<HTML><HEAD>
<TITLE>Form 8-K</TITLE>
</HEAD>
 <BODY BGCOLOR="WHITE">

 <P STYLE="line-height:0px;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;border-bottom:0.5pt solid #000000">&nbsp;</P>
<P STYLE="line-height:3px;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:2px;border-bottom:0.5pt solid #000000">&nbsp;</P> <P STYLE="margin-top:4px;margin-bottom:0px" ALIGN="center"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="5"><B>United States </B></FONT></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px" ALIGN="center"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="5"><B>Securities and Exchange Commission </B></FONT></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px" ALIGN="center"><FONT
STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="3"><B>Washington, D.C. 20549 </B></FONT></P> <P STYLE="font-size:12px;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px">&nbsp;</P><center>
<P STYLE="line-height:6px;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:2px;border-bottom:1pt solid #000000;width:21%">&nbsp;</P></center> <P STYLE="margin-top:12px;margin-bottom:0px" ALIGN="center"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="5"><B>Form 8-K
</B></FONT></P> <P STYLE="font-size:12px;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px">&nbsp;</P><center> <P STYLE="line-height:6px;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:2px;border-bottom:1pt solid #000000;width:21%">&nbsp;</P></center>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12px;margin-bottom:0px" ALIGN="center"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="3"><B>Current Report </B></FONT></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px" ALIGN="center"><FONT
STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="3"><B>Pursuant to Section&nbsp;13 or 15(d) </B></FONT></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px" ALIGN="center"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="3"><B>of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934 </B></FONT></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12px;margin-bottom:0px" ALIGN="center"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="3"><B>Date of Report (Date of Earliest Event Reported): August&nbsp;26, 2013 </B></FONT></P>
<P STYLE="font-size:12px;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px">&nbsp;</P><center> <P STYLE="line-height:6px;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:2px;border-bottom:1pt solid #000000;width:21%">&nbsp;</P></center>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12px;margin-bottom:0px" ALIGN="center"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="6"><B>The Laclede Group, Inc. </B></FONT></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px" ALIGN="center"><FONT
STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2"><B>(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter) </B></FONT></P> <P STYLE="font-size:12px;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px">&nbsp;</P><center>
<P STYLE="line-height:6px;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:2px;border-bottom:1pt solid #000000;width:21%">&nbsp;</P></center> <P STYLE="font-size:12px;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px">&nbsp;</P>
<TABLE CELLSPACING="0" CELLPADDING="0" WIDTH="100%" BORDER="0" STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE" ALIGN="center">


<TR>
<TD WIDTH="34%"></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom"></TD>
<TD WIDTH="32%"></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1%"></TD>
<TD WIDTH="32%"></TD></TR>


