e424b5
CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
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Title of Each Class of |
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Amount of |
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Securities to be Registered |
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Maximum Offering Price |
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Registration Fee |
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3.125% Guaranteed Notes
due 2015 |
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$ |
1,000,000,000 |
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$ |
55,800 |
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Guarantee of 3.125% Guaranteed
Notes due 2015 |
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(1 |
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(1) |
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Pursuant to Rule 457(n), no separate fee is payable with respect to the guarantee. |
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PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT
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Filed pursuant to Rule 424(b)(5) |
(To prospectus dated May 19, 2009)
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Registration Statement Nos.
333-159335 and |
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333-159335-01 |
$1,000,000,000
TOTAL CAPITAL
(A wholly-owned subsidiary of TOTAL S.A.)
3.125%
Guaranteed Notes Due 2015
Guaranteed on an unsecured, unsubordinated basis by
TOTAL S.A.
The
notes will bear interest at the rate of 3.125% per year. Total Capital will pay interest
on the notes on April 2 and October 2 of each year,
beginning on April 2, 2010. Interest on the
notes will accrue from October 2, 2009. The notes will mature on
October 2, 2015. The notes will be issued
only in denominations of $1,000 and integral multiples of $1,000.
Payment of the principal of, premium, if any, and interest on the notes is guaranteed by TOTAL
S.A.
We may redeem the notes in whole or in part at any time and from time to time at the
make-whole redemption price set forth in this prospectus supplement. In addition, we may redeem the
notes at any time at 100% of the principal amount upon the occurrence of certain tax events
described in this prospectus supplement and the attached prospectus.
See Risk Factors beginning on page S-5 of this prospectus supplement, on page 5 of the
attached prospectus and on page 4 of our Annual Report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended
December 31, 2008, which is incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement and the
attached prospectus, to read about factors you should consider before investing in the notes.
Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission or other
regulatory body has approved or disapproved of these securities or passed upon the accuracy or
adequacy of this prospectus supplement or the attached prospectus. Any representation to the
contrary is a criminal offense.
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Per Note |
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Total |
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Public Offering Price1 |
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99.561 |
% |
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$ |
995,610,000 |
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Underwriting Discount |
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0.375 |
% |
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$ |
3,750,000 |
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Proceeds, before expenses, to Total Capital |
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99.186 |
% |
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$ |
991,860,000 |
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1 |
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Plus accrued interest from October 2, 2009, if
settlement occurs after that date. |
The underwriters expect to deliver the notes in book-entry form through the facilities of The
Depository Trust Company (DTC) and its participants, including Euroclear Bank S.A./N.V.
(Euroclear) and Clearstream Banking, Luxembourg (Clearstream), against payment in New York, New
York on or about October 2, 2009.
Joint Book-Running Managers
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BofA Merrill Lynch |
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Deutsche Bank Securities |
Prospectus
Supplement dated September 25, 2009.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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S-3 |
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S-4 |
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S-5 |
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S-7 |
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S-8 |
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S-11 |
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S-12 |
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S-13 |
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Prospectus
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3 |
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3 |
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5 |
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7 |
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7 |
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9 |
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9 |
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10 |
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11 |
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24 |
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28 |
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43 |
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45 |
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45 |
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S-2
In this prospectus, unless the context indicates otherwise, the terms we, our and us
refer to both TOTAL S.A. and Total Capital, TOTAL refers to TOTAL S.A, the Total Group refers
to TOTAL and its subsidiaries, and Total Capital refers to Total Capital.
INCORPORATION OF INFORMATION FILED WITH THE SEC
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, referred to herein as the SEC, allows us to
incorporate by reference into this prospectus supplement and the attached prospectus the
information in documents filed with the SEC, which means that:
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incorporated documents are considered part of this prospectus supplement and the
attached prospectus; |
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we can disclose important information to you by referring to those documents; and |
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information filed with the SEC in the future will automatically update and supersede
this prospectus supplement and the attached prospectus. |
The information that we incorporate by reference is an important part of this prospectus
supplement and the attached prospectus.
We incorporate by reference in this prospectus supplement and the attached prospectus the
documents described in Where You Can Find More Information About Us in the attached prospectus
which we filed with the SEC pursuant to the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, referred
to herein as the Exchange Act, except to the extent amended or superseded by subsequent filings. We
also incorporate by reference any future filings that we make with the SEC under Sections 13(a),
13(c) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act after the date of this prospectus supplement but before the end
of the notes offering and that, in the case of any future filings on Form 6-K, are identified in
such filing as being incorporated into this prospectus supplement or the attached prospectus.
The documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement and the attached
prospectus and, in particular, those set forth below contain important information about TOTAL and
its financial condition. We incorporate by reference in this prospectus supplement and the attached
prospectus the following documents:
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TOTALs Annual Report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2008, filed with the
SEC on April 3, 2009; |
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TOTALs Reports on Form 6-K, furnished to the SEC on May 19, 2009, August 10, 2009 and
September 25, 2009. |
Exhibits 99.1, 99.3 and 99.4 of TOTALs report on Form 6-K furnished to the SEC on May 19,
2009, have been superseded by the Report on Form 6-K furnished to the SEC on August 10, 2009.
You should read Where You Can Find More Information About Us in the attached prospectus for
information on how to obtain the documents incorporated by reference or other information relating
to TOTAL.
S-3
GENERAL INFORMATION
No person has been authorized to provide you with information that is different from what is
contained in, or incorporated by reference into, this prospectus supplement and the attached
prospectus, and, if given or made, such information must not be relied upon as having been
authorized. This prospectus supplement and the attached prospectus do not constitute an offer to
sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities other than the notes to which it relates
or an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy such notes by any person in any
circumstances in which such offer or solicitation is unlawful. Neither the delivery of this
prospectus supplement and the attached prospectus nor any sale made hereunder shall, under any
circumstances, create any implication that there has been no change in our affairs since the date
of this prospectus supplement or that the information contained in this prospectus supplement and
the attached prospectus is correct as of any time subsequent to its date.
The distribution of this prospectus supplement and the attached prospectus and the offering
and sale of the notes in certain jurisdictions may be restricted by law. Persons into whose
possession this prospectus supplement and the attached prospectus come are required by us and the
underwriters to inform themselves about and to observe any such restrictions.
To the extent that the offer of the notes is made in any EEA Member State that has implemented
Directive 2003/71/EC (together with any applicable implementing measures in any Member State, the
Prospectus Directive) before the date of publication of an approved prospectus in relation to
such notes which has been approved by the competent authority in that Member State in accordance
with the Prospectus Directive (or, where appropriate, published in accordance with the Prospectus
Directive and notified to the competent authority in that Member State in accordance with the
Prospectus Directive), the offer (including any offer pursuant to this document) is only addressed
to qualified investors in that Member State within the meaning of the Prospectus Directive or has
been or will be made otherwise in circumstances that do not require us to publish a prospectus
pursuant to the Prospectus Directive.
In the United Kingdom, this prospectus supplement and the attached prospectus is only being
distributed to and is only directed at (i) investment professionals falling within Article 19(5)
of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005, as amended (the
Order) or (ii) high net worth companies, and other persons to whom it may lawfully be
communicated, falling within Article 49(2)(a) to (d) of the Order (all such persons together being
referred to as relevant persons). In the United Kingdom, this prospectus supplement and the
attached prospectus and any of their contents must not be acted on or relied on by persons who are
not relevant persons. Any investment or investment activity to which this prospectus supplement
relates is available only to relevant persons and will be engaged in only with relevant persons.
Total Capitals and TOTALs headquarters are located at 2, place Jean Millier, La Défense 6,
92400 Courbevoie, France.
In this prospectus, references to United States dollars, U.S. dollars, dollars, US$
and $ are to the currency of the United States and references to euros and are to the
single European currency adopted by certain participating member countries of the European Union.
S-4
RISK FACTORS
Investing in the securities offered using this prospectus involves risk. You should consider
carefully the risks described below, together with the risks described in the documents
incorporated by reference into this prospectus, and any risk factors included in the attached
prospectus, before you decide to buy our notes. If any of these risks actually occurs, our
business, financial condition and results of operations could suffer, and the trading price and
liquidity of the securities offered using this prospectus could decline, in which case you may lose
all or part of your investment.
Risks related to the offering and owning the notes
Since TOTAL is a holding company and currently conducts its operations through subsidiaries,
your right to receive payments on the notes and the guarantee is subordinated to the other
liabilities of TOTALs subsidiaries.
TOTAL is organized as a holding company, and substantially all of its operations are carried
on through subsidiaries. TOTALs principal source of income is the dividends and distributions it
receives from its subsidiaries. On an unconsolidated basis, TOTALs obligations consisted of
33,607 million of debt as of June 30, 2009. TOTALs ability to meet its financial obligations is
dependent upon the availability of cash flows from its domestic and foreign subsidiaries and
affiliated companies through dividends, intercompany advances, management fees and other payments.
TOTALs subsidiaries are not guarantors on the notes. Moreover, these subsidiaries and affiliated
companies are not required and may not be able to pay dividends to TOTAL. Claims of the creditors
of TOTALs subsidiaries have priority as to the assets of such subsidiaries over the claims of
creditors of TOTAL. Consequently, holders of Total Capitals notes that are guaranteed by TOTAL are
in fact structurally subordinated, on TOTALs insolvency, to the prior claims of the creditors of
TOTALs subsidiaries.
In addition, some of TOTALs subsidiaries are subject to laws restricting the amount of
dividends they may pay. For example, these laws may prohibit dividend payments when net assets
would fall below subscribed share capital, when the subsidiary lacks available profits or when the
subsidiary fails to meet certain capital and reserve requirements. For example, French law
prohibits those subsidiaries incorporated in France from paying dividends unless these payments are
made out of distributable profits. These profits consist of accumulated, realized profits, which
have not been previously utilized, less accumulated, realized losses, which have not been
previously written off. Other statutory and general law obligations may also affect the ability of
directors of TOTALs subsidiaries to declare dividends and the ability of our subsidiaries to make
payments to us on account of intercompany loans.
Since the notes are unsecured, your right to receive payments may be adversely affected.
The notes will be unsecured. The notes are not subordinated to any of our other debt
obligations, and therefore they will rank equally with all our other unsecured and unsubordinated
indebtedness (save for certain mandatory exceptions provided by French law). There is no limitation
on TOTALs or Total Capitals ability to issue secured debt. As of June 30, 2009, TOTAL had
approximately 734 million of consolidated secured indebtedness outstanding and Total Capital had
no secured indebtedness outstanding. If Total Capital, as issuer of the notes, defaults on the
notes or TOTAL, as guarantor, defaults on the guarantee, or after bankruptcy, liquidation or
reorganization, then, to the extent the relevant obligor has granted security over its assets, the
assets that secure that entitys debts will be used to satisfy the obligations under that secured
debt before the obligor can make payment on the notes or the guarantee. There may only be limited
assets available to make payments on the notes or the guarantee in the event of an acceleration of
the notes. If there is not enough collateral to satisfy the obligations of the secured debt, then
the remaining amounts on the secured debt would share equally with all unsubordinated unsecured
indebtedness (save for certain mandatory exceptions provided by French law).
At any point in time there may or may not be an active trading market for our notes.
At any point in time there may or may not be an active trading market for our notes. We have
not and do not intend to list the notes on any securities exchange or automated quotation system.
In addition, underwriters, broker-dealers and agents that participate in the distribution of the
notes may make a market in the notes as permitted by applicable laws and regulations but will have
no obligation to do so, and any such market-making activities with respect to the notes may be
discontinued at any time without notice. If any of the notes are traded after their initial
issuance, they may trade at a discount from their initial offering price. Among the factors that
could
S-5
cause the notes to trade at a discount are: an increase in prevailing interest rates; a
decline in our credit worthiness; the time remaining to the maturity; a weakness in the market for
similar securities; and declining general economic conditions.
S-6
CAPITALIZATION AND INDEBTEDNESS OF TOTAL
(Unaudited)
The following table sets out the unaudited consolidated capitalization and long-term
indebtedness, as well as short-term indebtedness, of Total Group at June 30, 2009, prepared on the
basis of IFRS(1).
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At June 30, 2009 |
(in millions of euros) |
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Actual |
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As Adjusted (1) |
Current financial debt, including current portion of
non-current financial debt |
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Current portion of non-current financial debt |
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1,668 |
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1,668 |
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Current financial debt |
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6,248 |
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6,248 |
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Current portion of financial instruments for interest
rate swaps liabilities |
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Other current financial instruments liabilities |
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94 |
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94 |
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Total current financial debt |
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8,010 |
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8,010 |
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Non-current financial debt |
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19,640 |
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20,316 |
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Minority interests |
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963 |
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963 |
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Shareholders equity (2) |
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Common shares |
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5,931 |
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5,931 |
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Paid-in surplus and retained earnings |
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55,031 |
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55,031 |
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Currency translation adjustment |
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(4,656 |
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(4,656 |
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Treasury shares |
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(5,007 |
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(5,007 |
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Total shareholders equity |
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51,299 |
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51,299 |
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Total capitalization and non-current indebtedness |
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71,902 |
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72,578 |
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(1) |
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As adjusted to reflect the issuance of debt securities offered pursuant to this prospectus, translated from U.S. dollars into euro
using the September 24, 2009, European Central Bank reference exchange rate of 1 = $1.48
for a total amount of approximately
676 million. |
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At its July 30, 2009 meeting, TOTALs Board of Directors approved the cancellation of
24,800,000 shares bought in 2008, adjusting the share capital to 5,867,520,185 based on
2,347,008,074 shares with a par value of 2.50 per share. As of July 31, 2009, TOTAL had
an authorized share capital of 3,387,833,625 ordinary shares with a par value of 2.50 per
share, and an issued share capital of 2,347,601,812 ordinary shares (including 115,907,896
treasury shares from shareholders equity). |
As of June 30, 2009, approximately 734 million of TOTALs non-current financial debt was
secured and approximately 18,906 million was unsecured, and all of TOTALs current financial
debt of 6,248 million was unsecured. As of June 30, 2009, TOTAL had no outstanding guarantees
from third parties relating to its consolidated indebtedness. For more information about TOTALs
commitments and contingencies, see Note 23 of the Notes to TOTALs audited consolidated financial
statements in its Annual Report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2008.
Except as disclosed herein, there have been no material changes in the consolidated
capitalization, indebtedness and contingent liabilities of TOTAL since June 30, 2009.
S-7
DESCRIPTION OF NOTES
This section outlines the specific financial and legal terms of the notes that are more
generally described under Description of Debt Securities and Guarantee beginning on page 11 of
the prospectus that is attached to this prospectus supplement. If anything described in this
section is inconsistent with the terms described under Description of Debt Securities and
Guarantee in the attached prospectus, the terms described below shall prevail.
The term notes shall mean the notes originally issued on the original issuance date taken
together with any additional notes subsequently issued.
