and, to its
knowledge, all trademarks, trademark applications, trade names and
service marks (collectively, the "Trademarks") necessary for the conduct
of its business as currently conducted and as described in the
Registration Statement and the Prospectus. The Company has not received
any notice of, and is not aware of, any infringement of or conflict with
asserted rights of others with respect to any Intangibles or Trademarks
which, singly or in the aggregate, if the subject of an unfavorable
decision, ruling or finding, would have a Material Adverse Effect.
(h) The Company has good title to each of the items of personal
property which are reflected in the financial statements referred to in
Section 4(c) or are referred to in the Registration Statement and the
Prospectus as being owned by it and valid and enforceable leasehold
interests in each of the items of real and personal property which are
referred to in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus as being
leased by it, in each case free and clear of all liens, encumbrances,
claims, security interests and defects, other than those described in
the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and those which do not and
will not have a Material Adverse Effect, except as may be limited by
bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws
affecting the enforcement of creditors' rights generally and by general
equitable principles. Nothing in this Section 4(h) shall be interpreted
as limiting the Company's representation in Section 4(f) above.
(i) Other than as described in the Registration Statement and
the Prospectus, there is no litigation or governmental or other
proceeding or investigation before any court or before any public body
or board pending or, to the Company's knowledge, threatened (and the
Company does not know of any basis therefore) against, or involving the
Company or its assets, properties or business, which might have a
Material Adverse Effect, affect the consummation of this Agreement or
which is required to be disclosed in the Registration Statement and the
Prospectus that is not so disclosed.
(j) Subsequent to the respective dates as of which information
is given in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, except as
described therein, (a) there has not been any material adverse change
with regard to the assets or properties, business, results of
operations, prospects or condition (financial or otherwise) of the
Company, whether or not arising from transactions in the ordinary course
of business other than as a result of increased operating expenses as
contemplated by the Prospectus; (b) the Company has not sustained any
material loss or interference with its assets, businesses or properties
(whether owned or leased) from fire, explosion, earthquake, flood or
other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor
dispute or any court or legislative or other governmental action, order
or decree; and (c) since the date of the latest balance sheet included
in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, except as reflected
therein, the Company has not (i) issued any securities or incurred any
liability or obligation, direct or contingent, for borrowed money,
except such liabilities or obligations incurred in the ordinary course
of business
- 6 -
<PAGE> 7
and securities issued or issuable to employees, directors, consultants
and other service providers in the ordinary course of business, (ii)
entered into any transaction not in the ordinary course of business or
(iii) declared or paid any dividend or made any distribution on any
shares of its stock or redeemed, purchased or otherwise acquired or
agreed to redeem, purchase or otherwise acquire any shares of its stock,
other than the repurchase of shares of Common Stock from employees,
consultants or other service providers whose services have been
terminated with the Company.
(k) There is no document, contract or other agreement of a
character required to be described in the Registration Statement or
Prospectus or to be filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement
which is not described or filed as required by the Securities Act or
Rules. Each description of a contract, document or other agreement in
the Registration Statement and the Prospectus accurately reflects in all
respects the terms of the underlying document, contract or agreement.
Each agreement described in the Registration Statement and Prospectus or
listed in the Exhibits to the Registration Statement is in full force
and effect and, to its knowledge, is valid and enforceable by and
against the Company in accordance with its terms, except as the
enforceability thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency,
reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws affecting the
enforcement of creditors' rights generally and by general equitable
principles. Neither the Company, nor to the Company's knowledge, any
other party is in default in the observance or performance of any term
or obligation to be performed by it under any such agreement, and no
event has occurred which with notice or lapse of time or both would
constitute such a default, in any such case which default or event would
have a Material Adverse Effect.
(l) The Company is not in violation of any term or provision of
its charter or by-laws or of any franchise, license, permit, judgment,
decree, order, statute, rule or regulation, where the consequences of
such violation would have a Material Adverse Effect.
(m) Neither the execution, delivery and performance of this
Agreement by the Company nor the consummation of any of the transactions
contemplated hereby (including, without limitation, the issuance and
sale by the Company of the Shares) will give rise to a right to
terminate or accelerate the due date of any payment due under, or
conflict with or result in the breach of any term or provision of, or
constitute a default (or an event which with notice or lapse of time or
both would constitute a default) under, or require any consent or waiver
under, or result in the execution or imposition of any lien, charge or
encumbrance upon any properties or assets of the Company pursuant to the
terms of, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust or other agreement or
instrument to which the Company is a party or by which it or any of its
properties or businesses is bound, or any franchise, license, permit,
judgment, decree, order, statute, rule or regulation applicable to the
Company or violate any provision of the charter or by-laws of
- 7 -
<PAGE> 8
the Company, except for such consents or waivers which have already been
obtained and are in full force and effect.
(n) The Company has authorized and outstanding capital stock as
set forth under the caption "Capitalization" in the Prospectus. All of
the outstanding shares of Common Stock have been duly and validly issued
and are fully paid and nonassessable and none were issued in violation
of any preemptive or other similar right. There are no statutory
preemptive or other similar rights to subscribe for or to purchase or
acquire any shares of Common Stock of the Company or any such rights
pursuant to its Certificate of Incorporation or by-laws or any agreement
or instrument to or by which the Company is a party or bound. The
Shares, when issued and sold pursuant to this Agreement, will be duly
and validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable and none of them will
be issued in violation of any preemptive or other similar right. Except
as disclosed in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, there is
no outstanding option, warrant or other right calling for the issuance
of, and there is no commitment, plan or arrangement to issue, any share
of stock of the Company or any security convertible into, or exercisable
or exchangeable for, such stock. The Common Stock and the Shares conform
in all material respects to all statements in relation thereto contained
in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus.
(o) Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement and the
Prospectus, no holder of any security of the Company has the right to
have any security owned by such holder included in the Registration
Statement or to demand registration of any security owned by such holder
during the period ending 180 days after the date of this Agreement. Each
Selling Stockholder, director, executive officer and each beneficial
owner of one percent (1%) or more shares of Common Stock of the Company
has delivered to the Representatives his enforceable written lock-up
agreement in the form attached to this Agreement ("Lock-Up Agreement").
(p) All necessary corporate action has been duly and validly
taken by the Company to authorize the execution, delivery and
performance of this Agreement and the issuance and sale of the Shares by
the Company. This Agreement has been duly and validly authorized,
executed and delivered by the Company and constitutes and will
constitute legal, valid and binding obligations of the Company
enforceable against the Company in accordance with their respective
terms, except (i) as the enforceability thereof may be limited by
bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other similar
laws affecting the enforcement of creditors' rights generally and by
general equitable principles and (ii) to the extent that rights to
indemnity or contribution under this Agreement may be limited by
Federal and state securities laws or the public policy underlying such
laws.
(q) The Company is not involved in any labor dispute nor, to the
knowledge of the Company, is any such dispute threatened, which dispute
would have a Material Adverse Effect. The Company is not aware of any
existing or
- 8 -
<PAGE> 9
imminent labor disturbance by the employees of any of its principal
suppliers or contractors which would have a Material Adverse Effect. The
Company is not aware of any threatened or pending litigation between the
Company and any of its executive officers which, if adversely
determined, could have a Material Adverse Effect and has no reason to
believe that such officers will not remain in the employment of the
Company.
(r) No transaction has occurred between or among the Company and
any of its officers or directors or five percent shareholders or any
affiliate or affiliates of any such officer or director or five percent
shareholders that is required to be described in and is not described in
the Registration Statement and the Prospectus.
(s) The Company has not taken, nor will it take, directly or
indirectly, any action designed to or which might reasonably be expected
to cause or result in, or which has constituted or which might
reasonably be expected to constitute, the stabilization or manipulation
of the price of the Common Stock to facilitate the sale or resale of any
of the Shares.
(t) The Company has filed all Federal, state, local and foreign
tax returns which are required to be filed through the date hereof, or
has received extensions therefor, and has paid, or is contesting in good
faith, all taxes shown on such returns and all assessments received by
it to the extent that the same are material and have become due, and
there are no tax audits or investigations pending, which if adversely
determined would have a Material Adverse Effect; nor are there any
material proposed additional tax assessments against the Company.
