Filed Pursuant to Rule 424(b)(3)
Registration No. 333-157777

Subject to completion, dated March 11, 2010

 

Preliminary Prospectus Supplement

(To Prospectus dated March 9, 2009)

 

 

$          % Senior Notes due 20

 

Issue price:     %

 

$          % Senior Notes due 20

 

Issue price:     %

 

$          % Senior Notes due 20

 

Issue price:     %

 

Interest payable           and          

 

 

We are offering $      aggregate principal amount of     % senior notes due 20  (the “20   notes”), $      aggregate principal amount of     % senior notes due 20   (the “20  notes”) and $      aggregate principal amount of     % senior notes due 20  (the “20  notes,” and together with the 20  notes and the 20  notes, the “notes”).

 

 

We will pay interest on the notes on           and           of each year, beginning          , 2010. The notes of each series will be issued only in denominations of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof.

 

 

We may redeem the notes of any series offered hereby, in whole or in part, at any time prior to their maturity at the applicable redemption price described in this prospectus supplement.

 

 

The notes will be unsecured and will rank equally with all our other unsecured indebtedness from time to time outstanding.

 

 

See “Risk Factors” beginning on page S-3 for a discussion of certain risks that you should consider in connection with an investment in the notes.

 

 

Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of the notes or determined if this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

 

 

 

The notes will not be listed on any securities exchange. Currently, there are no public markets for the notes.

 

 

The underwriters expect to deliver the notes to purchasers through the book-entry delivery system of The Depository Trust Company and its participants, including Euroclear and Clearstream, on or about March   , 2010.

 

Joint Book-Running Managers

 

 

March   , 2010

 

Table of Contents

 

Prospectus Supplement

 

 

This document is in two parts. The first part is this prospectus supplement, which describes the specific terms of this offering. The second part, the accompanying prospectus, gives more general information, some of which may not apply to this offering. This prospectus supplement and the information incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement also adds to, updates and changes information contained or incorporated by reference in the accompanying prospectus. If information in this prospectus supplement or the information incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement is inconsistent with the accompanying prospectus or the information incorporated by reference therein, then this prospectus supplement or the information incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement will apply and will supersede the information in the accompanying prospectus.

 

The accompanying prospectus is part of a registration statement that we filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC, using a shelf registration statement. Under the shelf registration process, from time to time, we may offer and sell securities in one or more offerings.

 

It is important that you read and consider all of the information contained in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus in making your investment decision. You should also read and consider the information in the documents to which we have referred you in “Where You May Find More Information” on page iii of this prospectus supplement.

 

You should rely only on the information contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus and any free writing prospectus prepared by or on behalf of us. We have not, and the underwriters have not, authorized anyone to provide you with different or additional information. If anyone provides you with different or additional information, you should not rely on it. We are not making an offer to sell the notes in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale of the notes is not permitted. You should assume that the information in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus is accurate only as of their respective dates and that any information we have incorporated by reference is accurate only as of the date of the document incorporated by reference.

 

All references in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus to “Medtronic,” “we,” “us” or “our” mean Medtronic, Inc. and its consolidated subsidiaries except where it is clear from the context that the term means only the issuer, Medtronic, Inc. Unless otherwise stated, currency amounts in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus are stated in United States dollars.

 

We file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. Our SEC filings are available to the public through the Internet at the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov. You may also read and copy any document we file at the SEC’s public reference room at 100 F Street N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549. Please call the SEC at 1-800-732-0330 for further information on the public reference room.

 

The SEC allows us to incorporate by reference the information we file with them into this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus. This means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to another document that we have filed separately with the SEC that contains that information. The information incorporated by reference is considered to be part of this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus. Information that we file with the SEC after the date of this prospectus supplement will automatically update and, where applicable, modify and supersede the information included or incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus. We incorporate by reference (other than any portions of any such documents that are not deemed “filed” under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 in accordance with the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and applicable SEC rules):

 

 

You may request a copy of these filings at no cost by writing or telephoning the office of Investor Relations Department, Medtronic, Inc., 710 Medtronic Parkway, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55432-5603; Telephone Number (763) 514-4000.

 

This prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus, and the documents incorporated by reference herein and therein may include “forward-looking” statements. Forward-looking statements broadly involve our current expectations or forecasts of future results. Our forward-looking statements generally relate to our growth and growth strategies, financial results, product development, regulatory approvals, competitive strengths, intellectual property rights, litigation and tax matters, mergers and acquisitions, market acceptance of our products, accounting estimates, financing activities, ongoing contractual obligations and sales efforts. Such statements can be identified by the use of terminology such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “forecast,” “intend,” “may,” “plan,” “possible,” “project,” “should,” “will” and similar words or expressions. Forward-looking statements in this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus, and the documents incorporated by reference herein and therein include, but are not limited to, growth in our Spinal business related to the Kyphon acquisition and our intended reorganization and consolidation of certain activities; future launches of products and continued acceptance of products in our operating segments; the effectiveness of our development activities in reducing patient care costs; the elimination of certain positions or costs related to restructuring initiatives; outcomes in our litigation matters; the continued strength of our balance sheet and liquidity; and the potential impact of our compliance with governmental regulations.

 

One must carefully consider forward-looking statements and understand that such statements may be affected by inaccurate assumptions and may involve a variety of risks and uncertainties, known and unknown, including, among others, those discussed in the section entitled “Risk Factors” in this prospectus supplement, our Form 10-K for our fiscal year ended April 24, 2009, and our Form 10-Q for the quarter ended January 29, 2010, and the section entitled “Government Regulation and Other Considerations” in our Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended April 24, 2009, as well as those related to competition in the medical device industry, reduction or interruption in our supply, quality problems, liquidity, decreasing prices, adverse regulatory action, litigation success, self-insurance, healthcare policy changes and international operations. Consequently, no forward-looking statement can be guaranteed and actual results may vary materially. We intend to take advantage of the Safe Harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 regarding our forward-looking statements, and are including this sentence for the express purpose of enabling us to use the protections of the safe harbor with respect to all forward-looking statements.

 

While we undertake no obligation to update any statement we make, investors are advised to consult any further disclosures by us in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, especially on Forms 10-K, 10-Q, and 8-K, in which we discuss in more detail various important factors that could cause actual results to differ from expected or historical results. In addition, actual results may differ materially from those anticipated due to a number of factors, including, among others, those discussed in the section entitled “Risk Factors” in our reports on Form 10-K and Form 10-Q. It is not possible to foresee or identify all such factors. As such, investors should not consider any list of such factors to be an exhaustive statement of all risks, uncertainties, or potentially inaccurate assumptions.

Prospectus Supplement Summary

 

Medtronic, Inc.

Issuer		Medtronic, Inc.
Securities offered		$      aggregate principal amount of     % Senior Notes due 20
		$      aggregate principal amount of     % Senior Notes due 20
		$      aggregate principal amount of     % Senior Notes due 20
Maturity date		, 20   , in the case of the 20   notes,          , 20  , in the case of the 20   notes and           , 20  , in the case of the 20   notes
Interest rate		% per year, in the case of the 20   notes,     % per year, in the case of the 20   notes and     % per year, in the case of the 20        notes
Interest payment dates		and           of each year, beginning          , 2010
Ranking		Each series of notes will be our general unsecured senior obligations and will rank equally in right of payment with our existing and future unsubordinated debt. The notes will be structurally subordinated to all future and existing obligations of our subsidiaries.
		As of January 29, 2010, as adjusted to give effect to this offering and the application of the net proceeds from the sale of the notes, we would have had approximately $      billion of unsubordinated debt obligations of a type required to be reflected as a liability (net of debt discount and issuance cost) in our consolidated balance sheet at that date. See “Capitalization.”
Optional redemption		We may redeem the notes of any series offered hereby, in whole or in part, at any time at a redemption price equal to the greater of:
		• 100% of the principal amount of the notes of the applicable series being redeemed; and

		• the sum, as determined by a Quotation Agent (as defined herein) appointed by us, of the present values of the remaining scheduled payments of principal and interest on the notes of such series to be redeemed (excluding any portion of such payments of interest accrued and paid as of the date of redemption), discounted to the redemption date on a semi-annual basis (assuming a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months) at the Adjusted Treasury Rate (as defined herein), plus           basis points, in the case of the 20       notes,          basis points, in the case of the 20   notes and           basis points, in the case of the 20  notes,
		plus, in each case, accrued and unpaid interest to the date of redemption; provided that the principal amount of a note remaining outstanding after redemption in part shall be $2,000 or an integral multiple of $1,000 in excess thereof. See “Description of Notes—Optional Redemption.”
Certain indenture provisions		The indenture governing the notes contains covenants that limit our and our restricted subsidiaries’ ability to incur secured debt and enter into sale and leaseback transactions. These covenants are subject to a number of important limitations and exceptions. See “Description of Debt Securities—Certain Covenants” in the accompanying prospectus.
Use of proceeds		The net proceeds from this offering of the notes, which are expected to be approximately $      after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and payment of our expenses related to this offering, will be used for working capital and general corporate purposes, which may include repayment of our indebtedness. See “Use of Proceeds.”
Form and denomination		The notes of each series will be issued in fully registered form in minimum denominations of $2,000 and in integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof.
Further issues		We may, from time to time without the consent of the holders of the notes, issue additional notes of any series offered hereby having the same ranking and interest rate, maturity and other terms as the notes of that series except for the issue price and issue date and, in some cases, the first interest payment date.
Trustee		The trustee for the notes is Wells Fargo Bank, National Association.
Governing law		The indenture and the notes will be governed by the laws of the United States and the State of New York.