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Issuer: Total Capital. |
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Guarantor: TOTAL S.A. |
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Title: 3.125% Guaranteed Notes due 2015. |
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Total initial principal amount being
issued: $1,000,000,000. |
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Public Offering Price: 99.561%. |
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Issuance date: October 2, 2009. |
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Maturity date: October 2, 2015. |
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Interest rate: 3.125% per annum. |
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Day count: Interest will be calculated on the basis of a 360-day year consisting of
twelve 30-day months. |
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Date interest starts
accruing: October 2, 2009. |
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Interest due dates: Each April 2
and October 2. |
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First interest due
date: April 2, 2010. |
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Regular record dates for
interest: Each March 18 and
September 17. |
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Business Day: If any payment is due in respect of the notes on a day that is not a
business day, it will be made on the next following business day, provided that no
interest will accrue on the payment so deferred. A business day for these purposes
is any weekday on which banking or trust institutions in the City of New York
are not authorized generally or obligated by law, regulation or executive order
to close. |
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Guarantee: Payment of the principal of, premium, if any, and interest on the notes
is guaranteed by TOTAL. For more information about the guarantee, you should read
Description of Debt Securities and Guarantee beginning on page 11 of the attached
prospectus. |
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Ranking: The notes and the guarantees will constitute unsecured and unsubordinated
indebtedness of Total Capital and TOTAL S.A., respectively, and will rank equally with
all other unsecured and unsubordinated indebtedness from time to time outstanding. |
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Name of depositary: The Depository Trust Company, commonly referred to as DTC. |
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Form of notes: The notes will be issued as one or more global securities. You
should read Description of Debt Securities and GuaranteeLegal OwnershipGlobal
Securities beginning on page 13 of the attached prospectus for more information about
global securities. The notes will be issued in the form of global securities deposited
in DTC. Beneficial interests in the notes may be held through DTC, Clearstream or
Euroclear. For more information about global securities held through DTC, Clearstream
or Euroclear, you should read Clearance and Settlement beginning on page 24 of the
prospectus. |
S-8
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Redemption: The notes are not redeemable, except (i) as described under
Description of Debt Securities and Guarantee Optional Tax Redemption beginning on
page 20 of the attached prospectus; the provisions for optional tax redemption
described therein will apply to changes in tax treatment occurring after the issuance
date; at maturity, the notes will be repaid at par; and (ii) as described below under
Optional make-whole redemption. |
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Optional make-whole redemption: We have the right to redeem the notes, in whole or
in part, at any time and from time to time at a redemption price equal to the greater
of (i) 100% of the principal amount of the notes to be redeemed and (ii) the sum of the
present values of the remaining scheduled payments of principal and interest on the
notes to be redeemed (not including any portion of payments of interest accrued to the
redemption date) discounted to the redemption date on a semi-annual basis (assuming a
360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months) at the treasury rate
plus 15 basis
points, plus accrued and unpaid interest to the date of redemption. |
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For purposes of determining the optional make-whole redemption price, the following
definitions are applicable. |
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Treasury rate means, with respect to any redemption date, the rate per year equal to
the semi-annual equivalent yield to maturity or interpolated (on a day count basis) of
the comparable treasury issue, assuming a price for the comparable treasury issue
(expressed as a percentage of its principal amount) equal to the comparable treasury
price for such redemption date. |
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Comparable treasury issue means the U.S. Treasury security or securities selected by
the quotation agent as having an actual or interpolated maturity comparable to the
remaining term of the applicable series of notes to be redeemed that would be utilized,
at the time of selection and in accordance with customary financial practice, in pricing
new issues of corporate debt securities of comparable maturity to the remaining term of
such notes. |
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Comparable treasury price means, with respect to any redemption date, the average of
the reference treasury dealer quotations for such redemption date. |
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Quotation agent means one of the reference treasury dealers appointed by us.
Reference treasury dealer means Banc of America Securities LLC, Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. or their respective affiliates
which are primary U.S. government securities dealers, and their respective successors,
and three other primary U.S. government securities dealers selected by us, provided,
however, that if any of the foregoing shall cease to be a primary U.S. government
securities dealer in the United States (a primary treasury dealer), we shall
substitute therefor another primary treasury dealer. |
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Reference treasury dealer quotations means with respect to each reference treasury
dealer and any redemption date, the average, as determined by the quotation agent, of
the bid and asked prices for the comparable treasury issue (expressed in each case as a
percentage of its principal amount) quoted in writing to the quotation agent by such
reference treasury dealer at 3:30 p.m. New York time on the third business day preceding
such redemption date. |
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Additional Amounts: We will make payments on the notes without withholding any
taxes unless otherwise required to do so by law. If the Republic of France or any tax
authority therein requires Total Capital or TOTAL to withhold or deduct amounts from
payment on a note or any amounts to be paid under the guarantee in respect of the notes
or as additional amounts for or on account of taxes or any other governmental charges,
or any other jurisdiction requires such withholding or deduction as a result of a
merger or similar event, Total Capital or TOTAL may be required to pay you an
additional amount so that the net amount you receive will be the amount specified in
the note to which you are entitled as more fully described in the attached prospectus. |
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Sinking fund: There is no sinking fund. |
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Trustee: Total Capital will issue the notes under an indenture with The Bank of
New York Mellon, as trustee, to be entered into on October 2, 2009, which is referred to
on page 11 of the attached prospectus. |
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Net proceeds: The net proceeds will
be $991,860,000 (before expenses). |
S-9
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Listing: We do not plan to have the notes listed on any securities exchange or
included in any quotation system. |
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Risk factors: You should read carefully all of the information in this prospectus
supplement and the attached prospectus, which includes information incorporated by
reference. In particular, you should evaluate the specific factors under Risk
Factors beginning on page S-5 of this prospectus supplement, on page 5 of the attached
prospectus and on page 4 of our Annual Report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended
December 31, 2008 for risks involved with an investment in the notes. |
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Further issues: We may issue notes of the same series as the notes offered hereby
without the consent of holders of such notes. Any additional notes so issued will have
the same terms as the existing notes in all respects (except for the first interest
payment on the new notes, if any), so that such additional notes will be consolidated
and form a single series with the existing notes. |
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Expected ratings of the notes: Moodys:
Aa1/Stable; Standard & Poors: AA/Negative. Ratings are not a recommendation to purchase, hold or sell notes, inasmuch as the ratings
do not comment as to market price or suitability for a particular investor. The ratings are
based upon current information furnished to the rating agencies by the Total Capital and
TOTAL S.A. and information obtained by the rating agencies from other sources. The ratings
are only accurate as of the date thereof and may be changed, superseded or withdrawn as a
result of changes in, or unavailability of, such information, and therefore a prospective
purchaser should check the current ratings before purchasing the notes. Each rating should
be evaluated independently of any other rating. |
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Governing law and jurisdiction: The indenture and the notes are governed by
New York law. Any legal proceeding arising out of or based upon the indenture and the
notes may be instituted in any state or federal court in the Borough of Manhattan in
New York City, New York. |
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Timing and delivery: We currently expect delivery of the notes to occur on or
about October 2, 2009, which will be the fifth business day following the initial
date of trading of the notes (such settlement cycle being referred to as T+5). Under
applicable rules and regulations, trades in the secondary market generally are required
to settle in three business days, unless the parties to any such trade expressly agree
otherwise. Accordingly, purchasers who wish to trade notes on the initial trading date
of the notes and the next succeeding business day will be required, by virtue of the
fact that the notes initially will settle in T+5, to specify an alternate settlement
cycle at the time of any such trade to prevent a failed settlement. Purchasers of notes
who wish to trade notes on the initial date of trading of the notes or the next
succeeding business day should consult their own advisor. |
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CUSIP/ISIN: 89152U AA0/US89152UAA07. |
S-10
USE OF PROCEEDS
We estimate that the net proceeds (after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions but
before expenses of the offering) from the sale of the notes will be approximately $991,860,000.
We intend to use the proceeds from the sale of the notes for general corporate purposes.
S-11
EXCHANGE RATE INFORMATION
TOTAL publishes its consolidated financial statements in euros. As used in this prospectus,
the term Noon Buying Rate refers to the rate of exchange for euros, expressed in U.S. dollars per
euro, as announced by The Federal Reserve Bank of New York for customs purposes as the rate in The
City of New York for cable transfers payable in foreign currencies. Effective January 1, 2009, The
Federal Reserve Bank discontinued the daily publication of Noon Buying Rates.
The following tables set out the average dollar/euro exchange rate for the years indicated,
based on the Noon Buying Rate expressed in dollars per 1.00. Such rates are not used by TOTAL
in preparation of its consolidated financial statements. No representation is made that the euro
could have been converted into dollars at the rates shown or at any other rates for such periods or
at such dates.
DOLLAR/EURO EXCHANGE RATES
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|
|
|
|
Year |
|
Average Rate (a) |
|
|
2004 |
|
|
1.25 |
|
2005 |
|
|
1.24 |
|
2006 |
|
|
1.26 |
|
2007 |
|
|
1.37 |
|
2008 |
|
|
1.47 |
|
First six months of 2009 |
|
|
1.33 |
|
|
|
|
(a) |
|
The average of the Noon Buying Rate expressed in dollars/euro on the
last business day of each full month during the relevant year. |
The table below shows the high and low dollar/euro exchange rates for the first six months of
2009 based on the Noon Buying Rate expressed in dollars per euro.
DOLLAR/EURO EXCHANGE RATES
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Period |
|
High |
|
|
Low |
|
|
March 2009 |
|
|
1.37 |
|
|
|
1.26 |
|
April 2009 |
|
|
1.35 |
|
|
|
1.30 |
|
May 2009 |
|
|
1.41 |
|
|
|
1.33 |
|
June 2009 |
|
|
1.43 |
|
|
|
1.38 |
|
July 2009 |
|
|
1.43 |
|
|
|
1.39 |
|
August 2009 |
|
|
1.44 |
|
|
|
1.41 |
|
The
European Central Bank reference exchange rate on September 24, 2009, for the dollar
against the euro was $1.48/ .
S-12
UNDERWRITING
Subject to the terms and conditions of the Purchase Agreement with Total Capital and TOTAL,
dated the date of this prospectus supplement, each of the underwriters has severally agreed to
purchase, and we have agreed to sell to each underwriter, the principal amount of notes set forth
opposite the name of each underwriter:
|
|
|
|
|
Underwriter |
|
Principal Amount of Notes |
Banc of America Securities LLC |
|
$ |
500,000,000 |
Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. |
|
$ |
500,000,000 |
|
|
|
Total |
|
$ |
1,000,000,000 |
|
|
|
The notes are a new issue of securities with no established trading market. We do not plan to
have the notes listed on any securities exchange or included in any quotation system and there may
be little or no secondary market for the notes. Total Capital and TOTAL have been advised by the
underwriters that they intend to make a market in the notes but are not obligated to do so and may
discontinue market making at any time without notice. No assurance can be given as to the
liquidity of the trading market for the notes.
Delivery
of the notes will be made against payment on October 2, 2009. Under Rule 15c6-1
of the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, trades of
securities in the secondary market generally are required to settle in three business days,
referred to as T+3, unless the parties to a trade agree otherwise. Accordingly, by virtue of the
fact that the initial delivery of the notes will not be made on a T+3 basis, investors who wish to
trade the notes before a final settlement will be required to specify an alternative settlement
cycle at the time of any such trade to prevent a failed settlement. See Description of Notes
Timing and Delivery.
The underwriters and their affiliates have provided from time to time, and expect to provide
in the future, investment and commercial banking and financial advisory services (including
entering into swap arrangements) to TOTAL and its affiliates in the ordinary course of business,
for which they have received and may continue to receive customary fees and commissions.
The underwriters have advised us that they propose to offer the notes, initially, to the
public at the public offering price on the cover page of this prospectus supplement, and to
dealers at that price less a concession not in excess of 0.25% of the principal amount of the
notes. The underwriters may allow, and the dealers may reallow, a discount not in excess of
0.20% of the principal amount of the notes to other dealers. After the initial public
offering, the public offering price, concession and discount may be changed.
The underwriters have agreed to reimburse certain of our expenses associated with this
offering and the establishment of our shelf registration program.
In connection with the offering, the underwriters may purchase and sell notes in the open
market. These transactions may include short sales, stabilizing transactions and purchases to
cover positions created by short sales. Short sales involve the sale by the underwriters of a
greater number of notes than they are required to purchase in the offering. Stabilizing
transactions consist of certain bids or purchases made for the purpose of preventing or retarding a
decline in the market price of the notes while the offering is in progress.
These activities by the underwriters may stabilize, maintain or otherwise affect the market
price of the notes. As a result, the price of the notes may be higher than the price that
otherwise might exist in the open market. If these activities are commenced, they may be
discontinued by the underwriters at any time. These transactions may be effected in the
over-the-counter market or otherwise.
Total Capital and TOTAL have agreed to indemnify the underwriters against certain liabilities,
including liabilities under the Securities Act of 1933.
Each underwriter has represented, warranted and agreed that:
S-13
European Economic Area
In relation to each Member State of the European Economic Area which has implemented the
Prospectus Directive (each, a Relevant Member State), with effect from and including the date on
which the Prospectus Directive is implemented in that Relevant Member State (the Relevant
Implementation Date) it has not made and will not make an offer of the notes which are the subject
of the offering contemplated in this prospectus supplement (the Offered Securities) to the public
in that Relevant Member State, except that it may, with effect from and including the Relevant
Implementation Date, make an offer of such Offered Securities to the public in that Relevant Member
State:
(a) at any time to legal entities which are authorized or regulated to operate in the
financial markets or, if not so authorized or regulated, whose corporate purpose is solely to
invest in securities;
(b) at any time to any legal entity which has two or more of (1) an average of at least 250
employees during the last financial year; (2) a total balance sheet of more than 43,000,000;
and (3) an annual net turnover of more than 50,000,000, as shown in its last annual or
consolidated accounts; or
(c) at any time in any other circumstances which do not require the publication by the Company
of a prospectus pursuant to Article 3 of the Prospectus Directive.
Any person making or intending to make any offer of notes within the EEA should only do so in
circumstances in which no obligation arises for us or any of the underwriters to produce a
prospectus for such offer. Neither we nor the underwriters have authorized, nor do they authorize,
the making of any offer of notes through any financial intermediary, other than offers made by the
underwriters which constitute a final offering of notes contemplated in this prospectus supplement.
For the purposes of this provision, the expression an offer of the Offered Securities to the
public in relation to any Offered Securities in any Relevant Member State means the communication
in any form and by any means of sufficient information on the terms of the offer and the Offered
Securities to be offered so as to enable an investor to decide to purchase or subscribe the Offered
Securities, as the same may be varied in that Member State by any measure implementing the
Prospectus Directive in that Member State and the expression Prospectus Directive means Directive
2003/71/EC and includes any relevant implementing measure in each Relevant Member State.
This European Economic Area selling restriction is in addition to the other selling
restrictions set out below.
France
Each underwriter has represented, warranted and agreed that:
(a) no prospectus (including any amendment, supplement or replacement thereto) or any other
offering material in connection with the offering of the Offered Securities has been submitted to
the clearance procedures of the Autorité des marchés financiers or of the competent authority of
another State that is a contracting party to the Agreement on the European Economic Area and
notified to the Autorité des marchés financiers;
(b) it has not offered or sold and will not offer or sell, directly or indirectly, the Offered
Securities to the public in France, and has not released, issued, distributed or caused to be
released, issued or distributed to the public in France or used in connection with any offer for
subscription or sale of the Offered Securities, the Prospectus or any other offering material
relating to the Offered Securities, and that such offers, sales and distributions have been and
shall be made in France only (i) to qualified investors (investisseurs qualifiés) and/or a
restricted circle of investors (cercle restreint dinvestisseurs), in each case investing for their
own account and as provided in Articles L. 411-2, D. 411-1 to D. 411-4, D. 734-1, D. 744-1, D.
754-1 and D. 764-1 of the French Code monétaire et financier, or (ii) to investment services
providers authorized to engage in portfolio management on behalf of third parties, or (iii) in a
transaction that, in accordance with Article L.411-2-I-1°-or-2° -or 3° of the French Code monétaire
et financier and Article 211-2 of the General Regulations (Règlement Général) of the Autorité des
Marchés Financiers, does not constitute an offer of securities to the public (offre au public de
titres financiers); and
S-14
(c) the Offered Securities may be resold only in compliance with Articles L. 411-1, L. 411-2,
L. 412-1 and L. 621-8 to L. 621-8-3 of the French Code monétaire et financier.
United Kingdom
Each underwriter has represented, warranted and agreed that:
(a) it has only communicated or caused to be communicated and will only communicate or cause
to be communicated an invitation or inducement to engage in investment activity (within the meaning
of Section 21 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (the FSMA)) received by it in
connection with the issue or sale of any Offered Securities in circumstances in which Section 21(1)
of the FSMA does not apply to the Company or the Guarantor; and
(b) it has complied and will comply with all applicable provisions of the FSMA with respect to
anything done by it in relation to any Offered Securities in, from or otherwise involving the
United Kingdom.
S-15
PROSPECTUS
TOTAL S.A.
TOTAL CAPITAL
(A wholly-owned subsidiary of TOTAL S.A.)
FULLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY GUARANTEED
by
TOTAL S.A.