(u) The Shares have been duly authorized for quotation on the
National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotation
("Nasdaq") National Market System, and a registration statement has been
filed on Form 8-A pursuant to Section 12 of the Securities Exchange Act
of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), which registration statement
complies in all material respects with the Exchange Act.
(v) The Company has complied with all of the requirements and
filed the required forms as specified in Florida Statutes Section
517.075.
(w) The books, records and accounts of the Company accurately
and fairly reflect, in reasonable detail, the transactions in, and
dispositions of, the assets of, and the results of operations of, the
Company. The Company maintains a system of internal accounting controls
sufficient to provide reasonable assurances that (i) transactions are
executed in accordance with management's general or specific
authorizations, (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit
preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally
accepted accounting principles and to maintain asset accountability,
(iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management's
general or specific authorization and (iv) the recorded accountability
for assets is compared with the existing assets
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<PAGE> 10
at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to
any differences.
(x) The Company is insured by insurers of recognized financial
responsibility against such losses and risks and in such amounts as are
customary in the businesses in which it is engaged or propose to engage
after giving effect to the transactions described in the Prospectus; and
the Company has no reason to believe that it will not be able to renew
its existing insurance coverage as and when such coverage expires or to
obtain similar coverage from similar insurers as may be necessary to
continue its business at a cost that would not have a Material Adverse
Effect. The Company has not been denied any insurance coverage which it
has sought or for which it has applied.
(y) Each approval, consent, order, authorization, designation,
declaration or filing of, by or with any regulatory, administrative or
other governmental body necessary in connection with the execution and
delivery by the Company of this Agreement and the consummation of the
transactions herein contemplated required to be obtained or performed by
the Company (except such additional steps as may be required by the
National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. (the "NASD") or may be
necessary to qualify the Shares for public offering by the Underwriters
under the state securities or Blue Sky laws) has been obtained or made
and is in full force and effect.
(z) There are no affiliations with the NASD among the Company's
officers, directors or, to the best of the knowledge of the Company, any
five percent or greater stockholder of the Company, except as set forth
in the Registration Statement or otherwise disclosed in writing to the
Representatives of the Underwriters.
(aa) (i) The Company is in compliance in all material respects
with all rules, laws and regulation relating to the use, treatment,
storage and disposal of toxic substances and protection of health or the
environment ("Environmental Law") which are applicable to its business;
(ii) the Company has not received any notice from any governmental
authority or third party of an asserted claim under Environmental Laws;
(iii) the Company has received all permits, licenses or other approvals
required of it under applicable Environmental Laws to conduct its
business and is in compliance with all terms and conditions of any such
permit, license or approval; (iv) to the Company's knowledge, no facts
currently exist that will require the Company to make future material
capital expenditures to comply with Environmental Laws; and (v) no
property which is or has been owned, leased or occupied by the Company
has been designated as a Superfund site pursuant to the Comprehensive
Environmental Response, Compensation of Liability Act of 1980, as
amended (42 U.S.C. Section 9601, et. seq.) or otherwise designated as a
contaminated site under applicable state or local law.
(bb) The Company is not and, after giving effect to the offering
and sale of the Shares and the application of proceeds thereof as
described in the
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<PAGE> 11
Prospectus, will not be an "investment company" within the meaning of
the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "Investment Company
Act").
(cc) The Company or any other person associated with or acting on
behalf of the Company, including, without limitation, any director,
officer, agent or employee of the Company has, directly or indirectly,
while acting on behalf of the Company (i) used any corporate funds for
unlawful contributions, gifts, entertainment or other unlawful expenses
relating to political activity; (ii) made any unlawful payment to
foreign or domestic government officials or employees or to foreign or
domestic political parties or campaigns from corporate funds; (iii)
violated any provision of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as
amended; or (iv) made any other unlawful payment.
5. Representations and Warranties of the Selling Stockholders.
(a) Each Selling Stockholder hereby represents and warrants to
each Underwriter as follows:
(i) Such Selling Stockholder has caused certificates for
the number of Shares to be sold by such Selling Stockholder
hereunder to be delivered to _______________ (the "Custodian"),
endorsed in blank or with blank stock powers duly executed, with
a signature appropriately guaranteed, such certificates to be
held in custody by the Custodian for delivery, pursuant to the
provisions of this Agreement and an agreement dated ____________
among the Custodian and such Selling Stockholder (the "Custody
Agreement").
(ii) Such Selling Stockholder has granted an irrevocable
power of attorney (the "Power of Attorney") to the person named
therein, on behalf of such Selling Stockholder, to execute and
deliver this Agreement and any other document necessary or
desirable in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby
and to deliver the shares to be sold by such Selling Stockholder
pursuant hereto.
(iii) This Agreement, the Custody Agreement, the Power of
Attorney and the Lock-Up Agreement have each been duly
authorized, executed and delivered by or on behalf of such
Selling Stockholder and, assuming due authorization, execution
and delivery by the other parties hereto, constitutes the valid
and legally binding agreement of such Selling Stockholder,
enforceable against such Selling Stockholder in accordance with
its terms.
(iv) The execution and delivery by such Selling
Stockholder of this Agreement and the performance by such Selling
Stockholder of its obligations under this Agreement (A) will not
contravene any provision of applicable law, statute, regulation
or filing or any agreement or other instrument binding upon such
Selling Stockholder or any judgment, order or decree of any
governmental body, agency or court having jurisdiction
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<PAGE> 12
over such Selling Stockholder, (B) does not require any consent,
approval, authorization or order of or registration or filing
with any court or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction
over it, except such as may be required by the Blue Sky laws of
the various states in connection with the offer and sale of the
Shares which have been or will be effected in accordance with
this Agreement, (C) does not and will not violate any statute,
law, regulation or filing or judgment, injunction, order or
decree applicable to such Selling Stockholder or (D) will not
result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or
encumbrance upon any property or assets of such Selling
Stockholder pursuant to the terms of any agreement or instrument
to which such Selling Stockholder is a party or by which such
Selling Stockholder may be bound or to which any of the property
or assets of such Selling Stockholder is subject.
(v) Such Selling Stockholder has, and on the Firm Shares
Closing Date will have, valid and marketable title to the Shares
to be sold by such Selling Stockholder free and clear of any
lien, claim, security interest or other encumbrance, including,
without limitation, any restriction on transfer, except as
otherwise described in the Registration Statement and Prospectus.
(vi) Such Selling Stockholder has, and on the Firm Shares
Closing Date will have, full legal right, power and
authorization, and any approval required by law, to sell, assign,
transfer and deliver the Shares to be sold by such Selling
Stockholder in the manner provided by this Agreement.
(vii) Upon delivery of and payment for the Shares to be
sold by such Selling Stockholder pursuant to this Agreement, the
several Underwriters will receive valid and marketable title to
such Shares free and clear of any lien, claim, security interest
or other encumbrance.
(viii) All information relating to such Selling
Stockholder furnished in writing by such Selling Stockholder
expressly for use in the Registration Statement and Prospectus
is, and on each Closing Date will be, true, correct, and
complete, and does not, and on each Closing Date will not,
contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state
any material fact necessary to make such information not
misleading.
(ix) Such Selling Stockholder has not taken and will not
take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that
might reasonably be expected to cause or result in stabilization
or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to
facilitate the sale or resale of the Shares.
(x) The representations and warranties of such Selling
Stockholder in the Custody Agreement are and on each Closing Date
will be, true and correct.
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<PAGE> 13
(b) In addition to their representations and warranties set forth
in Section 5(a) hereof, each of _______, _______ and _________ (the
"Fund Stockholders") and each of the officers of the Company who are
also Selling Stockholders (the "Management Stockholders") represents and
warrants to each Underwriter that such Selling Stockholder has reviewed
the Registration Statement and Prospectus and, although such Selling
Stockholder has not independently verified the accuracy or completeness
of all the information contained therein, to the best knowledge of such
Selling Stockholder, (i) the Registration Statement did not, as of the
Effective Date, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit
to state any material fact required to be stated therein in order to
make the statements made therein not misleading and (ii) the Prospectus
did not, as of the Effective Date and on each Closing Date, contain any
untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact
necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the
circumstances under which they were made, misleading.
