As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on June 21, 2022

Registration No. 333-            

 

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

 

FORM S-8

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

UNDER

THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

 

 

SUNCOKE ENERGY, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

 

 

Delaware   90-0640593
(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization)
  (I.R.S. Employer
Identification No.)
1011 Warrenville Road, 6th Floor, Lisle, IL   60532
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)   (Zip Code)

 

 

SunCoke Energy, Inc. Omnibus Long-Term Incentive Plan

(Full title of the plan)

 

 

John J. DiRocco, Jr., Esq.

Vice President, Assistant General Counsel & Corporate Secretary

SunCoke Energy, Inc.

1011 Warrenville Road, 6th Floor Lisle, IL 60532

(630) 824-1000

(Name, address and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)

 

 

With Copies to:

Susan J. Daley

Perkins Coie LLP

110 North Wacker, Suite 3400

Chicago, IL 60606-1511

(312) 324-8645

 

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

 

Large accelerated filer      Accelerated filer  
Non-accelerated filer      Smaller reporting company  
     Emerging growth company  

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act.  ☐

 

 

 


INTRODUCTORY STATEMENT

This Registration Statement on Form S-8 (the “Registration Statement”) is being filed by SunCoke Energy, Inc. (the “Registrant”) to register Two Million Seven Hundred Thousand (2,700,000) shares of the Registrant’s common stock, par value $0.01 per share (“Common Stock”) that may be issued from time to time pursuant to awards granted under the SunCoke Energy, Inc. Omnibus Long-Term Incentive Plan (the “Plan”). The Plan was approved by Registrant’s stockholders and became effective May 12, 2022 (the “Effective Date”). Concurrently, post-effective amendments to Registration Statement Nos. 333-176403, 333-179804 and 333-224733 are being filed relating to shares that are authorized for issuance under the Plan based on the number of shares that were available for future awards under the SunCoke Energy Inc. Long-Term Performance Enchancement Plan and SunCoke Energy, Inc. Retainer Stock Plan for Outside Directors (collectively, Prior Plans).

PART I

INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE SECTION 10(a) PROSPECTUS

The document(s) containing the information specified in this Part I will be sent or given to participants as specified by Securities Act Rule 428(b)(1). Such documents are not required to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”), either as part of this Registration Statement or as prospectuses or prospectus supplements pursuant to Securities Act Rule 424. These documents and the documents incorporated by reference herein pursuant to Item 3 of Part II of this Registration Statement, taken together, constitute a prospectus that meets the requirements of Section 10(a) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”).

Item 1. Plan Information

Information required by this Item to be contained in the Section 10(a) prospectus is omitted from this registration statement in accordance with Rule 428 under the Securities Act, and the Note to Part I of Form S-8.

Item 2. Registrant Information and Employee Plan Annual Information

Information required by this Item to be contained in the Section 10(a) prospectus is omitted from this Registration Statement in accordance with Rule 428 under the Securities Act, and the Note to Part I of Form S-8.

PART II

INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

Item 3. Incorporation of Documents by Reference.

The following documents which have been filed by the Registrant with the Commission pursuant to the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), are incorporated herein by this reference, and shall be deemed to be a part of this Registration Statement:

(a)     The Registrant’s Annual Report on Form 10-K (File No. 001-35243) for the year ended December 31, 2021, filed on February 24, 2022, including information specifically incorporated by reference into the Form 10-K from the Registrant’s Definitive Proxy Statement (File No. 001-35243) on Schedule 14A, filed on March 25, 2022;

(b)    The Registrant’s Current Reports on Form 8-K (File No.  001-35243), filed on March  7, 2022 and May 13, 2022;


(c)     The Registrant’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q (File No. 001-35243) for the quarter ended March 31, 2022, filed on May 2, 2022; and

(d)     The description of the Registrant’s Common Stock, contained in Exhibit 4.2 to the Registrant’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020, filed on February 25, 2021, and any subsequent amendment or report filed for the purpose of updating such description.

In addition, all documents filed by the Registrant pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14, or 15(d) of the Exchange Act after the date of this Registration Statement and prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment which indicates that all securities offered hereby have been sold or that deregisters all such securities then remaining unsold, shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference into this Registration Statement and to be a part hereof from the date of filing of such documents with the Commission, except as to any portion of any Current Report furnished under Items 2.02 or 7.01 of Form 8-K that is not deemed filed under such provisions. Under no circumstances will any information furnished under current Items 2.02 or 7.01 of Form 8-K be deemed incorporated herein by reference unless such Form 8-K expressly provides to the contrary.