(GUARANTEED) DEBT SECURITIES
TOTAL S.A. or Total Capital may use this prospectus from time to time to offer debt
securities. Debt securities offered by Total Capital using this prospectus will be fully and
unconditionally guaranteed by TOTAL S.A., and are referred to as guaranteed debt securities in this
prospectus.
You should read this prospectus and the accompanying prospectus supplement carefully before
you invest. We may sell these securities to or through underwriters, and also to other purchasers
or through agents. The names of the underwriters will be set forth in the accompanying prospectus
supplement.
Investing in these securities involves certain risks. See Risk Factors beginning on page 5.
Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any other regulatory body has approved or
disapproved of these securities, or passed upon the accuracy or adequacy of this prospectus. Any
representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
Prospectus
dated May 19, 2009.
2
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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7 |
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7 |
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9 |
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9 |
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45 |
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45 |
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ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS
This prospectus is part of a registration statement that we filed with the U.S. Securities and
Exchange Commission, or the SEC, utilizing a shelf registration process. Under this shelf process,
we may sell the securities described in this prospectus in one or more offerings. This prospectus
provides you with a general description of the securities we may offer. Each time TOTAL S.A. or
Total Capital sells securities, we will provide a prospectus supplement that will contain specific
information about the terms of those securities and their offering. The prospectus supplement may
also add, update or change information contained in this prospectus. You should read both this
prospectus and any prospectus supplement together with the additional information described under
the heading Where You Can Find More Information About Us.
In this prospectus, the terms we, our and us refer either to TOTAL S.A. or, in
connection with an offering by Total Capital, both TOTAL S.A. and Total Capital, TOTAL refers to
TOTAL S.A., the Total Group refers to TOTAL and its subsidiaries, and Total Capital refers to
Total Capital. Any debt securities of Total Capital which are offered using this prospectus will be
fully and unconditionally guaranteed by TOTAL, and are referred to as guaranteed debt securities.
ENFORCEABILITY OF CERTAIN CIVIL LIABILITIES
TOTAL and Total Capital are sociétés anonymes incorporated under the laws of France. Many of our
directors and officers, and some of the experts named in this document, reside outside the United
States, principally in France. In addition, although we have assets in the United States, a large
portion of our assets and the assets of our directors and officers is located outside of the United
States. As a result, although we have appointed Corporation Service Company, 1133 Avenue of the
Americas, Suite 3100, New York, NY 10036 as agent for service of process under the registration
statement to which this prospectus relates, U.S. investors may find it difficult in a lawsuit based
on the civil liability provisions of the U.S. federal securities laws:
|
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|
to effect service within the United States upon us or our directors and officers
located outside the United States; |
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|
to enforce in U.S. courts or outside the United States judgments obtained against us or
those persons in the U.S. courts; |
|
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|
to enforce in U.S. courts judgments obtained against us or those persons in courts in
jurisdictions outside the United States; and |
3
|
|
|
to enforce against us or those persons in France, whether in original actions or in
actions for the enforcement of judgments of U.S. courts, civil liabilities based solely
upon the U.S. federal securities laws. |
4
RISK FACTORS
Investing in the securities offered using this prospectus involves risk. You should consider
carefully the risks described below, together with the risks described in the documents
incorporated by reference into this prospectus, and any risk factors included in the prospectus
supplement, before you decide to buy our securities. If any of these risks actually occurs, our
business, financial condition and results of operations could suffer, and the trading price and
liquidity of the securities offered using this prospectus could decline, in which case you may lose
all or part of your investment.
Risks Relating to TOTALs Business
You should read Risk Factors in TOTALs Annual Report on Form 20-F for the year ended
December 31, 2008, which is incorporated by reference in this prospectus, for information on risks
relating to TOTALs business.
Risks related to the offering and owning the debt securities
Since TOTAL is a holding company and currently conducts its operations through subsidiaries,
your right to receive payments on the debt securities and the guarantee is subordinated to the
other liabilities of TOTALs subsidiaries.
TOTAL is organized as a holding company, and substantially all of its operations are carried
on through subsidiaries. TOTALs principal source of income is the dividends and distributions it
receives from its subsidiaries. On an unconsolidated basis, TOTALs obligations consisted of 33,903
M of debt as of March 31, 2009. TOTALs ability to meet its financial obligations is dependent
upon the availability of cash flows from its domestic and foreign subsidiaries and affiliated
companies through dividends, intercompany advances, management fees and other payments. TOTALs
subsidiaries are not guarantors on the debt securities we may offer, either with TOTAL or Total
Capital as issuer. Moreover, these subsidiaries and affiliated companies are not required and may
not be able to pay dividends to TOTAL. Claims of the creditors of TOTALs subsidiaries have
priority as to the assets of such subsidiaries over the claims of creditors of TOTAL. Consequently,
holders of TOTALs debt securities or Total Capitals debt securities that are guaranteed by TOTAL
are in fact structurally subordinated, on TOTALs insolvency, to the prior claims of the creditors
of TOTALs subsidiaries.
In addition, some of TOTALs subsidiaries are subject to laws restricting the amount of
dividends they may pay. For example, these laws may prohibit dividend payments when net assets
would fall below subscribed share capital, when the subsidiary lacks available profits or when the
subsidiary fails to meet certain capital and reserve requirements. For example, French law
prohibits those subsidiaries incorporated in France from paying dividends unless these payments are
made out of distributable profits. These profits consist of accumulated, realized profits, which
have not been previously utilized, less accumulated, realized losses, which have not been
previously written off. Other statutory and general law obligations may also affect the ability of
directors of TOTALs subsidiaries to declare dividends and the ability of our subsidiaries to make
payments to us on account of intercompany loans.
Since the debt securities are unsecured, your right to receive payments may be adversely
affected.
The debt securities that we are offering will be unsecured. The debt securities are not
subordinated to any of our other debt obligations, and therefore they will rank equally with all
our other unsecured and unsubordinated indebtedness (save for certain mandatory exceptions provided
by French law). As of March 31, 2009, TOTAL had approximately 832 M of consolidated secured
indebtedness outstanding and Total Capital had no secured indebtedness outstanding. If either TOTAL
or Total Capital, as issuer of the debt securities, defaults on the debt securities (or the
guarantee in the case of TOTAL if it is relevant), or after bankruptcy, liquidation or
reorganization, then, to the extent the relevant obligor has granted security over its assets, the
assets that secure that entitys debts will be used to satisfy the obligations under that secured
debt before the obligor can make payment on the debt securities or the guarantee. There may only be
limited assets available to make payments on the debt securities or the guarantee in the event of
an acceleration of the debt securities. If there is not enough collateral to satisfy the
5
obligations of the secured debt, then the remaining amounts on the secured debt would share
equally with all unsubordinated unsecured indebtedness (save for certain mandatory exceptions
provided by French law).
6
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
Some of the information contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus and the
related prospectus supplement may constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the
safe harbor provisions of The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Although we have
based these forward-looking statements on our expectations and projections about future events, it
is possible that actual results may differ materially from our expectations. In many cases, we
include a discussion of the factors that are most likely to cause forward-looking statements to
differ from actual results together with the forward-looking statements themselves.
Information regarding important factors that could cause actual results to differ, perhaps
materially, from those in our forward looking statements is contained under Cautionary Statement
Concerning Forward-Looking Statements in our Annual Report on Form 20-F for 2008, which is
incorporated in this prospectus by reference (and will be contained in any of our annual reports
for a subsequent year that are so incorporated). See Where You Can Find More Information About
Us below for information about how to obtain a copy of this annual report.
In light of the factors set forth in the applicable Annual Report on Form 20-F and the other
factors described in this prospectus, the forward-looking events might not occur at all or may
occur differently than as described. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any
forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information or future events or for any
other reason.
WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION ABOUT US
TOTAL files annual reports and other reports and information with the SEC. You may read and
copy any document TOTAL files at the SECs public reference room at 100 F Street, N.E.,
Washington, D.C. 20549. Please call the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330 for further information on the public
reference room. In addition, TOTALs SEC filings are available to the public at the SECs web site
at http://www.sec.gov.
TOTALs American depositary shares are listed on the New York Stock Exchange. The principal
trading market for TOTALs shares is Euronext Paris. TOTALs shares are also listed on Euronext
Brussels and the London Stock Exchange. You can consult reports and other information about TOTAL
that it files pursuant to the rules of the New York Stock Exchange at such exchange.
TOTAL has filed with the SEC a registration statement on Form F-3 relating to the securities
covered by this prospectus. This prospectus is a part of the registration statement and does not
contain all the information in the registration statement. Whenever a reference is made in this
prospectus to a contract or other document of TOTAL, the reference is only a summary and you should
refer to the exhibits that are a part of the registration statement for a copy of the contract or
other document. You may review a copy of the registration statement at the SECs public reference
room in Washington, D.C., as well as through the SECs Internet site.
The SEC allows TOTAL to incorporate by reference into this prospectus the information in
documents filed with the SEC. This means that TOTAL can disclose important information to you by
referring you to those documents. Each document incorporated by reference is current only as of the
date of such document, and the incorporation by reference of such documents shall not create any
implication that there has been no change in our affairs since the date thereof or that the
information contained therein is current as of any time subsequent to its date. The information
incorporated by reference is considered to be a part of this prospectus and should be read with the
same care. When TOTAL updates the information contained in documents that have been incorporated by
reference by making future filings with the SEC, the information incorporated by reference in this
prospectus is considered to be automatically updated and superseded. In other words, in the case of
a conflict or inconsistency between information contained in this prospectus and information
incorporated by reference into this prospectus, you should rely on the information contained in the
document that was filed later.
7
TOTAL incorporates by reference the documents listed below and any documents TOTAL files with
the SEC in the future under Section 13(a), 13(c) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
(the Exchange Act) until the offerings made under this prospectus are completed:
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the Annual Report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2008, filed with the SEC
on April 3, 2009; and |
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the Report on Form 6-K furnished to the SEC on May 19, 2009. |
Furthermore, TOTAL incorporates by reference any reports on Form 6-K furnished to the SEC by
TOTAL pursuant to the Exchange Act that indicate on their cover page that they are incorporated by
reference in this prospectus, both after the date of the initial registration statement, and after
the date of this prospectus and before the date that any offering of the securities by means of
this prospectus is terminated.
The Annual Report on Form 20-F of TOTAL for the year ended December 31, 2008 contains a
summary description of TOTALs business and audited consolidated financial statements with an
auditors report by TOTALs independent registered public accounting firms. These financial
statements were prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) as
issued by the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB), which we refer to herein as IFRS.
You may request a copy of these filings, other than an exhibit to a filing unless that exhibit
is specifically incorporated by reference into that filing, at no cost, by writing to or
telephoning TOTAL at the following address:
TOTAL S.A.
2, place Jean Millier
La Défense 6
92078 Paris La Défense Cedex
France
(011) 331 4744 4546
You should rely only on the information that we incorporate by reference or provide in this
prospectus or the prospectus supplement. We have not authorized anyone to provide you with
different information. We are not making an offer of these securities in any jurisdiction where the
offer is not permitted. You should not assume that the information in this prospectus or the
prospectus supplement is accurate as of any date other than the date on the front of those
documents.
8
TOTAL S.A.
TOTAL was incorporated on March 28, 1924 and has a duration until March 22, 2099, unless
earlier dissolved or extended to a later date. TOTAL engages in all aspects of the petroleum
industry, including upstream operations (oil and gas exploration, development and production, LNG)
and downstream operations (refining, marketing and the trading and shipping of crude oil and
petroleum products). TOTAL also produces base chemicals (petrochemicals and fertilizers) and
specialty chemicals for the industrial and consumer markets. TOTAL began its upstream operations in
the Middle East in 1924. Since that time, the Company has grown and expanded its operations
worldwide. Most notably, in early 1999 TOTAL acquired control of PetroFina S.A. (Petrofina or
Fina) and in early 2000, TOTAL acquired control of Elf Aquitaine S.A. (Elf Aquitaine or Elf).
TOTAL currently owns 99.5% of Elf Aquitaine shares and, since early 2002, 100% of PetroFina shares.
The Total Group operated under the name TotalFina from June 1999 to March 2000, and then under the
name TotalFinaElf. Since May 2003, the Total Group has been operating once again under the name
TOTAL.
TOTAL CAPITAL
Total Capital is a wholly-owned indirect subsidiary of TOTAL. It was incorporated as a société
anonyme under the laws of France on December 15, 1999 under the name of DAJA 22, renamed
TotalFinaElf Capital on July 17, 2000 and renamed Total Capital in May 2003. Total Capital is a
financing vehicle for the Total Group and issues debt securities and commercial paper on behalf of
the Total Group. Total Capital lends substantially all proceeds of its borrowings to the Total
Group. TOTAL will fully and unconditionally guarantee the guaranteed debt securities issued by
Total Capital as to payment of principal, premium, if any, interest and any other amounts due.
9
USE OF PROCEEDS
Unless otherwise indicated in an accompanying prospectus supplement, the net proceeds from the
sale of securities will be used for general corporate purposes. These purposes include working
capital for TOTAL or other companies in the Total Group and the repayment of existing borrowings of
TOTAL and its subsidiaries.
10
DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES AND GUARANTEE
General
TOTAL may issue debt securities or Total Capital may issue guaranteed debt securities using
this prospectus. As required by U.S. federal law for all bonds and notes of companies that are
publicly offered, the debt securities that TOTAL may issue are governed by a contract between TOTAL
and The Bank of New York Mellon, as trustee, called an indenture. In the same manner, the
guaranteed debt securities that Total Capital may issue are governed by another, separate indenture
among Total Capital, TOTAL and The Bank of New York Mellon, as trustee.
The trustee under the indentures has two main roles:
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first, it can enforce your rights against us if we default. There are some limitations
on the extent to which the trustee acts on your behalf, described under Default and
Related Matters Events of Default Remedies If an Event of Default Occurs below; and |
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second, the trustee performs administrative duties for us, such as sending you interest
payments, transferring your debt securities to a new buyer if you sell your debt
securities and sending you notices. |
Under the indenture for the guaranteed debt securities that may be issued by Total Capital,
TOTAL acts as the guarantor. For the guaranteed debt securities that Total Capital may issue using
this prospectus, TOTAL will fully and unconditionally guarantee the payment of the principal of,
premium, if any, and interest on the guaranteed debt securities, including certain additional
amounts which may be payable under the debt securities and the guarantee, as described under
Special Situations Payment of Additional Amounts. TOTAL will guarantee the payment of such
amounts when such amounts become due and payable, whether at the stated maturity of the guaranteed
debt securities, by declaration or acceleration, call for redemption or otherwise.
In other respects, the guaranteed debt securities are subject to the same material provisions
as the other debt securities described below.
Each indenture and its associated documents contain the full legal text governing the matters
described in this section. The indentures, the debt securities and the guarantee are governed by
New York law. We and the trustee have agreed to, and each holder of a debt security by its
acceptance thereof agrees to, waive the right to trial by jury with respect to any legal proceeding
directly or indirectly arising out of or relating to the indentures or the debt securities. A form
of each indenture is an exhibit to our registration statement. See Where You Can Find More
Information About Us for information on how to obtain a copy.
The trustee will not be liable for special, indirect or consequential damages and will not be
liable for any failure of its obligations caused by circumstances beyond its reasonable control.
This section summarizes the material provisions of the indentures, the debt securities and,
for the case of guaranteed debt securities, the guarantee. However, because it is a summary, it
does not describe every aspect of the indentures, the debt securities or the guarantee. This
summary is subject to and qualified in its entirety by reference to all the provisions of the
indentures, including some of the terms used in the indentures. We describe the meaning for only
the more important terms. We also include references in parentheses to some sections of the
indentures. Whenever we refer to particular sections or defined terms of the indentures in this
prospectus or in the prospectus supplement, those sections or defined terms are incorporated by
reference herein or in the prospectus supplement. This summary also is subject to and qualified by
reference to the description of the particular terms of your series described in the prospectus
supplement.
TOTAL and Total Capital may issue as many distinct series of debt securities under their
respective indentures as we wish. This section summarizes all material terms of the debt securities
that are common to all series, unless otherwise indicated in the prospectus supplement relating to
a particular series. References to we and us in this section refer to either TOTAL, or in
connection with an offering of guaranteed debt securities, both TOTAL and Total Capital unless
otherwise indicated.
