MIDAMERICAN ENERGY CO
S-4/A, 1996-09-03
ELECTRIC SERVICES
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- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AS FILED WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION ON SEPTEMBER 3, 1996
                                                      REGISTRATION NO. 333-10405
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

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

                                  PRE-EFFECTIVE
                                 AMENDMENT NO. 10
                                       TO
                                    FORM S-4
                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                      UNDER
                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

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

                           MIDAMERICAN ENERGY COMPANY
             (EXACT NAME OF REGISTRANT AS SPECIFIED IN ITS CHARTER)

<TABLE>
<S>                              <C>                           <C>
IOWA                             4924                          42-1425214
(STATE OR OTHER JURISDICTION OF  (PRIMARY STANDARD INDUSTRIAL  (I.R.S. EMPLOYER
INCORPORATION OR ORGANIZATION)   CLASSIFICATION CODE NUMBER)   IDENTIFICATION
                                                               NUMBER)
</TABLE>
                                666 GRAND AVENUE
                                  P.O. BOX 657
                            DES MOINES, IA 50303-0657
                                 (515) 242-4300
  (ADDRESS, INCLUDING ZIP CODE, AND TELEPHONE NUMBER, INCLUDING AREA CODE, OF
                   REGISTRANT'S PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE OFFICES)

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

                                PHILIP G. LINDNER
                GROUP VICE PRESIDENT AND CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER
                           MIDAMERICAN ENERGY COMPANY
                                666 GRAND AVENUE
                                  P.O. BOX 657
                            DES MOINES, IA 50303-0657
                                 (515) 242-4300
 (NAME, ADDRESS, INCLUDING ZIP CODE, AND TELEPHONE NUMBER, INCLUDING AREA CODE,
                             OF AGENT FOR SERVICE)

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

                                   Copies to:

                                  DAVID M. KIES
                                JOSEPH B. FRUMKIN
                               SULLIVAN & CROMWELL
                                125 BROAD STREET
                            NEW YORK, NEW YORK 10004

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

     APPROXIMATE DATE OF COMMENCEMENT OF PROPOSED SALE TO THE PUBLIC:  AS SOON
AS PRACTICABLE AFTER THE CONSUMMATION OF THE BUSINESS COMBINATION TRANSACTION
DESCRIBED HEREIN.

     If the  securities  being  registered  on this  form are being  offered  in
connection  with the formation of a holding company and there is compliance with
General Instruction G, check the following box. / /

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

                         CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<TABLE>
<S>                   <C>           <C>           <C>           <C>
- ------------------------------------------------------
                                    PROPOSED
                                    MAXIMUM PROPOSED
                                    OFFERING MAXIMUM
TITLE OF EACH CLASS                 PRICE PER     AGGREGATE
OF SECURITIES TO BE   AMOUNT TO BE  SHARE OF      OFFERING      AMOUNT OF
REGISTERED            REGISTERED    COMMON STOCK  PRICE         REGISTRATION FEE
</TABLE>

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

<TABLE>
<S>                   <C>           <C>           <C>           <C>

Common stock,                       Not
no par value          42,122,473    applicable    $594,759,971  $205,090(1)
</TABLE>
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(1) Previously paid.

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

     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 WHICH SPECIFICALLY STATES THAT THIS REGISTRATION
STATEMENT SHALL THEREAFTER BECOME EFFECTIVE IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 8(A) OF
THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933 OR UNTIL THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT SHALL BECOME
EFFECTIVE ON SUCH DATE AS THE COMMISSION,  ACTING PRUSUANT TO SAID SECTION 8(A),
MAY DETERMINE.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                       AMENDMENT TO REGISTRATION STATEMENT

         The Registrant hereby amends the Registration  Statement to incorporate
the exhibit or exhibits filed herewith and to add the following item or items to
Item 21. See  "Incorporation  of Certain  Information by Reference" in the Proxy
Statement contained in the Registration Statement.

Exhibit           Description

99(oo)            August 27, 1996 Letter to IES Bargaining Unit
99(pp)            Guest Newspaper Editorial



                                   Signatures

         Pursuant to the  requirements of the Securities Act, the registrant has
duly  caused  this  registration  statement  to be signed  on its  behalf by the
undersigned,  thereunto duly  authorized, in  the City of  Des Moines,  State of
Iowa, on the 3rd day of September, 1996.

