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As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 18, 2007

 


UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549


FORM 20-F


(Mark One)

 

¨ REGISTRATION STATEMENT PURSUANT TO SECTION 12(b) OR (g) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

OR

 

x ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the fiscal year ended November 30, 2006

OR

 

¨ TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the transition period from                     to

OR

 

¨ SHELL COMPANY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

Date of event requiring this shell company report

Commission File Number 00-21742


ACERGY S.A.

(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)


LUXEMBOURG

(Jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)

c/o Acergy M.S. Limited

Dolphin House, Windmill Road, Sunbury-on-Thames

Middlesex TW16 7HT England

(Address of principal executive offices)

Securities registered or to be registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

 

Title of each class

 

Name of each exchange on which registered

Common Shares, $2.00 par value

  Nasdaq Global Select Market

Securities registered or to be registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act:

None

Securities for which there is a reporting obligation pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Act:

None

Indicate the number of outstanding shares of each of the issuer’s classes of capital or common stock as of the close of the period covered by the annual report:

 

Common Shares, $2.00 par value

     194,501,246          

 


Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Exchange Act.     x   Yes     ¨   No

If this report is an annual or transition report, indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Act of 1934.     ¨   Yes     x   No

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.     x   Yes     ¨   No

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, or a non- accelerated filer. See definition of “accelerated filer and large accelerated filer” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. (Check one):

 

Large accelerated filer     x   Accelerated filer     ¨   Non-accelerated filer     ¨

Indicate by check mark which financial statement item the registrant has elected to follow.

¨     Item 17             x     Item 18

If this is an annual report, indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act)     ¨   Yes     x   No

 



Table of Contents

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

          Page

Item 1.

   Identity of Directors, Senior Management and Advisers    2

Item 2.

   Offer Statistics and Expected Timetable    2

Item 3.

   Key Information    2
   Selected Financial Data    2
   Dividends    5
   Risk Factors    5

Item 4.

   Information on the Company    13
   Overview    13
   History and Development of Acergy    14
   Service Capabilities    16
   Business Segments    17
   Capital Expenditures and Divestitures    20
   Marketing and Tendering    22
   Clients    23
   Competition    23
   Seasonality    23
   Supplies and Raw Materials    24
   Intellectual Property    24
   Other Matters    24
   Significant Subsidiaries    27
   Description of Property    28

Item 4A.

   Unresolved Staff Comments    29

Item 5.

   Operating and Financial Review and Prospects    30
   Overview    30
   New Financial Strategy    31
   Outlook    32
   Our History, Acquisitions and Divestments    33
   Critical Accounting Policies    34
   Factors Affecting Our Business Segment Results    39
   Our Business Segment Results    43
   Consolidated Results—Continuing Operations    54
   Consolidated Results—Discontinued Operations    60
   Liquidity and Capital Resources    60
   Description of Indebtedness    65
   Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements    66
   Legal, Regulatory and Insurance Matters    68
   Subsequent Events    69
   Research and Development and Intellectual Property    69
   Inflation    70
   Foreign Exchange Risk Management    70
   Interest Rate Risk Management    70
   Impact of Recently Issued but not yet Adopted Accounting Standards    71
   Changes in Share Capital    72
   Related Party Transactions    73

Item 6.

   Directors, Senior Management and Employees    74
   Board of Directors    74
   Senior Management    76
   Regional Management    77
   Compensation of Directors and Officers    79

 

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   Service Contracts    79
   Board Practices    79
   Incentive Plans    82
   Share Ownership    85
   Employees    88

Item 7.

   Major Shareholders and Related Party Transactions    89
   Major Shareholders    89
   Related Party Transactions    89
   Other Related Party Transactions    91

Item 8.

   Financial Information    93
   Consolidated Financial Statements    93
   Legal Proceedings    93
   Dividend Policy    93
   Significant Changes    94

Item 9.

   The Offer and Listing    94
   Trading Markets    94

Item 10.

   Additional Information    95
   Organization and Register    95
   Articles of Incorporation    95
   Material Contracts    100
   Taxation    102
   Documents on Display    108

Item 11.

   Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk    108
   Foreign-Exchange Risk Management    109
   Interest-Rate Risk Management    109
   Other Financial Instruments    110

Item 12.

   Description of Securities Other than Equity Securities    110

Item 13.

   Defaults, Dividend Arrearages and Delinquencies    110

Item 14.

   Material Modifications to the Rights of Security Holders and Use of Proceeds    110

Item 15.

   Controls and Procedures    110

Item 16.

   Reserved    112

Item 16A.

   Audit Committee Financial Expert    112

Item 16B.