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We may issue the debt securities as original issue discount securities, which are debt
securities that are offered and sold at a substantial discount to their stated principal amount.
(Section 101) Special U.S. federal income tax, accounting and other considerations may apply to
original issue discount securities. These considerations are discussed below under Tax
Considerations United States Federal Income Taxation. The debt securities may also be issued as
indexed securities or securities denominated in foreign currencies or currency units, as described
in more detail in the prospectus supplement relating to any such debt securities.
Unless otherwise specified in a prospectus supplement, we may issue debt securities of the
same series as an outstanding series of debt securities without the consent of holders of
securities in the outstanding series. Any additional debt securities so issued will have the same
terms as the existing debt securities of the same series in all respects (except for the first
interest payment on the new series, if any), so that such additional debt securities will be
consolidated and form a single series with the existing debt securities of the same series.
In addition, the specific financial, legal and other terms particular to a series of debt
securities are described in the prospectus supplement and the purchase agreement relating to the
series. Those terms may vary from the terms described here. Accordingly, this summary also is
subject to and qualified by reference to the description of the terms of the series described in
the prospectus supplement.
The prospectus supplement relating to a series of debt securities will describe the following
terms of the series:
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the title of the series of debt securities; |
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any limit on the aggregate principal amount of the series of debt securities; |
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any stock exchange, if any, on which we list the series of debt securities; |
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the date or dates on which we will pay the principal of the series of debt securities; |
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the rate or rates, which may be fixed or variable, per annum at which the series of
debt securities will bear interest, if any, and the date or dates from which that
interest, if any, will accrue; |
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the dates on which interest, if any, on the series of debt securities will be payable
and the regular record dates for the interest payment dates; |
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any mandatory or optional sinking funds or analogous provisions or provisions for
redemption at the option of the holder; |
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the date, if any, after which and the price or prices at which the series of debt
securities may, in accordance with any optional or mandatory redemption provisions that
are not described in this prospectus, be redeemed and the other detailed terms and
provisions of those optional or mandatory redemption provisions, if any; |
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the denominations in which the series of debt securities will be issuable if other than
denominations of $1,000 and any integral multiple of $1,000; |
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the currency of payment of principal of, premium, if any, and interest on the series of
debt securities if other than the currency of the United States of America and the manner
of determining the equivalent amount in the currency of the United States of America, if
applicable; |
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any index used to determine the amount of payment of principal of, premium, if any, and
interest on the series of debt securities; |
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whether we will be required to pay additional amounts for withholding taxes or other
governmental charges and, if applicable, a related right to an optional tax redemption for
such a series; |
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whether the series of debt securities will be issuable in whole or in part in the form
of a global security as described under Legal Ownership Global Securities, and the
depositary or its nominee with respect to the series of debt securities, and any special
circumstances under which the global security may be registered for transfer or exchange
in the name of a person other than the depositary or its nominee; and |
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any other special features of the series of debt securities. |
The debt securities will be issued only in fully registered form without interest coupons.
Legal Ownership
Street Name and Other Indirect Holders
We generally will not recognize investors who hold securities in accounts at banks or brokers
as legal holders of securities. When we refer to the holders of securities, we mean only the actual
legal and (if applicable) record holder of those securities. Holding securities in accounts at
banks or brokers is called holding in street name. If you hold securities in street name, we will
recognize only the bank or broker or the financial institution the bank or broker uses to hold its
securities. These intermediary banks, brokers and other financial institutions pass along
principal, interest and other payments on the securities, either because they agree to do so in
their customer agreements or because they are legally required to do so. If you hold securities in
street name, you should check with your own institution to find out:
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how it handles securities payments and notices; |
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whether it imposes fees or charges; |
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how it would handle voting if it were ever required to vote; |
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whether and how you can instruct it to send you securities registered in your own name
so you can be a direct holder as described below; and |
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how it would pursue rights under the securities if there were a default or other event
triggering the need for holders to act to protect their interests. |
Direct Holders
Our obligations, as well as the obligations of the trustee and those of any third parties
employed by us or the trustee, under the securities run only to persons who are registered as
holders of securities. As noted above, we do not have obligations to you if you hold in street name
or other indirect means, either because you choose to hold securities in that manner or because the
securities are issued in the form of global securities as described below. For example, once we
make payment to the registered holder, we have no further responsibility for the payment even if
that holder is legally required to pass the payment along to you as a street name customer but does
not do so.
Global Securities
What is a Global Security? A global security is a special type of indirectly held security, as
described above under Street Name and Other Indirect Holders. If we choose to issue securities in
the form of global securities, the ultimate beneficial owners can only be indirect holders.
We require that the securities included in the global security not be transferred to the name
of any other direct holder unless the special circumstances described below occur. The financial
institution that acts as the sole direct holder of the global security is called the depositary.
Any person wishing to own a security must do so indirectly by virtue of an account with a broker,
bank or other financial institution that in turn has an account with the depositary. The prospectus
supplement relating to an offering of a series of securities will indicate whether the series will
be issued only in the form of global securities.
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Special Investor Considerations for Global Securities. As an indirect holder, an investors
rights relating to a global security will be governed by the account rules of the investors
financial institution and of the depositary, as well as general laws relating to securities
transfers. We do not recognize this type of investor as a holder of securities and instead deal
only with the depositary that holds the global security.
If you are an investor in securities that are issued only in the form of global securities,
you should be aware that:
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You cannot get securities registered in your own name. |
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You cannot receive physical certificates for your interest in the securities. |
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You will be a street name holder and must look to your own bank or broker for payments
on the securities and protection of your legal rights relating to the securities, as
explained earlier under Street Name and Other Indirect Holders. |
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You may not be able to sell interests in the securities to some insurance companies and
other institutions that are required by law to own their securities in the form of
physical certificates. |
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The depositarys policies will govern payments, transfers, exchange and other matters
relating to your interest in the global security. We and the trustee have no
responsibility for any aspect of the depositarys actions or for its records of ownership
interests in the global security. We and the trustee also do not supervise the depositary
in any way. |
Special Situations When the Global Security Will Be Terminated. In a few special situations
described below, the global security will terminate and interests in it will be exchanged for
physical certificates representing securities. After that exchange, the choice of whether to hold
securities directly or in street name will be up to the investor. Investors must consult their own
bank or brokers to find out how to have their interests in securities transferred to their own name
so that they will be direct holders. The rights of street name investors and direct holders in the
securities have been previously described in the subsections entitled Street Name and Other
Indirect Holders and Direct Holders.
The special situations for termination of a global security are:
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When the depositary notifies us that it is unwilling, unable or no longer qualified to
continue as depositary. |
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When an event of default on the securities has occurred and has not been cured.
Defaults on debt securities are discussed below under Description of Debt Securities and
Guarantee Default and Related Matters Events of Default. |
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When the issuer or guarantor notifies the trustee that the global security is
exchangeable for physical certificates. |
The prospectus supplement may also list additional situations for terminating a global
security that would apply only to the particular series of securities covered by the prospectus
supplement. When a global security terminates, the depositary, and not we or the trustee, is
responsible for deciding the names of the institutions that will be the initial direct holders.
In the remainder of this description of debt securities you means direct holders and not street
name or other indirect holders of securities. Indirect holders should read the previous subsection
entitled Street Name and Other Indirect Holders.
Overview of Remainder of This Description
The remainder of this description summarizes:
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Additional mechanics relevant to the debt securities under normal circumstances, such
as how you transfer ownership and where we make payments. |
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Your rights under several special situations, such as if we merge with another company
or if we want to change a term of the debt securities. |
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Your rights to receive payment of additional amounts due to changes in French tax
withholding or deduction requirements. |
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Your rights if we default or experience other financial difficulties. |
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Our relationship with the trustee. |
Additional Mechanics
Exchange and Transfer
The debt securities will be issued:
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only in fully registered form; |
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without interest coupons; and |
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unless otherwise indicated in the prospectus supplement, in denominations that are even
multiples of $1,000. |
You may have your debt securities broken into more debt securities of smaller denominations or
combined into fewer debt securities of larger denominations, as long as the total principal amount
is not changed. (Section 305) This is called an exchange.
You may exchange or transfer registered debt securities at the office of the trustee. The
trustee acts as our agent for registering debt securities in the names of holders and transferring
registered debt securities. We may change this appointment to another entity or perform the service
ourselves. The entity performing the role of maintaining the list of registered holders is called
the security registrar. It will also register transfers of the registered debt securities.
(Section 305)
You will not be required to pay a service charge to transfer or exchange debt securities, but
you may be required to pay for any tax or other governmental charge associated with the exchange or
transfer. The transfer or exchange of a registered debt security will only be made if the security
registrar is satisfied with your proof of ownership.
If we have designated additional transfer agents, they are named in the prospectus supplement.
We may cancel the designation of any particular transfer agent. We may also approve a change in the
office through which any transfer agent acts. (Section 1002)
If the debt securities are redeemable and we redeem less than all of the debt securities of a
particular series, we may block the transfer or exchange of debt securities during a specified
period of time in order to freeze the list of holders to prepare the mailing. The period begins
15 days before the day we mail the notice of redemption and ends on the day of that mailing. We may
also refuse to register transfers or exchanges of debt securities selected for redemption. However,
we will continue to permit transfers and exchanges of the unredeemed portion of any security being
partially redeemed. (Section 305)
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Payment and Paying Agents
We will pay interest to you if you are a direct holder listed in the trustees records at the
close of business on a particular day in advance of each due date for interest, even if you no
longer own the security on the interest due date. That particular day, usually about two weeks in
advance of the interest due date, is called the regular record date and is stated in the prospectus
supplement. (Section 307)
We will pay interest, principal and any other money due on the registered debt securities at
the corporate trust office of the trustee in New York City. That office is currently located at The
Bank of New York Mellon, 101 Barclay Street, New York, New York 10286. You must make arrangements
to have your payments picked up at or wired from that office. We may also choose to pay interest by
mailing checks. Interest on global securities will be paid to the holder thereof by wire transfer.
Holders buying and selling debt securities must work out between them how to compensate for
the fact that we will pay all the interest for an interest period to the one who is the registered
holder on the regular record date. The most common manner is to adjust the sales price of the debt
securities to pro rate interest fairly between buyer and seller. This pro rated interest amount is
called accrued interest.
Street name and other indirect holders should consult their banks or brokers for information on how
they will receive payments.
We may also arrange for additional payment offices, and may cancel or change these offices,
including our use of the trustees corporate trust office. These offices are called paying agents.
We may also choose to act as our own paying agent. We must notify you through the trustee of
changes in the paying agents for any particular series of debt securities. (Section 1002)
Notices
We and the trustee will send notices only to direct holders, using their addresses as listed
in the trustees records. (Section 106)
Regardless of who acts as paying agent, all money that we pay to a paying agent that remains
unclaimed at the end of two years after the amount is due to direct holders will be repaid to us.
After that two-year period, you may look only to us for payment and not to the trustee, any other
paying agent or anyone else. (Section 1006)
Special Situations
Mergers and Similar Events
We are generally permitted to consolidate or merge with another company or firm. We are also
permitted to sell or lease substantially all of our assets to another corporation or other entity
or to buy or lease substantially all of the assets of another corporation or other entity. In
addition, we are permitted to transfer:
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the obligations of Total Capital to TOTAL or any majority-owned subsidiary of TOTAL;
and |
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the obligations of TOTAL, as issuer of debt securities, to any majority-owned
subsidiary of TOTAL, so long as the obligations of that subsidiary are guaranteed by TOTAL
on the same terms as TOTALs guarantee of Total Capitals debt securities. |
Solely in the case of a transfer of Total Capitals obligations to TOTAL, the guarantee of
TOTAL will cease to exist without further action on our part.
No vote by holders of debt securities approving any of these actions is required, unless as
part of the transaction we make changes to the applicable indenture requiring your approval, as
described below under
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Modification and Waiver. We may take these actions as part of a transaction involving outside
third parties or as part of an internal corporate reorganization. We may take these actions even if
they result in:
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a lower credit rating being assigned to the debt securities; or |
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additional amounts becoming payable in respect of withholding tax. |
Except as provided below, we have no obligation under the indentures to seek to avoid these
results, or any other legal or financial effects that are disadvantageous to you, in connection
with a merger, consolidation or sale or lease of assets that is permitted under the indentures.
However, we may not take any of these actions unless all the following conditions are met:
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Where TOTAL or Total Capital merges out of existence or sells or leases substantially
all of its assets, or transfers its obligations to a substitute obligor, the other entity
must be duly organized and validly existing under the laws of the relevant jurisdiction. |
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The merger, sale or lease of assets or other transaction, or the transfer of
obligations to a substitute obligor, must not cause a default on the debt securities, and
we must not already be in default. For purposes of this no-default test, a default would
include an event of default that has occurred and not been cured, as described below under
Default and Related Matters Events of Default What is An Event of Default? A default
for this purpose would also include any event that would be an event of default if the
requirements for giving us default notice or our default having to exist for a specific
period of time were disregarded. |
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If either TOTAL or Total Capital merges out of existence or sells or leases
substantially all of its assets, or transfers its obligations to a substitute obligor, the
other entity must assume its obligations under the applicable indenture, debt securities
and guarantee, including TOTALs and Total Capitals obligations to pay additional amounts
described below under Payment of Additional Amounts. In the event the jurisdiction of
incorporation of the successor or substitute obligor is not the Republic of France, such
successor or substitute obligor shall also agree to be bound to the obligations described
below under Payment of Additional Amounts and Optional Tax Redemption but shall
substitute the successors or substitute obligors jurisdiction of incorporation for the
Republic of France. |
It is possible that the U.S. Internal Revenue Service may deem a merger or other similar
transaction to cause an exchange for U.S. federal income tax purposes of debt securities for new
securities by the holders of the debt securities. This could result in the recognition of taxable
gain or loss for U.S. federal income tax purposes and possible other adverse tax consequences.
Modification and Waiver
There are three types of changes we can make to the indentures and the debt securities.
Changes Requiring Your Approval. First, there are changes that cannot be made to your debt
securities without your specific approval, for example, by calling a meeting of holders and seeking
a 100% quorum and unanimous consent, or, more likely, by obtaining written consents from each
holder. We must obtain your specified approval in order to:
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change the stated maturity of the principal or interest on a debt security; |
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reduce any amounts due on a debt security; |
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reduce the amount of principal payable upon acceleration of the maturity of a debt
security following a default; |
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change the place or currency of payment on a debt security; |
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impair your right to sue for payment; |
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reduce the percentage of holders of debt securities whose consent is needed to modify
or amend the applicable indenture; |
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reduce the percentage of holders of debt securities whose consent is needed to waive
compliance with various provisions of the applicable indenture or to waive various
defaults; |
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modify any other aspect of the provisions dealing with modification and waiver of the
applicable indenture; and |
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in the case of guaranteed debt securities, change in any manner adverse to the
interests of holders the obligations of TOTAL to pay any principal, premium or interest
under the guarantee. (Section 902) |
Changes Requiring a Majority Vote. The second type of change to the indentures and the debt
securities is the kind that requires a vote in favor by holders of debt securities owning a
majority of the principal amount of the particular series affected. Most changes fall into this
category, except for clarifying changes and other changes that would not adversely affect holders
of the debt securities in any material respect. (Section 901) The same vote would be required for
us to obtain a waiver of all or part of the covenants described below, or a waiver of a past
default. However, we cannot obtain a waiver of a payment default or any other aspect of the
indentures or the debt securities described previously under Changes Requiring Your Approval
unless we obtain your individual consent, for example, by calling a meeting of holders and seeking
a 100% quorum and unanimous consent, or, more likely, by obtaining written consents from each
holder, to the waiver. (Section 513)
Changes Not Requiring Approval. The third type of change does not require any vote by holders
of debt securities. This type is limited to clarifications and other changes that would not
adversely affect holders of the debt securities in any material respect. (Section 901)
Further Details Concerning Voting. When taking a vote, we will use the following rules to
decide how much principal amount to attribute to a security:
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For original issue discount securities, we will use the principal amount that would be
due and payable on the voting date if the maturity of the debt securities were accelerated
to that date because of a default. |
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For debt securities whose principal amount is not known (for example, because it is
based on an index), we will use a special rule for that security described in the
prospectus supplement. |
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For debt securities denominated in one or more foreign currencies or currency units, we
will use the U.S. dollar equivalent as of the date of original issuance. |
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Debt securities will not be considered outstanding, and therefore not eligible to vote,
if we have deposited or set aside in trust for you money for their payment or redemption.