 

An investment in the notes may involve various risks. Prior to making a decision about investing in our securities, and in consultation with your own financial and legal advisors, you should carefully consider, among other matters, the following risk factors, as well as those incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement from our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q under the headings “Risk Factors” and other filings we may make from time to time with the SEC.

 

The notes are subject to prior claims of our secured creditors, if any, and the creditors of our subsidiaries, and if a default occurs we may not have sufficient funds to fulfill our obligations under the notes.

 

The notes are our unsecured general obligations and will rank equally in right of payment with our existing and future unsubordinated debt and will be structurally subordinated to all future and existing obligations of our subsidiaries. The indenture governing the notes permits us and our subsidiaries to incur secured debt under specified circumstances. If we incur any secured debt, our assets and the assets of our subsidiaries will be subject to prior claims by our secured creditors. In the event of our bankruptcy, liquidation, reorganization or other winding up, assets that secure debt will be available to pay obligations on the notes only after all debt secured by those assets has been repaid in full. In the event we are required to repatriate cash, cash equivalents, short-term investments and long-term investments in debt securities that are held by our non-U.S. subsidiaries, the funds would generally be subject to U.S. tax. Holders of the notes will participate in our remaining assets ratably with all of our unsecured and unsubordinated creditors, including our trade creditors. If we incur any additional obligations that rank equally with the notes, including trade payables, the holders of those obligations will be entitled to share ratably with the holders of the notes in any proceeds distributed upon our insolvency, liquidation, reorganization, dissolution or other winding up. This may have the effect of reducing the amount of proceeds paid to you. If there are not sufficient assets remaining to pay all these creditors, all or a portion of the notes then outstanding would remain unpaid.

 

Negative covenants in the indenture will have a limited effect.

 

The indenture governing the notes contains negative covenants that apply to us; however, the limitation on liens and limitation on sale and leaseback covenants contain exceptions that will allow us to create, grant or incur liens or security interests with respect to our headquarters and certain other material facilities. See “Description of Debt Securities—Certain Covenants” in the accompanying prospectus. In light of these exceptions, holders of the notes may be structurally or contractually subordinated to our existing and new lenders.

 

Changes in our credit ratings may adversely affect the value of the notes.

 

The notes are expected to be rated A1 by Moody’s Investors Service and AA- by Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services, in each case with a stable outlook. Such ratings are limited in scope, and do not address all material risks relating to an investment in the notes, but rather reflect only the view of each rating agency at the time the rating is issued. An explanation of the significance of such rating may be obtained from such rating agency. There can be no assurance that such credit ratings will remain in effect for any given period of time or that such ratings

will not be lowered, suspended or withdrawn entirely by the rating agencies, if, in each rating agency’s judgment, circumstances so warrant. Actual or anticipated changes or downgrades in our credit ratings, including any announcement that our ratings are under further review for a downgrade, could affect the market values of the notes and increase our corporate borrowing costs.

 

Active trading markets for the notes may not develop.

 

Currently, there are no existing markets for the notes and we do not intend to apply for listing of the notes of any series on any securities exchange or any automated quotation system. Accordingly, there can be no assurance that trading markets for the notes will ever develop or will be maintained. Further, there can be no assurance as to the liquidity of any markets that may develop for the notes, your ability to sell your notes or the price at which you will be able to sell your notes. Future trading prices of the notes will depend on many factors, including prevailing interest rates, our financial condition and results of operations, the then-current ratings assigned to the notes and the market for similar securities. Any trading markets that develop would be affected by many factors independent of and in addition to the foregoing, including:

 

 

The underwriters have advised us that they currently intend to make a market in the notes of each series, but they are not obligated to do so and may cease market-making at any time without notice.

 

The net proceeds from this offering of the notes, which are expected to be approximately $ after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and payment of our expenses related to this offering, will be used for working capital and general corporate purposes, which may include repayment of our indebtedness. As of January 29, 2010, we had approximately $7.4 billion of short-term and long-term debt outstanding, including approximately $933 million of commercial paper outstanding, which had a weighted average interest rate of approximately 0.23% and a weighted average maturity of approximately 64 days, and the following debt that is scheduled to mature within approximately three years: a $400 million principal balance under our five-year senior notes due September 2010, which bears interest at a rate of 4.375%; a $2.2 billion principal balance under our five-year senior convertible notes due April 2011, which bear interest at a rate of 1.50%; and a $2.2 billion principal balance under our seven-year senior convertible notes due April 2013, which bear interest at a rate of 1.63%.

 

The following table sets forth our unaudited consolidated cash and cash equivalents, short-term borrowings, long-term debt, shareholders’ equity and total capitalization as of January 29, 2010, and as adjusted to reflect the issuance and sale of the notes.

 

 

 

The following table shows our consolidated ratio of earnings to fixed charges for each of the periods indicated:

 

 

The ratio of earnings to fixed charges for the nine months ended January 29, 2010 was computed based on Medtronic’s current quarterly report on Form 10-Q. The ratios of earnings to fixed charges for the fiscal years ended April 24, 2009, April 25, 2008, April 27, 2007, April 28, 2006 and April 29, 2005 were each computed based on Medtronic’s historical consolidated financial information.

 

For purposes of computing these ratios, we compute earnings by adding our income before income taxes and fixed charges (excluding capitalized interest). Our fixed charges consist of interest expense (including capitalized interest), amortized premiums, discounts and capitalized expenses related to indebtedness and interest included in rental expense.

 

The following description of the particular terms of each series of notes supplements, and to the extent inconsistent, replaces the description of the general terms and provisions of the debt securities set forth in the accompanying prospectus. The definitions of certain capitalized terms used in the following summary are set forth below under “—Certain Definitions.” Certain defined terms used in this description, but not defined below under “—Certain Definitions” have the meanings ascribed to them in the Indenture. For purposes of this section, references to “we” and the “Company” include only Medtronic, Inc. and not its subsidiaries.

 

General

 

Each series of notes offered hereby will be issued under an Indenture, dated as of March 12, 2009 (the “Indenture”), by and between Medtronic, Inc. and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association as trustee (the “Trustee”).

 

The notes will initially be issued in the following series and, as to each such series, with the following initial aggregate principal amounts:

 

 

We may issue additional notes of any series, including any of the series listed above, in an unlimited aggregate principal amount at any time and from time to time under the Indenture. See below under “—Further Issues.”

 

The notes of each series will be issued in the form of one or more permanent global notes in definitive, fully registered, book-entry form in minimum denominations of $2,000 and additional incremental multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof. The Trustee will initially act as paying agent and registrar for the notes. The notes may be presented for registration of transfer and exchange at the offices of the registrar, which initially will be the Trustee’s corporate trust office. We may change any paying agent and registrar without notice to holders of the notes and we may act as a paying agent or registrar. We will pay principal (and premium, if any) on the notes at the Trustee’s corporate trust office in New York, New York. At our option, interest may be paid at the Trustee’s corporate trust office or by check mailed to the registered address of the holder. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a registered holder of $5,000,000 or more in aggregate principal amount of notes of any one series will be entitled to receive payments of interest, other than interest due at maturity, by wire transfer of immediately available funds to an account at a bank located in New York City (or any other location consented to by us) if appropriate wire transfer instructions have been received by the paying agent in writing not less than 15 calendar days prior to the applicable interest payment date.

Each series of notes will mature and bear interest as provided in the following table:

 

 

Interest Provisions Relating to the Notes

 

Interest on each series of notes will accrue at the rate set forth for such series in the table above, payable semi-annually in arrears beginning on          , 2010. We will pay interest as to each series of notes to those persons who were holders of record of such series on the record date preceding each interest payment date.

 

Interest on each series of notes will accrue from the date of original issuance or, if interest has already been paid, from the date it was most recently paid as to such series, and will be computed on the basis of a 360-day year comprised of twelve 30-day months.

 

Optional Redemption

 

We may redeem the notes of any series offered hereby, in whole or in part, at any time at a redemption price equal to the greater of:

 

 

plus, in each case, accrued and unpaid interest to the date of redemption; provided that the principal amount of a note remaining outstanding after redemption in part shall be $2,000 or an integral multiple of $1,000 in excess thereof.

 

“Adjusted Treasury Rate” means, with respect to any redemption date, the rate per year equal to the semi-annual equivalent yield to maturity 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 that redemption date. The semi-annual equivalent yield to maturity will be computed as of the third business day immediately preceding the redemption date.

 

“Comparable Treasury Issue” means the U.S. Treasury security selected by the Quotation Agent as having a maturity comparable to the remaining term of the 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 those notes.

“Comparable Treasury Price” means, with respect to any redemption date, (1) the average of the Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations for that redemption date, after excluding the highest and lowest Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations, (2) if the Trustee obtains fewer than three Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations, the average of all Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations so received or (3) if only one Reference Treasury Dealer Quotation is received, such quotation.

 

“Quotation Agent” means the Reference Treasury Dealer appointed by us.

 

“Reference Treasury Dealer” means (1) each of Deutsche Bank Securities Inc., Goldman, Sachs & Co., J.P. Morgan Securities Inc. and Banc of America Securities LLC and their respective successors; provided, however, that if any of the foregoing shall cease to be a primary U.S. Government securities dealer in New York City (a “Primary Treasury Dealer”), we shall substitute another Primary Treasury Dealer and (2) any other Primary Treasury Dealers selected by us.

 

“Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations” means, with respect to each Reference Treasury Dealer and any redemption date, the average, as determined by the Trustee, 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 Trustee by that Reference Treasury Dealer at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the third business day preceding that redemption date.

