As of the date of this prospectus, our certificate of incorporation has designated four series of preferred stock, Series A Preferred Stock, Series B Preferred Stock, Series I Preferred Stock and Series II Preferred Stock, each of which is outstanding.
Series A Preferred Stock
In March 2016, KKR & Co. L.P. issued 13,800,000 6.75% Series A Preferred Units (“Series A Preferred Units”). In connection with our conversion to a corporation, each Series A Preferred Unit outstanding immediately prior to the conversion converted into one issued and outstanding, fully paid and nonassessable share of Series A Preferred Stock.
Economic rights. Dividends on the Series A Preferred Stock are payable when, as and if declared by our board of directors out of funds legally available, at a rate per annum equal to 6.75% of the $25.00 liquidation preference per share. Dividends on the Series A Preferred Stock are payable quarterly on March 15, June 15, September 15 and December 15 of each year, when, as and if declared our board of directors.
Dividends on the Series A Preferred Stock are non-cumulative.
Ranking. Shares of the Series A Preferred Stock rank senior to our common stock and equally with shares of our Series B Preferred Stock and any of our other equity securities, including any other preferred stock, that we may issue in the future, whose terms provide that such securities will rank equally with the Series A Preferred Stock respect to payment of dividends and distribution of our assets upon our liquidation, dissolution or winding up (“Series A parity stock”). Shares of the Series A Preferred Stock include the same provisions with respect to restrictions on declaration and payment of dividends as the Series B Preferred Stock. Holders of the Series A Preferred Stock do not have preemptive or subscription rights.
Shares of the Series A Preferred Stock rank junior to (i) all of our existing and future indebtedness and (ii) any of our equity securities, including preferred stock, that we may issue in the future, whose terms provide that such securities will rank senior to the Series A Preferred Stock with respect to payment of dividends and distribution of our assets upon our liquidation, dissolution or winding up (such equity securities, “Series A senior stock”). We currently have no Series A senior stock outstanding. While any shares of Series A Preferred Stock are outstanding, we may not authorize or create any class or series of Series A senior stock without the approval of two-thirds of the votes entitled to be cast by the holders of outstanding Series A Preferred Stock and all other series of Series A voting preferred stock (defined below), acting as a single class. See “—Voting rights” below for a discussion of the voting rights applicable if we seek to create any class or series of Series A senior stock.
Maturity. The Series A Preferred Stock does not have a maturity date, and we are not required to redeem or repurchase the Series A Preferred Stock.
Optional redemption. We may not redeem the Series A Preferred Stock prior to June 15, 2021 except as provided below under “—Change of control redemption.” At any time or from time to time on or after June 15, 2021, we may, at our option, redeem the Series A Preferred Stock, in whole or in part, at a price of $25.00 per share of Series A Preferred Stock plus declared and unpaid dividends, if any, to, but excluding, the redemption date, without payment of any undeclared dividends.
Holders of the Series A Preferred Stock will have no right to require the redemption of the Series A Preferred Stock.
Change of control redemption. If a change of control event occurs prior to June 15, 2021, we may, at our option, redeem the Series A Preferred Stock, in whole but not in part, at a price of $25.25 per share of Series A Preferred Stock, plus declared and unpaid dividends to, but excluding, the redemption date, without payment of any undeclared dividends.
If we do not give a redemption notice within the time periods specified in our certificate of incorporation following a change of control event (whether before, on or after June 15, 2021), the dividend rate per annum on the Series A Preferred Stock will increase by 5.00%.
A change of control event would occur if a change of control is accompanied by the lowering of the rating on certain series of our senior notes that are guaranteed by us and the KKR Group Partnership (or, if no such series of our senior notes are outstanding, our long-term issuer rating) in respect of such change of control and any series of such senior notes or our long-term issuer rating, as applicable, is rated below investment grade.