Debt securities will also not be eligible to vote if they have been fully defeased as
described later under Covenants Defeasance and Discharge. (Section 101) |
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We will generally be entitled to set any day as a record date for the purpose of
determining the holders of outstanding debt securities that are entitled to vote or take
other action under the applicable indenture (or failing us in certain circumstances, the
trustee). If we set a record date for a vote or other action to be taken by holders of a
particular series, that vote or action may be taken only by persons who are holders of
outstanding debt securities of that series on the record date and must be taken within
90 days following the record date or another period that we may specify (or as the trustee
may specify, if it set the record date). We may shorten or lengthen (but not beyond
90 days) this period from time to time. (Sections 501, 502, 512, 513 and 902) |
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Street name and other indirect holders should consult their banks or brokers for information on how
approval may be granted or denied if we seek to change the indentures or the debt securities or
request a waiver.
Redemption and Repayment
Unless otherwise indicated in the prospectus supplement, your debt security will not be
entitled to the benefit of any sinking fund that is, we will not deposit money on a regular basis
into any separate custodial account to repay your debt securities. In addition, we will not be
entitled to redeem your debt security before its stated maturity, other than as described below
under Optional Tax Redemption, unless the prospectus supplement specifies a redemption
commencement date or other specific conditions upon which we may redeem the debt securities. You
will not be entitled to require us to buy your debt security from you, before its stated maturity,
unless the related prospectus supplement specifies one or more repayment dates.
In the event that we exercise an option to redeem any debt security, we will give written
notice of the principal amount of the debt security to be redeemed to the trustee at least 45 days
before the applicable redemption date and to the holder not less than 30 days nor more than 60 days
before the applicable redemption date. We will give the notice in the manner described above under
Additional Mechanics Notices.
If a debt security represented by a global security is subject to repayment at the holders
option, the depositary or its nominee, as the holder, will be the only person that can exercise the
right to repayment. Any indirect holders who own beneficial interests in the global security and
wish to exercise a repayment right must give proper and timely instructions to their banks or
brokers through which they hold their interests, requesting that they notify the depositary to
exercise the repayment right on their behalf. Different firms have different deadlines for
accepting instructions from their customers, and you should take care to act promptly enough to
ensure that your request is given effect by the depositary before the applicable deadline for
exercise.
Street name and other indirect holders should contact their banks or brokers for information about
how to exercise a repayment right in a timely manner.
We or our affiliates may purchase debt securities from investors who are willing to sell from
time to time, either in the open market at prevailing prices or in private transactions at
negotiated prices. Debt securities that we or they purchase may, in our discretion, be held, resold
or canceled.
Payment of Additional Amounts
We will make payments on the debt securities without withholding any taxes unless otherwise
required to do so by law. If the Republic of France or any tax authority therein requires Total
Capital or TOTAL to withhold or deduct amounts from payment on a debt security or any amounts to be
paid under the guarantee in respect of guaranteed debt securities or as additional amounts for or
on account of taxes or any other governmental charges, or any other jurisdiction requires such
withholding or deduction as a result of a merger or similar event, Total Capital or TOTAL may be
required to pay you an additional amount so that the net amount you receive will be the amount
specified in the debt security to which you are entitled.
Neither Total Capital nor TOTAL will have to pay additional amounts under any of the following
circumstances:
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The holder of the debt securities (or a third party holding on behalf of the holder) is
subject to such tax or governmental charge by reason of having some connection to the
Republic of France, or the other jurisdiction requiring such withholding or deduction,
other than the mere holding of the debt security. |
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The tax or governmental charge is imposed due to the presentation of a debt security,
if presentation is required, for payment on a date more than 30 days after the security
became due or after the payment was provided for, whichever occurs later. |
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The tax or governmental charge is on account of an estate, inheritance, gift, sale,
transfer, personal property or similar tax or other governmental charge. |
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The tax or governmental charge is for a tax or governmental charge that is payable in a
manner that does not involve withholding or deduction. |
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The tax or governmental charge is imposed or withheld because the holder or beneficial
owner failed: |
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to provide information about the nationality, residence or identity of the holder or
beneficial owner; or |
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to make a declaration or satisfy any information requirements that the statutes,
treaties, regulations or administrative practices of the taxing jurisdiction require as
a precondition to exemption from all or part of such tax or governmental charge. |
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The withholding or deduction is imposed pursuant to the European Union Directive
2003/48/EC regarding the taxation of savings income or any other directive amending, supplementing or replacing such directive, or any
law implementing or complying with, or introduced in order to conform to, such directive or directives. |
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The withholding or deduction is imposed on a holder or beneficial owner who could have
avoided such withholding or deduction by presenting its debt securities to another paying
agent. |
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The holder is a fiduciary or partnership or an entity that is not the sole beneficial
owner of the payment of the principal of, or any interest on, any debt security, and the
laws of the jurisdiction require the payment to be included in the income of a beneficiary
or settlor for tax purposes with respect to such fiduciary or a member of such partnership
or a beneficial owner who would not have been entitled to such additional amounts had it
been the holder of such security. |
These provisions will also apply to any taxes or governmental charges imposed by any
jurisdiction in which a successor to, or substitute obligor of, Total Capital or TOTAL is
organized, except that the name of the jurisdiction of the successor or substitute obligor shall be
substituted for the Republic of France.
The prospectus supplement relating to the debt securities may describe additional
circumstances in which Total Capital would not be required to pay additional amounts.
(Section 1010) By the terms of the guarantee, if under the terms of the debt securities set forth
in the prospectus supplement Total Capital is not required to pay any additional amounts, then
TOTAL as guarantor shall not be required to pay additional amounts under the guarantee, unless the
guarantee has been modified or amended as described in the applicable prospectus supplement.
Please see the discussion under Tax Considerations French Taxation Taxation of Income
Additional Amounts for a summary of the treatment of additional amounts under French tax law.
Optional Tax Redemption
We may also have the option to redeem the debt securities of a given series if, as a result of
any change in French tax treatment (or treatment of any jurisdiction in which a successor to, or
substitute obligor of, Total Capital or TOTAL is organized), Total Capital or TOTAL would be
required to pay additional amounts as described above under Payment of Additional Amounts. This
option applies only in the case of changes in such tax treatment that occur on or after the date
specified in the prospectus supplement for the applicable series of debt securities (or in the case
of a successor entity, after the date of succession). The redemption price for the debt securities,
other than original issue discount debt securities, will be equal to the principal amount of the
debt securities being redeemed plus accrued interest. The redemption price for original issue
discount debt securities will be specified in the prospectus supplement for such securities.
(Section 1108)
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Defeasance and Discharge
The following discussion of defeasance and discharge will be applicable to your series of debt
securities, unless the related prospectus supplement states otherwise. (Section 403)
Each indenture contains a provision that permits us to elect:
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to be discharged after 90 days from all our obligations (subject to limited exceptions)
with respect to any series of debt securities then outstanding; and/or |
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to be released from our obligations under some of the covenants and from the
consequences of an event of default resulting from a breach of such covenants. |
We can legally release ourselves from any payment or other obligations on the debt securities
under either of the above elections, except for various obligations described below, if we, in
addition to other actions, put in place the following arrangements for you to be repaid:
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We must deposit in trust for your benefit and the benefit of all other direct holders
of the debt securities a combination of money and U.S. government or U.S. government
agency notes or bonds that will generate enough cash to make interest, principal and any
other payments on the debt securities on their various due dates. In addition, on the date
of such deposit, we must not be in default. For purposes of this no-default test, a
default would include an event of default that has occurred and not been cured, as
described below under Default and Related Matters Events of Default What is An Event
of Default? A default for this purpose would also include any event that would be an
event of default if the requirements for giving us default notice or our default having to
exist for a specific period of time were disregarded. |
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We must deliver to the trustee a legal opinion of our counsel confirming that under
current U.S. federal income tax law we may make the above deposit without causing you to
be taxed on the debt securities any differently than if we did not make the deposit and
just repaid the debt securities ourselves in accordance with their terms. In the case of
debt securities being discharged, we must deliver along with this opinion a private letter
ruling from the U.S. Internal Revenue Service to this effect or a revenue ruling
pertaining to a comparable form of transaction published by the U.S. Internal Revenue
Service to the same effect. |
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If the debt securities are listed on the New York Stock Exchange, we must deliver to
the trustee a legal opinion of our counsel confirming that the deposit, defeasance and
discharge will not cause the debt securities to be delisted. |
However, even if we take these actions, a number of our obligations relating to the debt
securities will remain. These include the following obligations:
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to register the transfer and exchange of debt securities; |
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to replace mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen debt securities; |
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to maintain paying agencies; and |
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to hold money for payment in trust. |
Default and Related Matters
Ranking
The debt securities are not secured by any of our property or assets. Accordingly, your
ownership of debt securities means you are one of our unsecured creditors. The debt securities are
not subordinated to any of our other
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debt obligations and therefore they rank equally with all our other unsecured and
unsubordinated indebtedness (save for certain mandatory exceptions provided by French law).
Events of Default
You will have special rights if an event of default occurs and is not cured, as described
later in this subsection.
What Is an Event of Default? The term event of default means any of the following:
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We do not pay the principal or any premium on a debt security at maturity. |
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We do not pay interest on a debt security within 30 days of its due date. |
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We remain in breach of a covenant or any other term of the applicable indenture for
90 days after we receive a notice of default stating we are in breach. The notice must be
sent by either the trustee or holders of 25% of the principal amount of debt securities of
the affected series. |
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We file for bankruptcy or certain other events in bankruptcy, insolvency or
reorganization occur. |
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In respect of guaranteed debt securities issued by Total Capital, the guarantee is not
(or is claimed by TOTAL or Total Capital not to be) in full force and effect. |
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Any other event of default described in the prospectus supplement occurs. (Section 501) |
Remedies If an Event of Default Occurs. If an event of default has occurred and has not been
cured, the trustee or the holders of 25% in principal amount of the debt securities of the affected
series may declare the entire principal amount of all the debt securities of that series to be due
and immediately payable. This is called a declaration of acceleration of maturity. A declaration of
acceleration of maturity may be canceled by the holders of at least a majority in principal amount
of the debt securities of the affected series if certain conditions are met. (Section 502)
Except in cases of default, where the trustee has some special duties, the trustee is not
required to take any action under the indentures at the request of any holders unless the holders
offer the trustee reasonable protection from expenses and liability. This protection is called an
indemnity. (Section 603) If reasonable indemnity is provided, the holders of a majority in
principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of the relevant series may direct the time,
method and place of conducting any lawsuit or other formal legal action seeking any remedy
available to the trustee. These majority holders may also direct the trustee in performing any
other action under the indentures. (Section 512)
Before you bypass the trustee and bring your own lawsuit or other formal legal action or take
other steps to enforce your rights or protect your interests relating to the debt securities, the
following must occur:
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You must give the trustee written notice that an event of default has occurred and
remains uncured. |
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The holders of 25% in principal amount of all outstanding debt securities of the
relevant series must make a written request that the trustee take action because of the
default, and must offer reasonable indemnity to the trustee against the cost and other
liabilities of taking that action. |
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The trustee must have not taken action for 60 days after receipt of the above notice
and offer of indemnity. |
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No direction inconsistent with such written request must have been given to the trustee
during such 60-day period by holders of a majority in principal amount of all outstanding
debt securities of that series. (Section 507) |
Nothing, however, will prevent an individual holder from bringing suit to enforce payment.
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Street name and other indirect holders should consult their banks or brokers for information on how
to give notice or direction to or make a request of the trustee and to make or cancel a declaration
of acceleration.
We will furnish to the trustee every year a written statement of certain of our officers
certifying that, to their knowledge, we are in compliance with the indentures and the debt
securities, or else specifying any default. (Section 1008)
Regarding the Trustee
TOTAL and several of its subsidiaries maintain banking relations with the trustee and its
affiliates in the ordinary course of their business.
If an event of default occurs, or an event occurs that would be an event of default if the
requirements for giving us default notice or our default having to exist for a specific period of
time were disregarded, the trustee may be considered to have a conflicting interest with respect to
the debt securities or the applicable indenture for purposes of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as
amended. In that case, the trustee may be required to resign as trustee under the applicable
indenture and we would be required to appoint a successor trustee.
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CLEARANCE AND SETTLEMENT
Securities we issue may be held through one or more international and domestic clearing
systems. The principal clearing systems we will use are the book-entry systems operated by DTC in
the United States, Clearstream Banking, société anonyme, in Luxembourg (Clearstream) and
Euroclear Bank S.A./N.V. in Brussels, Belgium (Euroclear). These systems have established
electronic securities and payment, transfer, processing, depositary and custodial links among
themselves and others, either directly or through custodians and depositaries. These links allow
securities to be issued, held and transferred among the clearing systems without the physical
transfer of certificates.
Special procedures to facilitate clearance and settlement have been established among these
clearing systems to trade securities across borders in the secondary market. Where payments for
securities we issue in global form will be made in U.S. dollars, these procedures can be used for
cross-market transfers and the securities will be cleared and settled on a delivery against payment
basis.
Investors in securities that are issued outside of the United States, its territories and
possessions must initially hold their interests through Euroclear, Clearstream or the clearance
system that is described in the applicable prospectus supplement.
Cross-market transfers of securities that are not in global form may be cleared and settled in
accordance with other procedures that may be established among the clearing systems for these
securities.
The policies of DTC, Clearstream and Euroclear will govern payments, transfers, exchange and
other matters relating to the investors interest in securities held by them. This is also true for
any other clearance system that may be named in a prospectus supplement.
We have no responsibility for any aspect of the actions of DTC, Clearstream or Euroclear or
any of their direct or indirect participants. We have no responsibility for any aspect of the
records kept by DTC, Clearstream or Euroclear or any of their direct or indirect participants. We
also do not supervise these systems in any way. This is also true for any other clearing system
indicated in a prospectus supplement.
DTC, Clearstream, Euroclear and their participants perform these clearance and settlement
functions under agreements they have made with one another or with their customers. You should be
aware that they are not obligated to perform these procedures and may modify them or discontinue
them at any time.
The description of the clearing systems in this section reflects our understanding of the
rules and procedures of DTC, Clearstream and Euroclear as they are currently in effect. Those
systems could change their rules and procedures at any time.
The Clearing Systems
DTC
DTC has advised us as follows:
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a limited purpose trust company organized under the laws of the State of New York; |
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a member of the Federal Reserve System; |
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a clearing corporation within the meaning of the Uniform Commercial Code; and |
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a clearing agency registered pursuant to the provisions of Section 17A of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934. |
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DTC was created to hold securities for its participants and to facilitate the clearance
and settlement of securities transactions between participants through electronic
book-entry changes to accounts of its participants. This eliminates the need for physical
movement of certificates. |
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Participants in DTC include securities brokers and dealers, banks, trust companies and
clearing corporations and may include certain other organizations. DTC is partially owned
by some of these participants or their representatives. |
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Indirect access to the DTC system is also available to banks, brokers, dealers and
trust companies that have relationships with participants. |
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The rules applicable to DTC and DTC participants are on file with the SEC. |
Clearstream
Clearstream has advised us as follows:
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Clearstream is a duly licensed bank organized as a société anonyme incorporated under
the laws of Luxembourg and is subject to regulation by the Luxembourg Commission for the
Supervision of the Financial Sector (Commission de Surveillance du Secteur Financier). |
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Clearstream holds securities for its customers and facilitates the clearance and
settlement of securities transactions among them. It does so through electronic book-entry
changes to the accounts of its customers. This eliminates the need for physical movement
of certificates. |
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Clearstream provides other services to its participants, including safekeeping,
administration, clearance and settlement of internationally traded securities and lending
and borrowing of securities. It interfaces with the domestic markets in over 30 countries
through established depositary and custodial relationships. |
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Clearstreams customers include worldwide securities brokers and dealers, banks, trust
companies and clearing corporations and may include professional financial intermediaries.
