
HOUSTON, Texas, March 28, 2003 -- Boots & Coots International
Well Control, Inc. (AMEX: WEL - News) announced today that its
Subordinated Lender, The Prudential Insurance Company of America
(“Prudential”), has converted 83,231 shares of 97,240
total shares of Boots & Coots Series G Cumulative Convertible
Preferred Stock ("Series G") into 12,062,462 shares
of the Company’s Common Stock. The converted Series G consisted
of the original 80,000 shares issued at a $100 face value, along
with dividends which were paid in kind of 3,231 shares. Prudential
is the only holder of Series G.
Prudential originally received the Series G as a component
of the restructuring in December 2000 of its aggregate debt
of approximately $41 million. In connection with the restructuring,
Boots & Coots issued $8 million of the Series G which carried
a dividend rate of ten percent per annum, compounded semi-annually.
Under the terms of the Series G, the dividend payments were
paid in kind through December 1, 2002. Since that time, Boots & Coots
has been accruing a cash dividend on the Series G.
Boots & Coots Chairman Kirk Krist said, "Although
we did not take part in Prudential's decision making process,
the conversion of this preferred stock is a significant step
in our financial restructuring initiatives. We continue to
make efforts to restructure our balance sheet and focus on
the opportunities inherent in an increasingly active market
sector. The net effect of this conversion will result in a
savings of cash dividends of approximately $665,466 for the
year ending 2003 and approximately $832,310 for subsequent
years. While management progresses forward in its restructuring
initiatives, the Company continues to focus on its ability
to deliver critical services to customers globally.”
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About Boots & Coots
Boots & Coots International Well Control, Inc., Houston,
Texas, provides a suite of integrated oilfield services centered
on the prevention, emergency response and restoration of blowouts
and well fires around the world. Boots & Coots' proprietary
risk management program, WELLSURE®, combines traditional
well control insurance with post-event response as well as
preventative services, giving oil and gas operators and insurance
underwriters a medium for effective management of well control
insurance policies. The Company's SafeGuard program, developed
for regional producers and operators sponsored by Boots & Coots,
provides dedicated emergency response services, risk assessment
and contingency planning, and continuous training and education
in all aspects of critical well management. For more information,
visit the Company's web site at http://www.bootsandcoots.com
.
Certain statements included in this
news release are intended as "forward- looking statements" under
the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Boots & Coots
cautions that actual future results may vary materially from
those expressed or implied in any forward-looking statements.
More information about the risks and uncertainties relating
to these forward- looking statements are found in Boots & Coots'
SEC filings, which are available free of charge on the SEC's
web site at http://www.sec.gov.
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