MDU RESOURCES GROUP INC
S-8 POS, 2000-03-24
GAS & OTHER SERVICES COMBINED
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     As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 24, 2000.
                                                      Registration No. 333-27879
================================================================================

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

                       ----------------------------------

                                 POST-EFFECTIVE
                                 AMENDMENT NO. 1
                                       TO
                                    FORM S-8
                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                      UNDER
                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

                       ----------------------------------

                            MDU RESOURCES GROUP, INC.
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

          Delaware                                              No. 41-0423660
(State or other jurisdiction of                                (I.R.S. Employer
 incorporation or organization)                              Identification No.)

                               Schuchart Building
                             918 East Divide Avenue
                                  P.O. Box 5650
                        Bismarck, North Dakota 58506-5650
          (Address of principal executive offices, including zip code)

                       ----------------------------------

                            MDU RESOURCES GROUP, INC.
                            1997 EXECUTIVE LONG-TERM
                                 INCENTIVE PLAN
                            (Full title of the plan)

                       ----------------------------------

                               Warren L. Robinson
                       Executive Vice President, Treasurer
                           and Chief Financial Officer
                            MDU Resources Group, Inc.
                               Schuchart Building
                             918 East Divide Avenue
                                  P.O. Box 5650
                        Bismarck, North Dakota 58506-5650
                                 (701) 222-7900

 (Name, address and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)

================================================================================

<PAGE>

                                     PART II

               INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

Item 3.  Incorporation of Documents by Reference.

     The following  documents,  which MDU Resources Group,  Inc. (the "Company")
has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"),  are hereby  incorporated
by reference in this registration statement:

     1.  Annual  Report  on Form  10-K for the year  ended  December  31,  1999,
including  those portions of the Annual Report to  Stockholders  incorporated by
reference therein.

     2.  Description  of the Company's  common stock  contained in the Company's
registration  statement on Form 8-A/A,  dated March 23, 2000, and any amendments
thereto.

     3. Description of the Company's  preference share purchase rights contained
in the  registration  statement  on Form 8-A/A,  dated March 23,  2000,  and any
amendments thereto.

     All documents  subsequently filed by the Company pursuant to Section 13(a),
13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, prior to the filing of a  post-effective
amendment  which  indicates that all securities  offered have been sold or which
deregisters  all  securities  then  remaining  unsold,  shall  be  deemed  to be
incorporated by reference in this  registration  statement and to be part hereof
from the date of filing of such documents. Any statement contained in a document
incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference herein shall be deemed to
be modified or superseded for the purposes of this registration statement to the
extent  that a statement  contained  herein or in any other  subsequently  filed
document  which  also is or is deemed to be  incorporated  by  reference  herein
modifies  or  supersedes  such  statement.  Any such  statement  so  modified or
superseded  shall  not be  deemed,  except  as so  modified  or  superseded,  to
constitute a part of this registration statement.

Item 8.  Exhibits.

     *4(a)     Restated  Certificate of Incorporation,  filed as Exhibit 3(a) to
               the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended
               June 30, 1999, in File No. 1-3480.

     *4(b)     By-laws of the Company, as amended to date, filed as Exhibit 3(b)
               to the  Company's  Quarterly  Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter
               ended September 30, 1998, in File No. 1-3480.

     *4(c)     Rights  Agreement,  dated as of November  12,  1998,  between the
               Company and Norwest Bank Minnesota, N.A., filed as Exhibit 4.1 to
               Form 8-A on November 12, 1998, in File No. 1-3480.

- ----------
*Incorporated herein by reference as indicated.

                                      II-1
<PAGE>

      5(a)     Opinion of Lester H.  Loble,  II,  Esq.,  General  Counsel to the
               Company.

      5(b)     Opinion of LeBoeuf, Lamb, Greene & MacRae, L.L.P., counsel to the
               Company.

     23(a)     Consent of Arthur Andersen LLP.

     23(b)     Consent of Lester H. Loble, II, Esq.  (contained in opinion filed
               as Exhibit 5(a) hereto).

     23(c)     Consent of LeBoeuf,  Lamb, Greene & MacRae, L.L.P.  (contained in
               opinion filed as Exhibit 5(b) hereto).

