425 1 ea0202355-425_eqtcorp.htm FORM 425

Filed by EQT Corporation

(Commission File No. 001-3551)

Pursuant to Rule 425 under

the Securities Act of 1933

and deemed filed pursuant to Rule 14a-12 of

the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

 

Subject Company: Equitrans Midstream Corp.

(Commission File No. 001-38629)

 

The following is an article that was published by Reuters News on March 21, 2024, which contains quotes from Toby Z. Rice, President and Chief Executive Officer of EQT Corporation (“EQT” or “Parent”), regarding EQT’s proposed acquisition (the “transaction”) of Equitrans Midstream Corporation (“Equitrans” or the “Company”):

 

CERAWEEK: US pipeline firms poised to follow biggest customers into M&A

 

Reuters News

By David French and Arathy Somasekhar

21 March 2024

 

U.S. energy pipeline and storage operators have spent two years watching the consolidation of oil and gas producers, and now they are gearing up for the merger wave to hit their sector, executives, investors, and analysts said.

 

The midstream sector has a lot of specialized midsize firms and only a handful of very large operators able to provide the services across a wide geographic footprint. Mergers will result in more suppliers able to provide processing, transport, storage and export services, according to executives and dealmakers.

 

There were $12.5 billion of midstream deals announced through mid-March, compared with $21.9 billion for all 2023, according to researcher Enverus. If the current pace holds, this year will be the biggest for midstream mergers and acquisitions since 2019.

 

Scale “is definitely important,” Williams Companies Chief Operating Officer Michael Dunn told Reuters on the sidelines of the CERAWeek by S&P Global conference. “Continuing to expand is certainly one of our goals.”

 

Due to the hurdles of getting new energy infrastructure approved and built, it can make more sense to buy a company than put steel in the ground yourself, Pierce Norton, CEO of Oneok said in an interview at CERAWeek.

 

Oneok bought Magellan Midstream last year, to expand its natural-gas business into refined products and crude transportation.

 

HOW DEALS WILL UNROLL

 

A consolidation wave in midstream would skip the initial phase of private-company deals that enveloped shale companies and jump straight to strategic combinations, said those working on such deals.

 

“There are not too many private midstream businesses of scale left, as many were sold in recent years, so further public midstream consolidation is inevitable,” said Pete Bowden, global head of industrial, energy and infrastructure at Jefferies Financial Group.

 

This year, Sunoco agreed to acquire storage provider NuStar Energy for $3.9 billion, and EQT Corp announced it would buy its former spinoff Equitrans Midstream for $5.5 billion.

 

The EQT deal will “reduce our cost structure to a level where we can withstand the negative stress case of prices like the $2 (per million British thermal units) we see today,” said EQT CEO Toby Rice. That price is less than a third of the average for 2022.

 

 

 

 

Other deals are percolating: Occidental Petroleum is weighing options for its controlling stake in Western Midstream Partners, Reuters reported last month. Summit Midstream Partners last week said it was in the advanced stages of a review of strategic alternatives.

 

Like the shale producer combinations, the coming wave of midstream deals will not be salvage jobs of last decade. U.S. midstream companies are in a position of strength having cut debt and switched to fee-based business models less exposed to commodity price swings.

 

Scott Wexler, head of North American midstream at Citigroup, said companies are trading below 3.5-times debt-to-EBITDA, compared to more than 4-times prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

“It makes it easier to go out and do deals, in particular when the rest of the universe has fixed themselves and so those combinations don’t put in peril your strategic objectives,” he added.

 

RESHAPING INDUSTRY

 

A similarity to shale combinations is midstream’s need for greater scale to cover more shale basins, to share the costs of methane reduction and to deliver immediate shareholder returns.

 

“Some of the deals we’ve started to see are midsize public companies where the management teams are realizing they have carried the ball as far as they can on their own,” said Michael Casey, head of midstream and downstream at Wells Fargo.

 

Greater scale will allow companies to earn more by delivering more services.

 

“The more I can touch that molecule, the more margin I can realize. People are looking at ways to further their opportunities to do that,” Casey explained.

