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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D. C. 20549
FORM 8-K
CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Date of report (Date of earliest event reported): March 23, 1998
ASHLAND INC.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Kentucky
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)
1-2918 61-0122250
(Commission File Number) (I.R.S. Employer
Identification No.)
1000 Ashland Drive, Russell, Kentucky 41169
(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)
P.O. Box 391, Ashland, Kentucky 41114
(Mailing Address) (Zip Code)
Registrant's telephone number, including area code (606) 329-3333
Item 5. Other Events
On March 23, 1998, Arch Coal, Inc. (Arch Coal) announced that it
had executed definitive agreements whereby Arch Coal would acquire
Atlantic Richfield Company's (ARCO) Colorado and Utah coal operations
and simultaneously combine the acquired operations and Arch Coal's
Wyoming operations with ARCO's Wyoming operations in a new joint
venture called Arch Western Resources LLC (Arch Resources). Arch
Resources will be 99% owned by Arch Coal and 1% owned by ARCO, and will
be managed by Arch Coal. The transaction is valued at approximately
$1.14 billion.
The transaction is expected to close sometime in the second
quarter of 1998. Consummation of the transaction is conditioned upon
obtaining all necessary governmental and regulatory consents and other
customary conditions. The boards of directors of Arch Coal and ARCO
have approved the transaction. The Registrant owns approximately 55% of
Arch Coal's issued and outstanding shares. The foregoing summary of the
attached press release is qualified in its entirely by the complete
text of such document, a copy of which is attached hereto.
Item 7. Financial Statements and Exhibits
(c) Exhibits
99.1 Press Release dated March 23, 1998.
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its
behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.
ASHLAND INC.
(Registrant)
/s/ Thomas L. Feazell
---------------------------------
Date: March 23, 1998 Name: Thomas L. Feazell
Title: Senior Vice President,
General Counsel and
Secretary
Exhibit Index
Exhibit No.
99.1 Press Release dated March 23, 1998.
News from
Arch Coal, Inc.
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FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
David G. Todd Deck S. Slone
Vice President Manager
External Affairs Communications and
(304) 526-3755 Public Affairs
(314) 994-2717
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 23, 1998
ARCH COAL TO ACQUIRE
ATLANTIC RICHFIELD'S DOMESTIC COAL OPERATIONS
St. Louis, MO-- Arch Coal, Inc. (NYSE:ACI) announced today that it
has signed an agreement to acquire Atlantic Richfield's Colorado and Utah
coal operations and to simultaneously combine the acquired operations and
its Wyoming operations with ARCO's Wyoming operations in a new joint
venture to be known as Arch Western Resources LLC, which will be 99% owned
by Arch Coal and 1% owned by Atlantic Richfield. The transaction is valued
at approximately $1.14 billion. Arch Coal will manage the joint venture.
Through its ownership of Arch Western Resources, Arch Coal will
add a powerful presence in western U.S. low-sulfur compliance coal to its
leading low-sulfur coal production position in the eastern United States.
Overall, Arch Coal will become the second largest U.S. coal producer with
annual coal sales of close to 110 million tons, or roughly 10% of the
nation's coal supply, and annual revenues of nearly $2 billion.
"With the completion of this transaction, Arch Coal will become
the nation's premier producer of low-cost, low-sulfur coal - one that can
and will compete aggressively in virtually every major U.S. coal market,"
said Steven F. Leer, Arch Coal's president and chief executive officer.
"ARCO operates some of the largest and most productive mines in the western
United States. Arch Coal is the leading producer of low-sulfur coal in the
eastern United States. In combining these operations, we will be creating a
national coal company that is strategically positioned to supply the
changing needs of electric utilities as they seek to meet the nation's
growing demand for electricity; prepare to compete in a deregulated
marketplace; and comply with the implementation of Phase II of the Clean
Air Act in the year 2000."
All of ARCO's domestic coal production is compliance coal, which
means that it meets the sulfur dioxide emissions requirements of Phase II
of the Clean Air Act. Atlantic Richfield's U.S. coal operations include
Thunder Basin Coal Company, LLC; Mountain Coal Company; and a 65% interest
in Canyon Fuel Company LLC.
- Thunder Basin operates the Black Thunder and Coal Creek mines
in the Powder River Basin of Wyoming. Black Thunder is the
nation's largest coal mine with 1997 production of 37.7
million tons of low-sulfur compliance coal. Coal Creek
produced 2.9 million tons of coal in 1997.
