Business Context and Reporting Period
Company: CenterPoint Energy, Inc.
Filing Type: Form 8-K (Current Report)
Date of Report: September 10, 2009
Event: Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement regarding a common stock offering.
Key Financial Metrics
This filing does not report operational financial metrics such as revenue, profit, cash flow, margins, or debt levels. The filing focuses exclusively on a capital raising transaction.
- Shares Issued: 21,000,000 shares of Common Stock.
- Over-Allotment Option: Underwriters granted an option for up to 3,150,000 additional shares, which was exercised on September 11, 2009.
- Total Potential Shares: 24,150,000 shares.
- Par Value: $0.01 per share.
- Expected Completion Date: September 16, 2009.
Material Changes
The material change reported is the execution of an Underwriting Agreement to issue new equity. This represents a significant dilution event and a change in the company's capital structure, though the specific proceeds amount is not detailed in this text.
Guidance, Outlook, and Risks
Management Commentary: The Company expects to complete the offering on September 16, 2009. The shares are being issued pursuant to a previously effective Form S-3 registration statement (No. 333-153916).
Underwriters: Citigroup Global Markets Inc., Deutsche Bank Securities Inc., Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, and UBS Securities LLC.
Risks/Contingencies: The filing does not explicitly list new risks or contingencies beyond the standard execution of the underwriting agreement.
Investor Verification Checklist
- Verify the final offering price per share and total gross proceeds in the subsequent Prospectus Supplement or Form 424B5.
- Confirm the exact date of closing and the final number of shares sold (including the full exercise of the over-allotment option).
- Review the use of proceeds disclosed in the offering documents to understand the strategic intent (e.g., debt reduction, capital expenditures).
- Check for any subsequent filings regarding the impact of this equity issuance on the company's diluted earnings per share.