6. Conditions of the Underwriters' Obligations. The obligations of the
Underwriters under this Agreement are several and not joint. The respective
obligations of the Underwriters to purchase the Shares are subject to each of
the following terms and conditions:
(a) Notification that the Registration Statement has become
effective shall have been received by the Representatives and the
Prospectus shall have been timely filed with the Commission in
accordance with Section 7(a) of this Agreement.
(b) No order preventing or suspending the use of any preliminary
prospectus or the Prospectus shall have been or shall be in effect and
no order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement
shall be in effect and no proceedings for such purpose shall be pending
before or threatened by the Commission, and any requests for additional
information on the part of the Commission (to be included in the
Registration Statement or the Prospectus or otherwise) shall have been
complied with to the satisfaction of the Commission and the
Representatives.
(c) The representations and warranties of the Company and the
Selling Stockholders contained in this Agreement and in the certificates
delivered pursuant to Section 6(d) shall be true and correct when made
and on and as of each Closing Date as if made on such date and the
Company and the Selling Stockholders shall have performed all covenants
and agreements and satisfied all the conditions contained in this
Agreement required to be performed or satisfied by them at or before
such Closing Date.
(d) The Representatives shall have received on each Closing Date
a certificate, addressed to the Representatives and dated such Closing
Date, of the chief executive or chief operating officer and the chief
financial officer or chief accounting officer of the Company to the
effect that (i) the signatories of such certificate have carefully
examined the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and
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<PAGE> 14
this Agreement and that the representations and warranties of the
Company in this Agreement are true and correct on and as of such Closing
Date with the same effect as if made on such Closing Date and the
Company has performed all covenants and agreements and satisfied all
conditions contained in this Agreement required to be performed or
satisfied by it at or prior to such Closing Date, and (ii) no stop order
suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been
issued and to the best of their knowledge, no proceedings for that
purpose have been instituted or are pending under the Securities Act.
(e) The Representatives shall have received on each Closing Date
a certificate, addressed to the Representatives and dated such Closing
Date, of the Selling Stockholders, to the effect that the Selling
Stockholders have carefully examined the Registration Statement, the
Prospectus and this Agreement and that the representations and
warranties of the Selling Stockholders in this Agreement are true and
correct on and as of such Closing Date with the same effect as if made
on such Closing Date, and the Selling Stockholders have performed all
covenants and agreements and satisfied all conditions contained in this
Agreement required to be performed or satisfied by it at or prior to
such Closing Date.
(f) The Representatives shall have received on the Effective
Date, at the time this Agreement is executed and on each Closing Date a
signed letter from Deloitte & Touche LLP addressed to the
Representatives and dated, respectively, the Effective Date, the date of
this Agreement and each such Closing Date, in form and substance
reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives, confirming that they are
independent accountants within the meaning of the Securities Act and the
Rules, that the response to Item 10 of the Registration Statement is
correct insofar as it relates to them and stating in effect that:
(i) in their opinion the audited financial statements and
financial statement schedules included in the Registration
Statement and the Prospectus and reported on by them comply as to
form in all material respects with the applicable accounting
requirements of the Securities Act and the Rules;
(ii) on the basis of a reading of the amounts included in
the Registration Statement and the Prospectus under the headings
"Summary Financial and Operating Data" and "Selected Financial
and Operating Data," carrying out certain procedures (but not an
examination in accordance with generally accepted auditing
standards) which would not necessarily reveal matters of
significance with respect to the comments set forth in such
letter, a reading of the minutes of the meetings of the
stockholders and directors of the Company, and inquiries of
certain officials of the Company who have responsibility for
financial and accounting matters of the Company as to
transactions and events subsequent to the date of the latest
audited financial statements, except as disclosed in the
Registration Statement and the Prospectus, nothing came to their
attention which caused them to believe that:
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<PAGE> 15
(A) the amounts in "Summary Financial and Operating
Data," and "Selected Financial and Operating Data"
included in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus
do not agree with the corresponding amounts in the audited
and unaudited financial statements from which such amounts
were derived; or
(B) with respect to the Company, there were, at a
specified date not more than five business days prior to
the date of the letter, any increases in the current
liabilities and long-term liabilities of the Company or
any decreases in net income or in working capital or the
stockholders' equity in the Company, as compared with the
amounts shown on the Company's audited balance sheet for
the fiscal year ended ____________ and the ___ months
ended included in the Registration Statement; and
(iii) they have performed certain other procedures as may
be permitted under Generally Acceptable Auditing Standards as a
result of which they determined that certain information of an
accounting, financial or statistical nature (which is limited to
accounting, financial or statistical information derived from the
general accounting records of the Company) set forth in the
Registration Statement and the Prospectus and reasonably
specified by the Representatives agrees with the accounting
records of the Company.
(iv) based upon the procedures set forth in clauses (ii)
and (iii) above and a reading of the amounts included in the
Registration Statement under the headings "Summary Financial and
Operating Data" and "Selected Financial and Operating Data"
included in the Registration Statement and Prospectus and a
reading of the financial statements from which certain of such
data were derived, nothing has come to their attention that gives
them reason to believe that the "Summary Financial and Operating
Data" and "Selected Financial and Operating Data" included in the
Registration Statement and Prospectus do not comply as to the
form in all material respects with the applicable accounting
requirements of the Securities Act and the Rules or that the
information set forth therein is not fairly stated in relation to
the financial statements included in the Registration Statement
or Prospectus from which certain of such data were derived are
not in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles
applied on a basis substantially consistent with that of the
audited financial statements included in the Registration
Statement and Prospectus.
References to the Registration Statement and the
Prospectus in this paragraph (f) are to such documents as amended
and supplemented at the date of the letter.
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<PAGE> 16
(g) The Representatives shall have received on each Closing Date
from Gunderson Dettmer Stough Villeneuve Franklin & Hachigian, counsel
for the Company, an opinion, addressed to the Representatives and dated
such Closing Date, and stating in effect that:
(i) The Company has been duly organized and is validly
existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the
State of Delaware. To such counsel's knowledge, the Company has
no subsidiaries and does not control, directly or indirectly, any
corporation, partnership, joint venture, association or other
business organization. The Company is duly qualified and in good
standing as a foreign corporation in each jurisdiction in which
the character or location of its assets or properties (owned,
leased or licensed) or the nature of its businesses makes such
qualification necessary, except for such jurisdictions where the
failure to so qualify would not have a Material Adverse Effect.
(ii) The Company has all requisite corporate power and
authority to own, lease and license its assets and properties and
conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement
and the Prospectus; and the Company has all requisite corporate
power and authority and all necessary authorizations, approvals,
consents, orders, licenses, certificates and permits to enter
into, deliver and perform this Agreement and to issue and sell
the Shares other than those required under the Securities Act and
state and foreign Blue Sky laws.
(iii) The Company has authorized and issued capital stock
as set forth in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus;
the certificates evidencing the Shares are in due and proper
legal form and have been duly authorized for issuance by the
Company; all of the outstanding shares of Common Stock of the
Company have been duly and validly authorized and issued and, to
such counsel's knowledge, are fully paid and nonassessable and
none of them was issued in violation of any preemptive or other
similar right. The Shares when issued and sold pursuant to this
Agreement will be duly and validly issued, outstanding, fully
paid and nonassessable and none of them will have been issued in
violation of any preemptive or other similar right. To such
counsel's knowledge, except as disclosed in the Registration
Statement and the Prospectus, there are no preemptive rights or
any restriction upon the voting or transfer of any securities of
the Company pursuant to the Company's Certificate of
Incorporation or by-laws or other governing documents or any
other instrument to which the Company is a party or by which it
may be bound. To such counsel's knowledge, except as disclosed in
the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, there is no
outstanding option, warrant or other right calling for the
issuance of, and no commitment, plan or arrangement to issue, any
share of stock of the Company or any security convertible into,
exercisable for, or exchangeable for stock of the Company. The
Common Stock and the Shares conform in all material
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<PAGE> 17
respects to the descriptions thereof contained in the
Registration Statement and the Prospectus.