 

We will provide notice of any redemption to each holder of the notes to be redeemed as of the record date established by us. We will mail such notice at least 30 days, but not more than 60 days, before the redemption date. We will give notice of such redemption to the Trustee at least 10 days prior to the date we mail the notice of redemption to each holder (or such shorter time as may be acceptable to the Trustee). Unless we default in payment of the redemption price on the redemption date, on and after the redemption date, interest will cease to accrue on the notes or portions thereof called for redemption.

 

If we do not redeem all of the notes of a particular series, the Trustee shall select the notes of that series to be redeemed in any manner that it deems fair and appropriate.

 

Any notice to holders of notes of a redemption hereunder shall include the appropriate calculation of the redemption price, but does not need to include the redemption price itself. The actual redemption price, calculated as described above, will be set forth in an officers’ certificate of ours delivered to the Trustee no later than two business days prior to the redemption date.

 

Further Issues

 

We may from time to time, without the consent of the holders of the notes, issue additional notes of any series offered hereby, having the same ranking and the same interest rate, maturity and other terms as the notes of that series except for the issue price and issue date and in some cases, the first interest payment date. Any such additional notes will, together with the then outstanding notes of such series, constitute a single class of notes under the Indenture. No additional notes of a series may be issued if an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing with respect to such series of the notes.

 

Ranking

 

The notes will be our unsecured unsubordinated obligations and will rank equally in right of payment with all our existing and future unsubordinated debt. The notes are our obligations

exclusively. Some of our consolidated assets are held by our subsidiaries. The notes will be structurally subordinated to all future and existing indebtedness, trade payables, guarantees, lease obligations, letter of credit obligations and other obligations of our subsidiaries.

 

As of January 29, 2010, as adjusted to give effect to this offering and the application of the net proceeds from the sale of the notes, we would have had approximately $      billion of unsubordinated debt obligations of a type required to be reflected as a liability (net of debt discount and cost) in our consolidated balance sheet. See “Capitalization.”

 

Regarding the Trustee

 

The Trustee’s current address is Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, Sixth and Marquette Avenue, Minneapolis, MN 55479.

 

The Indenture provides that, except during the continuance of an Event of Default, the Trustee will perform only such duties as are specifically set forth in the Indenture. During the existence of an Event of Default, the Trustee will exercise such rights and powers vested in its exercise as a prudent person would exercise under the circumstances in the conduct of such person’s own affairs.

 

The Indenture and certain provisions of the Trust Indenture Act contain limitations on the rights of the Trustee, should it become a creditor of ours, to obtain payment of claims in certain cases or to realize on certain property received by it in respect of any such claim as security or otherwise. The Trustee is permitted to engage in other transactions with us or any affiliate of ours. If there arises any conflicting interest (as defined in the Indenture or in the Trust Indenture Act), it must eliminate such conflict or resign.

 

Governing Law

 

The Indenture and the notes will be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the United States and the State of New York.

 

Book-Entry System; Delivery and Form

 

As described more fully in the accompanying prospectus, the notes of each series will be deposited with the Trustee on behalf of the Depositary in the form of one or more global debt securities. As long as the Depositary is the depositary for the notes, you may hold interests in the notes through participants in the Depositary, including Clearstream Banking, Société Anonyme (“Clearstream”) and Euroclear Bank S.A./ N.V., as operator of the Euroclear System (“Euroclear”). Euroclear and Clearstream will hold interests, in each case, on behalf of their participants through customers’ securities accounts in the names of Euroclear and Clearstream on the books of their respective depositaries, which in turn will hold such interests in customers’ securities accounts in the depositaries’ names on the Depositary’s books.

 

Payments, deliveries, transfers, exchanges, notices and other matters relating to the notes made through Euroclear or Clearstream must comply with the rules and procedures of those systems. Those systems could change their rules and procedures at any time. We have no control over those systems or their participants and we take no responsibility for their activities. Transactions between participants in Euroclear or Clearstream, on the one hand, and other participants in the Depositary, on the other hand, would also be subject to the rules and procedures of the Depositary.

Investors will be able to make and receive through Euroclear and Clearstream payments, deliveries, transfers, exchanges, notices and other transactions involving any securities held through those systems only on days when those systems are open for business. Those systems may not be open for business on days when banks, brokers and other institutions are open for business in the United States.

 

In addition, because of time-zone differences, U.S. investors who hold their interests in the notes through these systems and wish to transfer their interests, or to receive or make a payment or delivery or exercise any other right with respect to their interests, on a particular day may find that the transaction will not be effected until the next business day in Luxembourg or Brussels, as applicable. Thus, investors who wish to exercise rights that expire on a particular day may need to act before the expiration date. In addition, investors who hold their interests through both the Depositary and Euroclear or Clearstream may need to make special arrangements to finance any purchases or sales of their interests between the U.S. and European clearing systems, and those transactions may settle later than transactions within one clearing system.

 

This disclosure is limited to the U.S. federal tax issues addressed herein. Additional issues may exist that are not addressed in this disclosure and that could affect the federal tax treatment of the notes. This tax disclosure was written in connection with the promotion or marketing by us and the underwriters of the notes, and it cannot be used by a holder for the purpose of avoiding penalties that may be asserted against the holder under the Internal Revenue Code. Holders should seek advice based on their particular circumstances from an independent tax advisor.

 

This section describes the material U.S. federal income tax consequences of owning the notes we are offering. It applies to you only if you acquire notes in the offering at the offering price and you hold your notes 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:

 

 

If you purchase notes at a price other than the offering price, the amortizable bond premium or market discount rules may also apply to you. You should consult your tax advisor regarding this possibility. If a partnership holds notes, the tax treatment of a partner will generally depend upon the status of the partner and upon the activities of the partnership. You should consult your tax advisor if you are a partner in a partnership considering an investment in the notes.

 

This discussion 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, all as currently in effect. These laws are subject to change, possibly on a retroactive basis.

 

U.S. Holders

 

This section describes the tax consequences to a U.S. holder. You are a U.S. holder if you are a beneficial owner of a note and you are:

 

 

 

If you are not a U.S. holder, this subsection does not apply to you and (unless you are a U.S. partnership) you should refer to “Non-U.S. Holders” below.

 

Payments of Interest. You will be taxed on interest on your note as ordinary income at the time you receive the interest or when it accrues, depending on your method of accounting for tax purposes.

 

Purchase, Sale and Retirement of the Notes. Your tax basis in your note generally will be its cost. You will generally recognize capital gain or loss on the sale or retirement of your note equal to the difference between the amount you realize on the sale or retirement, excluding any amounts attributable to accrued but unpaid interest, and your tax basis in your note. Under current law, capital gain of a noncorporate U.S. holder is generally taxed at a maximum rate of 15% where the property is held more than one year.

 

Non-U.S. Holders

 

This subsection describes the tax consequences to a non-U.S. Holder (a “U.S. alien holder”). You are a U.S. alien holder if you are a beneficial owner of a note and are, for U.S. federal income tax purposes:

 

 

If you are a U.S. Holder, this subsection does not apply to you.

 

Payments of Principal and Interest. Under U.S. federal income and estate tax law, and subject to the discussion of backup withholding below, if you are not a U.S. Holder of a note, we and other U.S. payors generally will not be required to deduct U.S. withholding tax from payments of principal and interest to you if, in the case of payments of interest:

 

1. you do not actually or constructively own 10% or more of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock of Medtronic, Inc. entitled to vote;

 

2. you are not a controlled foreign corporation that is related to us through stock ownership; and

 

3. the U.S. payor does not have actual knowledge or reason to know that you are a U.S. person and:

 

a. you have furnished to the U.S. payor an Internal Revenue Service Form W-8BEN or an acceptable substitute form upon which you certify, under penalties of perjury, that you are a non-U.S. person,

 

b. in the case of payments made outside the U.S. to you at an offshore account (generally, an account maintained by you at a bank or other financial institution at any

location outside the U.S.), you have furnished to the U.S. payor documentation that established your identity and your status as a non-U.S. person,

 

c. the U.S. payor has received a withholding certificate (furnished on an appropriate Internal Revenue Service Form W-8 or an acceptable substitute form) from a person claiming to be:

 

i. a withholding foreign partnership (generally a foreign partnership that has entered into an agreement with the Internal Revenue Service to assume primary withholding responsibility with respect to distributions and guaranteed payments it makes to its partners),

 

ii. a qualified intermediary (generally a non-U.S. financial Institution or clearing organization or a non-U.S. branch or office of a U.S. financial institution or clearing organization that is a party to a withholding agreement with the Internal Revenue Service), or

 

iii. a U.S. branch of a non-U.S. bank or of a non-U.S. insurance company, and the withholding foreign partnership, qualified intermediary or U.S. Branch has received documentation upon which it may rely to treat the payment as made to a non-U.S. person in accordance with U.S. Treasury regulations (or, in the case of a qualified intermediary, in accordance with its agreement with the Internal Revenue Service),

 

d. the U.S. payor receives a statement from a securities clearing organization, bank or other financial institution that holds customers’ securities in the ordinary course of its trade or business,

 

i. certifying to the U.S. payor, under penalties of perjury, that an Internal Revenue Service form W-8BEN or an acceptable substitute form has been received from you by it or by a similar financial institution which receives the payment from the U.S. payor on your behalf, and

 

ii. to which is attached a copy of the Internal Revenue Service Form W-8BEN or acceptable substitute form, or

 

e. the U.S. payor otherwise possesses documentation upon which it may rely to treat the payment as made to a non-U.S. person in accordance with U.S. Treasury regulations.