Its U.S. customers are limited to securities brokers and dealers and banks. |
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Indirect access to the Clearstream system is also available to others that clear
through Clearstream customers or that have custodial relationships with its customers,
such as banks, brokers, dealers and trust companies. |
Euroclear
Euroclear has advised us as follows:
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Euroclear is incorporated under the laws of Belgium as a bank and is subject to
regulation by the Belgian Banking and Finance Commission (Commission Bancaire et
Financière) and the National Bank of Belgium (Banque Nationale de Belgique). |
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Euroclear holds securities for its customers and facilitates the clearance and
settlement of securities transactions among them. It does so through simultaneous
electronic book-entry delivery against payment, thereby eliminating the need for physical
movement of certificates. |
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Euroclear provides other services to its customers, including credit custody, lending
and borrowing of securities and tri-party collateral management. It interfaces with the
domestic markets of several other countries. |
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Euroclear customers include banks, including central banks, securities brokers and
dealers, trust companies and clearing corporations and may include certain other
professional financial intermediaries. |
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Indirect access to the Euroclear system is also available to others that clear through
Euroclear customers or that have relationships with Euroclear customers. |
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All securities in Euroclear are held on a fungible basis. This means that specific
certificates are not matched to specific securities clearance accounts. |
Other Clearing Systems
We may choose any other clearing system for a particular series of securities. The clearance
and settlement procedures for the clearing system we choose will be described in the applicable
prospectus supplement.
Primary Distribution
The distribution of the securities will be cleared through one or more of the clearing systems
that we have described above or any other clearing system that is specified in the applicable
prospectus supplement. Payment for securities will be made on a delivery versus payment or free
delivery basis. These payment procedures will be more fully described in the applicable prospectus
supplement.
Clearance and settlement procedures may vary from one series of securities to another
according to the currency that is chosen for the specific series of securities. Customary clearance
and settlement procedures are described below.
Clearance and Settlement Procedures DTC
DTC participants that hold securities through DTC on behalf of investors will follow the
settlement practices applicable to United States corporate debt obligations.
For payments in U.S. dollars, securities will be credited to the securities custody accounts
of these DTC participants against payment on the settlement date. For payments in a currency other
than U.S. dollars, securities will be credited free of payment on the settlement date.
Clearance and Settlement Procedures Euroclear and Clearstream
We understand that investors that hold their securities through Euroclear or Clearstream
accounts will follow the settlement procedures that are applicable to conventional Eurobonds in
registered form for debt securities, or such other procedures as are applicable for other
securities.
Securities will be credited to the securities custody accounts of Euroclear and Clearstream
participants on the business day following the settlement date, for value on the settlement date.
They will be credited either free of payment or against payment for value on the settlement date.
Secondary Market Trading
Trading between DTC Participants
Secondary market trading between DTC participants will occur in the ordinary way in accordance
with DTCs rules. Secondary market trading will be settled using procedures applicable to United
States corporate debt obligations.
If payment is made in U.S. dollars, settlement will be made versus payment. If payment is made
in a currency other than U.S. dollars, settlement will be free of payment. If payment is made other
than in U.S. dollars, separate payment arrangements outside of the DTC system must be made between
the DTC participants involved.
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Trading between Euroclear and/or Clearstream Participants
We understand that secondary market trading between Euroclear and/or Clearstream participants
will occur in the ordinary way following the applicable rules and operating procedures of Euroclear
and Clearstream. Secondary market trading will be settled using procedures applicable to
conventional Eurobonds in registered form for debt securities, or such other procedures as are
applicable for other securities.
Transfers Between DTC and Clearstream or Euroclear
Cross-market transfers between persons holding directly or indirectly through DTC, on the one
hand, and directly or indirectly through Clearstream participants or Euroclear participants, on the
other, will be effected in DTC in accordance with DTC rules on behalf of the relevant European
international clearing system by its U.S. depositary. However, such cross-market transactions will
require delivery of instructions to the relevant European international clearing system by the
counterparty in such system in accordance with its rules and procedures and within its established
deadlines (European time). The relevant European international clearing system will, if the
transaction meets its settlement requirements, deliver instructions to its U.S. depositary to take
action to effect final settlement on its behalf by delivering or receiving securities in DTC, and
making or receiving payment in accordance with normal procedures for same-day funds settlement
applicable to DTC. Clearstream participants and Euroclear participants may not deliver instructions
directly to the respective U.S. depositaries.
Because of time-zone differences, credits of securities received by Clearstream or Euroclear
as a result of a transaction with a DTC participant will be made during subsequent securities
settlement processing and will be dated the business day following DTC settlement date. Such
credits or any transactions in such securities settled during such processing will be reported to
the relevant Clearstream participants or Euroclear participants on such business day. Cash received
in Clearstream or Euroclear as a result of sales of securities by or through a Clearstream or
Euroclear participant to a DTC participant will be received with value on the DTC settlement date
but will be generally available to the relevant Clearstream or Euroclear cash account only as of
the business day following settlement in DTC.
Although DTC, Clearstream and Euroclear have agreed to the foregoing procedures in order to
facilitate transfers of securities among their respective participants, they are under no
obligation to perform or continue to perform such procedures and such procedures may be changed or
discontinued at any time.
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TAX CONSIDERATIONS
French Taxation
This section describes the material French tax consequences of acquiring, owning and disposing
of the debt securities described in this prospectus and is the opinion of Sullivan & Cromwell LLP,
our French tax counsel. It applies only to holders that are not residents of France for the purpose
of French taxation and that do not hold the debt securities in connection with a permanent
establishment or a fixed base in France through which the holder carries on a business or performs
personal services.
This summary is based on the laws in force as of the date hereof, and is subject to any
changes in applicable French tax laws or in any applicable double taxation conventions or treaties
with France occurring after such date. This discussion does not purport to be a complete analysis
of all potential French tax effects of the acquisition, ownership and disposition of debt
securities.
Prospective purchasers of debt securities are urged to consult their own tax advisors concerning
the French and other tax consequences of acquiring, owning and disposing of debt securities and
their eligibility for the benefits of any tax treaty.
Taxation of Income
Interest. Payments to holders in respect of the debt securities will be made without
withholding or deduction for, or on account of taxes imposed by or on behalf of France, as provided
by article 131 quater of the Code général des impôts, provided that the debt securities are issued
or deemed to be issued outside the Republic of France in accordance with French tax law.
Under Tax Ruling 2007/59 (dated January 8, 2008), the issuance under French or foreign law of
debt securities which constitute obligations for French tax purposes, issued in euro or a foreign
currency, are deemed to be issued outside of France. For the purpose of this ruling, debt
securities which constitute obligations for French tax purposes are (i) debt instruments governed
by French law and notably subject to article 118 of the French Code général des impôts as well as (ii)
debt securities governed by foreign law which, if they were issued under French law, would have
been subject to the same provisions (see Tax Ruling 2009/23, dated April 9, 2009).
Except as may be otherwise specified in a prospectus supplement, the
debt securities offered by this prospectus will be treated as
(assimilés à) obligations for tax purposes.
The European Union (EU) has adopted the Directive 2003/48/EC (the Tax Directive) regarding
the taxation of savings income in the form of interest payments. Under the Tax Directive, paying
agents shall provide to the competent authority of the State in which they are established details
of the payment of interest and other similar income within the meaning of the Tax Directive made
to, or for the benefit of, any individual resident in another EU Member State as the beneficial
owner of the interest. The competent authority of the EU Member State of the paying agent is then
required to communicate this information to the competent authority of the EU Member State of which
the beneficial owner of the interest is a resident.
For a transitional period, however, Austria, Belgium and Luxembourg will (unless during such
period they elect otherwise) instead apply a withholding tax system in relation to interest
payments pursuant to which tax will be levied, unless the recipient of such payments elects instead
for an exchange of information procedure. The withholding tax rate is currently of 20% for a period
of three years starting July 1, 2008 and 35% thereafter. The transitional period shall end at the
end of the first full fiscal year following the year during which certain non-EU countries (i.e.,
Switzerland, Liechtenstein, San Marino, Monaco, Andorra and the United States) will each enter into
an agreement with the EU providing for an exchange of information upon request as defined in the
OECD Model Agreement on Exchange of Information on Tax Matters released on April 18, 2002 with
respect to interest payments made by paying agents established within those countries to beneficial
owners located within the EU. Belgium has, however, recently advised that it may soon elect for
the exchange of information system under which no withholding tax should apply to interest payments
or similar income made by paying agents located within its territory.
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Article 242 ter and Article 49 I ter to 49 I sexies of the Schedule III of the French Code
général des impôts implements the Tax Directive and therefore imposes on paying agents based in
France an obligation to report to the French tax authorities certain information with respect to
interest payments made to beneficial owners domiciled in another EU Member State, including, among
other things, the identity and address of the beneficial owner and a detailed list of the different
categories of interest paid to that beneficial owner.
Investors should rely on their own analysis of the terms of the Tax Directive and should
consult appropriate legal or taxation professionals.
Taxation on Sale or Other Disposition. Under article 244 bis C of the French Code général des
impôts, a person that is not a resident of France for the purpose of French taxation generally is
not subject to any French income tax or capital gains tax on any gain derived from the sale or
other disposition of a debt security, unless such debt security forms part of the business property
of a permanent establishment or a fixed base that such person maintains in France.
Additional Amounts. If the French tax laws or regulations applicable to us (or to any of our
successors) change and payments in respect of the debt securities become subject to withholding or
deduction, we will, to the extent permitted by applicable law, be responsible for the payment of
any additional amounts to offset such withholding, except as provided above in Description of the
Debt Securities and Guarantee Special Situations Payment of Additional Amounts or in any
applicable prospectus supplement.
Under French law, an issuer may not bear on behalf of a holder of its debt securities any
withholding tax due in respect of interest payments on such securities. It is unclear whether
additional amounts payable (as described above in Description of the Debt Securities and
Guarantee Special Situations Payment of Additional Amounts or in any applicable prospectus
supplement) in respect of withholding or deduction for taxes imposed on payments on the debt
securities may be validly paid in accordance with French law.
Stamp Duty and Other Transfer Taxes
Transfers of debt securities outside France will not be subject to any stamp duty or other
transfer tax imposed in France, provided such transfer is not recorded or referred to in any manner
whatsoever in a deed executed in France.
Estate and Gift Tax
France imposes estate and gift tax on securities of a French company that are acquired by
inheritance or gift. According to article 750 ter of the French Code général des impôts, the
taxation is triggered without regard to the residence of the transferor. However, France has
entered into estate and gift tax treaties with a number of countries pursuant to which, assuming
certain conditions are met, residents of the treaty country may be exempted from such tax or obtain
a tax credit.
As a result from the combination of the French domestic tax law and the estate and gift tax
convention between the United States and France, a transfer of debt securities by gift or by reason
of the death of a United States holder entitled to benefits under that convention will not be
subject to French gift or inheritance tax, so long as, among other conditions, the donor or
decedent was not domiciled in France at the time of the transfer and the debt securities were not
used or held for use in the conduct of a business or profession through a permanent establishment
or fixed base in France.
Wealth Tax
French wealth tax (impôt de solidarité sur la fortune) generally does not apply to debt
securities owned by non-French residents according to article 885 L of the French Code général des
impôts. Subject to certain exceptions, a United States holder that is resident in the United States
within the meaning of the income tax convention between the United States and France generally is
exempt from French wealth tax.
Prospective purchasers who are individuals are urged to consult with their own tax advisers.
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United States Federal Income Taxation
This section describes the material United States federal income tax consequences of
acquiring, owning and disposing of the debt securities described in this prospectus and is the
opinion of Sullivan & Cromwell LLP, our U.S. tax counsel. This section applies to you only if you
acquire your debt securities in the offering or offerings contemplated by this prospectus and hold
your debt securities as capital assets for tax purposes. This section does not apply to you if you
are a member of a class of holders subject to special rules, such as:
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a dealer in securities or currencies; |
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a trader in securities that elects to use a mark-to-market method of accounting for its
securities holdings; |
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a bank; |
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a life insurance company; |
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a tax-exempt organization; |
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a person that owns debt securities that are a hedge or that are hedged against interest
rate or currency risks; |
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a person that owns debt securities as part of a straddle or conversion transaction for
tax purposes; or |
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a United States holder (as defined below) whose functional currency for tax purposes is
not the U.S. dollar. |
This section is based on the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, its legislative
history, existing and proposed regulations under the Internal Revenue Code, published rulings and
court decisions, as well as on the income tax treaty between the United States of America and
France (the Treaty), all as currently in effect. These laws are subject to change, possibly on a
retroactive basis.
This section deals only with debt securities that are due to mature 30 years or less from the
date on which they are issued. The United States federal income tax consequences of owning debt
securities that are due to mature more than 30 years from their date of issue will be discussed in
an applicable prospectus supplement.
If a partnership holds the debt securities, the United States federal income tax treatment of
a partner will generally depend on the status of the partner and the tax treatment of the
partnership. A partner in a partnership holding the debt securities should consult its tax advisor
with regard to the United States federal income tax treatment of an investment in the debt
securities.
You are urged to consult your own tax advisor concerning the United States federal, state and local
income, and other tax consequences of acquiring, owning and disposing of the debt securities in
your particular circumstances, as well as your eligibility for the benefits of the applicable tax
treaties between the United States and France.
United States Holders
This subsection describes the material United States federal income tax consequences to a
United States holder. You are a United States holder if you are a beneficial owner of a debt
security and you are:
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a citizen or resident, for United States federal income tax purposes, of the United
States; |
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a domestic corporation; |
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an estate whose income is subject to United States federal income tax regardless of its
source; or |
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a trust if a United States court can exercise primary supervision over the trusts
administration and one or more United States persons are authorized to control all
substantial decisions of the trust. |
If you are not a United States holder, this subsection does not apply to you, and you should
refer to United States Alien Holders below for information that may apply to you.
Payments of Interest. Except as described below in the case of interest on a discount debt
security that is not qualified stated interest, each as defined below under Original Issue
Discount, you will be taxed on any interest on your debt security, whether payable in U.S. dollars
or a currency, composite currency or basket of currencies other than U.S. dollars, as ordinary
income at the time you receive the interest or when it accrues, depending on your method of
accounting for tax purposes. We will refer to a currency, composite currency or basket of
currencies other than the U.S. dollar as foreign currency.
Interest paid by us on debt securities and original issue discount, if any, accrued with
respect to the debt securities (as described below under Original Issue Discount) is income from
sources outside the United States subject to the rules regarding the foreign tax credit allowable
to a United States holder. Under the foreign tax credit rules, interest paid will, depending on
your circumstances, be either passive or general income for purposes of computing the foreign
tax credit allowable to you.
Cash Basis Taxpayers. If you are a taxpayer that uses the cash receipts and disbursements
method of accounting for tax purposes and you receive an interest payment that is denominated in,
or determined by reference to, a foreign currency, you must recognize income equal to the U.S.
dollar value of the interest payment, based on the exchange rate in effect on the date of receipt,
regardless of whether you actually convert the payment into U.S. dollars.
Accrual Basis Taxpayers. If you are a taxpayer that uses an accrual method of accounting for
tax purposes, you may determine the amount of income that you recognize with respect to an interest
payment denominated in, or determined by reference to, a foreign currency by using one of two
methods. Under the first method, you will determine the amount of income accrued based on the
average exchange rate in effect during the interest accrual period or, with respect to an accrual
period that spans two taxable years, that part of the period within the taxable year.
If you elect the second method, you will determine the amount of income accrued on the basis
of the exchange rate in effect on the last day of the accrual period or, in the case of an accrual
period that spans two taxable years, the exchange rate in effect on the last day of the part of the
period within the taxable year. Additionally, under this second method, if you receive a payment of
interest within five business days of the last day of your accrual period or taxable year, you may
instead translate the interest accrued into U.S. dollars at the exchange rate in effect on the day
that you actually receive the interest payment. If you elect the second method, it will apply to
all debt instruments that you hold at the beginning of the first taxable year to which the election
applies and to all debt instruments that you subsequently acquire. You may not revoke this election
without the consent of the Internal Revenue Service.