<TR>
<TD VALIGN="top" ALIGN="center"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2"><B>Missouri</B></FONT></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom"><FONT SIZE="1">&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
<TD VALIGN="top" ALIGN="center"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2"><B>1-16681</B></FONT></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom"><FONT SIZE="1">&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
<TD VALIGN="top" ALIGN="center"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2"><B>74-2976504</B></FONT></TD></TR>
<TR>
<TD VALIGN="top" ALIGN="center"> <P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px" ALIGN="center"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="1"><B>(State or other jurisdiction</B></FONT></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:1px" ALIGN="center"><FONT
STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="1"><B>of incorporation)</B></FONT></P></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom"><FONT SIZE="1">&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
<TD VALIGN="top" ALIGN="center"> <P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px" ALIGN="center"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="1"><B>(Commission</B></FONT></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:1px" ALIGN="center"><FONT
STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="1"><B>File Number)</B></FONT></P></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom"><FONT SIZE="1">&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
<TD VALIGN="top" ALIGN="center"> <P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px" ALIGN="center"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="1"><B>(IRS Employer</B></FONT></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:1px" ALIGN="center"><FONT
STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="1"><B>Identification No.)</B></FONT></P></TD></TR>
</TABLE> <P STYLE="margin-top:12px;margin-bottom:0px" ALIGN="center"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2"><B>720 Olive Street </B></FONT></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px" ALIGN="center"><FONT
STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2"><B>St. Louis, Missouri 63101 </B></FONT></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px" ALIGN="center"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="1"><B>(Address of principal executive offices,
including ZIP code) </B></FONT></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12px;margin-bottom:0px" ALIGN="center"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2"><B>(314)&nbsp;342-0500 </B></FONT></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px" ALIGN="center"><FONT
STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="1"><B>(Registrant&#146;s telephone number, including area code) </B></FONT></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12px;margin-bottom:0px" ALIGN="center"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2"><B>Not
Applicable </B></FONT></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px" ALIGN="center"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="1"><B>(Former name or former address, if changed since last report) </B></FONT></P>
<P STYLE="font-size:12px;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px">&nbsp;</P><center> <P STYLE="line-height:6px;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:2px;border-bottom:1pt solid #000000;width:21%">&nbsp;</P></center> <P STYLE="margin-top:12px;margin-bottom:0px"><FONT
STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions: </FONT></P>
<P STYLE="font-size:6px;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px">&nbsp;</P>
<TABLE STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%">
<TR>
<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2"><FONT STYLE="FONT-FAMILY:WINGDINGS">&#168;</FONT></FONT></TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425) </FONT></TD></TR></TABLE>
<P STYLE="font-size:6px;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px">&nbsp;</P>
<TABLE STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%">
<TR>
<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2"><FONT STYLE="FONT-FAMILY:WINGDINGS">&#168;</FONT></FONT></TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12) </FONT></TD></TR></TABLE>
<P STYLE="font-size:6px;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px">&nbsp;</P>
<TABLE STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%">
<TR>
<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2"><FONT STYLE="FONT-FAMILY:WINGDINGS">&#168;</FONT></FONT></TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b)) </FONT></TD></TR></TABLE>
<P STYLE="font-size:6px;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px">&nbsp;</P>
<TABLE STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%">
<TR>
<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2"><FONT STYLE="FONT-FAMILY:WINGDINGS">&#168;</FONT></FONT></TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 13e-4(c)) </FONT></TD></TR></TABLE>
<P STYLE="font-size:10px;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px">&nbsp;</P> <P STYLE="line-height:0px;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;border-bottom:0.5pt solid #000000">&nbsp;</P>
<P STYLE="line-height:3px;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:2px;border-bottom:0.5pt solid #000000">&nbsp;</P>

<p Style='page-break-before:always'>
<HR  SIZE="3" style="COLOR:#999999" WIDTH="100%" ALIGN="CENTER">