(iv) Each of the Lock-Up Agreements executed by the
Company's stockholders, directors and officers has been duly and
validly delivered by such persons.
(v) All necessary corporate action has been duly and
validly taken by the Company to authorize the execution, delivery
and performance of this Agreement and the issuance and sale of
the Shares. This Agreement has been duly and validly authorized,
executed and delivered by the Company.
(vi) Neither the execution, delivery and performance of
this Agreement by the Company nor the consummation of any of the
transactions contemplated hereby (including, without limitation,
the issuance and sale by the Company of the Shares) will give
rise to a right to terminate or accelerate the due date of any
payment due under, or conflict with or result in the breach of
any term or provision of, or constitute a default (or any event
which with notice or lapse of time, or both, would constitute a
default) under, or require consent or waiver under, or result in
the execution or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance
upon any properties or assets of the Company pursuant to the
terms of any indenture, mortgage, deed trust, note or other
agreement or instrument of which such counsel is aware and to
which the Company is a party or by which it or any of its
properties or businesses is bound, or any franchise, license,
permit, judgment, decree, order, statute, rule or regulation
under the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware or
under California law of which such counsel is aware or violate
any provision of the charter or by-laws of the Company.
(vii) To the best of such counsel's knowledge, no default
exists, and no event has occurred which with notice or lapse of
time, or both, would constitute a default, in the due performance
and observance of any term, covenant or condition by the Company
of any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, note or any other
agreement or instrument to which the Company is a party or by
which it or any of its assets or properties or businesses may be
bound or affected, where the consequences of such default would
have a Material Adverse Effect.
(viii) To the best of such counsel's knowledge, the
Company is not in violation of any term or provision of its
charter or by-laws or any franchise, license, permit, judgment,
decree, order, statute, rule or regulation, where the
consequences of such violation would have a Material Adverse
Effect.
(ix) No consent, approval, authorization or order of any
court or governmental agency or regulatory body is required for
the performance
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<PAGE> 18
of this Agreement by the Company or the consummation of the
transactions contemplated thereby, except such as have been
obtained under the Securities Act and such as may be required
under state securities or Blue Sky laws in connection with the
purchase and distribution of the Shares by the several
Underwriters.
(x) Other than as stated in the Prospectus, to such
counsel's knowledge, there is no litigation or governmental or
other proceeding or investigation, before any court or before or
by any public body or board pending or threatened against, or
involving the assets, properties or businesses of, the Company
which would have a Material Adverse Effect.
(xi) The statements in the Prospectus under the captions
"Description of Capital Stock - Effect of Delaware Antitakeover
Statute," "Shares Eligible for Future Sale," "Management-
Employment Agreements," "Management-Stock Incentive Plan," and
"Certain Transactions," insofar as such statements constitute a
summary of documents referred to therein or matters of law, are
fair summaries in all material respects and accurately present
the information called for with respect to such documents and
matters and all contracts and other documents known to such
counsel which are required to be filed as exhibits to, or
described in, the Registration Statement have been so filed with
the Commission or are fairly described in the Registration
Statement, as the case may be.
(xii) The Registration Statement is effective under the
Securities Act, and no stop order suspending the effectiveness of
the Registration Statement has been issued and, to such counsel's
knowledge, no proceedings for that purpose have been instituted
or are threatened, pending or contemplated. Any required filing
of the Prospectus and any supplement thereto pursuant to Rule
424(b) under the Securities Act has been made in the manner and
within the time period required by such Rule 424(b).
To the extent deemed advisable by such counsel, they may rely as to
matters of fact on certificates of responsible officers of the Company and
public officials and on the opinions of other counsel satisfactory to the
Representatives as to matters which are governed by laws other than the laws of
the State of California, the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware
and the Federal laws of the United States; provided that such counsel shall
state that in their opinion the Underwriters and they are justified in relying
on such other opinions. Copies of such certificates and other opinions shall be
furnished to the Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters.
In addition, such counsel shall state that although such counsel is not
passing upon and does not assume any responsibility for the accuracy,
completeness or fairness of the statements
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<PAGE> 19
contained in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus (except as specified
in the foregoing opinion), on the basis of the foregoing, no facts have come to
the attention of such counsel which lead such counsel to believe that the
Registration Statement at the time it became effective (except with respect to
the financial statements and notes and schedules thereto and other financial
data, as to which such counsel need express no belief) contained any untrue
statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be
stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, or
that the Prospectus as amended or supplemented (except with respect to the
financial statements, notes and schedules thereto and other financial data, as
to which such counsel need make no statement) on the date thereof contained any
untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact
necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
(h) The Representatives shall have received on the Firm Shares
Closing Date from ________________________, counsel for the Selling
Stockholders, an opinion, addressed to the Representatives and dated
such Closing Date, and stating in effect that:
(i) This Agreement has been duly and validly executed and
delivered by or on behalf of the Selling Stockholders.
(ii) This Agreement, the Custody Agreement, the Power of
Attorney and the Lock-Up Agreement each constitute the legal,
valid and binding obligation of the Selling Stockholders
enforceable against the Selling Stockholders in accordance with
its terms except (A) as such enforceability may be limited by
applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or
other similar laws affecting the enforcement of creditors' rights
generally and by general equitable principles and (B) to the
extent that rights to indemnity or contribution under this
Agreement may be limited by Federal or state securities laws or
the public policy underlying such laws; and the Selling
Stockholders has full legal right and authority to enter into
this Agreement and to sell, transfer and deliver in the manner
provided in this Agreement, the Shares to be sold by the Selling
Stockholders hereunder.
(iii) The transfer and sale by the Selling Stockholders of
the Shares to be sold by the Selling Stockholders as contemplated
by this Agreement will not conflict with, result in a breach of,
or constitute a default under any agreement or instrument known
to such counsel to which the Selling Stockholders is a party or
by which the Selling Stockholders or any of its properties may be
bound, or any franchise, license, permit, judgment, decree,
order, statute, rule or regulation.
(iv) All of the Selling Stockholders's rights in the
Shares to be sold by the Selling Stockholders pursuant to this
Agreement, have been transferred to the Underwriters who have
severally purchased such Shares pursuant to this Agreement, free
and clear of adverse claims, assuming for
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<PAGE> 20
purposes of this opinion that the Underwriters purchased the same
in good faith without notice of any adverse claims.
(v) No consent, approval, authorization, license,
certificate, permit or order of any court, governmental or
regulatory agency, authority or body or financial institution is
required in connection with the performance of this Agreement by
the Selling Stockholders or the consummation of the transactions
contemplated hereby, including the delivery and sale of the
Shares to be delivered and sold by the Selling Shareholder,
except such as may be required under state securities or blue sky
laws in connection with the purchase and distribution of the
Shares by the several Underwriters.
To the extent deemed advisable by such counsel, they may rely as to
matters of fact on certificates of the Selling Stockholders and on the opinions
of other counsel satisfactory to the Representatives as to matters which are
governed by laws other than the laws of the States of California and Delaware or
the Federal laws of the United States; provided that such counsel shall state
that in their opinion the Underwriters and they are justified in relying on such
other opinions. Copies of such certificates and other opinions shall be
furnished to the Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters.
In addition, such counsel shall state that although such counsel is not
passing upon and does not assume any responsibility for the accuracy,
completeness or fairness of the statements contained in the Registration
Statement and the Prospectus (except as specified in the foregoing opinion), on
the basis of the foregoing, no facts have come to the attention of such counsel
which lead such counsel to believe that the Registration Statement at the time
it became effective (except with respect to the financial statements and notes
and schedules thereto and other financial data, as to which such counsel need
express no belief) contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted
to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the
statements therein not misleading, or that the Prospectus as amended or
supplemented (except with respect to the financial statements, notes and
schedules thereto and other financial data, as to which such counsel need make
no statement) on the date thereof contained any untrue statement of a material
fact or omitted to state a material fact necessary in order to make the
statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were
made, not misleading.
