SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549


FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT
PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE
SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

Date of report (Date of earliest event reported):
March 9, 2017

ALLIANCE DATA SYSTEMS CORPORATION
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)

DELAWARE
 
001-15749
 
31-1429215
(State or Other Jurisdiction
 
(Commission
 
(IRS Employer
of Incorporation)
 
File Number)
 
Identification No.)


7500 DALLAS PARKWAY, SUITE 700
PLANO, TEXAS 75024
(Address and Zip Code of Principal Executive Offices)

(214) 494-3000
(Registrant's Telephone Number, including Area Code)

NOT APPLICABLE
(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)



Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the Registrant under any of the following provisions:

[     ]
 
Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act
     
[     ]
 
Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act
     
[     ]
 
Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act
     
[     ]
 
Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act


Item 8.01 Other Events.

On March 9, 2017, Alliance Data Systems Corporation (the "Company") priced an offering of €400 million aggregate principal amount of 4.500% Senior Notes due 2022 (the "Notes") at an issue price of 100% of the aggregate principal amount of the Notes, plus any accrued interest thereon. The offering was upsized from the previously announced €300 million principal amount. The Notes will be general unsecured senior obligations of the Company, will be guaranteed on a senior unsecured basis by certain subsidiaries of the Company and will pay interest semi-annually, commencing on September 15, 2017. The offering of the Notes is expected to close on March 14, 2017, subject to customary closing conditions. The Company estimates that the net proceeds from this offering will be approximately $413.5 million, after deducting the initial purchasers' discounts and estimated expenses of the offering payable by the Company. The Company intends to use the net proceeds of the offering, including the additional net proceeds to be received by the Company due to the €100 million upsize, to repay a portion of the outstanding indebtedness under the Company's revolving line of credit and for general corporate purposes.  For purposes of calculating the net proceeds in U.S. dollars, the Company used the exchange rate of a U.S. dollar to Euro as of December 31, 2016 of €1 to $1.052. As of February 28, 2017, the exchange rate was €1 to $1.058.

The Notes will be offered and sold only to qualified institutional buyers in the United States pursuant to Rule 144A under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), and to certain non-U.S. persons in offshore transactions in accordance with Regulation S under the Securities Act. The Notes will not be registered under the Securities Act or any other securities laws and may not be offered or sold absent registration or an applicable exemption from such registration requirements where the Notes are offered.

This report is neither an offer to sell nor a solicitation of an offer to buy these securities and shall not constitute an offer, solicitation or sale in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale is unlawful.

About Alliance Data

Alliance Data® (NYSE: ADS) is a leading global provider of data-driven marketing and loyalty solutions serving large, consumer-based industries. The Company creates and deploys customized solutions, enhancing the critical customer marketing experience; the result is measurably changing consumer behavior while driving business growth and profitability for some of today's most recognizable brands. Alliance Data helps its clients create and increase customer loyalty through solutions that engage millions of customers each day across multiple touch points using traditional, digital, mobile and emerging technologies. An S&P 500 and Fortune 500 company headquartered in Plano, Texas, Alliance Data consists of three businesses that together employ more than 16,000 associates at approximately 100 locations worldwide.

Alliance Data's Card Services business is a leading provider of marketing-driven branded credit card programs. Epsilon® is a leading provider of multichannel, data-driven technologies and marketing services, and also includes Conversant®, a leader in personalized digital marketing. LoyaltyOne® owns and operates the AIR MILES® Reward Program, Canada's premier coalition loyalty program, and Netherlands-based BrandLoyalty, a global provider of tailor-made loyalty programs for grocers.

Follow Alliance Data on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube.



Forward-Looking Statements

This Current Report on Form 8-K contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Forward-looking statements give our expectations or forecasts of future events and can generally be identified by the use of words such as "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "estimate," "intend," "project," "plan," "likely," "may," "should" or other words or phrases of similar import. Similarly, statements that describe our business strategy, outlook, objectives, plans, intentions or goals also are forward-looking statements.  Examples of forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements we make regarding our expected operating results, future economic conditions including currency exchange rates, future dividend declarations and the guidance we give with respect to our anticipated financial performance.

We believe that our expectations are based on reasonable assumptions. Forward-looking statements, however, are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the projections, anticipated results or other expectations expressed in this release, and no assurances can be given that our expectations will prove to have been correct. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, factors set forth in the Risk Factors section in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the most recently ended fiscal year, which may be updated in Item 1A of, or elsewhere in, our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q filed for periods subsequent to such Form 10-K.

Our forward-looking statements speak only as of the date made, and we undertake no obligation, other than as required by applicable law, to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, subsequent events, anticipated or unanticipated circumstances or otherwise.




SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.


 
Alliance Data Systems Corporation
       
Date:  March 9, 2017
By:
 
/s/ Charles L. Horn
     
Charles L. Horn
     
Executive Vice President and
     
Chief Financial Officer