TRITON ENERGY CORP
DEF 14A, 1996-02-26
CRUDE PETROLEUM & NATURAL GAS
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<PAGE>
                            SCHEDULE 14A INFORMATION

                  Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of
                      the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

    Filed by the Registrant /X/
    Filed by a Party other than the Registrant / /

    Check the appropriate box:
    / /  Preliminary Proxy Statement
    / /  Confidential, for use of the Commission only (as permitted by Rule
         14a-6(e)(2))
    / /  Definitive Proxy Statement
    /X/  Definitive Additional Materials
    / /  Soliciting Material Pursuant to Section240.14a-11(c) or
         Section240.14a-12

                                 TRITON ENERGY CORPORATION
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                (Name of Registrant as Specified In Its Charter)
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    (Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement if other than the Registrant)

Payment of Filing Fee (Check the appropriate box):

/ /  $125 per Exchange Act Rules 0-11(c)(1)(ii), 14a-6(i)(1), 14a-6(i)(2) or
     Item 22(a)(2) of Schedule 14A.
/ /  $500  per  each party  to  the controversy  pursuant  to Exchange  Act Rule
     14a-6(i)(3).
/X/  Fee computed on table below per Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i)(4) and 0-11.
     1) Title of each class of securities to which transaction applies: (i)
        Class A ordinary shares, par value $.01 per share, of Triton Energy
        Limited, Class B ordinary shares, par value $.01 per share, of Triton
        Energy Limited and 1/10th of a share of preferred stock, par value $.01
        per share, of Triton Energy Corporation, to be issued in connection with
        the transaction and (ii) Common Stock, par value $1.00 per share of
        Triton Energy Corporation ("Triton Delaware Common Stock"), to be
        acquired by Triton Energy Limited in the transaction.
     2) Aggregate number of securities to which transaction applies: 35,899,958
        being the maximum number of shares of Triton Delaware Common Stock to be
        acquired by Triton Energy Limited in the transaction.
     3) Per unit price or other underlying value of transaction computed
        pursuant to Exchange Act Rule 0-11 (set forth the amount on which the
        filing fee is calculated and state how it was determined): The per unit
        price of each share of Triton Delaware Common Stock is $53.438 (the
        average high and low price of such stock on the New York Stock Exchange,
        Inc. Composite Transaction Tape on December 19, 1995). The filing fee of
        $383,684.39 is calculated in accordance with Rule 0-11(c)(1) under the
        Exchange Act as one-fiftieth of one percent of the product of
        $35,899,958 shares to be acquired in the transaction and $53.438.
     4) Proposed maximum aggregate value of transaction: $1,918,421,956.00.
     5) Total fee paid: $383,684.39.
/X/  Fee paid previously with preliminary materials.
/ /  Check box if any part of the fee is offset as provided by Exchange Act Rule
     0-11(a)(2) and identify the filing for which the offsetting fee was paid
     previously.
     Identify the previous filing by registration statement number, or the  Form
     or Schedule and the date of its filing.
     1) Amount Previously Paid:
        ------------------------------------------------------------------------
     2) Form, Schedule or Registration Statement No.:
        ------------------------------------------------------------------------
     3) Filing Party:
        ------------------------------------------------------------------------
     4) Date Filed:
        ------------------------------------------------------------------------
<PAGE>
                              QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
                         ABOUT TRITON'S REORGANIZATION

CORPORATE MOTIVATION/TAX ISSUES

<TABLE>
<C>  <C>  <S>
 1)   Q:  Why is Triton undertaking the reorganization at this time?
      A:  We  believe  that  undertaking  the  reorganization  now  will enhance
          shareholder value  because  it will  increase  the net  present  value
          (after taxes) of the Company. The longer we wait to relocate offshore,
          the less we believe the benefit will be.

 2)   Q:  Why reincorporate Triton in the Cayman Islands?
      A:  The  Cayman Islands is stable  and nearby, and is  a commonly used and
          understood no-tax regime. The Cayman Islands also have a  well-defined
          legal   system  that   is  based   on  British   Common  Law.  Several
          Cayman-chartered companies are listed on the New York Stock  Exchange,
          evidence  that  these  companies  have  been  widely  accepted  by the
          investment community.

 3)   Q:  If this reorganization is  such a great idea,  why haven't many  other
          U.S. companies done it?
      A:  Triton,  unlike most U.S. companies, conducts substantially all of its
          business outside  the U.S.  and, therefore,  derives its  income  from
          foreign  operations. By moving offshore  now, when Triton is embarking
          on what we believe is a period of substantial growth, the Company  can
          capture the benefits of an offshore reorganization.

OPERATIONS

 4)   Q:  Will  there be any significant changes in  the way Triton is run after
          the reorganization?
      A:  No. Triton's  strategy will  continue to  be to  increase  shareholder
          value through the discovery of significant oil and gas reserves. There
          will  be no change in the management or operations of the Company as a
          result of the move offshore.

 5)   Q:  Will ownership of the Cusiana and  Cupiagua fields be moved to  Triton
          Cayman?
      A:  No.  These fields are Triton's  largest and most-developed properties.
          Triton's net operating loss carry forwards (NOLs) and U.S. foreign tax
          credits are  expected  to eliminate,  in  large part,  U.S.  corporate
          income  taxes  on  the  Company's  Cusiana  and  Cupiagua  operations.
          Moreover, a subsequent sale of  the ownership in Cusiana and  Cupiagua
          fields may be structured so as to not be subject to U.S. capital-gains
          taxes.