 

Sale, Exchange, or Other Disposition. If you are not a citizen or resident of the U.S. and are a holder of a note, you will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax on gain realized on the sale, exchange or other disposition of a note, unless the gain is effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business in the United States, subject to an applicable income tax treaty providing otherwise.

 

Further, a note held by an individual who at death is not a citizen or resident of the U.S. will not be includible in the individual’s gross estate for U.S. federal estate tax purposes if:

 

 

Backup Withholding and Information Reporting

 

U.S. Holders. In general, if you are a noncorporate U.S. holder, we and other payors are required to report to the Internal Revenue Service all payments of principal and interest on your note. In addition, we and other payors are required to report to the Internal Revenue Service any payment of proceeds of the sale of your note before maturity within the U.S. Additionally, backup withholding will apply to any payments if you fail to provide an accurate taxpayer identification number, or 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.

 

Non-U.S. Holders. In general, if you are a U.S. alien holder, payments of principal or interest made by us and other payors to you will not be subject to backup withholding and information reporting, provided that the certification requirements described above under “Non-U.S. Holders” are satisfied or you otherwise establish an exemption. However, we and other payors are required to report payments of interest on your notes on Internal Revenue Service Form 1042-S even if the payments are not otherwise subject to information reporting requirements.

 

In addition, payment of the proceeds from the sale of notes effected at a U.S. office of a broker will not be subject to backup withholding and information reporting provided that:

 

 

 

 

If you fail to establish an exemption and the broker does not possess adequate documentation of your status as a non-U.S. person, the payments may be subject to information reporting and backup withholding.

 

Sales Effected at Non-U.S. Offices. In general, payment of the proceeds from the sale of notes effected at a non-U.S. office of a broker will not be subject to information reporting or backup withholding. However, a sale effected at a foreign office of a broker will be subject to information reporting and backup withholding if:

 

 

unless the broker does not have actual knowledge or reason to know that you are a U.S. person and the documentation requirements described above (relating to a sale of notes effected at a U.S. office of a broker) are met or you otherwise establish an exemption.

In addition, payment of the proceeds from the sale of notes effected at a non-U.S. office of a broker will be subject to information reporting if the broker is:

 

 

 

unless the broker does not have actual knowledge or reason to know that you are a U.S. person and the documentation requirements described above (relating to a sale of notes effected at a U.S. office of a broker) are met or you otherwise establish an exemption. Backup withholding will apply if the sale is subject to information reporting and the broker has actual knowledge that you are a U.S. person.

 

Subject to the terms and conditions in the underwriting agreement between us and Deutsche Bank Securities Inc., Goldman, Sachs & Co., J.P. Morgan Securities Inc. and Banc of America Securities LLC, as representatives of the underwriters named below, we have agreed to sell to each underwriter, and each underwriter has severally agreed to purchase from us, the principal amount of each series of notes set forth opposite the names of the underwriters below:

 

 

The underwriting agreement provides that the underwriters will purchase all of the notes of a series if any of them are purchased.

 

The underwriters initially propose to offer the notes to the public at the public offering prices that appear on the cover page of this prospectus supplement. The underwriters may offer the notes to selected dealers at the applicable public offering price minus a concession of up to     % of the principal amount of the 20  notes,     % of the principal amount of the 20   notes and     % of the principal amount of the 20  notes. In addition, the underwriters may allow, and those selected dealers may reallow, a concession of up to     % of the principal amount of the 20  notes,     % of the principal amount of the 20   notes and     % of the principal amount of the 20  notes to certain other dealers. After the initial offering, the underwriters may change the public offering prices and any other selling terms. The underwriters may offer and sell notes of any series through certain of their affiliates. The offering of the notes by the underwriters is subject to receipt and acceptance and subject to the underwriters’ right to reject any order in whole or in part.

 

In the underwriting agreement, we have agreed that:

 

 

Each series of notes is a new issue of securities, and there are currently no established trading markets for the notes. We do not intend to apply for the notes to be listed on any securities exchange or to arrange for the notes to be quoted on any quotation system. The underwriters have advised us that they intend to make a market in the notes of each series, but they are not obligated to do so. The underwriters may discontinue any market-making in the notes at any time in their sole discretion. Accordingly, we cannot assure you that liquid trading markets will develop for the notes.

In connection with the offering of the notes, the underwriters may engage in over-allotment, stabilizing transactions and syndicate covering transactions. Over-allotment involves sales in excess of the offering size, which creates a short position for the underwriters. Stabilizing transactions involve bids to purchase the notes in the open market for the purpose of pegging, fixing or maintaining the prices of the notes. Syndicate-covering transactions involve purchases of the notes in the open market after the distribution has been completed in order to cover short positions. Stabilizing transactions and syndicate-covering transactions may cause the prices of the notes to be higher than they would otherwise be in the absence of those transactions. If the underwriters engage in stabilizing or syndicate-covering transactions, they may discontinue them at any time.

 

The underwriters also may impose a penalty bid. This occurs when a particular underwriter repays to the underwriters a portion of the underwriting discount received by it because the representatives have repurchased notes sold by or for the account of such underwriter in stabilizing or syndicate-covering transactions.

 

The underwriters and their respective affiliates are full service financial institutions engaged in various activities, which may include securities trading, commercial and investment banking, financial advisory, investment management, principal investment, hedging, financing and brokerage activities. In the ordinary course of their various business activities, the underwriters and their respective affiliates may make or hold a broad array of investments and actively trade debt and equity securities (or related derivative securities) and financial instruments (including bank loans) for their own account and for the accounts of their customers and may at any time hold long and short positions in such securities and instruments. Such investment and securities activities may involve securities and instruments of Medtronic, Inc. and its affiliates. In addition, the underwriters or their respective affiliates have engaged, or may in the future engage, in commercial banking or investment banking transactions with Medtronic, Inc. and its affiliates, including participating in commercial paper programs and providing credit facilities and investment management services to Medtronic, Inc. and its affiliates. A portion of the net proceeds of this offering may be used to repay commercial paper or debt obligations held by the underwriters or their affiliates.

 

Selling Restrictions

 

European Economic Area

 

In relation to each member state of the European Economic Area that has implemented the Prospectus Directive (each, a “relevant member state”), each underwriter has represented and agreed with effect from and including the date on which the Prospectus Directive is implemented in that relevant member state (the “relevant implementation date”), an offer of securities described in this prospectus supplement may not be made to the public in that relevant member state other than:

 

 

 

provided that no such offer of securities shall require us or any underwriter to publish a prospectus pursuant to Article 3 of the Prospectus Directive.

 

For purposes of this provision, the expression an “offer of securities to the public” 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 securities to be offered so as to enable an investor to decide to purchase or subscribe the securities, as the expression 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.

 

United Kingdom

 

Each underwriter has represented and agreed that:

 

 

Hong Kong

 

The notes may not be offered or sold by means of any document other than (i) in circumstances which do not constitute an offer to the public within the meaning of the Companies Ordinance (Cap.32, Laws of Hong Kong), or (ii) to “professional investors” within the meaning of the Securities and Futures Ordinance (Cap.571, Laws of Hong Kong) and any rules made thereunder, or (iii) in other circumstances which do not result in the document being a “prospectus” within the meaning of the Companies Ordinance (Cap.32, Laws of Hong Kong), and no advertisement, invitation or document relating to the notes may be issued or may be in the possession of any person for the purpose of issue (in each case whether in Hong Kong or elsewhere), which is directed at, or the contents of which are likely to be accessed or read by, the public in Hong Kong (except if permitted to do so under the laws of Hong Kong) other than with respect to notes which are or are intended to be disposed of only to persons outside Hong Kong or only to “professional investors” within the meaning of the Securities and Futures Ordinance (Cap. 571, Laws of Hong Kong) and any rules made thereunder.

 

Japan

 

The notes have not been and will not be registered under the Financial Instruments and Exchange Law of Japan (the Financial Instruments and Exchange Law) and each underwriter has agreed that it will not offer or sell any notes, directly or indirectly, in Japan or to, or for the

benefit of, any resident of Japan (which term as used herein means any person resident in Japan, including any corporation or other entity organized under the laws of Japan), or to others for re-offering or resale, directly or indirectly, in Japan or to a resident of Japan, except pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirements of, and otherwise in compliance with, the Financial Instruments and Exchange Law and any other applicable laws, regulations and ministerial guidelines of Japan.

 

Singapore

 

This prospectus supplement has not been registered as a prospectus with the Monetary Authority of Singapore. Accordingly, this prospectus supplement and any other document or material in connection with the offer or sale, or invitation for subscription or purchase, of the notes may not be circulated or distributed, nor may the notes be offered or sold, or be made the subject of an invitation for subscription or purchase, whether directly or indirectly, to persons in Singapore other than (i) to an institutional investor under Section 274 of the Securities and Futures Act, Chapter 289 of Singapore (the “SFA”), (ii) to a relevant person, or any person pursuant to Section 275(1A), and in accordance with the conditions, specified in Section 275 of the SFA or (iii) otherwise pursuant to, and in accordance with the conditions of, any other applicable provision of the SFA.

 

Where the notes are subscribed or purchased under Section 275 by a relevant person which is: (a) a corporation (which is not an accredited investor) the sole business of which is to hold investments and the entire share capital of which is owned by one or more individuals, each of whom is an accredited investor; or (b) a trust (where the trustee is not an accredited investor) whose sole purpose is to hold investments and each beneficiary is an accredited investor, shares, debentures and units of shares and debentures of that corporation or the beneficiaries’ rights and interest in that trust shall not be transferable for 6 months after that corporation or that trust has acquired the notes under Section 275 except: (1) to an institutional investor under Section 274 of the SFA or to a relevant person, or any person pursuant to Section 275(1A), and in accordance with the conditions, specified in Section 275 of the SFA; (2) where no consideration is given for the transfer; or (3) by operation of law.