   Code of Ethics    112

Item 16C.

   Principal Accountant Fees and Services    113
   Audit Fees    113
   Audit-Related Fees    113
   Tax Fees    113
   All Other Fees    113
   Audit Committee Pre-Approval Policy and Procedures    113

Item 16D.

   Exemptions from the Listing Standards for Audit Committees    114

Item 16E.

   Purchases of Equity Securities by the Issuer and Affiliated Purchasers    114
   Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities    114

Item 17.

   Financial Statements    115

Item 18.

   Financial Statements    115

Item 19.

   Exhibits    115

 

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INTRODUCTION

Acergy S.A. is a Luxembourg registered company. In this Report, the terms “we,” “us,” “our” and “Acergy” refer to Acergy S.A. and, unless the context otherwise requires, its consolidated subsidiaries. References to Acergy activities by years refer to fiscal years ended November 30. Our Common Shares are traded on the Nasdaq Global Select Market in the form of American Depositary Shares (“ADSs”) (each ADS representing one Common Share) under the ticker symbol “ACGY” and are listed on Oslo Børs under the ticker symbol “ACY.”

As of March 31, 2007, we had outstanding 194,953,972 Common Shares.

BASIS OF PRESENTATION

The consolidated financial statements, including the notes thereto, included in this Report (the “Consolidated Financial Statements”) have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“U.S. GAAP”). Our consolidated financial statements are subject to the approval of our shareholders each year at the annual general meeting of shareholders.

Unless otherwise specified or unless the context otherwise requires, references in this Report to “$” are to the U.S. dollar, references to “NOK” are to the Norwegian kroner, references to “GBP” are to the British pound sterling and references to “EUR” are to the Euro, the lawful currency of the participating member states of the European Union.

SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS

Certain statements made in this Report and some of the documents incorporated by reference in this Report may include “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and Section 21E of the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”). These statements relate to our expectations, beliefs, intentions or strategies regarding the future. These statements may be identified by the use of words like “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “plan,” “project,” “will,” “should,” “seek,” and similar expressions. In this Report, they include statements contained under Item 3. “Key Information—Risk Factors,” Item 4. “Information on the Company,” Item 5. “Operating and Financial Review and Prospects,” Item 6. “Directors, Senior Management and Employees,” Item 7. “Major Shareholders and Related Party Transactions,” Item 8. “Financial Information,” Item 9. “The Offer and Listing,” Item 10. “Additional Information,” Item 11. “Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk,” and Item 15. “Controls and Procedures.”

The forward-looking statements that we make reflect our current views and assumptions with respect to future events and are subject to risks and uncertainties. Actual and future results and trends could differ materially from those set forth in such statements due to various factors, including those discussed in this Report under Item 3. “Key Information—Risk Factors,” Item 5. “Operating and Financial Review and Prospects” and Item 11. “Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk.”

The following factors, and others which are discussed in our public filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) including this Report, are among those that may cause actual and future results and trends to differ materially from our forward-looking statements: (i) our ability to deliver fixed price projects in accordance with client expectations and the parameters of our bids and avoid cost overruns; (ii) our ability to collect receivables, negotiate variation orders and collect the related revenues; (iii) our ability to recover costs on significant projects; (iv) capital expenditures by oil and gas companies; (v) oil and gas prices; (vi) delays or cancellation of projects included in our backlog; (vii) general economic conditions and competition

 

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in the markets and businesses in which we operate; (viii) prevailing prices for our products and services; (ix) the loss of, or deterioration of our relationship with, any significant clients; (x) the outcome of legal proceedings or governmental inquiries; (xi) uncertainties inherent in operating internationally, including economic, political and social instability, boycotts or embargoes, labor unrest, changes in foreign governmental regulations, corruption and currency fluctuations; (xii) liability to third parties for the failure of our joint venture partners to fulfill their obligations; (xiii) changes in, or our failure to comply with, applicable laws and regulations; (xiv) cost and availability of raw materials; (xv) operating hazards, including spills, environmental damage, personal or property damage and business interruptions caused by adverse weather; (xvi) equipment or mechanical failures which could increase costs, impair revenues and result in penalties for failure to meet project completion requirements; (xvii) the timely delivery of ships on order and the timely completion of ship conversion programs; (xviii) the impact of accounting for projects on a “percentage-of-completion” basis, which could reduce or eliminate reported profits; (xix) adverse weather conditions; (xx) our ability to keep pace with technological changes; (xxi) the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures and internal controls over financial reporting; and (xxii) other factors which are described from time to time in our public filings with the SEC.