<TABLE STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%">
<TR>
<TD WIDTH="9%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2"><B>Item&nbsp;1.01</B></FONT></TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2"><B>Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement. </B></FONT></TD></TR></TABLE> <P STYLE="margin-top:6px;margin-bottom:0px; text-indent:4%"><FONT
STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">In December 2012, The Laclede Group, Inc. (&#147;Laclede Group&#148;) announced agreements to acquire substantially all of the assets and liabilities of Missouri Gas Energy (&#147;MGE&#148;) and New
England Gas Company (&#147;NEG&#148;) from Southern Union Company (the &#147;Acquisitions&#148;), as well as a commitment letter dated December&nbsp;14, 2012 (the &#147;Commitment Letter&#148;) with Wells Fargo Bank, National Association and Wells
Fargo Securities, LLC (collectively, &#147;Wells Fargo&#148;). Pursuant to the Commitment Letter, which was subsequently syndicated by Wells Fargo to a group of nine banks, including Wells Fargo Bank, National Association (collectively, the
&#147;Bridge Lenders&#148;), effective January&nbsp;16, 2013, the Bridge Lenders committed to provide a 364-day senior bridge term loan credit facility in an aggregate principal amount of up to $1.020 billion to fund the Acquisitions. Laclede Group
subsequently entered into a stock purchase agreement with Algonquin Power&nbsp;&amp; Utilities Corp. (&#147;APUC&#148;) pursuant to which a subsidiary of APUC will ultimately acquire NEG rather than Laclede Group. </FONT></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12px;margin-bottom:0px; text-indent:4%"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">On May&nbsp;29, 2013, Laclede Group completed a public offering and sale of its common stock generating net proceeds of approximately
$427 million (the &#147;Offering Proceeds&#148;), which are to be used to fund a portion of the purchase price for the acquisition of MGE or other general corporate purposes. As a result of Laclede Group&#146;s receipt of the Offering Proceeds and
in accordance with the terms of the Commitment Letter, the aggregate amount of the commitments of the Bridge Lenders was reduced from $1.020 billion to approximately $592 million. </FONT></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12px;margin-bottom:0px; text-indent:4%"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">On June&nbsp;24, 2013, Laclede Group and the Bridge Lenders entered into a first amendment to the Commitment Letter further reducing the
aggregate commitments of the Bridge Lenders by approximately $67 million to $525 million. </FONT></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12px;margin-bottom:0px; text-indent:4%"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">On August&nbsp;13, 2013, Laclede
Gas Company completed a public offering and sale of its first mortgage bonds generating net proceeds of approximately $443.5 million (the &#147;Bond Proceeds&#148;), which are to be used to fund a portion of the purchase price for the acquisition of
MGE or other general corporate purposes. As a result of Laclede Gas Company&#146;s receipt of the Bond Proceeds and in accordance with the terms of the Commitment Letter, the aggregate amount of the commitments of the Bridge Lenders was reduced from
$525 million to approximately $79.9 million. </FONT></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12px;margin-bottom:0px; text-indent:4%;padding-bottom:0px; "><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">On August&nbsp;26, 2013, Laclede Group and the Bridge
Lenders entered into a second amendment to the Commitment Lender (the &#147;2</FONT><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="1"><SUP STYLE="vertical-align:baseline; position:relative; bottom:.8ex">nd</SUP></FONT><FONT
STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2"> Commitment Letter Amendment&#148;) terminating the Commitment Letter in its entirety. A copy of the 2</FONT><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="1"><SUP
STYLE="vertical-align:baseline; position:relative; bottom:.8ex">nd</SUP></FONT><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2"> Commitment Letter Amendment is filed as Exhibit 99.1 to this report and is incorporated herein by reference. The
foregoing description of the 2</FONT><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="1"><SUP STYLE="vertical-align:baseline; position:relative; bottom:.8ex">nd</SUP></FONT><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2"> Commitment Letter
Amendment and the transactions contemplated thereby does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the 2</FONT><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="1"><SUP
STYLE="vertical-align:baseline; position:relative; bottom:.8ex">nd</SUP></FONT><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2"> Commitment Letter Amendment. </FONT></P>

<p Style='page-break-before:always'>
<HR  SIZE="3" style="COLOR:#999999" WIDTH="100%" ALIGN="CENTER">


<TABLE STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%">
<TR>
<TD WIDTH="9%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2"><B>Item&nbsp;9.01</B></FONT></TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2"><B>Financial Statements and Exhibits. </B></FONT></TD></TR></TABLE> <P STYLE="font-size:6px;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px">&nbsp;</P>
<TABLE STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%">
<TR>
<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">(d)</FONT></TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2"><I>Exhibits.</I> </FONT></TD></TR></TABLE> <P STYLE="margin-top:12px;margin-bottom:0px"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">The following exhibits are
filed as part of this report: </FONT></P> <P STYLE="font-size:12px;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px">&nbsp;</P>
<TABLE CELLSPACING="0" CELLPADDING="0" WIDTH="100%" BORDER="0" STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE" ALIGN="center">


<TR>
<TD></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="3%"></TD>
<TD WIDTH="94%"></TD></TR>


<TR>
<TD VALIGN="top" NOWRAP><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">99.1</FONT></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom"><FONT SIZE="1">&nbsp;&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
<TD VALIGN="top"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">2</FONT><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="1"><SUP STYLE="vertical-align:baseline; position:relative; bottom:.8ex">nd</SUP></FONT><FONT
STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2"> Amendment to Commitment Letter, dated August&nbsp;26, 2013</FONT></TD></TR>
</TABLE>