 

The validity of the notes offered by this prospectus supplement will be passed upon for us by Fredrikson & Byron, P.A., Minneapolis, Minnesota. Certain legal matters relating to the offering of the notes will be passed upon for the underwriters by Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP, New York, New York.

 

The financial statements and management’s assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting (which is included in Management’s Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting) incorporated in this prospectus by reference to the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended April 24, 2009 have been so incorporated in reliance on the reports of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, given on the authority of said firm as experts in auditing and accounting.

PROSPECTUS

 

 

MEDTRONIC, INC.

 

COMMON STOCK
PREFERRED STOCK
DEBT SECURITIES
PURCHASE CONTRACTS
WARRANTS
UNITS

 

 

We may offer from time to time common stock, preferred stock, debt securities, purchase contracts, warrants or units. Specific terms of these securities will be provided in supplements to this prospectus. You should read this prospectus and any supplement carefully before you invest.

 

 

Investing in these securities involves certain risks.  See “Risk Factors” beginning on page 31 of our annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended April 25, 2008 which is incorporated by reference herein.

 

 

Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved these securities, or determined if this prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

 

The date of this prospectus is March 9, 2009

 

You should rely only on the information contained in or incorporated by reference in this prospectus. We have not authorized anyone to provide you with different information. We are not making an offer of these securities in any state where the offer is not permitted. You should not assume that the information contained in or incorporated by reference in this prospectus is accurate as of any date other than the date on the front of this prospectus. The terms “Medtronic,” “we,” “us,” and “our” refer to Medtronic, Inc., a corporation organized in Minnesota, and its consolidated subsidiaries.

 

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

 

We are the global leader in medical technology, alleviating pain, restoring health and extending life for millions of people around the world. We currently function in seven operating segments that manufacture and sell device-based medical therapies. Our segments include Cardiac Rhythm Disease Management; Spinal; CardioVascular; Neuromodulation; Diabetes; Surgical Technologies; and Physio-Control. We develop, manufacture and market our medical devices in more than 120 countries worldwide and continue to expand patient access to our products in these markets.

 

We were founded in 1949 and were incorporated in Minnesota in 1957. Our principal executive offices are located at 710 Medtronic Parkway, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55432-5603 and our telephone number is (763) 514-4000. Our website is located at www.medtronic.com. Information contained on our website is not a part of this prospectus or any accompanying prospectus supplement.

 

 

About this Prospectus

 

This prospectus is part of a registration statement that we filed with the SEC utilizing a “shelf” registration process. Under this shelf process, we may sell any combination of 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 we sell securities, we will provide a prospectus supplement that will contain specific information about the terms of that 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 additional information described under the heading “Where You Can Find More Information.”

 

We file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. You may read and copy any document that we file at the Public Reference Room of the SEC at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549. You may obtain information on the operation of the Public Reference Room by calling the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330. In addition, the SEC maintains an Internet site at http://www.sec.gov, from which interested persons can electronically access our SEC filings, including the registration statement and the exhibits and schedules thereto.

 

The SEC allows us to “incorporate by reference” the information we file with them, which means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to those documents. The information incorporated by reference is an important part of this prospectus, and information that we file later with the SEC will automatically update and supersede this information. We incorporate by reference the documents listed below (other than any portions of any such documents that are not deemed “filed” under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and applicable SEC rules):

 

 

You may request a copy of these filings at no cost by writing or telephoning the office of Investor Relations Department, Medtronic, Inc., 710 Medtronic Parkway, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55432-5603; Telephone Number (763) 514-4000.

 

The following description of our capital stock is summarized from, and qualified in its entirety by reference to, our restated articles of incorporation, as amended, our bylaws, as amended, each of which have been publicly filed with the SEC, and applicable provisions of law. See “Where You Can Find Additional Information.”

 

Our authorized capital stock consists of:

 

 

As of February 27, 2009, there were 1,119,284,090 shares of common stock issued and outstanding. No shares of our preferred stock are outstanding.

 

Holders of our stock are expressly denied preemptive rights and cumulative voting rights.

 

Common Stock

 

Holders of our common stock are entitled to one vote per share on all matters submitted to a vote of our shareholders. Except as specifically required otherwise under Minnesota law, all matters submitted to our shareholders are decided by a majority vote of the shares entitled to vote and represented at the meeting at which there is a quorum, except for election of directors, which is decided by plurality vote.

 

Liability of Directors

 

Our directors are exempt from personal liability to us and to our shareholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty to the fullest extent permitted by Minnesota law.

 

Business Combinations and Control Share Acquisitions

 

We are subject to Sections 302A.671 and 302A.673 of the Minnesota Business Corporation Act. In general, Section 302A.671 provides that the shares of a public Minnesota corporation acquired in a “control share acquisition” have no voting rights unless voting rights are approved in a prescribed manner. A “control share acquisition” is an acquisition, directly or indirectly, of beneficial ownership of shares that would, when added to all other shares beneficially owned by the acquiring person, entitle the acquiring person to have voting power of 20% or more in the election of directors. In general, Section 302A.673 prohibits a public Minnesota corporation from engaging in a “business combination” with an “interested shareholder” for a period of four years after the date of the transaction in which such person became an interested shareholder, unless either the business combination or the acquisition by which such person becomes an interested shareholder is approved in a prescribed manner before such person becomes an interested shareholder. A “business combination” may be a merger, asset sale or other transaction resulting in a financial benefit to an interested shareholder. An “interested shareholder” is a person who is the beneficial owner, directly or indirectly, of 10% or more of the voting power of a corporation’s outstanding voting stock or who is an affiliate or associate of such corporation and at any time within four years prior to the date in question was the beneficial owner, directly or indirectly, of 10% or more of the voting power of such corporation’s outstanding voting stock. These provisions of Minnesota law could have the effect of delaying, deferring, or preventing a change in control of us.

 

Shareholder Rights Plan

 

Under a shareholder rights plan adopted by our board of directors on October 26, 2000, all of our shareholders receive, along with each share of our common stock, a preferred stock purchase right entitling them to purchase from us 1/5000th of a share of series A junior participating preferred stock at an exercise price of $400 per share. These rights are not exercisable or transferable apart from the common stock until 15 days after the public announcement that a person or group, referred to as an acquiring person, has acquired 15% or more of the outstanding shares of our common stock or 15 business days after the announcement of a

tender offer which would increase such acquiring person’s beneficial ownership to 15% or more of our outstanding common stock. After any person or group has become an acquiring person, each right entitles the holder (other than the acquiring person) to purchase, at the exercise price, common stock of us having a market price of two times the exercise price. If we are acquired in a merger or other business combination transaction, each exercisable right entitles the holder to purchase, at the exercise price, common stock of the acquiring company or an affiliate having a market price of two times the exercise price. Our board of directors may redeem the rights for $0.0005 per right at any time before any person or group becomes an acquiring person. Our board may also reduce the threshold at which a person or group becomes an acquiring person from 15% to no less than 10% of our outstanding common stock. The rights expire on October 26, 2010.

 

Transfer Agent

 

The transfer agent and registrar for our common stock is Wells Fargo Bank, National Association.

 

Our board of directors is authorized, to the fullest extent permitted by law, to establish out of our authorized 2,500,000 shares of preferred stock, one or more classes or series of preferred stock, having such relative rights, preferences, privileges and restrictions thereof, including dividend rights, dividend rates, conversion rights, voting rights, terms of redemption, redemption prices, liquidation preferences and the number of shares constituting any series of the designation of such series, as our board of directors shall determine without further vote or action by the shareholders.

 

The specific terms of any preferred stock to be sold under this prospectus will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement. If so indicated in such prospectus supplement, the terms of the preferred stock offered may differ from the general terms set forth below. The preferred stock offered will, when issued, be fully paid and nonassessable.

 

You should read the applicable prospectus supplement for the terms of the preferred stock offered. The terms of the preferred stock set forth in such prospectus supplement may include the following, as applicable to the preferred stock offered thereby:

 

 

 

Our authorized shares of common stock and preferred stock are available for issuance without further action by our shareholders, unless such action is required by applicable law or the rules of the stock exchange or automated quotation system on which our securities may be listed or traded. If the approval of our shareholders is not required for the issuance of shares of our common stock or preferred stock, our Board of Directors may determine to issue shares without seeking shareholder approval.

 

The issuance of preferred stock may have the effect of delaying or preventing a change in control of us without further action by our shareholders. The issuance of shares of preferred stock with voting and conversion rights may adversely affect the voting power of the holders of our common stock.

 

This prospectus describes certain general terms and provisions of the debt securities. The debt securities will be issued under an Indenture (the “Indenture”), between us and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as trustee (the “Trustee”) and will be our unsecured obligations. The Indenture does not limit the aggregate principal amount of debt securities which may be issued thereunder and provides that debt securities may be issued thereunder from time to time in one or more series. When we offer to sell a particular series of debt securities, we will describe the specific terms for the securities in a supplement to this prospectus. The prospectus supplement will also indicate whether the general terms and provisions described in this prospectus apply to a particular series of debt securities.

 

We have summarized herein certain terms and provisions of the Indenture. The summary is not complete. The Indenture is incorporated by reference as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part. You should read the Indenture for the provisions which may be important to you. Those provisions, and not this description, define your rights. The Indenture is subject to and governed by the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended (the “Trust Indenture Act”), and the laws of the state of New York. We have also included references in parentheses to certain sections of the Indenture. See “Where You Can Find Additional Information” for information on how to obtain a copy of the Indenture.

