AMBANC HOLDING CO INC
SC TO-T, 2000-08-09
SAVINGS INSTITUTION, FEDERALLY CHARTERED
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                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

                                   SCHEDULE TO
                                 (Rule 14d-100)

            TENDER OFFER STATEMENT UNDER SECTION 14(D)(1) OR 13(E)(1)
                     OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

                              COHOES BANCORP, INC.
                            (Name of Subject Company)

                            AMBANC HOLDING CO., INC.
                       (Name of Filing Persons -- Offeror)

                     COMMON STOCK, PAR VALUE $.01 PER SHARE
                         (Title of Class of Securities)

                                   192 513 109
                      (CUSIP Number of Class of Securities)

             John M. Lisicki, President and Chief Executive Officer
                  11 Division Street, Amsterdam, New York 12010
                                 (518) 842-7200
                  (Name, Address and Telephone Number of Person
      Authorized to Receive Notices and Communications on Behalf of Bidder)

                                   Copies to:
                               John J. Spidi, Esq.
                            Malizia Spidi & Fisch, PC
                       1301 K Street, N.W. Suite 700 East
                             Washington, D.C. 20005
                                (202) 434 - 4660

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                            CALCULATION OF FILING FEE
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TRANSACTION                               | AMOUNT OF
VALUATION*: $125,525,482.50               | FILING FEE**: $25,105.08
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*    For purposes of calculating the filing fee only. This  calculation  assumes
     the purchase of all of the  outstanding  shares of Common Stock,  par value
     $.01 per share,  of Cohoes  Bancorp,  Inc. at $16.50 net per share in cash,
     based on the number of shares  outstanding as of June 22, 2000, as reported
     in the Proxy  Statement  of  Cohoes  relating  to the  Special  Meeting  of
     Shareholders  to be held August 17,  2000,  and  excluding  304,650  shares
     beneficially  owned by  Ambanc  Holding  Co.,  Inc.  as of the date of this
     Schedule TO.

**   The amount of the filing fee,  calculated in  accordance  with Rule 0-11(d)
     under the  Securities  Exchange Act of 1934,  equals 1/50 of one percent of
     the aggregate value of cash offered by Ambanc Holding Co., Inc.

[ ]  Check  the  box if any  part of the fee is  offset  as  provided   by  Rule
     0-11(a)(2)  and  identify  the  filing  with which the  offsetting  fee was
     previously  paid.  Identify the previous filing by  registration  statement
     number, or the Form or Schedule and date of its filing.
     Amount Previously Paid:    _________.   Filing Party:  _____________.
     Form or Registration No.:  _________.   Date Filed:    _____________.

[ ]  Check the box if the filing relates solely  to  preliminary  communications
     made before the commencement of a tender offer.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Check the appropriate boxes below to designate any transactions to which the statement relates:
<S>                                                          <C>
[X] third-party tender offer subject to Rule 14d-1.           [  ] issuer tender offer subject to Rule 13e-4.
[  ] going-private transaction subject to Rule 13e-3.         [  ] amendment to Schedule 13D under Rule 13d-2.
</TABLE>

Check the following box if the filing is a final amendment reporting the results
of the tender offer: [ ].

                                       -1-

<PAGE>
                                   SCHEDULE TO

         This  Statement  on Schedule  TO relates to an offer by Ambanc  Holding
Co.,  Inc.,  a  Delaware  Corporation,   ("Ambanc"),  to  purchase  all  of  the
outstanding  shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share (the "Shares") of
Cohoes  Bancorp,  Inc. at $16.50 per Share,  net to the seller in cash,  without
interest thereon,  upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the
Offer to  Purchase,  dated  August  9, 2000 (the  "Offer to  Purchase")  and the
related  Letter of  Transmittal  (which,  together  with the Offer to  Purchase,
constitutes the "Offer"), copies of which are attached hereto as Exhibits (a)(1)
and (a)(2),  respectively.  The item numbers and responses  thereto below are in
accordance with the requirements of Schedule TO.

ITEM 1. SUMMARY TERM SHEET.