(i) All proceedings taken in connection with the sale of the
Firm Shares and the Option Shares as herein contemplated shall be
reasonably satisfactory in form and substance to the Representatives,
and their counsel and the Underwriters shall have received from
Pillsbury Madison & Sutro LLP a favorable opinion, addressed to the
Representatives and dated such Closing Date, with respect to the Shares,
the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, and such other related
matters, as the Representatives may reasonably request, and the Company
shall have furnished to Pillsbury Madison & Sutro LLP such documents as
they may reasonably request for the purpose of enabling them to pass
upon such matters.
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<PAGE> 21
(j) The Representatives shall have received on each Closing Date
a certificate, addressed to the Representatives, and dated such Closing
Date, of an executive officer of the Company, to the effect that the
signatory of such certificate has reviewed and understands the
provisions of Section 517.075 of the Florida Statutes, and represents
that the Company has complied, and at all times will comply, with all
provisions of Section 517.075 and further, that as of such Closing Date,
neither the Company nor any of its affiliates does business with the
government of Cuba or with any person or affiliate located in Cuba.
(k) The Representatives shall have received copies of the Lock-up
Agreements executed by each entity or person described in Section 4(o).
(l) The Company and the Selling Stockholders shall have furnished
or caused to be furnished to the Representatives such further
certificates or documents as the Representatives shall have reasonably
requested.
7. Covenants of the Company.
(a) The Company covenants and agrees as follows:
(i) The Company shall prepare the Prospectus in a form
approved by the Representatives and file such Prospectus pursuant
to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act not later than the
Commission's close of business on the second business day
following the execution and delivery of this Agreement, or, if
applicable, such earlier time as may be required by Rule
430A(a)(3) under the Securities Act.
(ii) The Company shall promptly advise the Representatives
in writing (1) when any amendment to the Registration Statement
shall have become effective, (2) of any request by the Commission
for any amendment of the Registration Statement or the Prospectus
or for any additional information, (3) of the prevention or
suspension of the use of any preliminary prospectus or the
Prospectus or of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order
suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or the
institution or threatening of any proceeding for that purpose and
(4) of the receipt by the Company of any notification with
respect to the suspension of the qualification of the Shares for
sale in any jurisdiction or the initiation or threatening of any
proceeding for such purpose. The Company shall not file any
amendment of the Registration Statement or supplement to the
Prospectus unless the Company has furnished the Representatives a
copy for its review prior to filing and shall not file any such
proposed amendment or supplement to which the Representatives
reasonably object. The Company shall use its reasonable efforts
to prevent the issuance of any such stop order and, if issued, to
use its reasonable efforts to obtain as soon as possible the
withdrawal thereof.
(iii) If, at any time when a prospectus relating to the
Shares is required to be delivered under the Securities Act and
the Rules, any event
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<PAGE> 22
occurs as a result of which the Prospectus as then amended or
supplemented would include any untrue statement of a material
fact or omit to state any material fact necessary to make the
statements therein in the light of the circumstances under which
they were made not misleading, or if it shall be necessary to
amend or supplement the Prospectus to comply with the Securities
Act or the Rules, the Company promptly shall prepare and file
with the Commission, subject to the second sentence of paragraph
(ii) of this Section 7(a), an amendment or supplement which shall
correct such statement or omission or an amendment which shall
effect such compliance.
(iv) The Company shall make generally available to its
security holders and to the Representatives as soon as
practicable, but not later than 45 days after the end of the
12-month period beginning at the end of the fiscal quarter of the
Company during which the Effective Date occurs (or 90 days if
such 12-month period coincides with the Company's fiscal year),
an earning statement (which need not be audited) of the Company,
covering such 12-month period, which shall satisfy the provisions
of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act or Rule 158 of the Rules.
(v) The Company shall furnish to the Representatives and
counsel for the Underwriters, without charge, signed copies of
the Registration Statement (including all exhibits thereto and
amendments thereof) and to each other Underwriter a copy of the
Registration Statement (without exhibits thereto) and all
amendments thereof and, so long as delivery of a prospectus by an
Underwriter or dealer may be required by the Securities Act or
the Rules, as many copies of any preliminary prospectus and the
Prospectus and any amendments thereof and supplements thereto as
the Representatives may reasonably request.
(vi) The Company shall cooperate with the Representatives
and their counsel in endeavoring to qualify the Shares for offer
and sale in connection with the offering under the laws of such
jurisdictions as the Representatives may designate and shall
maintain such qualifications in effect so long as required for
the distribution of the Shares; provided, however, that the
Company shall not be required in connection therewith, as a
condition thereof, to qualify as a foreign corporation or to
execute a general consent to service of process in any
jurisdiction or subject itself to taxation as doing business in
any jurisdiction.
(vii) For a period of five years after the date of this
Agreement, the Company shall supply to the Representatives, and
to each other Underwriter who may so request in writing, copies
of such financial statements and other periodic and special
reports as the Company may from time to time distribute generally
to the holders of any class of its capital stock and to furnish
to the Representatives a copy of each annual or other report it
shall be required to file with the Commission.
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<PAGE> 23
(viii) Without the prior written consent of CIBC
Oppenheimer Corp., for a period of 90 days after the date of this
Agreement, the Company and each of its individual directors and
executive officers shall not issue, sell or register with the
Commission (other than on Form S-8 or on any successor form), or
otherwise dispose of, directly or indirectly, any equity
securities of the Company (or any securities convertible into,
exercisable for or exchangeable for equity securities of the
Company), except for the issuance of the Shares pursuant to the
Registration Statement and the issuance of shares pursuant to the
Company's existing stock option plan or purchase plan as
described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus. In
the event that during this period, (i) any shares are issued
pursuant to the Company's existing stock option plan or purchase
plan or (ii) any registration is effected on Form S-8 or on any
successor form, the Company shall obtain the written agreement of
such grantee or purchaser or holder of such registered securities
that, for a period of 90 days after the date of this Agreement,
such person will not, without the prior written consent of CIBC
Oppenheimer Corp., offer for sale, sell, distribute, grant any
option for the sale of, or otherwise dispose of, directly or
indirectly, or exercise any registration rights with respect to,
any shares of Common Stock (or any securities convertible into,
exercisable for, or exchangeable for any shares of Common Stock)
owned by such person.
(ix) Notwithstanding any agreement between any holder of
the Company's securities and the Company, the Company agrees that
it will not allow any holder of the Company's securities who has
entered into a "market standoff" agreement with the Company to
transfer such securities during the Lock Up Period without CIBC
Oppenheimer's prior written consent. For the purposes of this
Agreement, the "Lock Up Period" shall be as defined in the Lock
Up Agreement between CIBC Oppenheimer and certain holders of the
Company's securities dated April __, 1999.
(x) On or before completion of this offering, the Company
shall make all filings required under applicable securities laws
and by the Nasdaq National Market (including any required
registration under the Exchange Act).
(xi) The Company will apply the net proceeds from the
offering of the Shares in the manner set forth under "Use of
Proceeds" in the Prospectus.
(b) The Company agrees to pay, or reimburse if paid by the
Representatives, whether or not the transactions contemplated hereby are
consummated or this Agreement is terminated, all costs and expenses
relating to: (i) the preparation, printing, filing and distribution of
the Registration Statement including all exhibits thereto, each
preliminary prospectus, the Prospectus, all amendments and supplements
to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus,
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<PAGE> 24
and the printing, filing and distribution of this Agreement; (ii) the
preparation and delivery of certificates for the Shares to the
Underwriters; (iii) the registration or qualification of the Shares for
offer and sale under the securities or Blue Sky laws of the various
jurisdictions referred to in Section 7(a)(vi), including the reasonable
fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection
with such registration and qualification and the preparation, printing,
distribution and shipment of preliminary and supplementary Blue Sky
memoranda; (iv) the furnishing (including costs of shipping and mailing)
to the Representatives and to the Underwriters of copies of each
preliminary prospectus, the Prospectus and all amendments or supplements
to the Prospectus, and of the several documents required by this Section
to be so furnished, as may be reasonably requested for use in connection
with the offering and sale of the Shares by the Underwriters or by
dealers to whom Shares may be sold; (v) the filing fees of the NASD in
connection with its review of the terms of the public offering and
reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in
connection with such review; (vi) the furnishing (including costs of
shipping and mailing) to the Representatives and to the Underwriters of
copies of all reports and information required by Section 7(a)(vii);
(vii) inclusion of the Shares for quotation on the Nasdaq National
Market; and (viii) all transfer taxes, if any, with respect to the sale
and delivery of the Shares by the Company to the Underwriters. Subject
to the provisions of Section 10, the Underwriters agree to pay, whether
or not the transactions contemplated hereby are consummated or this
Agreement is terminated, all costs and expenses incident to the
performance of the obligations of the Underwriters under this Agreement
not payable by the Company pursuant to the preceding sentence,
including, without limitation, the fees and disbursements of counsel for
the Underwriters.