 

General Terms

 

We may issue debt securities up to an aggregate principal amount as we may authorize from time to time. The prospectus supplement will describe the terms of any debt securities being offered, including:

 

 

 

Unless otherwise indicated in the prospectus supplement relating thereto, the debt securities are to be issued as registered securities without coupons in denominations of $1,000 or any integral multiple of $1,000. (Section 3.02) No service charge will be made for any transfer or exchange of such debt securities, but we may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge payable in connection therewith. (Section 3.05)

 

Debt securities may be issued under the Indenture as original issue discount securities to be offered and sold at a substantial discount below their stated principal amount. Federal income tax consequences and other considerations applicable thereto will be described in the prospectus supplement relating thereto. As defined in the Indenture, “original issue discount securities” means any debt securities which provide for an amount less than the principal amount thereof to be due and payable upon a declaration of acceleration of the maturity thereof. (Section 1.01)

 

Certificated Debt Securities

 

Each debt security will be represented by either one or more global securities registered in the name of The Depository Trust Company, as Depositary (the “Depositary”), or a nominee of the Depositary (we will refer to any debt security represented by a global debt security as a “book-entry debt security”), or a certificate issued in definitive registered form (we will refer to any debt security represented by a certificated security as a “certificated debt security”), as described in the applicable prospectus supplement. Except as described under “Book-Entry System; Delivery and Form” below, book-entry debt securities will not be issuable in certificated form.

 

Book-Entry System; Delivery and Form

 

Each global debt security representing book-entry debt securities will be deposited with, or on behalf of, the Depositary, and registered in the name of the Depositary or a nominee of the Depositary. (Section 3.05)

 

The Depositary has indicated it intends to follow the following procedures with respect to book-entry debt securities.

 

Ownership of beneficial interests in book-entry debt securities will be limited to persons that have accounts with the Depositary for the related global debt security (“participants”) or persons that may hold interests through participants. Upon the issuance of a global debt security, the Depositary will credit, on its book-entry registration and transfer system, the accounts of the participants with the respective principal amounts of the book-entry debt securities represented by the global debt security beneficially owned by such participants. The accounts to be credited will be designated by any dealers, underwriters or agents participating in the distribution of the book-entry debt securities. Ownership of book-entry debt securities will be shown on, and the transfer of the ownership interests will be effected only through, records maintained by the Depositary for the related global debt security (with respect to interests of participants) and on the records of participants (with respect to interests of persons holding through participants). The laws of some states may require that certain purchasers of securities take physical delivery of such securities in definitive form. These laws may impair the ability to own, transfer or pledge beneficial interests in book-entry debt securities.

 

So long as the Depositary for a global debt security, or its nominee, is the registered owner of that global debt security, the Depositary or its nominee, as the case may be, will be considered the sole owner or holder of the book-entry debt securities represented by such global debt security for all purposes under the Indenture. Except as described herein, beneficial owners of book-entry debt securities will not be entitled to have

securities registered in their names, will not receive or be entitled to receive physical delivery of a certificate in definitive form representing securities and will not be considered the owners or holders of those securities under the Indenture. Accordingly, to exercise any rights of a holder under the Indenture, each person beneficially owning book-entry debt securities must rely on the procedures of the Depositary for the related global debt security and, if that person is not a participant, on the procedures of the participant through which that person owns its interest.

 

We will issue certificated debt securities in exchange for each global debt security if the Depositary is at any time unwilling or unable to continue as Depositary or ceases to be a clearing agency registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and a successor Depositary registered as a clearing agency under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, is not appointed by us within 90 days. In addition, we may at any time and in our sole discretion determine not to have any of the book-entry debt securities of any series represented by one or more global debt securities and, in that event, we will issue certificated debt securities in exchange for the global debt securities of that series. Global debt securities will also be exchangeable by the holders for certificated debt securities if an event of default with respect to the book-entry debt securities represented by those global debt securities has occurred and is continuing. Any certificated debt securities issued in exchange for a global debt security will be registered in such name or names as the Depositary will instruct the Trustee. We expect that such instructions will be based upon directions received by the Depositary from participants with respect to ownership of book-entry debt securities relating to such global debt security.

 

Customary Depositary Procedures

 

We understand, however, that under existing industry practice, the Depositary will authorize the persons on whose behalf it holds a global debt security to exercise certain rights of holders of debt securities, and the Indenture provides that we, the Trustee and our respective agents will treat as the holder of a debt security the persons specified in a written statement of the Depositary with respect to that global debt security for purposes of obtaining any consents or directions required to be given by holders of the debt securities pursuant to the Indenture.

 

We will make payments of principal of, and premium and interest on book-entry debt securities to the Depositary or its nominee, as the case may be, as the registered holder of the related global debt security. Neither we, the Trustee nor any other agent of ours or agent of the Trustee will have any responsibility or liability for any aspect of the records relating to or payments made on account of beneficial ownership interests in a global debt security or for maintaining, supervising or reviewing any records relating to such beneficial ownership interests. We expect that the Depositary, upon receipt of any payment of principal of, premium or interest on a global debt security, will immediately credit the accounts of the participants with payments in amounts proportionate to the respective amounts of book-entry debt securities held by each participant as shown on the records of the Depositary. We also expect that payments by participants to owners of beneficial interests in book-entry debt securities held through those participants will be governed by standing customer instructions and customary practices, as is now the case with the securities held for the accounts of customers in bearer form or registered in “street name,” and will be the responsibility of those participants.

 

We have obtained the foregoing information in this section concerning the Depositary and its book-entry system from sources we believe to be reliable, but we take no responsibility for the accuracy of this information.

Defeasance

 

Full Defeasance

 

If there is a change in federal income tax law or ruling of the Internal Revenue Service, as described below, under the Indenture we can legally release ourselves from any payment or other obligations on the debt securities (this is called “full defeasance”) if, among other things:

 

 

If we accomplished full defeasance, you would have to rely solely on the trust deposit for all payments on the debt securities. You could not look to us for payment in the event of any shortfall. (Section 13.02)

 

Covenant Defeasance

 

Under current U.S. federal income tax law, if we make the type of trust deposit described above, we can be released from some of the restrictive covenants in the Indenture without causing you to be taxed on the debt securities any differently than if we did not make the deposit. This is called “covenant defeasance.” In that event, you would lose the benefit of those restrictive covenants but would gain the protection of having money and/or notes or bonds set aside in trust to repay the debt securities. In order to exercise our rights under the Indenture to achieve covenant defeasance, we must, among other things:

 

 

If we accomplish covenant defeasance, the following provisions of the Indenture and the debt securities would no longer apply:

 

 

If we accomplish covenant defeasance, you can still look to us for repayment of the debt securities in the event of a shortfall in the trust deposit. In fact, if one of the remaining events of default occurred (such as our bankruptcy) and the debt securities become immediately due and payable, such a shortfall could arise. Depending on the event causing the default, you may not be able to obtain payment of the shortfall. (Sections 13.03 and 13.04)

Events of Default and Notice Thereof

 

When we use the term “Event of Default” in the Indenture with respect to the debt securities of any series, here are some examples of what we mean:

 

 

If an Event of Default with respect to debt securities of any series at the time outstanding shall occur and be continuing, either the Trustee or the holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of that series may declare the principal amount of all debt securities of that series (or, if the debt securities of that series are original issue discount securities, such portion of the principal amount as may be specified in the terms of that series) to be due and payable immediately; provided, however, that under certain circumstances the holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of outstanding debt securities of that series may rescind and annul such declaration and its consequences. (Section 5.02)

 

Reference is made to the prospectus supplement relating to any series of debt securities which are original issue discount securities for the particular provisions relating to the principal amount of such original issue discount securities due upon the occurrence of any Event of Default and the continuation thereof.

 

The Trustee, after the occurrence of a default with respect to any series of debt securities, shall give to the holders of debt securities of that series notice of all uncured defaults known to it (the term default to mean the events specified above without grace periods), provided that, except in the case of default in the payment of principal of (or premium, if any) or interest, if any, on any debt security, or in the deposit of any sinking fund payment with respect to any debt securities, the Trustee shall be protected in withholding such notice if it in good faith determines that the withholding of such notice is in the interest of the holders of the debt securities of such series. (Section 6.02)

 

We will be required to furnish to the Trustee annually within 120 days after the end of each fiscal year a statement by certain of our officers to the effect that to the best of their knowledge we are not in default in the fulfillment of any of our obligations under the Indenture or, if there has been a default in the fulfillment of any such obligation, specifying each such default. (Section 10.04 and Section 10.08)

 

The holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of any series affected will have the right, subject to certain limitations, to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee or exercising any trust or power conferred on the Trustee with respect to the debt securities of such series, and to waive certain defaults. (Sections 5.12 and 5.13)

 

In case an Event of Default shall occur and be continuing, the Trustee shall exercise such of its rights and powers under the Indenture, and use the same degree of care and skill in their exercise, as a prudent man would exercise or use under the circumstances in the conduct of his own affairs. (Section 6.01) Subject to such provisions, the Trustee will be under no obligation to exercise any of its rights or powers under the Indenture at the request or direction of any of the holders of debt securities unless they shall have offered to the Trustee reasonable security or indemnity against the costs, expenses and liabilities which might be incurred by it in compliance with such request or direction. (Section 6.03)

Consolidation, Merger, Conveyance, Transfer or Lease

 

We may not consolidate with or merge into any other person (as defined in the Indenture) or convey, transfer or lease our properties and assets substantially as an entirety, unless:

 

 

Modification of the Indenture

 

