As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on June 23, 2022

Registration No. 333-259102

 

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

 

POST-EFFECTIVE AMENDMENT NO. 1

to

FORM S-3

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

UNDER

THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

 

 

WESTERN DIGITAL CORPORATION

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

 

 

Delaware		33-0956711
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation organization)		(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)

Western Digital Corporation

5601 Great Oaks Parkway

San Jose, CA 95119

(Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of registrant’s principal executive offices)

 

 

Michael C. Ray

Executive Vice President, Chief Legal Officer and Secretary

Western Digital Corporation

5601 Great Oaks Parkway

San Jose, California 95119

(408) 717-6000

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

 

 

Copies to:

Duane McLaughlin, Esq.

Helena K. Grannis, Esq.

Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP

One Liberty Plaza

New York, New York 10006

(212) 225-2000

 

 

Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public: From time to time after this Registration Statement becomes effective.

If the only securities being registered on this Form are being offered pursuant to dividend or interest reinvestment plans, please check the following box:  ☐

If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, other than securities offered only in connection with dividend or interest reinvestment plans, check the following box:  ☒

If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act of 1933, please check the following box and list the Securities Act of 1933 registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering.  ☐

If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act of 1933, check the following box and list the Securities Act of 1933 registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering.  ☐

If this Form is a registration statement pursuant to General Instruction I.D or a post-effective amendment thereto that shall become effective upon filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 462(e) under the Securities Act, check the following box.  ☒

If this Form is a post-effective amendment to a registration statement filed pursuant to General Instruction I.D filed to register additional securities or additional classes of securities pursuant to Rule 413(b) under the Securities Act, check the following box  ☐

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. (Check one):

 

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 Securities Act.  ☐

 

 

 

EXPLANATORY NOTE

This Registration Statement on Form S-3 (Registration No. 333-259102) of Western Digital Corporation (the “Company”) and the Company’s subsidiary guarantor registrant (the “Registration Statement”) is being amended to (i) remove Western Digital Technologies, Inc. (“WDT”) as a co-registrant, (ii) deregister the guarantees covered by the Registration Statement and (iii) file certain exhibits to the Registration Statement. No securities have been offered or sold by WDT under the Registration Statement. No changes or additions are being made hereby to the base prospectus that already forms a part of the Registration Statement. Accordingly, such base prospectus is being omitted from this filing.

PART II

INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS

Item 14. Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution.

The following table sets forth the various expenses payable by the registrant in connection with the securities being registered hereby. Except as otherwise noted, all of the fees set forth below are estimates.

 

Filing Fee for Registration Statement		$	*
Legal Fees and Expenses			**
Accounting Fees and Expenses			**
Trustee’s Fees and Expenses			**
Printing and Engraving Fees			**
Rating Agency Fees			**
Miscellaneous			**
Total		$	**

 

*	Deferred in accordance with Rules 456(b) and 457(r) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Act.

**	An estimate of the aggregate amount of these expenses will be reflected in the applicable prospectus supplement.

Item 15. Indemnification of Directors and Officers.

Western Digital Corporation is incorporated under the laws of the state of Delaware.

Section 145(a) of the DGCL provides that a Delaware corporation may indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (other than an action by or in the right of the corporation) by reason of the fact that such person is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation or is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, against expenses, judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by the person in connection with such action, suit or proceeding if the person acted in good faith and in a manner the person reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe his or her conduct was unlawful.

Section 145(b) of the DGCL provides that a Delaware corporation may indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action or suit by or in the right of the corporation to procure a judgment in its favor by reason of the fact that such person acted in any of the capacities set forth above, against expenses actually and reasonably incurred by the person in connection with the defense or settlement of such action or suit if the person acted under similar standards to those set forth above, except that no indemnification may be made in respect to any claim, issue or matter as to which such person shall have been adjudged to be liable to the corporation unless and only to the extent that the Court of Chancery or the court in which such action or suit was brought shall determine upon application that, despite the adjudication of liability, in view of all the circumstances of the case, such person is fairly and reasonably entitled to be indemnified for such expenses which the Court of Chancery or such other court shall deem proper.

Section 145 of the DGCL further provides, among other things, that to the extent a director or officer of the corporation has been successful in the defense of any action, suit or proceeding referred to in subsection (a) and (b) of Section 145 or in the defense of any claim, issue or matter therein, such person shall be indemnified against expenses actually and reasonably incurred by such person in connection therewith; that indemnification provided for by Section 145 shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which the indemnified party may be entitled, and that the corporation may purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of a director or officer of the corporation against any liability asserted against such officer or director and incurred by such person in any such capacity or arising out of such person’s status as such, whether or not the corporation would have the power to indemnify such person against such liabilities under Section 145.

As permitted by Section 102(b)(7) of the DGCL, the certificate of incorporation of Western Digital Corporation provides that a director shall not be liable to Western Digital Corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director. However, such provision does not eliminate or limit the liability of a director for acts or omissions not in good faith or for breaching his or her duty of loyalty, engaging in intentional misconduct or knowingly violating the law, paying a dividend or approving a stock repurchase which was illegal, or obtaining an improper personal benefit. A provision of this type has no effect on the availability of equitable remedies, such as injunction or rescission, for breach of fiduciary duty.

The bylaws of Western Digital Corporation require that directors and officers be indemnified to the maximum extent permitted by Delaware law. In addition to the indemnification provisions in Western Digital Corporation’s bylaws, Western Digital Corporation has entered into indemnity agreements with each director and executive officer of Western Digital Corporation. These indemnity agreements require that Western Digital Corporation indemnify each director and executive officer to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL. The indemnity agreements also require Western Digital Corporation to make prompt payment of expenses incurred by the director or executive officer in connection with any proceeding upon the request of the director or executive officer in advance of indemnification to the extent permitted by law.