         The  information  set forth in the Offer to Purchase  under the section
captioned "Summary Term Sheet" is incorporated herein by reference.

ITEM 2. SUBJECT COMPANY INFORMATION.

         (a) The name of the subject company is Cohoes Bancorp, Inc., a Delaware
corporation  ("Cohoes"),  which has its principal executive offices at 75 Remsen
Street, Cohoes, New York 12047. Its telephone number is (518) 233-6500.

         (b) As of June 22, 2000,  there were issued and  outstanding  7,912,255
shares of Cohoes common stock, par value $.01 per share.

         (c) The information  concerning the principal market for and the prices
of the Shares set forth in Section 6 ("Price  Range of  Shares") of the Offer to
Purchase is incorporated herein by reference.

ITEM 3. IDENTITY AND BACKGROUND OF FILING PERSON.

         (a),  (b),  (c)1-2 The  information  set forth in  Section 9  ("Certain
Information  Concerning  Ambanc")  of the Offer to  Purchase  and on  Schedule I
thereto is incorporated herein by reference.

         (c)3-4 The information  regarding Director Lawrence B. Seidman,  as set
forth on  Schedule  I to the  Offer  to  Purchase,  is  incorporated  herein  by
reference.  Other than with  respect to Mr.  Seidman,  neither  Ambanc,  nor any
persons  controlling Ambanc, nor, to the knowledge of Ambanc, any of the persons
listed on  Schedule I to the Offer to  Purchase,  has during the last five years
(i) been convicted in a criminal  proceeding  (excluding  traffic  violations or
similar  misdemeanors)  or (ii) been a party to a civil proceeding of a judicial
or  administrative  body  of  competent  jurisdiction  and as a  result  of such
proceeding  was or is subject to a  judgment,  decree or final  order  enjoining
future  violations  of, or prohibiting  activities  subject to, federal or state
securities laws or finding any violation of such laws.

ITEM 4. TERMS OF THE TRANSACTION.

         The  information set forth in the Offer to Purchase under the following
sections is  incorporated  herein by reference:  Section  1("Terms of the Offer;
Expiration Date"), Section 2 ("Acceptance for

                                       -2-

<PAGE>



Payment and Payment for Shares"),  Section 3  ("Withdrawal  Rights"),  Section 4
("Procedure for Tendering Shares"), Section 11 ("Purpose of the Offer; Plans for
Cohoes"), Section 12 ("Certain Conditions of the Offer"), Section 13 ("Appraisal
Rights"), Section 15 ("Dividends and Distributions"),  Section 16 ("Treatment of
Cohoes Stock Options and Employee Stock Ownership  Plan"),  Section 17 ("Certain
Legal and Regulatory Matters; Approvals"), Section 19 ("Miscellaneous").

ITEM 5. PAST CONTACTS, TRANSACTIONS, NEGOTIATIONS AND AGREEMENTS.

         (a)-(b) The  information  set forth in Section 9 ("Certain  Information
Concerning  Ambanc") and Section 10  ("Background  of the Offer;  Contacts  with
Cohoes") of the Offer to Purchase is incorporated herein by reference.

ITEM 6. PURPOSES OF THE TRANSACTION AND PLANS OR PROPOSALS.

         (a), (c) 1-7 The  information  set forth in Section 11 ("Purpose of the
Offer;  Plans for Cohoes") and Section 7 ("Effect of the Offer on the Market for
the  Shares  and  Exchange  Act  Registration")  of the  Offer  to  Purchase  is
incorporated herein by reference.

ITEM 7. SOURCE AND AMOUNT OF FUNDS OR OTHER CONSIDERATION.

         (a) The  information  set forth in  Section 14  ("Source  and Amount of
Funds") of the Offer to Purchase is incorporated herein by reference.

         (b), (d) Not applicable.

ITEM 8. INTEREST IN SECURITIES OF THE SUBJECT COMPANY.

         (a) The  information  set  forth in  Section  9  ("Certain  Information
Concerning  Ambanc") of the Offer to Purchase and on Schedule II to the Offer to
Purchase is incorporated herein by reference.