Modifications and amendments of the Indenture may be made by us and the Trustee with the consent of the holders of not less than a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of each series affected by the modification or waiver; provided, however, that no such modification or amendment may without the consent of the holder of each debt security affected thereby, to change the stated maturity of the principal of, or any installment of principal of or interest on, any debt security, reduce the principal amount of, or premium or interest on, any debt security, change the place of payment where coin or currency in which the principal of, or any premium or interest on, any debt security is payable, impair the right to institute suit for the enforcement of any payment on or with respect to any debt security, reduce the percentage in principal amount of outstanding debt securities, the consent of the holders of which is required for modification or amendment of the Indenture or for waiver of compliance with certain provisions of the Indenture or for waiver of certain defaults or modify any of the above provisions. (Section 9.02)

 

The Holders of not less than a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of each series may, on behalf of the holders of all debt securities of that series, waive compliance by us with certain restrictive provisions of the Indenture. The holders of not less than a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of each series may, on behalf of the holders of all debt securities of such series, waive any past default under the Indenture, except a default (1) in the payment of principal of, or any premium or interest on, any debt security or (2) in respect of a covenant or provision of the Indenture which cannot be modified or without the consent of the holder of each debt security of the affected series. (Section 10.09; Section 5.13)

 

Modifications and amendments of the Indenture may be made by us and the Trustee without the consent of any holders for any of the following purposes:

 

 

 

Debt securities will not be considered outstanding, and therefore will not be eligible to vote on any matter, 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 above under “Full Defeasance.” (Section 1.01)

 

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 Indenture. In certain limited circumstances, the Trustee will be entitled to set a record date for action by holders. If we or the Trustee set a record date for a vote or other action to be taken, that vote or action may be taken only by persons who are holders of outstanding debt securities on the record date and must be taken within 180 days following the record date or a shorter 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 180 days) this period from time to time. (Section 1.04)

 

Certain Covenants

 

Limitations on Secured Debt.  The Indenture provides that we will not, and will not permit any Restricted Subsidiary (defined below) to, incur, issue, assume or guarantee any notes, bonds, debentures or other similar evidences of indebtedness for money borrowed (herein called “debt”), secured by a pledge of, or mortgage or other lien on, any Principal Property (defined below), now owned or hereafter owned by us or any Restricted Subsidiary, or any shares of stock or debt of any Restricted Subsidiary (herein called “liens”), without effectively providing that the debt securities (together with, if we shall so determine, any other debt of us or such Restricted Subsidiary then existing or thereafter created which is not subordinate to the debt securities of that series) shall be secured equally and ratably with (or prior to) such secured debt so long as such secured debt shall be so secured. The foregoing restrictions do not apply, however, to:

 

 

 

Notwithstanding the restrictions described above, we or any Restricted Subsidiary may incur, issue, assume or guarantee debt secured by liens without equally and ratably securing the debt securities, provided that at the time of such incurrence, issuance, assumption or guarantee, after giving effect thereto and to the retirement of any debt which is concurrently being retired, the aggregate amount of all outstanding debt secured by liens which could not have been incurred, issued, assumed or guaranteed by us or a Restricted Subsidiary without equally and ratably securing the debt securities of each series then outstanding except for the provisions of this paragraph, together with the aggregate amount of Attributable Debt (defined below) incurred pursuant to the second paragraph under the caption “— Limitations on Sale and Leaseback

Transactions” below, does not at such time exceed 20% of our Consolidated Net Tangible Assets (defined below). (Section 10.06 and 10.07)

 

Limitations on Sale and Leaseback Transactions.  Sale and leaseback transactions by us or any Restricted Subsidiary involving a Principal Property are prohibited unless either (a) we or such Restricted Subsidiary would be entitled, without equally and ratably securing the debt securities, to incur debt secured by a lien on such property, pursuant to the provisions described in the twelve bullets above under “— Limitations on Secured Debt;” or (b) we, within 360 days after such transaction, apply an amount not less than the net proceeds of the sale of the Principal Property leased pursuant to such arrangement to (x) the retirement of our Funded Debt (defined below); provided that the amount to be applied to the retirement of our Funded Debt shall be reduced by (i) the principal amount of any debt securities delivered within 360 days after such sale to the Trustee for retirement and cancellation, and (ii) the principal amount of Funded Debt, other than debt securities, voluntarily retired by us within 360 days after such sale or (y) the purchase, construction or development of other property, facilities or equipment used or useful in our or our Restricted Subsidiaries’ business. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no retirement referred to in clause (b) of this paragraph may be effected by payment at maturity or pursuant to any mandatory sinking fund payment or mandatory prepayment provision. This restriction will not apply to a sale and leaseback transaction between us and a Restricted Subsidiary or between Restricted Subsidiaries or involving the taking back of a lease for a period of less than three years. (Section 10.07)

 

Notwithstanding the restrictions described above, we or any Restricted Subsidiary may enter into a sale and leaseback transaction, provided that at the time of such transaction, after giving effect thereto and to the retirement of any Funded Debt which is concurrently being retired, the aggregate amount of all Attributable Debt (defined below) in respect of sale and leaseback transactions existing at such time (other than sale and leaseback transactions permitted as described in the preceding paragraph), together with the aggregate amount of all outstanding debt incurred pursuant to the second paragraph under the caption “— Limitations on Secured Debt” above, does not at such time exceed 20% of our Consolidated Net Tangible Assets. (Section 10.07)

 

Existence.  Except as permitted under “— Consolidation, Merger, Conveyance, Transfer or Lease,” the Indenture requires us to do or cause to be done all things necessary to preserve and keep in full force and effect its existence, rights and franchises; provided, however, that we shall not be required to preserve any right or franchise if we determine that their preservation is no longer desirable in the conduct of our business and that the loss thereof is not disadvantageous in any material respect to the holders. (Section 10.05)

 

Regarding the Trustee

 

The Trustee’s current address is Sixth and Marquette Avenue, Minneapolis MN 55479.

 

The Indenture provides that, except during the continuance of an Event of Default, the Trustee will perform only such duties as are specifically set forth in the Indenture. During the existence of an Event of Default, the Trustee will exercise such rights and powers vested in its exercise as a prudent person would exercise under the circumstances in the conduct of such person’s own affairs. (Section 6.01)

 

The Indenture and provisions of the Trust Indenture Act incorporated by reference therein contain limitations on the rights of the Trustee, should it become a creditor of the company, to obtain payment of claims in certain cases or to realize on certain property received by it in respect of any such claim as security or otherwise. The Trustee is permitted to engage in other transactions with us or any affiliate. If it acquires any conflicting interest (as defined in the Indenture or in the Trust Indenture Act), it must eliminate such conflict or resign. (Section 6.05; Section 6.08; Section 6.13)

 

Governing Law

 

The Indenture and the debt securities will be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York and the United States.

Certain Definitions

 

“Attributable Debt” in respect of any lease means, at the time of determination, the present value (discounted at the rate of interest implicit in the terms of the lease) of the obligation of the lessee for net rental payments during the remaining term of the lease (including any period for which such lease has been extended or may, at the option of the lessor, be extended). “Net rental payments” under any lease for any period means the sum of the rental and other payments required to be paid in such period by the lessee thereunder, not including, however, any amounts required to be paid by such lessee (whether or not designated as rental or additional rental payments) on account of maintenance and repairs, insurance, taxes, assessments or similar charges required to be paid by such lessee thereunder or any amounts required to be paid by such lessee thereunder contingent upon the amount of sales, maintenance and repairs, insurance, taxes, assessments or similar charges. (Section 1.01)

 

“Consolidated Net Tangible Assets” means, at the date of determination, the aggregate amount of assets (less applicable reserves and other properly deductible items) after deducting therefrom (a) all current liabilities (excluding any indebtedness for money borrowed having a maturity of less than 12 months from the date of our then most recent publicly available consolidated balance sheet but which by its terms is renewable or extendible beyond 12 months from such date at the option of the borrower) and (b) all goodwill, trade names, patents, unamortized debt discount and expense and any other like intangibles, all as set forth on our then most recent publicly available consolidated balance sheet and computed in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. (Section 1.01)

 

“Funded Debt” means debt which by its terms matures at or is extendible or renewable at the option of the obligor to a date more than 12 months after the date of the creation of such debt. (Section 1.01)

 

“Principal Property” means any plant, office facility, warehouse, distribution center or equipment located within the U.S. (other than its territories or possessions) and owned by us or any subsidiary, the gross book value (without deduction of any depreciation reserves) of which on the date as of which the determination is being made exceeds 1% of Consolidated Net Tangible Assets, except any such property which our Board of Directors, in its good faith opinion, determines is not of material importance to the business conducted by the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, as evidenced by a certified copy of a board resolution. (Section 1.01)

 

“Restricted Subsidiary” means any subsidiary of ours which owns or leases a Principal Property. (Section 1.01)

 

Concerning our Relationship with the Trustee

 

We maintain ordinary banking relationships and credit facilities with Wells Fargo Bank, National Association. In addition, Wells Fargo is the trustee for certain of our other debt securities and the transfer agent for our common stock, and from time to time provides services relating to our investment management, stock repurchase and foreign currency hedging programs.

 

 

We may issue purchase contracts for the purchase or sale of:

 

 

Each purchase contract will entitle the holder thereof to purchase or sell, and obligate us to sell or purchase, on specified dates, such securities, currencies or commodities at a specified purchase price, which may be based on a formula, all as set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement. We may, however, satisfy our obligations, if any, with respect to any purchase contract by delivering the cash value of such purchase contract or the cash value of the property otherwise deliverable or, in the case of purchase contracts on

underlying currencies, by delivering the underlying currencies, as set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement. The applicable prospectus supplement will also specify the methods by which the holders may purchase or sell such securities, currencies or commodities and any acceleration, cancellation or termination provisions or other provisions relating to the settlement of a purchase contract.