When you actually receive an interest payment, including a payment attributable to accrued but
unpaid interest upon the sale or retirement of your debt security, denominated in, or determined by
reference to, a foreign currency for which you accrued an amount of income, you will recognize
ordinary income or loss measured by the difference, if any, between the exchange rate that you used
to accrue interest income and the exchange rate in effect on the date of receipt, regardless of
whether you actually convert the payment into U.S. dollars.
Original Issue Discount
General. If you own a debt security, other than a short-term debt security with a term of one
year or less, it will be treated as a discount debt security issued at an original issue discount,
if the amount by which the debt securitys stated redemption price at maturity exceeds its issue
price is more than a de minimis amount. Generally, a debt
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securitys issue price will be the first price at which a substantial amount of debt
securities included in the issue of which the debt security is a part is sold to persons other than
bond houses, brokers, or similar persons or organizations acting in the capacity of underwriters,
placement agents, or wholesalers. A debt securitys stated redemption price at maturity is the
total of all payments provided by the debt security that are not payments of qualified stated
interest. Generally, an interest payment on a debt security is qualified stated interest if it is
one part of a series of stated interest payments on a debt security that are unconditionally
payable at least annually at a single fixed rate, with certain exceptions for lower rates paid
during some periods, applied to the outstanding principal amount of the debt security. There are
special rules for variable rate debt securities that are discussed below under Variable Rate
Debt Securities.
In general, your debt security is not a discount debt security if the amount by which its
stated redemption price at maturity exceeds its issue price is less than the de minimis amount of
1/4 of one percent of its stated redemption price at maturity multiplied by the number of complete
years to its maturity. Your debt security will have de minimis original issue discount if the
amount of the excess is less than the de minimis amount. If your debt security has de minimis
original issue discount, you must include the de minimis amount in income as stated principal
payments are made on the debt security, unless you make the election described below under
Election to Treat All Interest as Original Issue Discount. You can determine the includible
amount with respect to each such payment by multiplying the total amount of your debt securitys de
minimis original issue discount by a fraction equal to
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the amount of the principal payment made |
divided by:
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the stated principal amount of the debt security. |
Generally, if your discount debt security matures more than one year from its date of issue,
you must include original issue discount, or OID, in income before you receive cash attributable
to that income. The amount of OID that you must include in income is calculated using a
constant-yield method, and generally you will include increasingly greater amounts of OID in income
over the life of your debt security. More specifically, you can calculate the amount of OID that
you must include in income by adding the daily portions of OID with respect to your discount debt
security for each day during the taxable year or portion of the taxable year that you hold your
discount debt security. You can determine the daily portion by allocating to each day in any
accrual period a pro rata portion of the OID allocable to that accrual period. You may select an
accrual period of any length with respect to your discount debt security and you may vary the
length of each accrual period over the term of your discount debt security. However, no accrual
period may be longer than one year and each scheduled payment of interest or principal on the
discount debt security must occur on either the first or final day of an accrual period.
You can determine the amount of OID allocable to an accrual period by:
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multiplying your discount debt securitys adjusted issue price at the beginning of the
accrual period by your debt securitys yield to maturity, and then |
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subtracting from this figure the sum of the payments of qualified stated interest on
your debt security allocable to the accrual period. |
You must determine the discount debt securitys yield to maturity on the basis of compounding at
the close of each accrual period and adjusting for the length of each accrual period. Further, you
determine your discount debt securitys adjusted issue price at the beginning of any accrual period
by:
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adding your discount debt securitys issue price and any accrued OID for each prior
accrual period, and then |
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subtracting any payments previously made on your discount debt security that were not
qualified stated interest payments. |
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If an interval between payments of qualified stated interest on your discount debt security
contains more than one accrual period, then, when you determine the amount of OID allocable to an
accrual period, you must allocate the amount of qualified stated interest payable at the end of the
interval, including any qualified stated interest that is payable on the first day of the accrual
period immediately following the interval, pro rata to each accrual period in the interval based on
their relative lengths. In addition, you must increase the adjusted issue price at the beginning of
each accrual period in the interval by the amount of any qualified stated interest that has accrued
prior to the first day of the accrual period but that is not payable until the end of the interval.
You may compute the amount of OID allocable to an initial short accrual period by using any
reasonable method if all other accrual periods, other than a final short accrual period, are of
equal length.
The amount of OID allocable to the final accrual period is equal to the difference between:
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the amount payable at the maturity of your debt security, other than any payment of
qualified stated interest; and |
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your debt securitys adjusted issue price as of the beginning of the final accrual
period. |
Acquisition Premium. If you purchase your debt security for an amount that is less than or
equal to the sum of all amounts, other than qualified stated interest, payable on your debt
security after the purchase date but is greater than the amount of your debt securitys adjusted
issue price, as determined above under General, the excess is acquisition premium. If you do
not make the election described below under Election to Treat All Interest as Original Issue
Discount, then you must reduce the daily portions of OID by a fraction equal to:
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the excess of your adjusted basis in the debt security immediately after purchase over
the adjusted issue price of the debt security, divided by, |
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the excess of the sum of all amounts payable, other than qualified stated interest, on
the debt security after the purchase date over the debt securitys adjusted issue price. |
Pre-Issuance Accrued Interest. An election may be made to decrease the issue price of your
debt security by the amount of pre-issuance accrued interest if:
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a portion of the initial purchase price of your debt security is attributable to
pre-issuance accrued interest; |
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the first stated interest payment on your debt security is to be made within one year
of your debt securitys issue date; and |
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the payment will equal or exceed the amount of pre-issuance accrued interest. |
If this election is made, a portion of the first stated interest payment will be treated as a
return of the excluded pre-issuance accrued interest and not as an amount payable on your debt
security.
Debt Securities Subject to Contingencies Including Optional Redemption. Your debt security is
subject to a contingency if it provides for an alternative payment schedule or schedules applicable
upon the occurrence of a contingency or contingencies, other than a remote or incidental
contingency, whether such contingency relates to payments of interest or of principal. In such a
case, you must determine the yield and maturity of your debt security by assuming that the payments
will be made according to the payment schedule most likely to occur if:
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the timing and amounts of the payments that comprise each payment schedule are known as
of the issue date; and |
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one of such schedules is significantly more likely than not to occur. |
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If there is no single payment schedule that is significantly more likely than not to occur, other
than because of a mandatory sinking fund, you must include income on your debt security in
accordance with the general rules that govern contingent payment obligations. These rules will be
discussed in the applicable prospectus supplement.
Notwithstanding the general rules for determining yield and maturity, if your debt security is
subject to contingencies, and either you or we have an unconditional option or options that, if
exercised, would require payments to be made on the debt security under an alternative payment
schedule or schedules, then:
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in the case of an option or options that we may exercise, we will be deemed to exercise
or not to exercise an option or combination of options in the manner that minimizes the
yield on your debt security; and |
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in the case of an option or options that you may exercise, you will be deemed to
exercise or not to exercise an option or combination of options in the manner that
maximizes the yield on your debt security. |
If both you and we hold options described in the preceding sentence, those rules will apply to each
option in the order in which they may be exercised. You may determine the yield on your debt
security for the purposes of those calculations by using any date on which your debt security may
be redeemed or repurchased as the maturity date and the amount payable on the date that you chose
in accordance with the terms of your debt security as the principal amount payable at maturity.
If a contingency, including the exercise of an option, actually occurs or does not occur
contrary to an assumption made according to the above rules, then, except to the extent that a
portion of your debt security is repaid as a result of the change in circumstances and solely to
determine the amount and accrual of OID, you must redetermine the yield and maturity of your debt
security by treating your debt security as having been retired and reissued on the date of the
change in circumstances for an amount equal to your debt securitys adjusted issue price on that
date.
Election to Treat All Interest as Original Issue Discount. You may elect to include in gross
income all interest that accrues on your debt security using the constant-yield method described
above under General, with the modifications described below. For purposes of this election,
interest will include stated interest, OID, de minimis OID, market discount, described below under
Market Discount, de minimis market discount and unstated interest, as adjusted by any amortizable
bond premium, described below under Debt Securities Purchased at a Premium, or acquisition
premium.
If you make this election for your debt security, then, when you apply the constant-yield
method:
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the issue price of your debt security will equal your cost; |
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the issue date of your debt security will be the date you acquired it; and |
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no payments on your debt security will be treated as payments of qualified stated
interest. |
Generally, this election will apply only to the debt security for which you make it; however, if
the debt security has amortizable bond premium, you will be deemed to have made an election to
apply amortizable bond premium against interest for all debt instruments with amortizable bond
premium, other than debt instruments the interest on which is excludible from gross income, that
you hold as of the beginning of the taxable year to which the election applies or any taxable year
thereafter. Additionally, if you make this election for a market discount debt security, you will
be treated as having made the election discussed below under Market Discount to include market
discount in income currently over the life of all debt instruments that you currently own or later
acquire. You may not revoke any election to apply the constant-yield method to all interest on a
debt security or the deemed elections with respect to amortizable bond premium or market discount
debt securities without the consent of the Internal Revenue Service.
Variable Rate Debt Securities. Your debt security will be a variable rate debt security if:
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your debt securitys issue price does not exceed the total noncontingent principal
payments by more than the lesser of: |
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1.5 percent of the product of the total noncontingent principal payments and the
number of complete years to maturity from the issue date; or |
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15 percent of the total noncontingent principal payments; and |
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your debt security provides for stated interest, compounded or paid at least annually,
only at: |
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one or more qualified floating rates; |
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a single fixed rate and one or more qualified floating rates; |
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a single objective rate; or |
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a single fixed rate and a single objective rate that is a qualified inverse floating
rate. |
Your debt security will have a variable rate that is a qualified floating rate if:
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variations in the value of the rate can reasonably be expected to measure
contemporaneous variations in the cost of newly borrowed funds in the currency in which
your debt security is denominated; or |
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the rate is equal to such a rate multiplied by either: |
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a fixed multiple that is greater than 0.65 but not more than 1.35; or |
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a fixed multiple greater than 0.65 but not more than 1.35, increased or decreased by
a fixed rate; and |
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the value of the rate on any date during the term of your debt security is set no
earlier than three months prior to the first day on which that value is in effect and no
later than one year following that first day. |
If your debt security provides for two or more qualified floating rates that are within
0.25 percentage points of each other on the issue date or can reasonably be expected to have
approximately the same values throughout the term of the debt security, the qualified floating
rates together constitute a single qualified floating rate.
Your debt security will not have a qualified floating rate, however, if the rate is subject to
certain restrictions, including caps, floors, governors, or other similar restrictions, unless such
restrictions are fixed throughout the term of the debt security or are not reasonably expected to
significantly affect the yield on the debt security.
Your debt security will have a variable rate that is a single objective rate if:
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the rate is not a qualified floating rate; |
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the rate is determined using a single, fixed formula that is based on objective
financial or economic information that is not within the control of, or unique to the
circumstances of, the issuer or a related party; and |
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the value of the rate on any date during the term of your debt security is set no
earlier than three months prior to the first day on which that value is in effect and no
later than one year following that first day. |
Your debt security will not have a variable rate that is an objective rate, however, if it is
reasonably expected that the average value of the rate during the first half of your debt
securitys term will be either significantly less than or significantly greater than the average
value of the rate during the final half of your debt securitys term.
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An objective rate as described above is a qualified inverse floating rate if:
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the rate is equal to a fixed rate minus a qualified floating rate; and |
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the variations in the rate can reasonably be expected to inversely reflect
contemporaneous variations in the cost of newly borrowed funds. |
Your debt security will also have a single qualified floating rate or an objective rate if
interest on your debt security is stated at a fixed rate for an initial period of one year or less
followed by either a qualified floating rate or an objective rate for a subsequent period, and
either:
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the fixed rate and the qualified floating rate or objective rate have values on the
issue date of the debt security that do not differ by more than 0.25 percentage points; or |
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the value of the qualified floating rate or objective rate is intended to approximate
the fixed rate. |
In general, if your variable rate debt security provides for stated interest at a single
qualified floating rate or objective rate, or one of those rates after a single fixed rate for an
initial period, all stated interest on your debt security is qualified stated interest. In this
case, the amount of OID, if any, is determined by using, in the case of a qualified floating rate
or qualified inverse floating rate, the value as of the issue date of the qualified floating rate
or qualified inverse floating rate, or, for any other objective rate, a fixed rate that reflects
the yield reasonably expected for your debt security.
If your variable rate debt security does not provide for stated interest at a single qualified
floating rate or a single objective rate, and also does not provide for interest payable at a fixed
rate other than a single fixed rate for an initial period, you generally must determine the
interest and OID accruals on your debt security by:
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determining a fixed rate substitute for each variable rate provided under your variable
rate debt security; |
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constructing the equivalent fixed rate debt instrument, using the fixed rate substitute
described above; |
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determining the amount of qualified stated interest and OID with respect to the
equivalent fixed rate debt instrument; and |
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adjusting for actual variable rates during the applicable accrual period. |
When you determine the fixed rate substitute for each variable rate provided under the variable
rate debt security, you generally will use the value of each variable rate as of the issue date or,
for an objective rate that is not a qualified inverse floating rate, a rate that reflects the
reasonably expected yield on your debt security.
If your variable rate debt security provides for stated interest either at one or more
qualified floating rates or at a qualified inverse floating rate, and also provides for stated
interest at a single fixed rate, other than at a single fixed rate for an initial period, you
generally must determine interest and OID accruals by using the method described in the previous
paragraph. However, your variable rate debt security will be treated, for purposes of the first
three steps of the determination, as if your debt security had provided for a qualified floating
rate, or a qualified inverse floating rate, rather than the fixed rate. The qualified floating
rate, or qualified inverse floating rate, that replaces the fixed rate must be such that the fair
market value of your variable rate debt security as of the issue date approximates the fair market
value of an otherwise identical debt instrument that provides for the qualified floating rate, or
qualified inverse floating rate, rather than the fixed rate.
Short-Term Debt Securities. In general, if you are an individual or other cash basis United
States holder of a short-term debt security, you are not required to accrue OID, as specifically
defined below for the purpose of this paragraph, for United States federal income tax purposes
unless you elect to do so (although it is possible that you may be required to include any stated
interest in income as you receive it). If you are an accrual basis taxpayer, a taxpayer in a
special class, including, but not limited to, a regulated investment company, common trust fund, or
a
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certain type of pass-through entity, or a cash basis taxpayer who so elects, you will be
required to accrue OID on short-term debt securities on either a straight-line basis or under the
constant-yield method, based on daily compounding. If you are not required and do not elect to
include OID in income currently, any gain you realize on the sale or retirement of your short-term
debt security will be ordinary income to the extent of the accrued OID, which will be determined on
a straight-line basis unless you make an election to accrue the OID under the constant-yield
method, through the date of sale or retirement. However, if you are not required and do not elect
to accrue OID on your short-term debt securities, you will be required to defer deductions for
interest on borrowings allocable to your short-term debt securities in an amount not exceeding the
deferred income until the deferred income is realized.
When you determine the amount of OID subject to these rules, you must include all interest
payments on your short-term debt security, including stated interest, in your short-term debt
securitys stated redemption price at maturity.
Foreign Currency Discount Debt Securities. If your discount debt securities are denominated
in, or their return is determined by reference to, a foreign currency, you must determine OID for
any accrual period on your discount debt security in the foreign currency and then translate the
amount of OID into U.S. dollars in the same manner as stated interest accrued by an accrual basis
United States holder, as described above under Payments of Interest. You may recognize ordinary
income or loss when you receive an amount attributable to OID in connection with a payment of
interest or the sale or retirement of your debt security.