Any statement contained in a document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement is deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes of this Registration Statement to the extent that a statement contained in this Registration Statement or in any subsequently filed document which also is or is deemed to be incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement, modifies or supersedes such statement. Any such statement so modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this Registration Statement.

Item 4. Description of Securities.

The Common Stock to be offered is registered under Section 12 of the Exchange Act. Therefore, a description of the common stock required by Item 202 of Regulation S-K is not required.

Item 5. Interests of Named Experts and Counsel.

The validity of the Common Stock being registered hereby has been passed upon by John J. DiRocco, Jr., Esq., Vice President, Assistant General Counsel and Corporate Secretary of the Registrant. Mr. DiRocco is a full-time employee of the Registrant and holds, subject to certain restrictions, restricted stock units with respect to shares of Common Stock of the Registrant under Prior Plans and beneficially owns, or has rights to acquire, less than one percent of the Registrant’s outstanding Common Stock.

Item 6. Indemnification of Directors and Officers.

Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law (the “DGCL”) provides that a corporation may indemnify directors and officers as well as other employees and individuals against expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by such person in connection with any threatened, pending or completed actions, suits or proceedings in which such person is made a party by reason of such person being or having been a director, officer, employee or agent to the registrant. The DGCL provides that Section 145 is not exclusive of other rights to which those seeking indemnification may be entitled under any bylaws, agreement, vote of stockholders or disinterested directors or otherwise. The Registrant’s certificate of incorporation provides for indemnification by the Registrant of its directors, officers and employees to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL.


Section 102(b)(7) of the DGCL permits a corporation to provide in its certificate of incorporation that a director of the corporation is not personally liable to the corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director, except for liability (1) for any breach of the director’s duty of loyalty to the corporation or its stockholders; (2) for acts or omissions not in good faith or which involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law; (3) for unlawful payments of dividends or unlawful stock repurchases, redemptions or other distributions; or (4) for any transaction from which the director derived an improper personal benefit.

The Registrant’s certificate of incorporation and by-laws provide for such limitation of liability to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL. Article VI of the Registrant’s by-laws provides for indemnification, requiring that the Registrant pay on behalf of its directors and officers, to the extent permitted by Delaware law, all expense, liability and loss (including attorneys’ fees, judgments, fines, ERISA excise taxes or penalties and amounts paid or to be paid in settlement) incurred or suffered by such person in connection with any action, suit or proceeding (whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative) pending, threatened or completed against such person, except where such indemnification is expressly prohibited by applicable law or where such person has not met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in the DGCL which makes it permissible for the Registrant to indemnify the claimant; provided, however, that if the DGCL requires, payment of such expenses incurred by a director or officer in his or her capacity as a director or officer (and not in any other capacity in which service was or is rendered by such person while a director or officer, including, without limitation, service to an employee benefit plan) shall be made only upon delivery to the Registrant of an undertaking by or on behalf of such director or officer, to repay all amounts so advanced if it shall ultimately be determined by final judicial decision from which there is no further right of appeal that such director or officer is not entitled to be indemnified for such expenses.

The By-laws also authorize, but do not require, the Registrant to enter into agreements for indemnification. The Registrant has entered into indemnification agreements with each director, and certain executive officers and other management personnel of the Registrant. One of the purposes of the indemnification agreements is to attempt to specify the extent to which persons entitled to indemnification thereunder may receive indemnification.

The Registrant also maintains industry standard policies of insurance under which coverage is provided to its directors and officers against legal liability for loss which is not indemnified arising from claims made by reason of breach of duty or other wrongful act while acting in their capacity as directors and officers of the registrant.

Item 7. Exemption from Registration Claimed.

Not applicable.


Item 8. Exhibits.

The following exhibits are either filed herewith or incorporated by reference to documents previously filed as indicated below:

 

Exhibit

    

No:

  

Description

    4.1    Form of Common Stock Certificate of the Registrant (incorporated by reference herein to Exhibit 4.1 to Amendment No.  2 to Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed on June 3, 2011, File No. 333-173022).
    4.2    SunCoke Energy, Inc. Omnibus Long-Term Incentive Plan (incorporated by reference to Exhibit A of the Registrant’s Definitive Proxy Statement on Schedule 14A, filed with the Commission on March 25, 2022, File No. 001-35243).
    5.1*    Opinion of John J. DiRocco, Esq., Vice President, Assistant General Counsel & Corporate Secretary of SunCoke Energy, Inc. (relating to legality of the securities being registered).
  23.1*    Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm (KPMG LLP).
  23.2*    Consent of John J. DiRocco, Esq. (included in Exhibit 5.1).
  24.1*    Powers of Attorney executed by certain officers and directors of SunCoke Energy, Inc. (included on signature page).
107*    Filing Fee Table

 

*

Provided herewith

Item 9. Undertakings.

