<PAGE>
As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on August 28, 2000
Registration No. 333-________
================================================================================
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
----------
FORM S-8
REGISTRATION STATEMENT
Under
The Securities Act of 1933
----------
E*TRADE GROUP, INC.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Delaware 94-2844166
(State or other jurisdiction (IRS Employer Identification No.)
of incorporation or organization)
4500 Bohannon Drive
Menlo Park, California 94025
(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)
----------
VERSUS TECHNOLOGIES, INC. STOCK OPTION PLAN
(as assumed by E*TRADE Group, Inc.)
(Full title of the Plans)
----------
Christos M. Cotsakos
Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer
E*TRADE GROUP, INC.
4500 Bohannon Drive
Menlo Park, California 94025
(650) 331-6000
(Name, address including zip code, and telephone number,
including area code, of agent for service)
----------
CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
===============================================================================================================================
Proposed Proposed
Title of Maximum Maximum
Securities Amount Offering Aggregate Amount of
to be to be Price Offering Registration
Registered Registered (1) per Share(2) Price(2) Fee
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Versus Technologies, Inc. Stock
Option Plan (as assumed by E*TRADE
Group, Inc.) 1,186,671 shares $17.51 $20,781,889.92 $5,486.42
Common Stock, $0.01 par value
===============================================================================================================================
</TABLE>
(1) This Registration Statement shall also cover any additional shares of
Common Stock which become issuable under the Versus Technologies, Inc.
Stock Option Plan by reason of any stock dividend, stock split,
recapitalization or other similar transaction effected without Registrant's
receipt of consideration which results in an increase in the number of the
outstanding shares of Registrant's Common Stock.
(2) Calculated solely for purposes of this offering under Rule 457(h) of the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended, on the basis of the weighted average
exercise price of the outstanding options assumed by Registrant under the
Versus Technologies, Inc. Stock Option Plan.
================================================================================
<PAGE>
PART II
Information Required in the Registration Statement
Item 3. Incorporation of Documents by Reference
---------------------------------------
E*TRADE Group, Inc. (the "Registrant") hereby incorporates by reference
into this Registration Statement the following documents previously filed with
the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"):
(a) The Registrant's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended
September 30, 1999, filed with the SEC on October 22, 1999, as amended
on Form 10-K/A, filed with the SEC on April 17, 2000 pursuant to
Section 13 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the
"1934 Act");
(b) The Registrant's Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the fiscal
quarters ended December 31, 1999, March 31, 2000 and June 30, 2000,
filed with the SEC on February 14, 2000 (as amended on Form 10-Q/A,
filed with the SEC on April 17, 2000), May 15, 2000 and August 14,
2000, respectively;
(c) The Registrant's Current Reports on Form 8-K dated January 12, 2000,
April 12, 2000, May 15, 2000 and June 15, 2000, respectively, and
filed with the SEC on January 27, 2000, April 17, 2000, June 20, 2000,
and July 18, 2000, respectively; and
(d) The Registrant's Registration Statement No. 001-11921 on Form 8-A12B
filed with the SEC on July 12, 1996 pursuant to Section 12 of the 1934
Act, in which there is described the terms, rights and provisions
applicable to the Registrant's outstanding Common Stock.
All reports and definitive proxy or information statements filed pursuant
to Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the 1934 Act after the date of this
Registration Statement and prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment
which indicates that all securities offered hereby have been sold or which
deregisters all securities then remaining unsold shall be deemed to be
incorporated by reference into this Registration Statement and to be a part
hereof from the date of filing of such documents. Any statement contained in a
document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference herein shall be
deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes of this Registration Statement
to the extent that a statement contained herein or in any subsequently filed
document which also is deemed to be incorporated by reference herein modifies or
supersedes such statement. Any such statement so modified or superseded shall
not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this
Registration Statement.
Item 4. Description of Securities
-------------------------
Not Applicable.
Item 5. Interests of Named Experts and Counsel
--------------------------------------
Not Applicable.