Many of these factors are beyond our ability to control or predict. Given these uncertainties, you should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements. We undertake no obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Neither our independent registered public accountants, nor any other independent accountants, have compiled, examined, or performed any procedures with respect to the forward-looking financial information contained herein, nor have they expressed any opinion or any other form of assurance on such information or its achievability, and assume no responsibility for, and disclaim any association with, the prospective financial information.

PART I

 

Item 1. Identity of Directors, Senior Management and Advisers.

Not applicable.

 

Item 2. Offer Statistics and Expected Timetable.

Not applicable.

 

Item 3. Key Information.

Selected Financial Data

The selected consolidated financial data as of November 30, 2006 and 2005 and for each of the years in the three-year period ended November 30, 2006 set forth below have been derived from our audited Consolidated Financial Statements included in this Report. The selected consolidated financial data as of November 30, 2004, 2003 and 2002 and for each of the years in the two-year period ended November 30, 2003 set forth below have, with the exception of the reclassification of the discontinued operations referred to below, been derived from our audited consolidated financial statements for the respective periods, which are not included herein. In recognition of the sale of Acergy North America and Mexico’s shallow water assets, which was completed in early 2006, the results of that business have now been reported as discontinued operations in all periods presented.

 

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The financial information presented below is only a summary and should be read together with our Consolidated Financial Statements included elsewhere in this Report.

 

     For the year ended November 30,  
     2006     2005     2004     2003     2002  
     ($ in millions, except for per share data) (a)  

Consolidated Statement of Operations

          

Net operating revenue from continuing operations

   2,124.2     1,483.3     1,099.6     1,299.4     1,273.3  

Operating expenses

   (1,729.7 )   (1,244.8 )   (954.8 )   (1,381.5 )   (1,214.3 )

Gross profit (loss)

   394.5     238.5     144.8     (82.1 )   59.0  

Share in net income of non-consolidated joint ventures

   41.3     26.9     15.0     0.4     5.3  

Selling, general and administrative expenses

   (149.4 )   (119.9 )   (111.0 )   (93.1 )   (80.6 )

Impairment of long-lived tangible assets (b)

   (2.1 )   (7.1 )   (9.4 )   (164.2 )   (4.0 )

Impairment of goodwill (c)

   —       —       —       —       (106.4 )

Restructuring credits (charges) (d)

   —       1.9     (2.7 )   (16.0 )   —    

Gains (losses) on disposal of long-lived tangible assets and subsidiaries (e)

   3.9     7.5     29.9     (0.8 )   8.0  

Other operating (loss) income, net

   (1.5 )   4.2     1.3     (0.9 )   (0.3 )

Net operating income (loss) from continuing operations

   286.7     152.0     67.9     (356.7 )   (119.0 )

Interest expense

   (4.2 )   (4.0 )   (19.3 )   (26.8 )   (16.7 )

Interest income

   18.8     3.9     4.0     3.1     0.6  

Foreign currency exchange gains (losses), net

   0.5     (22.2 )   6.2     (8.9 )   0.2  

Income tax (provision) benefit

   (73.6 )   (12.9 )   (9.2 )   0.6     (8.2 )

Minority interests

   (7.3 )   (10.4 )   (4.7 )   (4.5 )   (2.1 )

Income (loss) from continuing operations

   220.9     106.4     44.9     (393.2 )   (145.2 )

(Loss) Income from discontinued operations before taxation

   (18.2 )   6.0     (39.8 )   (24.9 )   (6.7 )

Gain on disposal of discontinued operations before taxation (f)

   35.1     27.1     —       —       —    

Income tax provision

   (1.1 )   —       —       —       —    

Income (loss) from discontinued operations (f)

   15.8     33.1     (39.8 )   (24.9 )   (6.7 )

Net Income (loss)

   236.7     139.5     5.1     (418.1 )   (151.9 )

Earnings per Common Share

          

Net income (loss) per Common Share and Common Share Equivalent

          

Basic

          

Continuing operations

   1.15     0.56     0.28     (4.25 )   (1.71 )

Discontinued operations

   0.08     0.17     (0.25 )   (0.26 )   (0.08 )

Net income (loss)

   1.23     0.73     0.03     (4.51 )   (1.79 )

Diluted

          

Continuing operations

   1.10     0.54     0.28     (4.25 )   (1.71 )

Discontinued operations

   0.08     0.17     (0.25 )   (0.26 )   (0.08 )

Net income (loss)

   1.18     0.71     0.03     (4.51 )   (1.79 )

Weighted average number of Common Shares and Common Share Equivalents outstanding

          

Basic

   192.7     191.1     157.6