                                      II-2
<PAGE>

                                   SIGNATURES

     The Registrant. Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933,
the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets
all of the  requirements  for  filing  on  Form  S-8 and has  duly  caused  this
post-effective  amendment  to the  registration  statement  to be  signed on its
behalf by the undersigned,  thereunto duly authorized,  in the City of Bismarck,
State of North Dakota, on the 23rd day of March, 2000.

                                       MDU RESOURCES GROUP, INC.


                                       By: /s/ Martin A. White
                                           -----------------------------
                                           Martin A. White
                                           President and Chief Executive Officer

     Pursuant  to  the   requirements  of  the  Securities  Act  of  1933,  this
post-effective  amendment to the  registration  statement has been signed by the
following persons in the capacities and on the date indicated.

     Signature                               Title                     Date
     ---------                               -----                     ----

/s/ Martin A. White                Chief Executive Officer and    March 23, 2000
- --------------------------------     Director
Martin A. White
(President and Chief
Executive Officer)

         *                         Chief Administrative and       March 23, 2000
- --------------------------------     Corporate Development
Douglas C. Kane                      Officer and Director
(Executive Vice President, Chief
Administrative and Corporate
Development Officer)

/s/ Warren L. Robinson             Chief Financial Officer        March 23, 2000
- --------------------------------
Warren L. Robinson
(Executive Vice President,
Treasurer and Chief Financial
Officer)

         *                         Chief Accounting Officer       March 23, 2000
- --------------------------------
Vernon A. Raile
(Vice President, Controller and
Chief Accounting Officer)

                                      II-3
<PAGE>

     Signature                               Title                     Date
     ---------                               -----                     ----

         *                                 Director               March 23, 2000
John A. Schuchart
- --------------------------------
(Chairman of the Board)

         *                                 Director               March 23, 2000
- --------------------------------
San W. Orr, Jr.
(Vice Chairman of the Board)

         *                                 Director               March 23, 2000
- --------------------------------
Thomas Everist

         *                                 Director               March 23, 2000
- --------------------------------
Richard L. Muus

         *                                 Director               March 23, 2000
- --------------------------------
Robert L. Nance

         *                                 Director               March 23, 2000
- --------------------------------
John L. Olson

         *                                 Director               March 23, 2000
- --------------------------------
Harry J. Pearce

         *                                 Director               March 23, 2000
- --------------------------------
Homer A. Scott, Jr.

         *                                 Director               March 23, 2000
- --------------------------------
Joseph T. Simmons

         *                                 Director               March 23, 2000
- --------------------------------
Sister Thomas Welder, O.S.B.


*By:  /s/ Warren L. Robinson                                      March 23, 2000
      --------------------------
        Warren L. Robinson
        as Attorney-in-fact
        for each of the persons
        indicated by an asterisk

                                      II-4
<PAGE>

                                  EXHIBIT INDEX

     *4(a)         Restated Certificate of Incorporation, filed as Exhibit
                   3(a) to the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q
                   for the quarter ended  June 30, 1999, in File No. 1-3480.

     *4(b)         By-laws of the Company, as amended to date, filed as
                   Exhibit 3(b) to the Company's Quarterly Report on
                   Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 1998,
                   in File No. 1-3480.

     *4(c)         Rights Agreement, dated as of November 12, 1998,
                   between the Company and Norwest Bank Minnesota,
                   N.A., filed as Exhibit 4.1 to Form 8-A on November 12,
                   1998, in File No. 1-3480.

      5(a)         Opinion of Lester H. Loble, II, Esq., General Counsel to
                   the Company.

      5(b)         Opinion of LeBoeuf, Lamb, Greene & MacRae, L.L.P.,
                   counsel to the Company.

     23(a)         Consent of Arthur Andersen LLP.

     23(b)         Consent of Lester H. Loble, II, Esq. (contained in
                   opinion filed as Exhibit 5(a) hereto).

     23(c)         Consent of LeBoeuf, Lamb, Greene & MacRae, L.L.P.
                   (contained in opinion filed as Exhibit 5(b) hereto).

- ----------
*Incorporated herein by reference as indicated.