Western Digital Corporation has a policy of directors’ liability insurance which insures the directors and officers of Western Digital Corporation against the cost of defense, settlement or payment of a judgment under certain circumstances stated in the policy.

Item 16. Exhibits.

 

Exhibit No.		Description
1.1**		Form of Underwriting Agreement for common stock.
1.2**		Form of Underwriting Agreement for preferred stock.
1.3**		Form of Underwriting Agreement for debt securities.
1.4**		Form of Underwriting Agreement for warrants.
3.1		Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of Western Digital Corporation, as amended to date (Filed as Exhibit 3.1 to the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q (File No. 1-08703) with the Securities and Exchange Commission on February 8, 2006).
3.2		Amended and Restated By-Laws of Western Digital Corporation, as amended effective as of February 10, 2021 (Filed as Exhibit 3.1 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K (File No. 1-08703) with the Securities and Exchange Commission on February 12, 2021).
4.1		Description of Western Digital Corporation’s Capital Stock (Filed as Exhibit 4.1 to the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K (File No. 1-08703) with the Securities and Exchange Commission on August 27, 2021).
4.2**		Form of Preferred Stock Certificate.
4.3**		Form of Certificate of Designation of Preferred Stock.
4.4*		Form of Indenture
4.5*		Form of Debt Securities (included in Exhibit 4.4).
4.6**		Form of Warrant Agreement.
4.7**		Form of Warrant Certificate.
4.8		Indenture, dated as of December  10, 2021, between Western Digital Corporation and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee. (Filed as Exhibit 4.1 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K (File No. 1-08703) with the Securities and Exchange Commission on December 10, 2021) (implementing Form of Indenture included as Exhibit 4.4).
5.1*		Opinion of Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP
23.1		Consent of KPMG LLP, Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
23.2*		Consent of Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1)
24.1*		Powers of Attorney
25.1*		Form T-1 Statement of Eligibility under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, of U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee for the form of Indenture.
107.1		Filing Fee Table

 

*	Previously filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement.

**	To be filed by post-effective amendment or pursuant to a Current Report on Form 8-K and incorporated herein by reference.

Item 17. Undertakings.

(a) The undersigned registrants hereby undertake:

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

(i) To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933 (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% 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), (a)(1)(ii) and (a)(1)(iii) do not apply if the registration statement is on Form S-3 and 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 section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), that are incorporated by reference in the registration statement, or is contained in a form of prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) that is part of the 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.

(4) That, for the purpose of determining liability under the Securities Act to any purchaser:

(i) Each prospectus filed by the registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(3) shall be deemed to be part of the registration statement as of the date the filed prospectus was deemed part of and included in the registration statement; and

(ii) Each prospectus required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424(b)(2), (b)(5) or (b)(7) as part of the registration statement in reliance on Rule 430B relating to an offering made pursuant to Rule 415(a)(1)(i), (vii) or (x) for the purpose of providing the information required by Section 10(a) of the Securities Act shall be deemed to be part of and included in the registration statement as of the earlier of the date such form of prospectus is first used after effectiveness or the date of the first

contract of sale of securities in the offering described in the prospectus. As provided in Rule 430B, for liability purposes of the issuer and any person that is at that date an underwriter, such date shall be deemed to be a new effective date of the registration statement relating to the securities in the registration statement to which the prospectus relates, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof. Provided, however, that no statement made in a registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement or made in a document incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference into the registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement will, as to a purchaser with a time of contract of sale prior to such effective date, supersede or modify any statement that was made in the registration statement or prospectus that was part of the registration statement or made in any such document immediately prior to such effective date.

(5) That, for the purpose of determining liability of the registrant under the Securities Act to any purchaser in the initial distribution of the securities, the undersigned registrant undertakes that in a primary offering of securities of the undersigned registrant pursuant to the Registration Statement, regardless of the underwriting method used to sell the securities to the purchaser, if the securities are offered or sold to such purchaser by means of any of the following communications, the undersigned registrant will be a seller to the purchaser and will be considered to offer or sell such securities to such purchaser:

(i) Any preliminary prospectus or prospectus of the undersigned registrant relating to the offering required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424;

(ii) Any free writing prospectus relating to the offering prepared by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant or used or referred to by the undersigned registrant;

(iii) The portion of any other free writing prospectus relating to the offering containing material information about the undersigned registrant or its securities provided by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant; and

(iv) Any other communication that is an offer in the offering made by the undersigned registrant to the purchaser.

(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 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 the 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 Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the 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.

(d) That:

(1) For purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act, the information omitted from the form of prospectus filed as part of the Registration Statement in reliance upon Rule 430A and contained in a form of prospectus filed by the registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b) (1) or (4) or 497(h) under the Securities Act will be deemed to be part of the Registration Statement as of the time it was declared effective; and

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

SIGNATURES

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 of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused the Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of San Jose, the State of California, on June 23, 2022.

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on June 23, 2022:

 

Signature		Title
*		Chief Executive Officer, Director
David V. Goeckeler		(principal executive officer)
*		Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
Wissam Jabre		(principal financial officer)
*		Vice President, Global Accounting and Chief Accounting Officer
Gene Zamiska		(principal accounting officer)
*		Chairman of the Board
Matthew E. Massengill
*		Director
Kimberly E. Alexy
*		Director
Thomas Caulfield
*		Director
Martin I. Cole
*		Director
Tunç Doluca
*		Director
Paula A. Price
*		Director
Stephanie A. Streeter

*		Director
Miyuki Suzuki

 

*By:		/s/ Michael C. Ray
		Attorney-in-Fact