SHAREHOLDER/TRADING/INDIVIDUALS' TAXES

 6)   Q:  Why did Triton create an Equity Unit in addition to Class A shares?
      A:  The  Equity Unit has been provided  as an alternative for shareholders
          who want to retain an equity interest in Triton that provides  certain
          preferences  and for  those holders  with a  low cost  basis, to defer
          taxes until such time as the Equity Units are sold by the  shareholder
          or  purchased by Triton Delaware or Triton Cayman. Triton will receive
          opinions from its special tax counsel that it is more likely than  not
          that  the receipt of the Preferred Stock component of the Equity Units
          will not be a taxable transaction, although there can be no  assurance
          that the IRS or the courts will agree.

 7)   Q:  Is  the income from exchanging my shares  for either Class A shares or
          the Equity Units treated as a capital gain or as ordinary income?
      A:  For most individual  holders, the  income will be  treated as  capital
          gain  with  the  tax  rate  depending  on  their  holding  period. For
          currently non-taxable holders (such as IRAs, pension funds and  401(k)
          plans),  the reorganization will generally  not trigger recognition of
          taxable gain.
</TABLE>

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<TABLE>
<C>  <C>  <S>
 8)   Q:  Will there be a change  in the cost basis  of my securities after  the
          reorganization?
      A:  Generally,  for shareholders who are  taxed on the reorganization, the
          basis of the Class A Shares and Class B Shares (included in the Equity
          Units) with  respect to  which gain  is recognized  will be  the  fair
          market  value  of  these  securities  at  the  effective  time  of the
          reorganization. There  will be  no  change in  basis for  holders  who
          realize a loss.

 9)   Q:  Will the holding period of my shares of Common Stock be counted toward
          the  holding period  (for determining short-term  or long-term capital
          gain treatment on any future sale) for the securities received in  the
          reorganization?
      A:  Except  for holders who realize a loss  on the exchange, a new holding
          period for the Class A Shares and  the Class B Shares included in  the
          Equity  Units will commence  on the day  after the reorganization. The
          holding period for the  Preferred Stock included  in the Equity  Units
          should  include  the holding  period of  the  Common Stock  treated as
          exchanged for the Preferred Stock  in the reorganization. In the  case
          of  holders  realizing a  loss, the  holding period  of their  Class A
          Shares or  Class B  Shares, as  the case  may be,  should include  the
          holding period of the Common Stock exchanged therefor.

10)   Q:  If  I choose  the Equity Units,  how much will  I be likely  to owe in
          taxes?
      A:  This will depend,  in part, on  the relative values  of the  component
          parts  of the Equity Units (i.e., the  value of the one-tenth share of
          Preferred Stock and the  Class B Share) at  the effective time of  the
          reorganization,  which  will be  determined  by Triton,  based  on the
          advice of our financial advisors. Triton will provide confirmation  of
          its  determination after the effective  time of the reorganization. It
          is intended  that most  of  an investor's  gain  will be  deferred  by
          acceptance  of the  Equity Units. However,  no assurance  can be given
          that the IRS will agree with Triton's valuations.

11)   Q:  If I opt to receive  Class A shares or Equity  Units, when will I  owe
          taxes if I incur a gain?
      A:  This will depend on the taxable year of the investor. For example, for
          most individual Triton shareholders on a calendar year, taxes would be
          due on this 1996 transaction in April 1997 (subject to the requirement
          to make quarterly estimated tax payments for certain taxpayers).

12)   Q:  If  I am planning to  sell my Triton shares  during 1996, which option
          should I choose?
      A:  Which option  should be  chosen  is an  individual decision  that  the
          Company  believes  may  vary  from  holder  to  holder.  However,  the
          potential tax deferral available to shareholders choosing Equity Units
          would clearly not be a significant benefit to shareholders who plan to
          sell their shares in 1996.

13)   Q:  Will the Class A  shares be listed  and, if so,  where and under  what
          symbol?
      A:  Class  A shares will be listed on the New York Stock Exchange and will
          be traded under the  symbol "OIL," the same  stock symbol that  Triton
          Energy  Corporation is traded under  today. Accordingly, Triton Cayman
          will be subject to  the rules of the  Exchange and the Securities  and
          Exchange Commission.

14)   Q:  Will  the Equity  Units be  listed and,  if so,  where and  under what
          symbol?
      A:  Assuming the minimum election number is reached, the Equity Units will
          be listed on the New York Stock Exchange and will be traded under  the
          symbol "OIL.B."

15)   Q:  Will  there be any differences in the trading liquidity of the Class A
          Shares and the Equity Units?
      A:  There is  currently no  established  trading market  for the  Class  A
          Shares  or the  Equity Units,  and there can  be no  assurance that an
          active market will develop. Because there will be significantly  fewer
          Equity  Units than Class A Shares,  Triton expects that the market for
          Equity Units will be less liquid. There also can be no assurance about
          the market prices, or relative market prices, of the Class A Shares or
          Equity Units in the future.
</TABLE>

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<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<C>  <C>  <S>
16)   Q:  Will there be  any change in  the way I  obtain stock quotes,  execute
          trades, etc?
      A:  No.  You will be able  to perform these functions  the same way you do
          now.

17)   Q:  Can I still vote in matters  related to the new parent, Triton  Energy
          Limited?
      A:  Yes,  both Class A and Equity Unit holders will be entitled to vote on
          these matters.

18)   Q:  If I opt to exchange my Triton shares for Class A shares, do I turn in
          my stock certificates?
      A:  Turn in your stock certificates only  if you choose the Equity  Units.
          Please  see  instructions in  the  proxy statement  for  more detailed
          information.
</TABLE>

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