                                      II-5

                                                                    Exhibit 5(a)


                               Lester H. Loble, II
                  Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary
                            MDU Resources Group, Inc.
                               Schuchart Building
                             918 East Divide Avenue
                                  P.O. Box 5650
                        Bismarck, North Dakota 58506-5650


                                                                  March 23, 2000


MDU Resources Group, Inc.
Schuchart Building
918 East Divide Avenue
P.O. Box 5650
Bismarck, North Dakota  58506-5650

Ladies and Gentlemen:

     With  reference  to  the  post-effective   amendment  to  the  registration
statement on Form S-8 (the  registration  statement as so amended being referred
to  herein  as the  "Registration  Statement")  to be filed on or about the date
hereof with the Securities and Exchange  Commission by MDU Resources Group, Inc.
(the "Company")  under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended,  (the "Securities
Act"),  and  pursuant to which  registration  statement  the Company  registered
1,200,000  additional shares of its Common Stock, par value $1.00 (the "Stock"),
and the Preference  Share Purchase Rights attached  thereto (the "Rights"),  for
offer and sale in connection with the MDU Resources  Group,  Inc. 1997 Executive
Long-Term Incentive Plan, which amount has been subsequently  adjusted for stock
splits and issuances and now totals 1,673,615 shares of Stock and Rights,  it is
my opinion that:

     1.   When

          (a)  appropriate  authorizations  by  the  Federal  Energy  Regulatory
               Commission,  the Montana Public Service Commission and the Public
               Service  Commission  of Wyoming  with respect to the issuance and
               sale of the Stock shall have been granted,

          (b)  the Company's Board of Directors or a duly  authorized  committee
               thereof shall have approved the issuance and sale of the Stock by
               the Company,

          (c)  the post-effective  amendment to the registration statement shall
               have become effective under the Securities Act and

<PAGE>

          (d)  the Stock  shall  have been duly  issued  and  delivered  for the
               consideration set forth in the aforesaid  Registration  Statement
               and in accordance with the actions hereinabove mentioned,

          the Stock will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.

     2. The Rights,  when issued as contemplated by the Rights Agreement,  dated
as of November 12, 1998,  between the Company and Norwest Bank Minnesota,  N.A.,
as Rights Agent, will be validly issued.

     I am a member of the North  Dakota and Montana  Bars and do not hold myself
out as an expert on the laws of any other  jurisdiction.  Except as set forth in
paragraph 1(a) above, my opinions expressed above are limited to the laws of the
States of North Dakota and Montana.  Insofar as the  opinions  expressed  herein
relate to the General  Corporation Law of the State of Delaware,  the applicable
provisions  of the Delaware  Constitution  and the reported  judicial  decisions
interpreting  the Delaware  laws,  or the Federal  laws of the United  States of
America,  I have relied on the opinion of even date  herewith of LeBoeuf,  Lamb,
Greene & MacRae, L.L.P., counsel to the Company, which opinion is to be filed as
an exhibit to the Registration Statement.

     I  hereby  consent  to  the  use  of  this  opinion  as an  exhibit  to the
Registration Statement.

                                         Very truly yours,

                                         /s/ Lester H. Loble, II
                                         Lester H. Loble, II
                                         Vice President, General
                                         Counsel and Secretary

                                                                    Exhibit 5(b)


                         LEBOEUF, LAMB, GREENE & MACRAE
                                     L.L.P.
       A LIMITED LIABILITY PARTNERSHIP INCLUDING PROFESSIONAL CORPORATIONS
                              125 WEST 55TH STREET
                             NEW YORK, NY 10019-5389


                                                 March 23, 2000


MDU Resources Group, Inc.
Schuchart Building
918 East Divide Avenue
P.O. Box 5650
Bismarck, North Dakota  58506-5650

Ladies and Gentlemen:

     We are  acting  as  counsel  for MDU  Resources  Group,  Inc.,  a  Delaware
corporation (the "Company"),  in connection with the preparation and filing with
the Securities and Exchange  Commission (the "Commission")  under the Securities
Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), of post-effective  amendment No.
1 to  the  Company's  registration  statement  on  Form  S-8  (the  registration
statement  as  so  amended  being  referred  to  herein  as  the   "Registration
Statement")  pursuant to which  registration  statement  the Company  registered
1,200,000  shares of its common stock,  par value $1.00 per share (the "Stock"),
and the preference share purchase rights attached thereto (the "Rights"),  to be
issued  pursuant to the Company's 1997 Executive  Long-Term  Incentive Plan (the
"Plan"),  which  amount  has been  subsequently  adjusted  for stock  splits and
issuances and now totals 1,673,615 shares of Stock and Rights.