 

The purchase contracts may require us to make periodic payments to the holders thereof or vice versa, which payments may be deferred to the extent set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement, and those payments may be unsecured or prefunded on some basis. The purchase contracts may require the holders thereof to secure their obligations in a specified manner to be described in the applicable prospectus supplement. Alternatively, the purchase contracts may require holders to satisfy their obligations thereunder when the purchase contracts are issued. Our obligation to settle such pre-paid purchase contracts on the relevant settlement date may constitute indebtedness. Accordingly, pre-paid purchase contracts will be issued under the indenture.

 

We may issue warrants to purchase our debt or equity securities or securities of third parties or other rights, including rights to receive payment in cash or securities based on the value, rate or price of one or more specified commodities, currencies, securities or indices, or any combination of the foregoing. Warrants may be issued independently or together with any other securities and may be attached to, or separate from, such securities. Each series of warrants will be issued under a separate warrant agreement to be entered into between us and a warrant agent. The terms of any warrants to be issued and a description of the material provisions of the applicable warrant agreement will be set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement.

 

As specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, we may issue units consisting of one or more purchase contracts, warrants, debt securities, shares of preferred stock, shares of common stock or any combination of such securities.

 

Each debt security, warrant and unit will be represented either by a certificate issued in definitive form to a particular investor or by one or more global securities representing the entire issuance of securities. Certificated securities in definitive form and global securities will be issued in registered form. Definitive securities name you or your nominee as the owner of the security, and in order to transfer or exchange these securities or to receive payments other than interest or other interim payments, you or your nominee must physically deliver the securities to the trustee, registrar, paying agent or other agent, as applicable. Global securities name a depositary or its nominee as the owner of the debt securities, warrants or units represented by these global securities. The depositary maintains a computerized system that will reflect each investor’s beneficial ownership of the securities through an account maintained by the investor with its broker/dealer, bank, trust company or other representative, as we explain more fully below.

 

Global Securities

 

Registered Global Securities.  We may issue the registered debt securities, warrants and units in the form of one or more fully registered global securities that will be deposited with a depositary or its nominee identified in the applicable prospectus supplement and registered in the name of that depositary or nominee. In those cases, one or more registered global securities will be issued in a denomination or aggregate denominations equal to the portion of the aggregate principal or face amount of the securities to be represented by registered global securities. Unless and until it is exchanged in whole for securities in definitive registered form, a registered global security may not be transferred except as a whole by and among the depositary for the registered global security, the nominees of the depositary or any successors of the depositary or those nominees.

If not described below, any specific terms of the depositary arrangement with respect to any securities to be represented by a registered global security will be described in the prospectus supplement relating to those securities. We anticipate that the following provisions will apply to all depositary arrangements.

 

Ownership of beneficial interests in a registered global security will be limited to persons, called participants, that have accounts with the depositary or persons that may hold interests through participants. Upon the issuance of a registered global security, the depositary will credit, on its book-entry registration and transfer system, the participants’ accounts with the respective principal or face amounts of the securities beneficially owned by the participants. Any dealers, underwriters or agents participating in the distribution of the securities will designate the accounts to be credited. Ownership of beneficial interests in a registered global security will be shown on, and the transfer of ownership interests will be effected only through, records maintained by the depositary, with respect to interests of participants, and on the records of participants, with respect to interests of persons holding through participants. The laws of some states may require that some purchasers of securities take physical delivery of these securities in definitive form. These laws may impair your ability to own, transfer or pledge beneficial interests in registered global securities.

 

So long as the depositary, or its nominee, is the registered owner of a registered global security, that depositary or its nominee, as the case may be, will be considered the sole owner or holder of the securities represented by the registered global security for all purposes under the applicable indenture. Except as described below, owners of beneficial interests in a registered global security will not be entitled to have the securities represented by the registered global security registered in their names, will not receive or be entitled to receive physical delivery of the securities in definitive form and will not be considered the owners or holders of the securities under the applicable indenture. Accordingly, each person owning a beneficial interest in a registered global security must rely on the procedures of the depositary for that registered global security and, if that person is not a participant, on the procedures of the participant through which the person owns its interest, to exercise any rights of a holder under the applicable indenture. We understand that under existing industry practices, if we request any action of holders or if an owner of a beneficial interest in a registered global security desires to give or take any action that a holder is entitled to give or take under the applicable indenture, the depositary for the registered global security would authorize the participants holding the relevant beneficial interests to give or take that action, and the participants would authorize beneficial owners owning through them to give or take that action or would otherwise act upon the instructions of beneficial owners holding through them.

 

Principal, (and premium, if any), interest payments and additional amounts, if any, on debt securities and any payments to holders with respect to warrants, guaranteed trust preferred securities or units, represented by a registered global security registered in the name of a depositary or its nominee will be made to the depositary or its nominee, as the case may be, as the registered owner of the registered global security. None of Medtronic, Inc., the trustee or any other agent of Medtronic, Inc., or agent of the trustee will have any responsibility or liability for any aspect of the records relating to payments made on account of beneficial ownership interests in the registered global security or for maintaining, supervising or reviewing any records relating to those beneficial ownership interests.

 

We expect that the depositary for any of the securities represented by a registered global security, upon receipt of any payment of principal, premium, interest or other distribution of underlying securities or other property to holders on that registered global security, will immediately credit participants’ accounts in amounts proportionate to their respective beneficial interests in that registered global security as shown on the records of the depositary. We also expect that payments by participants to owners of beneficial interests in a registered global security held through participants will be governed by standing customer instructions and customary practices, as is now the case with the securities held for the accounts of customers in bearer form or registered in “street name,” and will be the responsibility of those participants.

 

If the depositary for any of these securities represented by a registered global security is at any time unwilling or unable to continue as depositary or ceases to be a clearing agency registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and a successor depositary registered as a clearing agency under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 is not appointed by us within 90 days, we will issue securities in definitive form in

exchange for the registered global security that had been held by the depositary. Any securities issued in definitive form in exchange for a registered global security will be registered in the name or names that the depositary gives to the relevant trustee or other relevant agent of ours or theirs. It is expected that the depositary’s instructions will be based upon directions received by the depositary from participants with respect to ownership of beneficial interests in the registered global security that had been held by the depositary.

 

The securities described in this prospectus may be sold in any of the following ways: (1) through underwriters or dealers; (2) through agents; or (3) directly to one or more purchasers (through a specific bidding or auction process or otherwise).

 

The distribution of the securities may be effected from time to time in one or more transactions at a fixed price or prices, which may be changed, or at market prices prevailing at the time of sale, at prices related to such prevailing market prices or at negotiated prices.

 

In connection with the sale of the securities, underwriters or agents may receive compensation from us or from purchasers of the securities for whom they may act as agents in the form of discounts, concessions or commissions. Underwriters may sell the securities to or through dealers, and such dealers may receive compensation in the form of discounts, concessions or commissions from the underwriters or commissions from the purchasers for whom they may act as agents. If a dealer is utilized to sell the securities, we will sell such securities to the dealer as principal. The dealer may then resell such securities to the public at varying prices to be determined by such dealer at any time of resale.

 

Underwriters, dealers and agents that participate in the distribution of the securities may be deemed to be underwriters, and any discounts or commissions received by them from us and any profit on the resale of the securities by them may be deemed to be underwriting discounts and commissions, under the Securities Act. Any such underwriter, dealer or agent will be identified, and any such compensation received from us will be described, in the applicable prospectus supplement.

 

Offers to purchase the securities may be solicited directly and the sale thereof may be made directly to institutional investors or others, who may be deemed to be underwriters within the meaning of the Securities Act with respect to any resale thereof. The terms of any such sales will be described in the prospectus supplement relating thereto, including the terms of any bidding or auction process.

 

If so indicated in the prospectus supplement, we will authorize underwriters, dealers or agents to solicit offers by certain specified institutions to purchase the securities from us at the public offering price set forth in the prospectus supplement pursuant to delayed delivery contracts providing for payment and delivery on a specified date in the future. Such contracts will be subject only to those conditions set forth in the prospectus supplement and the prospectus supplement will set forth the commission payable for the solicitation of such contracts.

 

Under agreements which may be entered into by us, underwriters, dealers and agents who participate in the distribution of the securities may be entitled to indemnification by us against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act or to contribution with respect to payments which the underwriters, dealers or agents may be required to make in respect thereof.

 

Unless otherwise indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, we do not intend to apply for the listing of any series of debt securities, warrants, units or preferred stock on a national securities exchange. If debt securities, warrants, units or preferred stock of any series are sold to or through underwriters, the underwriters may make a market in such securities, as permitted by applicable laws and regulations. No underwriter would be obligated, however, to make a market in such securities, and any such market-making could be discontinued at any time at the sole discretion of the underwriters. Accordingly, no assurance can be given as to the liquidity of, or trading markets for, the debt securities, warrants, units or preferred stock of any series.

Certain of the underwriters, dealers or agents and their associates may be customers of, engage in transactions with, and perform services for, us in the ordinary course of business.

 

The validity of the securities offered by this prospectus will be passed upon for us by Fredrikson & Byron, P.A., Minneapolis, Minnesota.

 

The financial statements and management’s assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting (which is included in Management’s Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting) incorporated in this prospectus by reference to the Annual Report on Form 10-K of Medtronic, Inc. for the year ended April 25, 2008 have been so incorporated in reliance on the reports of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, given on the authority of said firm as experts in auditing and accounting.