                                                  MIDAMERICAN ENERGY COMPANY

                                                  By /s/ S. J. BRIGHT

                                                  -----------------------------
                                                  S. J. Bright
                                                  President, Chief Executive
                                                  Officer and Director

         Pursuant to the  requirements  of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1933,
this report has been signed  below by the  following  persons in the  capacities
indicated, on the date set forth above.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
SIGNATURE                                            TITLE
- -----------------------------------     ------------------------------
<C>                                     <S>
  /s/  R. E. CHRISTIANSEN*              Chairman of the Board of Directors
- -----------------------------------     and Director
         R. E. Christiansen

  /s/  S. J. BRIGHT                     President, Chief Executive Officer
- -----------------------------------     and Director
         S. J. Bright

  /s/  P. G. LINDNER                    Group Vice President and Chief
- -----------------------------------     Financial Officer (Principal
         P. G. Lindner                  Accounting Officer)


<PAGE>



  /s/  J. W. AALFS*                     Director
- -----------------------------------
         J. W. Aalfs

  /s/  R. A. BURNETT*                   Director
- -----------------------------------
         R. A. Burnett

  /s/ R. D. CHRISTENSEN*                Director
- -----------------------------------
         R. D. Christensen

  /s/  J. W. COLLOTON*                  Director
- -----------------------------------
         J. W. Colloton

  /s/  F. S. COTTRELL*                  Director
- -----------------------------------
         F. S. Cottrell

  /s/  J. W. EUGSTER*                   Director
- -----------------------------------
         J. W. Eugster

  /s/  M. FOSTER, JR.*                  Director
- -----------------------------------
         M. Foster, Jr.

  /s/  N. GENTRY*                       Director
- -----------------------------------
         N. Gentry

  /s/  J. M. HOAK, JR.*                 Director
- -----------------------------------
         J. M. Hoak, Jr.

  s/s  R. L. LAWSON*                    Director
- -----------------------------------
         R. L. Lawson

  /s/  R. L. PETERSON*                  Director
- -----------------------------------
         R. L. Peterson

<PAGE>

  /s/  N. L. SEIFERT*                   Director
- -----------------------------------
         N. L. Seifert

  /s/  W. S. TINSMAN                    Director
- -----------------------------------
         W. S. Tinsman

  /s/  L. L. WOODRUFF*                  Director
- -----------------------------------
         L. L. Woodruff

         *By:  /s/  P. J. LEIGHTON
- -----------------------------------
         (P. J. Leighton
         as Attorney-in-fact of
         the persons indicated)
</TABLE>

                                  EXHIBIT INDEX
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
EXHIBIT
NUMBER                        DESCRIPTION OF DOCUMENT
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<C>               <S>

99(oo)            August 27, 1996 Letter to IES Bargaining Unit
99(pp)            Guest Newspaper Editorial

</TABLE>

                                       -1-



Exhibit 99(oo)

[August 27, 1996 Letter to IES Bargaining Unit]

                                                     August 27, 1996




Mr. Ken D. Sagar
Business Manager/Financial Secretary
IBEW, Local Union No. 204
116 14th Avenue, SE
Cedar Rapids, IA 52401

Dear Mr. Sagar:

Thank you for your letter of August 26, 1996 in which you ask several  questions
about the proposed IES/MidAmerican merger. MidAmerican shares your concern about
accurate  information  being made available to the membership of Local 204. Your
questions and MidAmerican's responses follow.

1.       How will the MidAmerican merger proposal impact union/bargaining unit
         jobs on the IES/MEC properties?

         Both the Wisconsin  proposal and the MidAmerican  proposal will lead to
         employment  reductions.  MidAmerican and IES together  currently employ
         approximately 6,237 persons.  Our preliminary  estimate of savings from
         the  merger  includes  a  workforce   reduction  of  approximately  450
         positions  from the current  combined  employment  level  compared to a
         reduction  of  750  positions  in the  Wisconsin  proposal.  Under  the
         MidAmerican  proposal that adjustment  would be accomplished  primarily
         through  normal  attrition and other  voluntary  programs such as early
         retirement and would be dispersed throughout the service areas. At this
         time it is not  known  how  many of the  anticipated  reduction  of 450
         positions  will  be in  Union-represented  classifications.  We do  not
         anticipate  that  layoffs  will be  required.  We will be  particularly
         mindful of the need to maintain a sufficient work force to provide safe
         and reliable energy  services.  We believe that the merged company will
         be a strong  competitor  and a  company  that  will  provide  excellent
         employment opportunities.

2.       What will MidAmerican's philosophy be in dealing with bargaining unit
         employment reductions?

         In prior mergers,  MidAmerican and its  predecessor  companies met with
         the  leadership  of affected  local  Unions to  negotiate  the terms of
         employment reduction programs which included early retirement, buyouts,
         and layoff with recall rights. If bargaining unit employment reductions
         are necessary, MidAmerican would meet with the leadership of

<PAGE>

Mr. Ken Sagar
August 27, 1996
Page 2



         Local 204 to negotiate  appropriate  reduction programs.  We anticipate
         that these would be voluntary programs.

3.       Will MidAmerican recognize and assume all the union contracts on IES
         property?

         Yes.  MidAmerican will recognize existing collective bargaining
         agreements.

4.       Would MidAmerican be willing to offer an employment security agreement
         to union workers at IES?

         The  Union   agreements  that   MidAmerican   will  recognize   provide
         significant  employment  security to Union  members.  As we  previously
         noted, any reductions in Union  employment  following the merger should
         be achievable through attrition and voluntary  programs.  In our recent
         merger,  86% of eligible  Union  members  took  advantage  of the early
         retirement program.

5.       What is MidAmerican's philosophy on the use of contractors (union and
         non-union)?

         MidAmerican currently uses contractors to supplement its workforce,  as
         needed.  We anticipate  this will continue  following the merger of IES
         and MidAmerican.  We believe that Union contractors and their employees
         can be competitive with non-union  workers,  and we make strong efforts
         to utilize the represented trades.