<p Style='page-break-before:always'>
<HR  SIZE="3" style="COLOR:#999999" WIDTH="100%" ALIGN="CENTER">

 <P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px" ALIGN="center"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2"><B>SIGNATURE </B></FONT></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12px;margin-bottom:0px"><FONT
STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized. </FONT></P>
<P STYLE="font-size:12px;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px">&nbsp;</P>
<TABLE CELLSPACING="0" CELLPADDING="0" WIDTH="100%" BORDER="0" STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE">


<TR>
<TD WIDTH="45%"></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1%"></TD>
<TD WIDTH="4%"></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom"></TD>
<TD WIDTH="3%"></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1%"></TD>
<TD WIDTH="45%"></TD></TR>


<TR>
<TD VALIGN="top"></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom"><FONT SIZE="1">&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom"></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom"><FONT SIZE="1">&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" COLSPAN="3"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">THE LACLEDE GROUP, INC.</FONT></TD></TR>
<TR>
<TD HEIGHT="16"></TD>
<TD HEIGHT="16" COLSPAN="2"></TD>
<TD HEIGHT="16" COLSPAN="2"></TD>
<TD HEIGHT="16" COLSPAN="2"></TD></TR>
<TR>
<TD VALIGN="top"> <P STYLE="text-indent:2.00em"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">Date: August&nbsp;26, 2013</FONT></P></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom"><FONT SIZE="1">&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
<TD VALIGN="top"></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom"><FONT SIZE="1">&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">By:</FONT></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom"><FONT SIZE="1">&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom"> <P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:1px;border-bottom:1px solid #000000"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">/s/ M. D. Waltermire</FONT></P></TD></TR>
<TR>
<TD VALIGN="top"></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom"><FONT SIZE="1">&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
<TD VALIGN="top"></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom"><FONT SIZE="1">&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom"></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom"><FONT SIZE="1">&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom"> <P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">M. D. Waltermire</FONT></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:1px"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">Executive
Vice President, Chief Financial Officer</FONT></P></TD></TR>
</TABLE>

<p Style='page-break-before:always'>
<HR  SIZE="3" style="COLOR:#999999" WIDTH="100%" ALIGN="CENTER">

 <P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px" ALIGN="center"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2"><B>Exhibit Index </B></FONT></P>
<P STYLE="font-size:12px;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px">&nbsp;</P>
<TABLE CELLSPACING="0" CELLPADDING="0" WIDTH="100%" BORDER="0" STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE" ALIGN="center">


<TR>
<TD></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="5%"></TD>
<TD WIDTH="92%"></TD></TR>
<TR>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" NOWRAP ALIGN="center"> <P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px" ALIGN="center"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="1"><B>Exhibit</B></FONT></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:1px;border-bottom:1px solid #000000;width:28pt" ALIGN="center"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="1"><B>Number</B></FONT></P></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom"><FONT SIZE="1">&nbsp;&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" NOWRAP> <P STYLE="border-bottom:1px solid #000000;width:39pt"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="1"><B>Description</B></FONT></P></TD></TR>