8. Indemnification.
(a) The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each
Underwriter and each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within
the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the
Exchange Act against any and all losses, claims, damages and
liabilities, joint or several (including any reasonable investigation,
legal and other expenses incurred in connection with, and any amount
paid in settlement of, any action, suit or proceeding or any claim
asserted), to which they, or any of them, may become subject under the
Securities Act, the Exchange Act or other Federal or state law or
regulation, at common law or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims,
damages or liabilities arise out of or are based upon (i) any untrue
statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in
any preliminary prospectus, the Registration Statement or the Prospectus
or any amendment thereof or supplement thereto, or arise out of or are
based upon any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material
fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements
therein not misleading, (ii) in whole or in part upon any breach of the
representations and warranties set forth in Section 4 hereof, or (iii)
in whole or in part upon any failure of the Company to perform any of
its obligations hereunder or under law; provided, however, that such
indemnity shall not inure to the benefit
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<PAGE> 25
of any Underwriter (or any person controlling such Underwriter) on
account of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities arising from the
sale of the Shares to any person by such Underwriter if such untrue
statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission was made
in such preliminary prospectus, the Registration Statement or the
Prospectus, or such amendment or supplement, in reliance upon and in
conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company by the
Representatives on behalf of any Underwriter specifically for use
therein. This indemnity agreement will be in addition to any liability
which the Company may otherwise have.
(b) Each Management Stockholder agrees, severally in proportion
to the total number of shares to be sold by the Management Stockholders
hereunder and not jointly, to indemnify and hold harmless each
Underwriter and each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within
the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the
Exchange Act against any and all losses, claims, damages and
liabilities, joint or several (including any reasonable investigation,
legal and other expenses incurred in connection with, and any amount
paid in settlement of, any action, suit or proceeding or any claim
asserted), to which they, or any of them, may become subject under the
Securities Act, the Exchange Act or other Federal or state law or
regulation, at common law or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims,
damages or liabilities arise out of or are based upon (i) any untrue
statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in
any preliminary prospectus, the Registration Statement or the Prospectus
or any amendment thereof or supplement thereto, or arise out of or are
based upon any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material
fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements
therein not misleading, and (ii) in whole or in part upon any breach of
the representations and warranties of such Management Stockholder set
forth in Section 5 hereof; provided, however, that such indemnity shall
not inure to the benefit of any Underwriter (or any person controlling
such Underwriter) on account of any losses, claims, damages or
liabilities arising from the sale of the Shares to any person by such
Underwriter if such untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue
statement or omission was made in such preliminary prospectus, the
Registration Statement or the Prospectus, or such amendment or
supplement, in reliance upon and in conformity with information
furnished in writing to the Company by the Representatives on behalf of
any Underwriter specifically for use therein. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, (i) the Underwriters agree that any claim for indemnity
pursuant to this Section 8(b) shall be first sought to be satisfied by
the Company and shall be only then sought to be satisfied by each
Management Stockholder in accordance with this Section 8(b) if, and to
the extent that, such claim for indemnity has not been satisfied in full
by the Company within 60 days, provided, however, that the Underwriters
shall not be required to effect such initial demand upon the Company and
wait such 60-day period if it would prejudice their right to
indemnification from such Management Stockholder hereunder, and (ii) the
liability of each Management Stockholder pursuant to the provisions of
this Section 8(b) shall be limited to an amount equal to the Initial
Price multiplied by the number of the Shares sold by such Management
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<PAGE> 26
Stockholder hereunder. This indemnity agreement will be in addition to
any liability which each Management Stockholder may otherwise have.
(c) Each Selling Stockholder who is not a Management Stockholder
agrees, severally and not jointly, to indemnify and hold harmless each
Underwriter and each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within
the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the
Exchange Act against any and all losses, claims, damages and
liabilities, joint or several (including any reasonable investigation,
legal and other expenses incurred in connection with, and any amount
paid in settlement of, any action, suit or proceeding or any claim
asserted), to which they, or any of them, may become subject under the
Securities Act, the Exchange Act or other Federal or state law or
regulation, at common law or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims,
damages or liabilities arise out of or are based upon (i) any untrue
statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in
any preliminary prospectus, the Registration Statement or the Prospectus
or any amendment thereof or supplement thereto, or arise out of or are
based upon any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material
fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements
therein not misleading, in each case to the extent, and only to the
extent, that such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or
omission or alleged omission was made in reliance upon and in conformity
with information furnished in writing by or on behalf of such Selling
Stockholder specifically for use therein and (ii) in whole or in part
upon any breach of the representations and warranties of such Selling
Stockholder set forth in Section 5 hereof; provided, however, that such
indemnity shall not inure to the benefit of any Underwriter (or any
person controlling such Underwriter) on account of any losses, claims,
damages or liabilities arising from the sale of the Shares to any person
by such Underwriter if such untrue statement or omission or alleged
untrue statement or omission was made in such preliminary prospectus,
the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, or such amendment or
supplement, in reliance upon and in conformity with information
furnished in writing to the Company by the Representatives on behalf of
any Underwriter specifically for use therein. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, the liability of each such Selling Stockholder pursuant to
the provisions of this Section 8(c) shall be limited to an amount equal
to the Initial Price multiplied by the number of the Shares sold by such
Selling Stockholder hereunder. This indemnity agreement will be in
addition to any liability which each such Selling Stockholder may
otherwise have.
(d) Each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to
indemnify and hold harmless the Company, the Selling Stockholders and
each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of
Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, each
director of the Company, and each officer of the Company who signs the
Registration Statement, to the same extent as the foregoing indemnity
from the Company and the Selling Stockholders to each Underwriter, but
only insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities arise out of
or are based upon any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue
statement or omission which was made in any preliminary prospectus, the
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<PAGE> 27
Registration Statement or the Prospectus, or any amendment thereof or
supplement thereto, contained in the last paragraph of the cover page,
in the paragraph relating to stabilization on the inside front cover
page of the Prospectus and the statements contained under the caption
"Underwriting" in the Prospectus; provided, however, that the obligation
of each Underwriter to indemnify the Company or the Selling Stockholders
(including any controlling person, director or officer thereof) shall be
limited to the net proceeds received by the Company from such
Underwriter.