Market Discount
You will be treated as if you purchased your debt security, other than a short-term debt
security, at a market discount, and your debt security will be a market discount debt security, if:
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you purchase your debt security for less than its issue price as determined above under
Original Issue Discount; and |
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the difference between the debt securitys stated redemption price at maturity or, in
the case of a discount debt security, the debt securitys revised issue price, and the
price you paid for your debt security is equal to greater than 1/4 of one percent of your
debt securitys stated redemption price at maturity or revised issue price, respectively,
multiplied by the number of complete years to the debt securitys maturity. To determine
the revised issue price of your debt security for these purposes, you generally add any
OID that has accrued on your debt security to its issue price. |
If your debt securitys stated redemption price at maturity or, in the case of a discount debt
security, its revised issue price, exceeds the price you paid for the debt security by less than
1/4 of one percent multiplied by the number of complete years to the debt securitys maturity, the
excess constitutes de minimis market discount, and the rules discussed below are not applicable to
you.
You must treat any gain you recognize on the maturity or disposition of your market discount
debt security as ordinary income to the extent of the accrued market discount on your debt
security. Alternatively, you may elect to include market discount in income currently over the life
of your debt security. If you make this election, it will apply to all debt instruments with market
discount that you acquire on or after the first day of the first taxable year to which the election
applies. You may not revoke this election without the consent of the Internal Revenue Service. If
you own a market discount debt security and do not make this election you will generally be
required to defer deductions for interest on borrowings allocable to your debt security in an
amount not exceeding the accrued market discount on your debt security until the maturity or
disposition of your debt security.
You will accrue market discount on your market discount debt security on a straight-line basis
unless you elect to accrue market discount using a constant-yield method. If you make this
election, it will apply only to the debt security with respect to which it is made and you may not
revoke it.
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Debt Securities Purchased at a Premium
If you purchase your debt security for an amount in excess of its principal amount, you may
elect to treat the excess as amortizable bond premium. If you make this election, you will reduce
the amount required to be included in your income each year with respect to interest on your debt
security by the amount of amortizable bond premium allocable to that year, based on your debt
securitys yield to maturity. If your debt security is denominated in, or determined by reference
to, a foreign currency, you will compute your amortizable bond premium in units of the foreign
currency, and your amortizable bond premium will reduce your interest income in units of the
foreign currency. Gain or loss recognized that is attributable to changes in exchange rates between
the time your amortized bond premium offsets interest income and the time of the acquisition of
your debt security is generally taxable as ordinary income or loss. If you make an election to
amortize bond premium, it will apply to all debt instruments, other than debt instruments the
interest on which is excludible from gross income, that you hold at the beginning of the first
taxable year to which the election applies, or that you thereafter acquire, and you may not revoke
it without the consent of the Internal Revenue Service. See also Original Issue Discount
Election to Treat All Interest as Original Issue Discount.
Purchase, Sale and Retirement of the Debt Securities
Your tax basis in your debt security will generally be the U.S. dollar cost, as defined below,
of your debt security, adjusted by:
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adding any amounts that you are required to include in income under the rules governing
OID and market discount (the rules governing these amounts are discussed above); and then |
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subtracting any payments (except for payments in respect of de minimis market discount that was not required to be included in income)
on your debt security that are not qualified stated interest payments and any amortizable
bond premium applied to reduce interest on your debt security. |
If you purchase your debt security with foreign currency, the U.S. dollar cost of your debt
security will generally be the U.S. dollar value of the purchase price on the date of purchase.
However, if you are a cash basis taxpayer, or an accrual basis taxpayer if you so elect, and your
debt security is traded on an established securities market, as defined in the applicable Treasury
regulations, the U.S. dollar cost of your debt security will be the U.S. dollar value of the
purchase price on the settlement date of your purchase.
You will generally recognize gain or loss on the sale or retirement of your debt security
equal to the difference between the amount you realize on the sale or retirement and your tax basis
in your debt security. If your debt security is sold or retired for an amount in foreign currency,
the amount you realize will be the U.S. dollar value of such amount on the date the debt security
is disposed of or retired, except that in the case of a debt security that is traded on an
established securities market, as defined in the applicable Treasury regulations, a cash basis
taxpayer, or an accrual basis taxpayer that so elects, will determine the amount realized based on
the U.S. dollar value of the foreign currency on the settlement date of the sale.
You will recognize capital gain or loss when you sell or retire your debt security, except to
the extent:
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described above under Short-Term Debt Securities or Market Discount; |
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attributable to accrued but unpaid interest; |
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the rules governing contingent payment obligations apply; or |
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attributable to changes in exchange rates as described below. |
Capital gain of a non-corporate United States holder that is recognized in taxable year beginning
before January 1, 2011 is generally taxed at a maximum rate of 15% where the property is held for
more than one year.
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You must treat any portion of the gain or loss that you recognize on the sale or retirement of
a debt security as ordinary income or loss to the extent attributable to changes in exchange rates.
However, you take exchange gain or loss into account only to the extent of the total gain or loss
you realize on the transaction.
Exchange of Amounts in Other Than U.S. Dollars
If you receive foreign currency as interest on your debt security or on the sale or retirement
of your debt security, your tax basis in the foreign currency will equal its U.S. dollar value when
the interest is received or at the time of the sale or retirement. If you purchase foreign
currency, you generally will have a tax basis equal to the U.S. dollar value of the foreign
currency on the date of your purchase. If you sell or dispose of a foreign currency, including if
you use it to purchase debt securities or exchange it for U.S. dollars, any gain or loss recognized
generally will be ordinary income or loss.
Indexed Debt Securities
The applicable prospectus supplement will discuss any special United States federal income tax
rules with respect to debt securities the payments on which are determined by reference to any
index and other debt securities that are subject to the rules governing contingent payment
obligations which are not subject to the rules governing variable rate debt securities.
United States Alien Holders
This subsection describes the material United States federal income tax consequences to a
United States alien holder. You are a United States alien holder if you are the beneficial owner of
a debt security and are, for United States federal income tax purposes:
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a non-resident alien individual; |
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a foreign corporation; |
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a foreign partnership; or |
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an estate or trust that in either case is not subject to United States federal income
tax on a net income basis on income or gain from the debt security. |
If you are a United States holder, this section does not apply to you.
Interest. Under United States federal income and estate tax law, and subject to the discussion
of backup withholding below, if you are a United States alien holder, interest on a debt security
paid to you is exempt from United States federal income tax, including withholding tax, whether or
not you are engaged in a trade or business in the United States, unless:
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you are an insurance company carrying on a United States insurance business to which
the interest is attributable, within the meaning of the Internal Revenue Code, or |
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you have an office or other fixed place of business in the United States to which the
interest is attributable and derive the interest in the active conduct of a banking,
financing or similar business within the United States. |
Purchase, Sale and Retirement of the Debt Securities. If you are a United States alien holder,
you generally will not be subject to United States federal income tax on gain realized on the sale,
exchange or retirement of your debt security unless:
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the gain is effectively connected with your conduct of a trade or business in the
United States and, if required by an applicable income tax treaty as a condition for
subjecting you to United States taxation on a net income basis, attributable to a
permanent establishment that you maintain in the United States; or |
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you are an individual, you are present in the United States for 183 or more days during
the taxable year in which the gain is realized and certain other conditions exist. |
If you are a corporate non-United States holder, effectively connected gains that you
recognize may also, under certain circumstances, be subject to an additional branch profits tax
at a 30% rate or at a lower rate if you are eligible for the benefits of an income tax treaty that
provides for a lower rate.
For purposes of the United States federal estate tax, the debt securities will be treated as
situated outside the United States and will not be includible in the gross estate of a holder who
is neither a citizen nor a resident of the United States at the time of death.
Treasury Regulations Requiring Disclosure of Reportable Transactions
Treasury regulations require United States taxpayers to report certain transactions that give
rise to a loss in excess of certain thresholds (a Reportable Transaction). Under these
regulations, if the debt securities are denominated in a foreign currency, a United States holder
(or a United States alien holder that holds the debt securities in connection with a U.S. trade or
business) that recognizes a loss with respect to the debt securities that is characterized as an
ordinary loss due to changes in currency exchange rates (under any of the rules discussed above)
would be required to report the loss on Internal Revenue Service Form 8886 (Reportable Transaction
Statement) if the loss exceeds the thresholds set forth in the regulations. For individuals and
trusts, this loss threshold is $50,000 in any single taxable year. For other types of taxpayers and
other types of losses, the thresholds are higher. You should consult with your tax advisor
regarding any tax filing and reporting obligations that may apply in connection with acquiring,
owning and disposing of debt securities.
United States Backup Withholding and Information Reporting
United States Holders
If you are a non-corporate United States holder, information reporting requirements, on
Internal Revenue Service Form 1099, generally will apply to:
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payments of principal and interest within the United States, including payments made by
wire transfer from outside the United States to an account you maintain in the United
States; and |
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the payment of the proceeds from the sale of a debt security effected at a United
States office of a broker. |
Additionally, backup withholding will apply to such payments if you are a non-corporate United
States holder and:
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you fail to provide an accurate taxpayer identification number; |
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you are notified by the Internal Revenue Service that you have failed to report all
interest and dividends required to be shown on your federal income tax returns; or |
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in certain circumstances, you fail to comply with applicable certification
requirements. |
United States Alien Holders
If you are a United States alien holder, you are generally exempt from backup withholding and
information reporting requirements with respect to:
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payments of principal and interest made to you outside the United States by us or
another non-United States payor; and |
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other payments of principal, interest and proceeds from the sale of a debt security
effected at a United States office of a broker, as long as the income associated with such
payments is otherwise exempt from United States federal income tax, and: |
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the payor or broker does not have actual knowledge or reason to know that you are a
United States person and you have furnished to the payor or broker: |
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an Internal Revenue Service Form W-8BEN or an acceptable substitute form upon which
you certify, under penalties of perjury, that you are (or, in the case of a United
States alien holder that is a partnership or an estate or trust, such forms certifying
that each partner in the partnership or beneficiary of the estate or trust is) a
non-United States person; or |
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other documentation upon which it may rely to treat the payments as made to a
non-United States person in accordance with U.S. Treasury regulations, or |
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you otherwise establish an exemption. |
In general, payments of the proceeds from the sale of a debt security effected at a foreign
office of a broker will not be subject to information reporting or backup withholding. However, a
sale of a debt security effected at a foreign office of a broker will be subject to information
reporting and backup withholding if:
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the proceeds are transferred to an account maintained by you in the United States; |
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the payment of proceeds or the confirmation of the sale is mailed to you at a United
States address; or |
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the sale has some other specified connection with the United States as provided in U.S.
Treasury regulations, |
unless the broker does not have actual knowledge or reason to know that you are a United States
person and the documentation requirements described above are met or you otherwise establish an
exemption.
In addition, a sale of a debt security effected at a foreign office of a broker will be
subject to information reporting if the broker is:
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a United States person; |
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a controlled foreign corporation for United States tax purposes; |
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a foreign person 50% or more of whose gross income was effectively connected with the
conduct of a United States trade or business for a specified three-year period; or |
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a foreign partnership, if at any time during its tax year: |
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one or more of its partners are U.S. persons, as defined in U.S. Treasury
regulations, who in the aggregate hold more than 50% of the income or capital interest
in the partnership; or |
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such foreign partnership is engaged in the conduct of a United States trade or
business, |
unless the broker does not have actual knowledge or reason to know that you are a United States
person and the documentation requirements described above are met, or you otherwise establish an
exemption. Backup withholding
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will apply if the sale is subject to information reporting and the broker has actual knowledge that
you are a United States person.
You generally may obtain a refund of any amounts withheld under the backup withholding rules
that exceed your income tax liability by filing a refund claim with the U.S. Internal Revenue
Service.
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PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION
We may sell the securities offered by this prospectus:
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through underwriters; |
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through dealers; |
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through agents; or |
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directly to purchasers. |
The prospectus supplement relating to any offering will identify or describe:
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any underwriter, dealers or agents; |
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their compensation; |
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the net proceeds to us; |
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the purchase price of the securities; |
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the initial public offering price of the securities; and |
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any exchange on which the securities will be listed, if applicable. |
Underwriters
If we use underwriters in the sale, they will acquire securities for their own account and may
resell the securities from time to time in one or more transactions, including negotiated
transactions, at a fixed public offering price or at varying prices determined at the time of sale.
Unless we otherwise state in the prospectus supplement, various conditions to the underwriters
obligation to purchase securities apply, and the underwriters will be obligated to purchase all of
the securities contemplated in an offering if they purchase any of such securities. Any initial
public offering price and any discounts or concessions allowed or reallowed or paid to dealers may
be changed from time to time.
Dealers
If we use dealers in the sale, unless we otherwise indicate in the prospectus supplement, we
will sell securities to the dealers as principals. The dealers may then resell the securities to
the public at varying prices that the dealers may determine at the time of resale.
Agents and Direct Sales
We may sell securities directly or through agents that we designate. The prospectus supplement
will name any agent involved in the offering and sale and state any commissions we will pay to that
agent. Unless we indicate otherwise in the prospectus supplement, any agent is acting on a best
efforts basis for the period of its appointment.
Contracts with Institutional Investors for Delayed Delivery
If we indicate in the prospectus supplement, we will authorize underwriters, dealers or agents
to solicit offers from various institutional investors to purchase securities. In this case,
payment and delivery will be made on a future date that the prospectus supplement specifies. The
underwriters, dealers or agents may impose limitations on
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the minimum amount that the institutional investor can purchase. They may also impose
limitations on the portion of the aggregate amount of the securities that they may sell. These
institutional investors include:
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commercial and savings banks; |
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insurance companies; |
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pension funds; |
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investment companies; |
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educational and charitable institutions; and |
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other similar institutions as we may approve. |
The obligations of any of these purchasers pursuant to delayed delivery and payment
arrangements will not be subject to any conditions. However, one exception applies. An
institutions purchase of the particular securities cannot at the time of delivery be prohibited
under the laws of any jurisdiction that governs:
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the validity of the arrangements; or |
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the performance by us or the institutional investor. |
Indemnification
Agreements that we will enter into with underwriters, dealers or agents may entitle them to
indemnification by us against various civil liabilities. These include liabilities under the
Securities Act of 1933. The agreements may also entitle them to contribution for payments which
they may be required to make as a result of these liabilities. Underwriters, dealers and agents may
be customers of, engage in transactions with, or perform services for, us in the ordinary course of
business.
Market Making
In the event that we do not list securities of any series on a U.S. national securities
exchange, various broker-dealers may make a market in the securities, but will have no obligation
to do so, and may discontinue any market making at any time without notice. Consequently, it may be
the case that no broker-dealer will make a market in securities of any series or that the liquidity
of the trading market for the securities will be limited.
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VALIDITY OF SECURITIES
The General Counsel of TOTAL will pass upon the validity of the debt securities and guarantees
as to matters of French law. The Group U.S. Counsel of TOTAL will pass upon the validity of the
debt securities and guarantees as to matters of United States law.
In connection with particular offerings of debt securities in the future, the General Counsel
of TOTAL, or other counsel named in the applicable prospectus supplement, will pass upon the
validity of the debt securities and guarantee as to matters of French law and the Group
U.S. Counsel of TOTAL, or other counsel named in the applicable prospectus supplement, will pass
upon the validity of the debt securities and guarantee as to matters of New York law. Cleary
Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP or any other law firm named in the applicable prospectus supplement
will pass upon the validity of the debt securities and guarantee for any underwriters or agents.
EXPERTS
The consolidated financial statements of TOTAL S.A., as of and for the years ending December
31, 2008, 2007 and 2006, appearing in TOTAL S.A.s Annual Report on Form 20-F for the year ended
December 31, 2008 and the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting as of December
31, 2008, have been audited by Ernst & Young Audit and KPMG Audit, a division of KPMG S.A.,
independent registered public accounting firms, as set forth in their reports thereon included
therein and incorporated herein by reference. Such consolidated financial statements and TOTAL S.A.
managements assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting as of
December 31, 2008 are incorporated herein by reference in reliance upon such reports given on the
authority of said firms as experts in accounting and auditing.
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$1,000,000,000
TOTAL CAPITAL
(A wholly-owned subsidiary of Total S.A.)
3.125% Guaranteed Notes due 2015
Guaranteed on an unsecured, unsubordinated basis by
TOTAL S.A.
Prospectus Supplement
September 25, 2009
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BofA Merrill Lynch |
Deutsche Bank Securities |
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