6.       How will the MidAmerican merger proposal benefit IES union employees?

         A successful  merger of IES and  MidAmerican  will result in a regional
         company, based in Iowa. Our focus will be on doing what we, the Company
         and the Unions,  do best;  that is to provide  reliable and safe energy
         services to existing  and  prospective  customers.  We believe that the
         more  profitable  and  competitive  we are, the greater the  employment
         opportunities for all employees.

7.       How does MidAmerican  believe the radical  restructuring of the utility
         industry  will  impact  its union  employees  and how will the  company
         address these impacts?

         As the  industry  changes,  MidAmerican  wants to continue to serve its
         customers as well as expand to serve new customers  and take  advantage
         of new opportunities. The changes in the industry will mean that energy
         providers  will make less  profit on a kWh or therm of  energy,  but it
         will also mean new markets for energy services; increased opportunities
         for

<PAGE>

Mr. Ken Sagar
August 27, 1996
Page 3


         new services and products;  incentives to maintain efficient,  safe and
         reliable   services   to  retain  and  attract   new   customers;   and
         opportunities for financial and employment growth.

Please let us know if you have additional  questions regarding the merger of IES
and MidAmerican.

                                                     Sincerely,
                                                     /s/ Stanley J. Bright
                                                     Stanley J. Bright
                                                     President and CEO



Exhibit 99(pp)

[Guest Newspaper Editorial]

                          Guest Editorial submitted by
                         Stan Bright, President and CEO
                          of MidAmerican Energy Company
                                 August 30, 1996


                  THE MIDAMERICAN PROPOSAL - BETTER FOR IOWANS

         With all the ads and news coverage you've seen over the past few weeks,
you may be  asking  yourself,  "What  are those  two  utility  companies  doing,
anyway?" Let me shed some light on it for you.

         Back in  October  1995,  I wrote a letter to Lee Liu,  chairman  of IES
Industries, proposing a merger of our two companies. IES declined our offer, but
soon  announced that it had accepted an inferior offer to merge with a Wisconsin
utility  company.  Incredible as it may seem, IES didn't even bother to tell its
shareholders about the better offer from MidAmerican!

         A MidAmerican/IES  merger makes too much sense to ignore. The companies
have contiguous and overlapping service areas and share ownership in many energy
facilities.  As a result,  we estimate a merger would save $650 million over the
next ten years.

         So, early this month, I sent another  letter to Mr. Liu,  outlining our
plan to merge with IES and  describing the benefits such a merger would bring to
Iowa and to  shareholders,  customers and  employees.  Concerned  that IES would
again fail to inform its shareholders of our better offer, we decided to present
our proposal directly to IES  shareholders.  That's what all the commercials and
advertisements are about.

         Our offer is simple, and it's better than the Wisconsin deal. As an IES
shareholder,  you have a choice: you can exchange your IES stock for MidAmerican
stock  tax-free  (worth  $37.54 as of  August  29,  1996)  and get a 25%  higher
dividend;  or you could sell your IES stock to  MidAmerican  for $39 in cash. In
either case, you will benefit by receiving a premium for your IES shares.

         Any IES shareholder  who wants all stock will get all stock,  tax-free.
We will  exchange  up to 40% of the IES  shares  for cash,  for those who choose
cash.  If more than 40% choose  cash,  we will pay those  shareholders  the same
combination of cash and stock.

         The  MidAmerican  proposal would keep your utility  company based right
here in Iowa. The Wisconsin deal would move corporate  headquarters  to Madison,
Wisconsin.

         IES is arguing that the MidAmerican plan is "less than advertised", but
independent  financial experts such as Value Line and Institutional  Shareholder
Services call the MidAmerican  plan superior,  and urge IES shareholders to vote
against the Wisconsin deal.

<PAGE>

         In our  community  meeting  in  Burlington  this week,  IES  customers,
employees  and  shareholders  told us what  happened  when IES merged  with Iowa
Southern  Utilities  Company several years ago. Electric prices went up and Iowa
Southern's corporate headquarters in Centerville  disappeared,  despite promises
to the contrary.

         MidAmerican has filed a plan with the Iowa Utilities Board to reduce or
freeze  electric  prices  through  the  year  2001.  Our  economic   development
activities  helped  Iowa  communities  create over 3,500 new jobs in 1995 alone.
We'll continue our strong commitment to competitive electric prices and economic
development.

         IES  shareholders  now have an  opportunity  to send a message to their
board of directors that they should consider MidAmerican's offer. We believe the
MidAmerican plan is better for the citizens of Burlington and for all Iowans.



MidAmerican  has filed  with the  Securities  and  Exchange  Commission  a proxy
statement and other  materials  relating to the  solicitation of proxies against
the proposed  IES/WPL/Interstate  transaction  and that proxy  statement and the
other  materials  are  incorporated  herein  by  reference.  MidAmerican  Energy
Company, 666 Grand Avenue, Des Moines, Iowa 50303.



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