(e) Any party that proposes to assert the right to be indemnified
under this Section will, promptly after receipt of notice of
commencement of any action, suit or proceeding against such party in
respect of which a claim is to be made against an indemnifying party or
parties under this Section, notify each such indemnifying party of the
commencement of such action, suit or proceeding, enclosing a copy of all
papers served. No indemnification provided for in Section 8(a), 8(b),
8(c) or 8(d) shall be available to any party who shall fail to give
notice as provided in this Section 8(e) if the party to whom notice was
not given was unaware of the proceeding to which such notice would have
related and was prejudiced by the failure to give such notice but the
omission so to notify such indemnifying party of any such action, suit
or proceeding shall not relieve it from any liability that it may have
to any indemnified party for contribution or otherwise than under this
Section. In case any such action, suit or proceeding shall be brought
against any indemnified party and it shall notify the indemnifying party
of the commencement thereof, the indemnifying party shall be entitled to
participate in, and, to the extent that it shall wish, jointly with any
other indemnifying party similarly notified, to assume the defense
thereof, with counsel reasonably satisfactory to such indemnified party,
and after notice from the indemnifying party to such indemnified party
of its election so to assume the defense thereof and the approval by the
indemnified party of such counsel, the indemnifying party shall not be
liable to such indemnified party for any legal or other expenses, except
as provided below and except for the reasonable costs of investigation
subsequently incurred by such indemnified party in connection with the
defense thereof. The indemnified party shall have the right to employ
its counsel in any such action, but the fees and expenses of such
counsel shall be at the expense of such indemnified party unless (i) the
employment of counsel by such indemnified party has been authorized in
writing by the indemnifying parties, (ii) the indemnified party shall
have reasonably concluded that there may be a conflict of interest
between the indemnifying parties and the indemnified party in the
conduct of the defense of such action (in which case the indemnifying
parties shall not have the right to direct the defense of such action on
behalf of the indemnified party) or (iii) the indemnifying parties shall
not have employed counsel to assume the defense of such action within a
reasonable time after notice of the commencement thereof, in each of
which cases the fees and expenses of counsel shall be at the expense of
the indemnifying parties. An indemnifying party shall not be liable for
any settlement of any action, suit, proceeding or claim effected without
its written consent, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or
delayed.
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<PAGE> 28
9. Contribution. In order to provide for just and equitable contribution
in circumstances in which the indemnification provided for in Section 8(a),
8(b), 8(c) or 8(d) is due in accordance with its terms but for any reason is
held to be unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party
under Section 8(a), 8(b), 8(c) or 8(d), then each indemnifying party shall
contribute to the aggregate losses, claims, damages and liabilities (including
any investigation, legal and other expenses reasonably incurred in connection
with, and any amount paid in settlement of, any action, suit or proceeding or
any claims asserted, but after deducting any contribution received by any person
entitled hereunder to contribution from any person who may be liable for
contribution) to which the indemnified party may be subject in such proportion
as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company and
the Selling Stockholders on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other from
the offering of the Shares or, if such allocation is not permitted by applicable
law or indemnification is not available as a result of the indemnifying party
not having received notice as provided in Section 8 hereof, in such proportion
as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to above
but also the relative fault of the Company and the Selling Stockholders on the
one hand and the Underwriters on the other in connection with the statements or
omissions which resulted in such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or
expenses, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative
benefits received by the Company, the Selling Stockholders and the Underwriters
shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as (x) the total proceeds from the
offering (net of underwriting discounts but before deducting expenses) received
by the Company or the Selling Stockholders, as set forth in the table on the
cover page of the Prospectus, bear to (y) the underwriting discounts received by
the Underwriters, as set forth in the table on the cover page of the Prospectus.
The relative fault of the Company and the Selling Stockholders or the
Underwriters shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether
the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact related to information
supplied by the Company and the Selling Stockholders or the Underwriters and the
parties' relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to
correct or prevent such statement or omission. The Company, the Selling
Stockholders and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable
if contribution pursuant to this Section 9 were determined by pro rata
allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such
purpose) or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the
equitable considerations referred to above. Notwithstanding the provisions of
this Section 9, (i) in no case shall any Underwriter (except as may be provided
in the Agreement Among Underwriters) be liable or responsible for any amount in
excess of the underwriting discount applicable to the Shares purchased by such
Underwriter hereunder; (ii) the Company shall be liable and responsible for any
amount in excess of such underwriting discount; and (iii) in no case shall the
Selling Stockholders be liable and responsible for any amount in excess of the
aggregate net proceeds of the sale of Shares received by the Selling
Stockholders; provided, however, that no person guilty of fraudulent
misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act)
shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such
fraudulent misrepresentation. For purposes of this Section 9, each person, if
any, who controls an Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the
Securities Act or Section 20(a) of the Exchange Act shall have the same rights
to contribution as such Underwriter, and each person, if any, who controls the
Company within the meaning of the Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section
20(a) of the Exchange Act, each officer of the Company who shall have signed the
Registration Statement and each director of the Company shall have the same
rights to contribution as the Company, subject in each case to clauses (i) and
(ii) in the immediately preceding sentence of this Section 9. Any party entitled
to contribution will, promptly after
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<PAGE> 29
receipt of notice of commencement of any action, suit or proceeding against such
party in respect of which a claim for contribution may be made against another
party or parties under this Section, notify such party or parties from whom
contribution may be sought, but the omission so to notify such party or parties
from whom contribution may be sought shall not relieve the party or parties from
whom contribution may be sought from any other obligation it or they may have
hereunder or otherwise than under this Section. No party shall be liable for
contribution with respect to any action, suit, proceeding or claim settled
without its written consent. The Underwriter's obligations to contribute
pursuant to this Section 9 are several in proportion to their respective
underwriting commitments and not joint.
10. Termination. This Agreement may be terminated with respect to the
Shares to be purchased on a Closing Date by the Representatives by notifying the
Company and the Selling Stockholders at any time
(a) in the absolute discretion of the Representatives at or
before any Closing Date: (i) if on or prior to such date, any domestic
or international event or act or occurrence has materially disrupted, or
in the opinion of the Representatives will in the future materially
disrupt, the securities markets; (ii) if there has occurred any new
outbreak or material escalation of hostilities or other calamity or
crisis the effect of which on the financial markets of the United States
is such as to make it, in the judgment of the Representatives,
inadvisable to proceed with the offering; (iii) if there shall be such a
material adverse change in general financial, political or economic
conditions or the effect of international conditions on the financial
markets in the United States is such as to make it, in the judgment of
the Representatives, inadvisable or impracticable to market the Shares;
(iv) if trading in the Shares has been suspended by the Commission or
trading generally on the New York Stock Exchange, Inc., on the American
Stock Exchange, Inc. or the Nasdaq National Market has been suspended or
limited, or minimum or maximum ranges for prices for securities shall
have been fixed, or maximum ranges for prices for securities have been
required, by said exchanges or by order of the Commission, the National
Association of Securities Dealers, Inc., or any other governmental or
regulatory authority; or (v) if a banking moratorium has been declared
by any state or Federal authority; or (vi) if, in the judgment of the
Representatives, there has occurred a Material Adverse Effect, or
(b) at or before any Closing Date, that any of the conditions
specified in Section 6 shall not have been fulfilled when and as
required by this Agreement.
If this Agreement is terminated pursuant to any of its provisions,
neither the Company nor the Selling Stockholders shall be under any liability to
any Underwriter, and no Underwriter shall be under any liability to the Company
or Selling Stockholders, except that (y) if this Agreement is terminated by the
Representatives or the Underwriters because of any failure, refusal or inability
on the part of the Company or the Selling Stockholders to comply with the terms
or to fulfill any of the conditions of this Agreement, the Company will
reimburse the Underwriters for all out-of-pocket expenses (including the
reasonable fees and disbursements of their counsel) incurred by them in
connection with the proposed purchase and sale of the Shares or in contemplation
of performing their obligations hereunder and (z) no Underwriter who shall have
failed or refused to purchase
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<PAGE> 30
the Shares agreed to be purchased by it under this Agreement, without some
reason sufficient hereunder to justify cancellation or termination of its
obligations under this Agreement, shall be relieved of liability to the Company,
the Selling Stockholders or to the other Underwriters for damages occasioned by
its failure or refusal.
11. Substitution of Underwriters. If one or more of the Underwriters
shall fail (other than for a reason sufficient to justify the cancellation or
termination of this Agreement under Section 10) to purchase on any Closing Date
the Shares agreed to be purchased on such Closing Date by such Underwriter or
Underwriters, the Representatives may find one or more substitute underwriters
to purchase such Shares or make such other arrangements as the Representatives
may deem advisable or one or more of the remaining Underwriters may agree to
purchase such Shares in such proportions as may be approved by the
Representatives, in each case upon the terms set forth in this Agreement. If no
such arrangements have been made by the close of business on the business day
following such Closing Date,
(a) if the number of Shares to be purchased by the defaulting
Underwriters on such Closing Date shall not exceed 10% of the Shares
that all the Underwriters are obligated to purchase on such Closing
Date, then each of the nondefaulting Underwriters shall be obligated to
purchase such Shares on the terms herein set forth in proportion to
their respective obligations hereunder; provided, that in no event shall
the maximum number of Shares that any Underwriter has agreed to purchase
pursuant to Section 1 be increased pursuant to this Section 11 by more
than one-ninth of such number of Shares without the written consent of
such Underwriter, or
(b) if the number of Shares to be purchased by the defaulting
Underwriters on such Closing Date shall exceed 10% of the Shares that
all the Underwriters are obligated to purchase on such Closing Date,
then the Company shall be entitled to one additional business day within
which it may, but is not obligated to, find one or more substitute
underwriters reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives to purchase
such Shares upon the terms set forth in this Agreement.