 

As their existing contracts expire in coming years, the newly enlarged oil and gas producers will look to pare suppliers to cut their cost of business.

 

“As these (producers) have been getting bigger, one would expect this to be followed by a renewed focus on the part of the midstreamers to follow suit,” said Jefferies’ Bowden.

 

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Cautionary Statements Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

 

This communication contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the federal securities laws. Forward-looking statements may be identified by words such as “anticipates,” “believes,” “cause,” “continue,” “could,” “depend,” “develop,” “estimates,” “expects,” “forecasts,” “goal,” “guidance,” “have,” “impact,” “implement,” “increase,” “intends,” “lead,” “maintain,” “may,” “might,” “plans,” “potential,” “possible,” “projected,” “reduce,” “remain,” “result,” “scheduled,” “seek,” “should,” “will,” “would” and other similar words or expressions. The absence of such words or expressions does not necessarily mean the statements are not forward-looking. Forward-looking statements are not statements of historical fact and reflect Parent’s and the Company’s current views about future events. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the proposed transaction between Parent and the Company, the expected closing of the proposed transaction and the timing thereof and the pro forma combined company and its operations, strategies and plans, integration, debt levels and leverage ratio, capital expenditures, cash flows and anticipated uses thereof, synergies, opportunities and anticipated future performance, expected accretion to earnings and free cash flow and anticipated dividends. Information adjusted for the proposed transaction should not be considered a forecast of future results. Although Parent believes Parent’s forward-looking statements are reasonable, statements made regarding future results are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to numerous assumptions, uncertainties and risks that are difficult to predict. Actual outcomes and results may be materially different from the results stated or implied in such forward-looking statements included in this communication.

 

Actual outcomes and results may differ materially from those included in the forward-looking statements in this communication due to a number of factors, including, but not limited to: the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstances that could give rise to the termination of the merger agreement; the possibility that shareholders of Parent may not approve the issuance of Parent common stock in connection with the proposed transaction; the possibility that the shareholders of the Company may not adopt the merger agreement; the risk that Parent or the Company may be unable to obtain governmental and regulatory approvals required for the proposed transaction, or required governmental and regulatory approvals may delay the merger or result in the imposition of conditions that could cause the parties to abandon the merger; the risk that the parties may not be able to satisfy the conditions to the proposed transaction in a timely manner or at all; risks related to disruption of management’s time from ongoing business operations due to the proposed transaction; the risk that any announcements relating to the proposed transaction could have adverse effects on the market price of Parent’s common stock or the Company’s common stock; the risk of any unexpected costs or expenses resulting from the proposed transaction; the risk of any litigation relating to the proposed transaction; the risk that the proposed transaction and its announcement could have an adverse effect on the ability of Parent and the Company to retain and hire key personnel, on the ability of Parent or the Company to attract third-party customers and maintain their relationships with derivatives and joint venture counterparties and on Parent’s and the Company’s operating results and businesses generally; the risk that problems may arise in successfully integrating the businesses of Parent and the Company, which may result in the combined company not operating as effectively and efficiently as expected; the risk that the combined company may be unable to achieve synergies or other anticipated benefits of the proposed transaction or it may take longer than expected to achieve those synergies or benefits and other important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected; the volatility in commodity prices for crude oil and natural gas; the Company’s ability to construct, complete and place in service the Mountain Valley Pipeline project; the effect of future regulatory or legislative actions on Parent and the Company or the industry in which they operate, including the risk of new restrictions with respect to oil and natural gas development activities; the risk that the credit ratings of the combined business may be different from what Parent and the Company expect; the ability of management to execute its plans to meet its goals and other risks inherent in Parent’s and the Company’s businesses; public health crises, such as pandemics and epidemics, and any related government policies and actions; the potential disruption or interruption of Parent’s or the Company’s operations due to war, accidents, political events, civil unrest, severe weather, cyber threats, terrorist acts, or other natural or human causes beyond Parent’s or the Company’s control; the combined company’s ability to identify and mitigate the risks and hazards inherent in operating in the global energy industry; and other factors detailed in Parent’s and the Company’s Annual Reports on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023 and subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K. All such factors are difficult to predict and are beyond Parent’s and the Company’s control. Additional risks or uncertainties that are not currently known to Parent or the Company, that Parent or the Company currently deem to be immaterial, or that could apply to any company could also cause actual outcomes and results to differ materially from those included in the forward-looking statements in this communication. Parent and the Company undertake no obligation to publicly correct or update the forward-looking statements in this communication, in other documents or on their respective websites to reflect new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law. All such statements are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements that speak only as of the date hereof.