<TR>
<TD HEIGHT="8"></TD>
<TD HEIGHT="8" COLSPAN="2"></TD></TR>
<TR>
<TD VALIGN="top" NOWRAP><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">99.1</FONT></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom"><FONT SIZE="1">&nbsp;&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
<TD VALIGN="top"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">2</FONT><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="1"><SUP STYLE="vertical-align:baseline; position:relative; bottom:.8ex">nd</SUP></FONT><FONT
STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2"> Amendment to Commitment Letter, dated August 26, 2013</FONT></TD></TR>
</TABLE>
</BODY></HTML>
[{"type": "8-K", "sequence": "1", "filename": "d589792d8k.htm", "description": "FORM 8-K", "secsgml_size_bytes": 19603}]
{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "LACLEDE GROUP INC", "cik": "0001126956", "assigned-sic": "4924", "irs-number": "742976504", "state-of-incorporation": "MO", "fiscal-year-end": "0930"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "8-K", "act": "34", "file-number": "001-16681", "film-number": "131060815"}, "business-address": {"street1": "720 OLIVE ST", "city": "ST LOUIS", "state": "MO", "zip": "63101", "phone": "3143420500"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "720 OLIVE ST", "street2": "RM 1517", "city": "ST LOUIS", "state": "MO", "zip": "63101"}}
Form 8-K
United States
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): August 26, 2013
The Laclede Group, Inc.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Missouri
1-16681
74-2976504
(State or other jurisdiction
of incorporation)
(Commission
File Number)
(IRS Employer
Identification No.)
720 Olive Street
St. Louis, Missouri 63101
(Address of principal executive offices,
including ZIP code)
(314) 342-0500
(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 filing 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 (17 CFR 230.425)
¨
Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)
¨
Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
¨
Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 13e-4(c))
Item 1.01
Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement.
In December 2012, The Laclede Group, Inc. ("Laclede Group") announced agreements to acquire substantially all of the assets and liabilities of Missouri Gas Energy ("MGE") and New
England Gas Company ("NEG") from Southern Union Company (the "Acquisitions"), as well as a commitment letter dated December 14, 2012 (the "Commitment Letter") with Wells Fargo Bank, National Association and Wells
Fargo Securities, LLC (collectively, "Wells Fargo"). Pursuant to the Commitment Letter, which was subsequently syndicated by Wells Fargo to a group of nine banks, including Wells Fargo Bank, National Association (collectively, the
"Bridge Lenders"), effective January 16, 2013, the Bridge Lenders committed to provide a 364-day senior bridge term loan credit facility in an aggregate principal amount of up to $1.020 billion to fund the Acquisitions. Laclede Group
subsequently entered into a stock purchase agreement with Algonquin Power & Utilities Corp. ("APUC") pursuant to which a subsidiary of APUC will ultimately acquire NEG rather than Laclede Group.
On May 29, 2013, Laclede Group completed a public offering and sale of its common stock generating net proceeds of approximately
$427 million (the "Offering Proceeds"), which are to be used to fund a portion of the purchase price for the acquisition of MGE or other general corporate purposes. As a result of Laclede Group's receipt of the Offering Proceeds and
in accordance with the terms of the Commitment Letter, the aggregate amount of the commitments of the Bridge Lenders was reduced from $1.020 billion to approximately $592 million.
On June 24, 2013, Laclede Group and the Bridge Lenders entered into a first amendment to the Commitment Letter further reducing the
aggregate commitments of the Bridge Lenders by approximately $67 million to $525 million.
On August 13, 2013, Laclede
Gas Company completed a public offering and sale of its first mortgage bonds generating net proceeds of approximately $443.5 million (the "Bond Proceeds"), which are to be used to fund a portion of the purchase price for the acquisition of
MGE or other general corporate purposes. As a result of Laclede Gas Company's receipt of the Bond Proceeds and in accordance with the terms of the Commitment Letter, the aggregate amount of the commitments of the Bridge Lenders was reduced from
$525 million to approximately $79.9 million.
On August 26, 2013, Laclede Group and the Bridge
Lenders entered into a second amendment to the Commitment Lender (the "2
nd
Commitment Letter Amendment") terminating the Commitment Letter in its entirety. A copy of the 2
nd
Commitment Letter Amendment is filed as Exhibit 99.1 to this report and is incorporated herein by reference. The
foregoing description of the 2
nd
Commitment Letter
Amendment and the transactions contemplated thereby does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the 2
nd
Commitment Letter Amendment.
Item 9.01
Financial Statements and Exhibits.
(d)
Exhibits.
The following exhibits are
filed as part of this report:
99.1
2
nd
Amendment to Commitment Letter, dated August 26, 2013
SIGNATURE
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
THE LACLEDE GROUP, INC.
Date: August 26, 2013
By:
/s/ M. D. Waltermire
M. D. Waltermire
Executive
Vice President, Chief Financial Officer
Exhibit Index
Exhibit
Number
Description
99.1
2
nd
Amendment to Commitment Letter, dated August 26, 2013