In any such case, either the Representatives or the Company shall have
the right to postpone the applicable Closing Date for a period of not more than
five business days in order that necessary changes and arrangements (including
any necessary amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement or
Prospectus) may be effected by the Representatives and the Company. If the
number of Shares to be purchased on such Closing Date by such defaulting
Underwriter or Underwriters shall exceed 10% of the Shares that all the
Underwriters are obligated to purchase on such Closing Date, and none of the
nondefaulting Underwriters or the Company shall make arrangements pursuant to
this Section within the period stated for the purchase of the Shares that the
defaulting Underwriters agreed to purchase, this Agreement shall terminate with
respect to the Shares to be purchased on such Closing Date without liability on
the part of any nondefaulting Underwriter to the Company or the Selling
Stockholders and without liability on the part of the Company, except in both
cases as provided in Sections 7(b), 8, 9 and 10. The provisions of this Section
shall not in any way affect the liability of any defaulting Underwriter to the
Company or the nondefaulting Underwriters arising out of such
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<PAGE> 31
default. A substitute underwriter hereunder shall become an Underwriter for all
purposes of this Agreement.
12. Miscellaneous. The respective agreements, representations,
warranties, indemnities and other statements of the Company or its officers, of
the Selling Stockholders and of the Underwriters set forth in or made pursuant
to this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect, regardless of any
investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter or the Company or the
Selling Stockholders or any of the officers, directors or controlling persons
referred to in Sections 8 and 9 hereof, and shall survive delivery of and
payment for the Shares. The provisions of Sections 7(b), 8, 9 and 10 shall
survive the termination or cancellation of this Agreement.
This Agreement has been and is made for the benefit of the Underwriters,
the Company and the Selling Stockholders and their respective successors and
assigns, and, to the extent expressed herein, for the benefit of persons
controlling any of the Underwriters, or the Company, and directors and officers
of the Company, and their respective successors and assigns, and no other person
shall acquire or have any right under or by virtue of this Agreement. The term
"successors and assigns" shall not include any purchaser of Shares from any
Underwriter merely because of such purchase.
All notices and communications hereunder shall be in writing and mailed
or delivered or by telephone or telegraph if subsequently confirmed in writing,
(a) if to the Representatives, c/o CIBC Oppenheimer Corp., CIBC Oppenheimer
Tower, World Financial Center, New York, New York 10281 Attention: __________,
with a copy to __________ and (b) if to the Company, to its agent for service as
such agent's address appears on the cover page of the Registration Statement
with a copy to __________ and (c) if to the Selling Stockholders to __________
with a copy to __________.
This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the
laws of the State of New York without regard to principles of conflict of laws.
This Agreement may be signed in any number of counterparts, each of
which shall be an original, with the same effect as if the signatures thereto
and hereto were upon the same instrument.
Please confirm that the foregoing correctly sets forth the agreement
among us.
Very truly yours,
ISSUER
By _____________________________________
Title: _________________________________
- 31 -
<PAGE> 32
SELLING STOCKHOLDERS
By _____________________________________
Title: _________________________________
Confirmed:
CIBC OPPENHEIMER CORP.
LEHMAN BROTHERS INC.
PAINEWEBBER INCORPORATED
VOLPE BROWN WHELAN & COMPANY LLC
Acting severally on behalf of itself and as representative of the several
Underwriters named in Schedule I annexed hereto.
By CIBC OPPENHEIMER CORP.
By __________________________________
Title: ______________________________
- 32 -
<PAGE> 33
SCHEDULE I
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Number of Firm Shares
Name to be Purchased
- ---- ---------------
<S> <C>
CIBC Openheimer Corp.
Lehman Brothers Inc.
PaineWebber Incorporated
Volpe Brown Whelan & Company LLC
------------------------
Total
========================
</TABLE>
<PAGE> 1
EXHIBIT 5.1
April 14, 1999
AboveNet Communications Inc.
50 W. San Fernando Street, Suite #1010
San Jose, California 95113
Re: Registration Statement on Form S-1
Ladies and Gentlemen:
We have examined the Registration Statement on Form S-1 (File No.
333-75795) originally filed by AboveNet Communications Inc. (the "Company") with
the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") on April 7, 1999, as
thereafter amended or supplemented (the "Registration Statement"), in connection
with the registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, of up to
4,600,000 shares of the Company's Common Stock (the "Shares") of which 2,700,000
shares are to be sold by the Company and of which 1,300,000 shares are to be
sold by certain stockholders of the Company. The Shares include an
over-allotment option granted by the Company to the Underwriters to purchase up
to 600,000 additional shares of the Company's Common Stock. As your counsel in
connection with this transaction, we have examined the proceedings taken and are
familiar with the proceedings proposed to be taken by you in connection with the
sale and issuance of the Shares.
It is our opinion that, upon completion of the proceedings being
taken or contemplated by us, as your counsel, to be taken prior to the issuance
of the Shares being sold by the Company and upon completion of the proceedings
being taken in order to permit such transactions to be carried out in accordance
with the securities laws of the various states where required, the Shares being
sold by the Company, when issued and sold in the manner described in the
Registration Statement and in accordance with the resolutions adopted by the
Board of Directors of the Company, will be legally and validly issued, fully
paid and non-assessable. The Shares being sold by the stockholders of the
Company have been validly issued, are non-assessable and, to our knowledge, are
fully paid. Our opinion with respect to the shares being sold by the
stockholders of the Company being fully paid is based solely upon your written
representations to us with respect to the consideration received for such
Shares.
We consent to the use of this opinion as an exhibit to said
Registration Statement and further consent to the use of our name wherever
appearing in said Registration Statement, including the prospectus constituting
a part thereof, and in any amendment or supplement thereto.
Very truly yours,
/s/ Gunderson Dettmer Stough
Villeneuve Franklin & Hachigian, LLP
Gunderson Dettmer Stough
Villeneuve Franklin & Hachigian, LLP
<PAGE> 1
EXHIBIT 23.2
INDEPENDENT AUDITORS' CONSENT
To the Board of Directors and Stockholders
of AboveNet Communications Inc.:
We consent to the use in this Amendment No. 1 to Registration Statement No.
333-75795 of AboveNet Communications Inc. on Form S-1 of our report dated
August 7, 1998 (December 4, 1998 as to the first eight paragraphs of Note 12 and
March 31, 1999 as to the last seven paragraphs of Note 12) appearing in the
Prospectus, which is part of this Registration Statement, and of our report
dated August 7, 1998 relating to the financial statement schedule appearing
elsewhere in this Registration Statement. We also consent to the references to
us under the headings "Selected Financial Data", "Experts" and "Change in
Accountants" in such Prospectus.
DELOITTE & TOUCHE LLP
San Jose, California
April 13, 1999
<PAGE> 1
Exhibit 23.3
INDEPENDENT AUDITOR'S REPORT ON SCHEDULE
To the Board of Directors and Stockholders of AboveNet Communications Inc.
Our audits of the financial statements of AboveNet Communications, Inc. for
the period from March 8, 1996 (inception) to June 30, 1996 and for the years
ended June 30, 1997 and 1998 also include the financial statement schedule of
AboveNet Communications, Inc., listed in Item 16. (b). The financial statement
schedule is the responsibility of the Company's management. Our responsibility
is to express an opinion based on our audits. In our opinion, such financial
statement schedule taken as a whole, presents fairly in all material respects
the information set forth therein.
DELOITTE & TOUCHE LLP
San Jose, California
August 7, 1999