 

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Important Information for Investors and Shareholders; Additional Information and Where to Find It

 

In connection with the proposed transaction between Parent and the Company, Parent intends to file with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) a registration statement on Form S-4 (the “registration statement”) that will include a joint proxy statement of Parent and the Company and that will also constitute a prospectus of Parent (the “joint proxy statement/prospectus”). Parent and the Company also intend to file other documents regarding the proposed transaction with the SEC. This document is not a substitute for the joint proxy statement/prospectus or the registration statement or any other document that Parent or the Company may file with the SEC. BEFORE MAKING ANY VOTING DECISION, INVESTORS ARE URGED TO CAREFULLY READ THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT, THE JOINT PROXY STATEMENT/PROSPECTUS, AND ALL OTHER RELEVANT DOCUMENTS FILED OR THAT MAY BE FILED WITH THE SEC IN CONNECTION WITH THE PROPOSED TRANSACTION, AS WELL AS ANY AMENDMENTS OR SUPPLEMENTS TO THOSE DOCUMENTS, AS THEY BECOME AVAILABLE BECAUSE THEY CONTAIN OR WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT PARENT, THE COMPANY, THE PROPOSED TRANSACTION, THE RISKS THERETO AND RELATED MATTERS. After the registration statement has been declared effective, a definitive joint proxy statement/prospectus will be mailed to the shareholders of Parent and the shareholders of the Company. Investors will be able to obtain free copies of the registration statement and joint proxy statement/prospectus and other relevant documents filed or that will be filed with the SEC by Parent or the Company through the website maintained by the SEC at www.sec.gov. Copies of the documents filed with the SEC by Parent may be obtained free of charge on Parent’s website at www.ir.eqt.com/investor-relations. Copies of the documents filed with the SEC by the Company may be obtained free of charge on the Company’s website at www.ir.equitransmidstream.com.

 

Participants in the Solicitation

 

Parent and the Company and their respective directors, executive officers and other members of management and employees may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies in connection with the proposed transaction contemplated by the joint proxy statement/prospectus. Information regarding Parent’s directors and executive officers and their ownership of Parent’s securities is set forth in Parent’s filings with the SEC, including Parent’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023 and its Definitive Proxy Statement on Schedule 14A that was filed with the SEC on March 1, 2024. To the extent such person’s ownership of Parent’s securities has changed since the filing of such proxy statement, such changes have been or will be reflected on Statements of Changes in Beneficial Ownership on Form 4 filed with the SEC. Information regarding the Company’s directors and executive officers and their ownership of the Company’s securities is set forth in the Company’s filings with the SEC, including the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023 and its Definitive Proxy Statement on Schedule 14A that was filed with the SEC on March 4, 2024. To the extent such person’s ownership of the Company’s securities has changed since the filing of such proxy statement, such changes have been or will be reflected on Statements of Changes in Beneficial Ownership on Form 4 filed with the SEC. Additional information regarding the interests of those persons and other persons who may be deemed participants in the proposed transaction may be obtained by reading the joint proxy statement/prospectus and other relevant materials that will be filed with the SEC regarding the proposed transaction when such documents become available. You may obtain free copies of these documents as described in the preceding paragraph.

 

No Offer or Solicitation

 

This communication relates to the proposed transaction between Parent and the Company. This communication is for informational purposes only and shall not constitute an offer to sell or exchange, or the solicitation of an offer to buy or exchange, any securities or a solicitation of any vote or approval, in any jurisdiction, pursuant to the proposed transaction or otherwise, nor shall there be any sale, issuance, exchange or transfer of the securities referred to in this document in any jurisdiction in contravention of applicable law. No offer of securities shall be made except by means of a prospectus meeting the requirements of Section 10 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

 

 

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