     In  connection  with this opinion,  we have  examined  originals or copies,
certified or otherwise  identified to our satisfaction,  of (i) the Registration
Statement, (ii) the Rights Agreement, dated as of November 12, 1998, between the
Company and Norwest Bank  Minnesota,  N.A., as Rights  Agent,  together with the
exhibits  thereto  (the "Rights  Agreement"),  pursuant to which the Rights were
created,  (iii)  resolutions  of the Board of Directors  of the  Company,  dated
August 12, 1999,  authorizing the issuance of the Stock,  (iv) the orders of the
Federal Energy Regulatory  Commission dated February 9, 2000, the Montana Public
Service  Commission dated January 11, 2000 and the Public Service  Commission of
Wyoming dated January 18, 2000,  and (v) such other  instruments,  certificates,
records and documents,  and such matters of law, as we have considered necessary
or appropriate for the purposes hereof. In such examination, we have assumed the
genuineness of all signatures, the authenticity of all documents submitted to us
as  originals,  the  conformity  to the  original  documents  of  all  documents
submitted to us as copies and the  authenticity  of the originals of such latter
documents. As to any facts material to our opinion, we have, when relevant facts
were not  independently  established,  relied  upon the  aforesaid  Registration
Statement, Rights Agreement,  resolutions,  orders,  instruments,  certificates,
records and  documents.  We have also assumed the  regularity  of all  corporate
procedures.

<PAGE>

     Based upon the foregoing, and subject to the limitations and qualifications
contained in this opinion, we are of the opinion that:

     1.   When

          (a)  appropriate  authorizations  by  the  Federal  Energy  Regulatory
               Commission,  the Montana Public Service Commission and the Public
               Service  Commission  of Wyoming  with respect to the issuance and
               sale of the Stock shall have been granted,

          (b)  the Company's Board of Directors or a duly  authorized  committee
               thereof shall have approved the issuance and sale of the Stock by
               the Company,

          (c)  the post-effective  amendment to the Registration Statement shall
               have become effective under the Securities Act and

          (d)  the Stock  shall  have  been  issued,  delivered  and paid for in
               accordance  with the  terms of the  Plan  and the  corporate  and
               governmental  authorizations  and instruments  referred to above,
               the Stock will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.

     2. The  Rights,  when  issued in  accordance  with the terms of the  Rights
Agreement, will be validly issued.

     We  express  no opinion  with  respect  to any laws other than the  General
Corporation  Law of the State of  Delaware,  the  applicable  provisions  of the
Delaware  Constitution  and the reported  judicial  decisions  interpreting  the
Delaware  laws,  and the  federal  laws of the  United  States.  Insofar as this
opinion involves matters of the laws of the States of Montana,  North Dakota and
Wyoming,  we have relied upon the opinion of even date herewith addressed to you
by Lester H. Loble,  II, Vice  President,  General  Counsel and Secretary of the
Company.

     We  hereby  consent  to the  use  of  this  opinion  as an  exhibit  to the
Registration  Statement.  In giving such consent, we do not thereby concede that
we are within the category of persons whose consent is required  under Section 7
of the Securities Act or the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.

                                      Very truly yours,


                                      /s/ LeBoeuf, Lamb, Greene & MacRae, L.L.P.

                                                                   Exhibit 23(a)


                    CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS


     As independent public  accountants,  we hereby consent to the incorporation
by  reference  in  this  Post-Effective  Amendment  No.  1 to  the  Registration
Statement on Form S-8 filed by MDU Resources Group, Inc. with the Securities and
Exchange Commission (Registration No. 333-27879) of our report dated January 24,
2000  incorporated by reference into the MDU Resources Group, Inc. Annual Report
on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1999.


                                      /s/ ARTHUR ANDERSEN LLP


Minneapolis, Minnesota
March 23, 2000


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