         In accordance with Instruction 3 to Item 1008(a) of Regulation M-A, the
following table sets forth, as of June 22, 2000, information regarding ownership
of Cohoes  common  stock by  certain  beneficial  owners  and by  directors  and
executive officers of Cohoes,  individually and as a group. Such information was
derived from the Cohoes' Proxy  Statement-Prospectus dated July 3, 2000 relating
to the  Special  Meeting of  Shareholders  to be held  August  17,  2000 for the
purpose of considering the Hudson-Cohoes  Merger (the "Cohoes' Proxy Statement")
as filed with the SEC.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                      Shares Beneficially Owned at  Percent of Total Shares
Beneficial Owner                         June 22, 2000 (1)(2)(3)          Outstanding
----------------                         -----------------------         ------------
<S>                                          <C>                            <C>
Cohoes Bancorp, Inc. Employee Stock
Ownership Plan
 75 Remsen Street
 Cohoes, New York 12047                        762,818(5)                     9.6%

Directors:
     Harry L. Robinson                         214,353(6)                     2.7%
     Arthur E. Bowen                            36,603(7)                      *
</TABLE>

                                       -3-

<PAGE>

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
<S>                                          <C>                            <C>
     Peter G. Casabonne                         21,603                         *
     Michael L. Crotty                          22,978                         *
     Chester C. DeLaMater                       41,603(8)                      *
     Frederick G. Field, Jr.                    22,878(9)                      *
     Duncan S. MacAffer                         28,442(10)                     *
     J. Timothy O'Hearn                         38,756(11)                     *
     R. Douglas Paton                           32,624(12)                     *
     Walter H. Speidel                          37,103(13)                     *
     Donald A. Wilson                           24,803(14)                     *
Executive officers:
     Richard A. Ahl                            128,053(15)                    1.6%
     Albert J. Picchi                           49,945(16)                     *
Directors and executive officers of Cohoes
   and executive officers of Cohoes Savings
   Bank, as a group (13 persons)               699,744(17)                    8.7%
</TABLE>


(1)      Amount  includes shares held directly,  as well as shares  allocated to
         such  individuals  under  the  Cohoes  Bancorp,   Inc.  Employee  Stock
         Ownership  Plan (the "Cohoes  ESOP"),  and other shares with respect to
         which a person  may be  deemed to have sole  voting  and/or  investment
         power.

(2)      Under  applicable  regulations,  a person is deemed to have  beneficial
         ownership  of any shares of Cohoes  common  stock which may be acquired
         within  60  days  of  the  date  shown  pursuant  to  the  exercise  of
         outstanding  stock  options.  Shares of Cohoes  common  stock which are
         subject to stock options are deemed to be  outstanding  for the purpose
         of computing the percentage of  outstanding  common stock owned by such
         person or group but not deemed outstanding for the purpose of computing
         the  percentage  of Cohoes  common  stock owned by any other  person or
         group.  The amounts set forth in the table include  shares which may be
         received  upon the exercise of stock  options  pursuant to Cohoes' 1999
         Stock  Option and  Incentive  Plan  within 60 days of the date shown as
         follows:  for Mr. Robinson,  45,000 shares; for Mr. Ahl, 22,500 shares;
         for  Mr.  Picchi,  11,250  shares;  for  each  of the  10  non-employee
         directors,  5,201 shares;  and for all directors and executive officers
         as a group, 130,760 shares.

(3)      Includes  unvested  restricted  shares granted pursuant to Cohoes' 1999
         Recognition  and Retention Plan as follows:  for Mr.  Robinson,  90,000
         shares; for Mr. Ahl, 45,000 shares; for Mr. Picchi,  22,500 shares; for
         each  of the 10  non-employee  directors,  10,402  shares;  and for all
         directors  and executive  officers as a group,  261,520  shares.  These
         shares  will be voted by  Cohoes'  board  since  they were  subject  to
         restriction as of June 22, 2000.

(4)      Based upon 7,912,255  shares  outstanding on June 22, 2000. An asterisk
         ("*") means that the percentage is less than 1%.