- Mountain Coal Company operates the West Elk Mine in Colorado.
With 1997 production of 5.6 million tons of low-sulfur
compliance coal, West Elk is a highly productive longwall
mine in the Mountain Bituminous Region.
- Canyon Fuel Company LLC produced 10.6 million tons of
low-sulfur coal from three mines in Utah during 1997.
In 1997, ARCO's U.S. coal operations, including its 65% interest
in Canyon Fuel Company LLC, generated revenues of $537 million and
after-tax operating income of $51 million on the sale of 53.2 million tons
of low-sulfur coal. ARCO's domestic coal reserves are estimated at 1.3
billion tons.
In 1997, on a pro forma combined basis with Ashland Coal, Arch
Coal generated revenues of $1.4 billion on the sale of 52.9 million tons of
coal. Arch Coal and Ashland Coal merged on July 1, 1997. Excluding a
one-time merger-related charge, Arch Coal had pro forma operating income of
$111.0 million and net income of $75.5 million. Arch Coal's domestic coal
reserves are estimated at 2.1 billion tons.
"We believe this acquisition will create substantial long-term
value for the shareholders of Arch Coal," Leer said. "With the addition of
ARCO's U.S. coal operations, Arch Coal will become a leading producer of
low-sulfur coal in each of the nation's three growing coal-producing basins
- - Central Appalachia, the Powder River Basin and the Mountain Bituminous
Region. Together Arch Coal and the joint venture will be able to provide
the nation's electric utilities with a full range of U.S. coal products
from a geographically diverse network of mines served by every major
transportation system for U.S. coal."
The remaining interest in Canyon Fuel Company is owned by ITOCHU
Coal International, Inc., an affiliate of ITOCHU Corporation of Japan. "We
are looking forward to building a strong relationship with our future
partner in Canyon Fuel Company and working with them to maximize the value
of this asset," Leer said. "I will be visiting with ITOCHU in the next few
weeks to personally express this desire."
The transaction will be accounted for as a purchase by Arch Coal
and the joint venture's results will be consolidated with those of Arch
Coal. The transaction should be accretive to cash flow immediately. It is
expected to be accretive to earnings on a per share basis within 18 months.
"A key financial benefit of this acquisition is its impact on our
cash flow," Leer said. "Arch Coal already generates strong levels of cash
flow, with earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and depletion of
nearly $300 million in 1997. The addition of ARCO's U.S. operations will
further enhance our ability to generate cash, enabling us to pay down debt
quickly and provide funds for continued growth in an industry that
continues to consolidate rapidly."
"This acquisition represents a very strong fit between the premier
low-sulfur coal producer in the eastern United States and a premier
low-sulfur coal producer in the western United States," Leer said. "The
ARCO properties match well with Arch Coal's expertise in large-scale
surface mining and longwall operations. In addition, the opportunities for
cost savings and synergies are great."
"Another valuable asset we are gaining are the men and women of
ARCO Coal. The two companies share many similarities in management
structure and style. I believe the ARCO Coal personnel share our passion
for safe, low-cost operations; environmental stewardship; and the creation
of shareholder value."
The transaction is expected to close sometime in the second
quarter of 1998. Consummation of the transaction is conditioned upon
obtaining all necessary governmental and regulatory consents and other
customary conditions. The boards of Arch Coal and ARCO have approved the
transaction.
"The consummation of this transaction will mark the end of a very
exciting nine-month period for Arch Coal," Leer observed. "In July we
concluded our merger with Ashland Coal. The integration of that merger has
been smooth and efficient. We have succeeded in bringing over $20 million
in annual pre-tax synergies to the bottom line. When this transaction
closes, we will have effectively quadrupled the company's coal production
and nearly tripled its revenues in less than one year. Our management team
and employees are excited and look forward to quickly and effectively
integrating the ARCO operations into Arch Coal."
Certain matters discussed within this press release are
forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities
Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Although Arch Coal, Inc. believes the
expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are based on
reasonable assumptions, it can give no assurance that its expectations will
be attained. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially
from expectations include financial performance, changes in local or
national economic conditions, and other risks detailed from time to time in
the Company's SEC reports filed with the SEC, including quarterly reports
on Form 10-Q, reports of Form 8-K, and annual reports on Form 10-K.
Arch Coal and its independent operating subsidiaries are engaged
in the mining, processing, and sale of coal, which they market to electric
utilities in the eastern and midwestern United States and abroad.