(a)    The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes:

(1)    To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement:

(i)    To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act;

(ii)    To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than 20 percent change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in the effective registration statement; and

(iii)    To include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or any material change to such information in the registration statement;

provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii) do not apply if the information required to be included in a post -effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in reports filed with or furnished to the Commission by the Registrant pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act that are incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement.


(2)    That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

(3)    To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering.

(b)    The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the Registrant’s annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan’s annual report pursuant to section 15(d) of the Exchange Act) that is incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

(c)    Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the Registrant has been advised that, in the opinion of the Commission, such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the Registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.


SIGNATURES

The Registrant

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the Village of Lisle, State of Illinois, on June 21, 2022.

 

SUNCOKE ENERGY, INC.
By:  

/s/ Bonnie M. Edeus

Name:   Bonnie M. Edeus
Title:   Vice President and Controller

POWER OF ATTORNEY

Each person whose signature appears below constitutes and appoints Michael G. Rippey, Mark W. Marinko and Bonnie M. Edeus, and each of them, his or her true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents with full power of substitution and re-substitution, for him or her and in his or her name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments (including post-effective amendments) to this Registration Statement, and to file the same with all exhibits thereto and all documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in and about the premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as he or it might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents or any of them, or his or their substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof. Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, this Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated:

 

Signature

  

Title/Position

 

Date

/s/ Michael G. Rippey

Michael G. Rippey

  

President, Chief Executive Officer and Director

(principal executive officer)

  June 21, 2022

/s/ Mark W. Marinko

Mark W. Marinko

  

Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

(principal financial officer)

  June 21, 2022

/s/ Bonnie M. Edeus

Bonnie M. Edeus

  

Vice President and Controller

(principal accounting officer)

  June 21, 2022

/s/ Arthur F. Anton

Arthur F. Anton

  

Director (Chairman)

  June 21, 2022

/s/ Martha Z. Carnes

Martha Z. Carnes

  

Director

  June 21, 2022

/s/ Ralph M. Della Ratta, Jr.

Ralph M. Della Ratta, Jr.

  

Director

  June 21, 2022

/s/ Susan R. Landahl

Susan R. Landahl

  

Director

  June 21, 2022

/s/ Michael W. Lewis

Michael W. Lewis

  

Director

  June 21, 2022

EX-5.1

Exhibit 5.1

 

LOGO

  

John J. DiRocco, Jr.

Vice President, Assistant General
Counsel and Corporate Secretary

 

SunCoke Energy, Inc.

1011 Warrenville Road

Suite 600

Lisle, IL 60532

630.824.1785 Direct

jjdirocco@suncoke.com

June 21, 2022

SUNCOKE ENERGY, INC.

1011 Warrenville Road

Suite 600

Lisle, Illinois 60532

 

  Re:

Registration on SEC Form S-8, of SunCoke Energy, Inc. Common Stock for issuance under the SunCoke Energy, Inc. Omnibus Long-Term Incentive Plan

Ladies and Gentlemen:

I am the Vice President, Assistant General Counsel and Corporate Secretary of SunCoke Energy, Inc. (the “Registrant”), a Delaware corporation. This opinion is being delivered in connection with the registration statement on Form S-8 (the “Registration Statement”), being filed today with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), with respect to an additional 2,700,000 shares of the Registrant’s common stock (the “Shares”), par value $0.01 per share (“Common Stock”), issuable pursuant to the SunCoke Energy, Inc. Omnibus Long-Term Incentive Plan (the “Omnibus Plan”). This opinion is delivered in accordance with the requirements of Item 601(b)(5) of Regulation S-K under the Act. Capitalized terms used, but not otherwise defined, herein have the meanings ascribed to them in the Registration Statement.

In connection with this opinion, I have examined originals or copies, certified or otherwise identified to my satisfaction, of: (i) the relevant minutes of the corporate proceedings of the Registrant and the resolutions adopted by the Registrant’s Board of Directors in connection with the authorization of the Omnibus Plan, the issuance of Shares of Common Stock under the Omnibus Plan and related matters; (ii) the Registration Statement; and (iii) the written document constituting the Omnibus Plan.

I also have made such examination of law and examined originals, or copies certified or otherwise authenticated to my satisfaction, of all such other corporate records, instruments, certificates of public officials and/or bodies, certificates of officers and representatives of the Registrant, and such other documents, and discussed with officers and representatives of the Registrant such questions of fact, as I have deemed necessary or appropriate as to form a basis for rendering the opinion hereinafter expressed.

 


SunCoke Energy, Inc.