(5)      Includes  71,538  shares  allocated  to  ESOP  participants,   and  the
         participants  are  entitled  to direct  the  voting of these  allocated
         shares.  First Bankers Trust  Company,  the trustee of the ESOP, may be
         deemed to own  beneficially  the  unallocated  shares held by the ESOP.
         Unallocated  shares will be voted in the same  proportion  as allocated
         shares voted by participants, subject to the requirements of applicable
         law and the fiduciary  duties of the trustee.  The ESOP  administrators
         are  entitled  to direct the voting of the  allocated  shares for which
         timely voting instructions are not received from the participants.


                                       -4-

<PAGE>



(6)      Includes  21,000 shares owned by Mr.  Robinson  through  Cohoes Savings
         Bank's  401(k) Plan;  51,500  shares  owned by the Cohoes  Savings Bank
         Rabbi Trust of which Mr. Robinson is the beneficiary;  and 2,553 shares
         allocated to Mr. Robinson in the Cohoes ESOP.

(7)      Includes  8,500 shares owned by the Cohoes  Savings Bank Rabbi Trust of
         which  Mr.  Bowen  is the  beneficiary  and  1,000  shares  owned  by a
         testamentary trust of which Mr. Bowen's wife is trustee.

(8)      Includes 1,000 shares owned by Mr. DeLaMater's spouse.

(9)      Includes 3,277 shares owned by Mr. Field's spouse.

(10)     Includes 2,627 shares owned by an intervivos trust of which Mr.
         MacAffer is trustee.

(11)     Includes 1,700 shares owned directly by Mr. O'Hearn's children.

(12)     Includes 7,935 shares owned by the Cohoes Savings Bank Rabbi  Trust  of
         which Mr. Paton is the beneficiary.

(13)     Includes 500 shares owned directly by Mr. Speidel's son.

(14)     Includes 1,100 shares owned by the Cohoes Savings Bank Rabbi  Trust  of
         which Mr. Wilson is the beneficiary.

(15)     Includes  4,000 shares owned by Mr. Ahl through  Cohoes  Savings Bank's
         401(k) Plan;  9,000 shares owned by the Cohoes Savings Bank Rabbi Trust
         of which Mr. Ahl is the  beneficiary;  25,000 shares owned by Mr. Ahl's
         spouse; and 2,553 shares allocated to Mr. Ahl in the Cohoes ESOP.

(16)     Includes 4,648 shares owned through Cohoes Savings Bank's 401(k)  Plan;
         and 2,121 shares allocated to Mr. Picchi in the Cohoes ESOP.

(17)     This total  includes  shares  beneficially  owned by all  directors and
         executive officers listed in the table. All RRP shares,  whether or not
         vested, are included.

         (b) The  information  set forth on Schedule II to the Offer to Purchase
is incorporated herein by reference.

         The  following  table  sets  forth   information   regarding   Ambanc's
transactions in the Shares during the past 60 days. In each case, the price paid
per Share is exclusive of  commissions.  All of the  transactions  were effected
through a registered broker. No director or executive officer of Ambanc, nor any
other affiliate,  associate,  or subsidiary of Ambanc, effected any transactions
in the Shares during the past 60 days.

                                       -5-

<PAGE>




Identity                 Date of Transaction  Number of Shares  Price per Share
--------                 -------------------  ----------------  ---------------
Ambanc Holding Co., Inc.    June 29, 2000          10,700             $13.75
Ambanc Holding Co., Inc.    June 30, 2000           6,000             $13.75
Ambanc Holding Co., Inc.     July 5, 2000          25,000           $13.8125
Ambanc Holding Co., Inc.     July 6, 2000          10,000           $13.8125
Ambanc Holding Co., Inc.    July 14, 2000           7,500           $13.6250
Ambanc Holding Co., Inc.    July 21, 2000          10,000           $13.4375

ITEM 9. PERSONS/ASSETS RETAINED, EMPLOYED, COMPENSATED OR USED.