Item 6. Indemnification of Directors and Officers
-----------------------------------------
Section 145 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the
"Delaware Law") empowers a Delaware corporation to indemnify any persons who
are, or are threatened to be made, parties to any threatened, pending or
completed legal action, suit
<PAGE>
or proceedings, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (other
than action by or in the right of such corporation), by reason of the fact that
such person was an officer or director of such corporation, or is or was serving
at the request of such corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of
another corporation or enterprise. The indemnity may include expenses (including
attorneys' fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and
reasonably incurred by such person in connection with such action, suit or
proceeding, provided that such officer or director acted in good faith and in a
manner he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the corporation's best
interests, and, for criminal proceedings, had no reasonable cause to believe his
conduct was illegal. A Delaware corporation may indemnify officers and directors
in an action by or in the right of the corporation under the same conditions,
except that no indemnification is permitted without judicial approval if the
officer or director is adjudged to be liable to the corporation in the
performance of his duty. Where an officer or director is successful on the
merits or otherwise in the defense of any action referred to above, the
corporation must indemnify him against the expenses which such officer or
director actually and reasonably incurred.
In accordance with the Delaware Law, the Restated Certificate of
Incorporation of the Registrant contains a provision to limit the personal
liability of the directors of the Registrant for violations of their fiduciary
duty. This provision eliminates each director's liability to the Registrant or
its stockholders for monetary damages except (i) for any breach of the
director's duty of loyalty to the Registrant or its stockholders, (ii) for acts
or omissions not in good faith or which involve intentional misconduct or a
knowing violation of law, (iii) under Section 174 of the Delaware Law providing
for liability of directors for unlawful payment of dividends or unlawful stock
purchases or redemptions, or (iv) for any transaction from which a director
derived an improper personal benefit. The effect of this provision is to
eliminate the personal liability of directors for monetary damages for actions
involving a breach of their fiduciary duty of care, including any such actions
involving gross negligence.
Article 5 of the Restated Bylaws of the Registrant provide for
indemnification of the officers and directors of the Registrant to the fullest
extent permitted by applicable law.
In connection with the incorporation of the Registrant into the State of
Delaware, the Registrant entered into indemnification agreements with each
director and certain officers. The Indemnification Agreements provide
indemnification to such directors and officers under certain circumstances for
acts or omissions which may not be covered by directors' and officers' liability
insurance.
Item 7. Exemption from Registration Claimed
-----------------------------------
Not Applicable.
Item 8. Exhibits
Exhibit
Number Exhibit
------- -------
4 Instruments Defining Rights of Stockholders. Reference is made to
Registrant's Registration Statement No. 001-11921 on Form 8-A12B,
including the exhibits thereto, which is incorporated herein by
reference pursuant to Item 3(d).
5 Opinion and Consent of Brobeck, Phleger & Harrison LLP.
23.1 Consent of Deloitte & Touche LLP, Independent Auditors.
23.2 Consent of Arthur Andersen LLP, Independent Public Accountants.
23.3 Consent of Brobeck, Phleger & Harrison LLP is contained in Exhibit 5.
24 Power of Attorney. Reference is made to page II-4 of this Registration
Statement.
99.1 Versus Technologies, Inc. Stock Option Plan (as assumed by
Registrant).
99.2 Form of Versus Technologies, Inc. Stock Option Agreement.
99.3 Form of Stock Option Assumption Agreement.
Item 9. Undertakings
------------
A. The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes: (1) to file, during any
period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to
this Registration Statement (i) to include any prospectus required by Section
10(a)(3) of the 1933 Act, (ii) to reflect in the prospectus any facts or events
arising after the effective date of this 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 this
Registration Statement and (iii) to include any material information with
respect to the plan of distribution not previously
<PAGE>
disclosed in this Registration Statement or any material change to such
information in this Registration Statement; provided, however, that clauses
(1)(i) and (1)(ii) shall not apply if the information required to be included in
a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in periodic reports
filed by the Registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the 1934 Act
that are incorporated by reference into this Registration Statement; (2) that
for the purpose of determining any liability under the 1933 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; and
(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
Versus Technologies, Inc. Stock Option Plan (as assumed by Registrant).
B. The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of
determining any liability under the 1933 Act, each filing of the Registrant's
annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the 1934 Act that is
incorporated by reference into this 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 1933 Act
may be permitted to directors, officers, or controlling persons of the
Registrant pursuant to the indemnification foregoing provisions summarized in
Item 6 or otherwise, the Registrant has been advised that, in the opinion of the
SEC, such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the 1933 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 1933 Act and will be governed by the
final adjudication of such issue.