June 21, 2022

Page 2

 

In my examination, I have assumed the legal capacity of all natural persons, the genuineness of all signatures, the authenticity of all documents submitted to me as originals, the conformity to original documents of all documents submitted to me as certified or photostatic copies, the authenticity of the originals of such copies, and the information contained in any such documents, either in original form or copy, is true, complete and correct.

In making my examination of documents executed by parties other than the Registrant, I have assumed that such parties had the power, corporate or otherwise, to enter into and perform all obligations thereunder and also have assumed the due authorization by all requisite action, corporate or otherwise, and execution and delivery by such parties of such documents and that such documents constitute valid and binding obligations of such parties. As to any facts material to the opinion expressed herein which were not independently established or verified, I have relied upon oral or written statements and representations of officers, trustees and other representatives of the Registrant, and others.

Based upon and subject to the foregoing, and to the other qualifications and limitations set forth herein, I am of the opinion that the Shares of Common Stock that may be issued by the Registrant pursuant to the Omnibus Plan will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable, assuming: (i) the Registration Statement has become effective; (ii) the Shares of Common Stock have been duly listed for trading on the New York Stock Exchange; (iii) the issuance and delivery thereof in accordance with the Omnibus Plan to the participants therein; (iv) the receipt of consideration therefor in accordance with the terms of the Omnibus Plan; (v) the resolutions of the Registrant’s Board of Directors related to the approval of the Omnibus Plan will not have been modified or rescinded; and (vi) there will not have occurred any change in the law affecting the authorization, execution, delivery, validity or fully-paid status of the Common Stock.

This opinion is being furnished in accordance with the requirements of Item 601(b)(5) of Regulation S-K under the Securities Act. I am admitted to the practice of law in the State of Illinois and I do not express any opinion as to the laws of any jurisdiction other than the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware as currently in effect, and the federal law of the United States of America to the extent specifically referred to herein, and I have not considered, and express no opinion as to the effect of any other laws on the opinion stated herein.

I hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration Statement and to all references to me in the Registration Statement. In giving this consent, I do not admit that I am within the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act and the rules and regulations thereunder.

I am providing this opinion letter solely in connection with the filing of the Registration Statement, and this opinion letter may not be relied upon in any other context. This opinion letter is being furnished solely for the benefit of, and reliance shall be limited to, the addressee hereof and the opinion expressed herein may not be furnished to or relied upon by any other person for any purpose, without my specific prior written consent.


SunCoke Energy, Inc.

June 21, 2022

Page 3

 

This opinion is limited to the matters stated herein and no opinion is implied or may be inferred beyond the matters expressly stated. This opinion is given as of the date hereof and I assume no obligation and make no undertaking to update or supplement such opinion after the date hereof to reflect any facts or circumstances that thereafter may come to my attention or any changes that thereafter may occur.

 

Very truly yours,

/s/ John J. DiRocco, Jr.

     John J. DiRocco Jr.

EX-23.1

Exhibit 23.1

Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

The Board of Directors

SunCoke Energy, Inc.:

We consent to the use of our report dated February 24, 2022, with respect to the consolidated financial statements of SunCoke Energy, Inc., and the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting incorporated herein by reference.

 

/s/ KPMG LLP

     KPMG LLP

Chicago, Illinois

June 21, 2022


EX-FILING FEES

Exhibit 107

Calculation of Filing Fee Table

Form S-8

(Form Type)

SunCoke Energy, Inc.

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)

Newly Registered Securities

 

               
Security Type   Security
Class Title
  Fee Calculation
Rule
  Amount
Registered(1)
  Proposed
Maximum
Offering
Price Per
Unit(2)
  Maximum
Aggregate
Offering Price
  Fee Rate   Amount of
Registration
Fee
               
Equity   Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share   Rule 457(c) and Rule 457(h)   2,700,000   $7.11   $19,197,000   $92.70 per $1,000,000   $1,779.57
         
Total Offering Amounts     $19,197,000     $1,779.57
         
Total Fee Offsets         $0
         
Net Fee Due               $1,779.57

 

(1)

Pursuant to Rule 416(a) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), this Registration Statement also covers any additional shares of common stock of SunCoke Energy, Inc. (the “Registrant”) that may become issuable under the SunCoke Energy, Inc. Omnibus Long-Term Incentive Plan (the “Plan”) by reason of any stock dividend, stock split, recapitalization or similar adjustments.

(2)

Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee pursuant to Rule 457(c) and Rule 457(h)(1) of the Securities Act. The proposed maximum offering price per share is estimated to be $7.11, based on the average of the high sales price ($7.21) and the low sales price ($7.01) for the Registrant’s common stock as reported by the New York Stock Exchange on June 16, 2022.