         The  information  set forth in Section 18 ("Fees and  Expenses") of the
Offer to Purchase is incorporated herein by reference.

ITEM 10. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.

         Not  applicable.  In accordance  with the Instruction 2 to Item 10, the
financial statements of Ambanc are not material as:

         1)    the consideration offered consists solely of cash;
         2)    the offer is not subject to any financing condition;
         3)    Ambanc is a public  reporting  company  under Section 13(a) of
               the  Securities  Exchange Act of 1934,  as amended,  and files
               reports electronically on EDGAR; and
         4)    the offer is for all outstanding securities of the subject class.

         Further, pro forma financial  information is not required in accordance
with Instruction 5 to Item 10 as the transaction is not a negotiated transaction
and Ambanc does not intend to offer  securities in a subsequent  merger or other
transaction in which remaining Shares would be acquired.

ITEM 11. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.

         (a) The information set forth in the Introduction,  Section 9 ("Certain
Information Concerning Ambanc"),  Section 10 ("Background of the Offer; Contacts
with Cohoes"),  Section 11 ("Purpose of the Offer; Plans for Cohoes"), Section 7
("Effect  of  the  Offer  on  the  Market  for  the  Shares  and   Exchange  Act
Registration"),  Section 12 ("Certain  Conditions  of the Offer") and Section 17
("Certain Legal and Regulatory Matters;  Approvals") of the Offer to Purchase is
incorporated herein by reference.

         (b) The  information set forth in the Offer to Purchase and the related
Letter of Transmittal,  copies of which are filed as Exhibits (a)(1) and (a)(2),
hereto, respectively, is incorporated herein by reference.



                                       -6-

<PAGE>



ITEM 12.  EXHIBITS.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
     <S>         <C>
         (a)(1)   Offer to Purchase, dated August 9, 2000.

         (a)(2)   Letter of Transmittal.

         (a)(3)   Notice of Guaranteed Delivery.

         (a)(4)   Letter to Brokers, Dealers, Commercial Banks, Trust Companies and Other Nominees.

         (a)(5)   Letter from Brokers, Dealers, Commercial Banks, Trust Companies and Other Nominees
                  to their Clients.

         (a)(6)   Guidelines for Certification of Taxpayer Identification Number on Substitute Form W-9.

         (a)(7)   Form of Summary Advertisement, dated August 9, 2000.

         (a)(8)   Text of Press Release issued by Ambanc Holding Co., Inc., dated July 27, 2000
                  (incorporated by reference to the Schedule TO-C filed on July 27, 2000).

         (b)      Not applicable.

         (d)      Not applicable.

         (g)      Not applicable.

         (h)      Not applicable.
</TABLE>

ITEM 13. INFORMATION REQUIRED BY SCHEDULE 13E-3.

         Not applicable.

                                       -7-

<PAGE>

                                   SIGNATURES

         After due inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and belief, I certify
that the information set forth in this statement is true, complete and correct.

Dated: August 9, 2000


                     AMBANC HOLDING CO., INC.


                     By:  John M. Lisicki
                          ------------------------------------------------------
                          John M. Lisicki, President and Chief Executive Officer


<PAGE>



                                  EXHIBIT INDEX


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

Exhibit No.                Description
-----------                -----------
<S>                      <C>
(a)(1)                     Offer to Purchase, dated August 9, 2000.

(a)(2)                     Letter of Transmittal.

(a)(3)                     Notice of Guaranteed Delivery.

(a)(4)                     Letter to Brokers, Dealers, Commercial Banks, Trust Companies and
                           Other Nominees.

(a)(5)                     Letter from Brokers, Dealers, Commercial Banks, Trust Companies and
                           Other Nominees to their Clients.

(a)(6)                     Guidelines for Certification of Taxpayer Identification Number on
                           Substitute Form W-9.

(a)(7)                     Form of Summary Advertisement, dated August 9, 2000.

(a)(8)                     Text of Press Release issued by Ambanc Holding Co., Inc., dated July
                           27, 2000 (incorporated by reference to the Schedule TO-C filed on July
                           27, 2000).

</TABLE>



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