<PAGE>
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-8, and has duly caused this
Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto
duly authorized, in the City of Menlo Park, State of California on this 25th day
of August, 2000.
E*TRADE GROUP, INC.
By: /s/ Christos M. Cotsakos
---------------------------
Christos M. Cotsakos
Chairman of the Board and
Chief Executive Officer
POWER OF ATTORNEY
KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS:
That the undersigned officers and directors of E*TRADE Group, Inc., a
Delaware corporation, do hereby constitute and appoint Brigitte Van Baelen,
Theodore J. Theophilos and Leonard C. Purkis, and each one of them, the lawful
attorneys-in-fact and agents with full power and authority to do any and all
acts and things and to execute any and all instruments which said attorneys and
agents, and any one of them, determine may be necessary or advisable or required
to enable said corporation to comply with the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended, and any rules or regulations or requirements of the Securities and
Exchange Commission in connection with this Registration Statement. Without
limiting the generality of the foregoing power and authority, the powers granted
include the power and authority to sign the names of the undersigned officers
and directors in the capacities indicated below to this Registration Statement,
to any and all amendments, both pre-effective and post-effective, and
supplements to this Registration Statement, and to any and all instruments or
documents filed as part of or in conjunction with this Registration Statement or
amendments or supplements thereof, and each of the undersigned hereby ratifies
and confirms all that said attorneys and agents, or any one of them, shall do or
cause to be done by virtue hereof. This Power of Attorney may be signed in
several counterparts.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the undersigned has executed this Power of
Attorney as of the date indicated.
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended,
this Registration Statement has been signed below by the following persons in
the capacities and on the dates indicated.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Signature Title Date
--------- ----- ----
<S> <C> <C>
/s/ Christos M. Cotsakos Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive August 25, 2000
---------------------------------- Officer (Principal Executive Officer)
Christos M. Cotsakos
/s/ Leonard C. Purkis Chief Financial Officer (Principal August 8, 2000
---------------------------------- Financial and Accounting Officer)
Leonard C. Purkis
</TABLE>
<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Signature Title Date
--------- ----- ----
<S> <C> <C>
/s/ William A. Porter Chairman Emeritus August 25, 2000
----------------------------------
William A. Porter
/s/ William E. Ford Director August 25, 2000
----------------------------------
William E. Ford
/s/ George Hayter Director August 8, 2000
----------------------------------
George Hayter
/s/ Lewis E. Randall Director August 9, 2000
----------------------------------
Lewis E. Randall
/s/ Masayoshi Son Director August 25, 2000
----------------------------------
Masayoshi Son
/s/ Lester C. Thurow Director August 8, 2000
----------------------------------
Lester C. Thurow
/s/ Peter Chernin Director August 25, 2000
----------------------------------
Peter Chernin
Director
---------------------------------
David C. Hayden
</TABLE>
<PAGE>
EXHIBIT INDEX
Exhibit
Number Exhibit
------- -------
4 Instruments Defining Rights of Stockholders. Reference is made to
Registrant's Registration Statement No. 001-11921 on Form 8-A12B,
including the exhibits thereto, which is incorporated herein by
reference pursuant to Item 3(d).
5 Opinion and Consent of Brobeck, Phleger & Harrison LLP.
23.1 Consent of Deloitte & Touche LLP, Independent Auditors.
23.2 Consent of Arthur Andersen LLP, Independent Public Accountants.
23.3 Consent of Brobeck, Phleger & Harrison LLP is contained in Exhibit 5.
24 Power of Attorney. Reference is made to page II-4 of this Registration
Statement.
99.1 Versus Technologies, Inc. Stock Option Plan (as assumed by
Registrant).
99.2 Form of Versus Technologies, Inc. Stock Option Agreement.
99.3 Form of Stock Option Assumption Agreement.
<PAGE>
================================================================================
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C.
----------
EXHIBITS
TO
FORM S-8
UNDER
SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
----------
E*TRADE GROUP, INC.
================================================================================