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FORM 8-A
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FOR REGISTRATION OF CERTAIN CLASSES OF SECURITIES
PURSUANT TO SECTION 12(b) OR (g) OF THE
SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
Palm, Inc.
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(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)
Delaware 94-3150688
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(State of incorporation or organization) (IRS Employer I.D. No.)
5470 Great America Parkway, Santa Clara, California, 95052
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(Address of principal executive offices)
If this form relates to the registration of a class of securities pursuant to
Section 12(b) of the Exchange Act and is effective pursuant to General
Instruction A.(c), check the following box. [_]
If this form relates to the registration of a class of securities pursuant to
Section 12(g) of the Exchange Act and is effective pursuant to General
Instruction A.(d), check the following box. [X]
Securities Act registration statement file number to which this form relates (if
applicable): Not applicable.
Securities to be registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
None
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(Title of Class)
Securities to be registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act: NASDAQ
Preferred Share Purchase Rights
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Item 1. Description of Securities to be Registered
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On September 21, 2000, pursuant to a Preferred Stock Rights Agreement
(the "Rights Agreement") between Palm, Inc. (the "Company") and Fleet National
Bank, as Rights Agent (the "Rights Agent"), the Company's Board of Directors
declared a dividend of one right (a "Right") to purchase one one-thousandth of a
share of the Company's Series A Participating Preferred Stock ("Series A
Preferred") for each outstanding share of Common Stock, par value $0.001
("Common Shares"), of the Company. The dividend is payable on November 6, 2000
(the "Record Date"), to shareholders of record as of the close of business on
that date. Each Right entitles the registered holder to purchase from the
Company one one-thousandth of a share of Series A Preferred Stock at an exercise
price of $ 370.00 (the "Purchase Price"), subject to adjustment.
The following summary of the principal terms of the Rights Agreement is
a general description only and is subject to the detailed terms and conditions
of the Rights Agreement. A copy of the Rights Agreement is attached as Exhibit
4.3 to this Registration Statement and is incorporated herein by reference.
Rights Evidenced by Common Share Certificates
The Rights will not be exercisable until the Distribution Date (defined
below). Certificates for the Rights ("Rights Certificates") will not be sent to
shareholders and the Rights will attach to and trade only together with the
Common Shares. Accordingly, Common Share certificates outstanding on the Record
Date will evidence the Rights related thereto, and Common Share certificates
issued after the Record Date will contain a notation incorporating the Rights
Agreement by reference. Until the Distribution Date (or earlier redemption or
expiration of the Rights), the surrender or transfer of any certificates for
Common Shares, outstanding as of the Record Date, even without notation or a
copy of the Summary of Rights being attached thereto, also will constitute the
transfer of the Rights associated with the Common Shares represented by such
certificate.
Distribution Date
The Rights will be separate from the Common Shares, Rights Certificates
will be issued and the Rights will become exercisable upon the earlier of (i)
the tenth business day (or such later date as may be determined by the Company's
Board of Directors) after a person or group of affiliated or associated persons
("Acquiring Person") has acquired or obtained the right to acquire beneficial
ownership of 15% or more of the Common Stock then outstanding, or (ii) the tenth
business day (or such later date as may be determined by the Company's Board of
Directors) after a person or group announces a tender or exchange offer, the
consummation of which would result in ownership by a person or group of 15% or
more of the Common Shares then outstanding. The earlier of such dates is
referred to as the "Distribution Date."
Issuance of Rights Certificates; Expiration of Rights
As soon as practicable following the Distribution Date, a summary of the
Rights will be mailed to holders of record of the Common Shares as of the close
of business on the Distribution Date and this summary alone will evidence the
Rights from and after the Distribution Date. All Common Shares issued after the
Distribution Date will be issued with Rights. The Rights will expire on the
earliest of (i) November 6, 2010 (the "Final Expiration Date") or (ii)
redemption or exchange of the Rights as described below.
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Initial Exercise of the Rights
Following the Distribution Date, and until one of the further events
described below, holders of the Rights will be entitled to receive, upon
exercise and the payment of the Purchase Price, one one-thousandth share of
Series A Preferred. In the event that the Company does not have sufficient
Series A Preferred available for all Rights to be exercised, or the Board
decides that such action is necessary and not contrary to the interests of
Rights holders, the Company may instead substitute cash, assets or other
securities for the Series A Preferred for which the Rights would have been
exercisable under this provision or as described below.
Right to Buy Company Common Shares
Unless the Rights are earlier redeemed, in the event that an Acquiring
Person obtains 15% or more of the Company's Common Shares then outstanding, then
each holder of a Right which has not theretofore been exercised (other than
Rights beneficially owned by the Acquiring Person, which will thereafter be
void) will thereafter have the right to receive, upon exercise, Common Shares
having a value equal to two times the Purchase Price. Rights are not
exercisable following the occurrence of an event as described above until such
time as the Rights are no longer redeemable by the Company as set forth below.
Right to Buy Acquiring Company Stock
Similarly, unless the Rights are earlier redeemed, in the event that, after
an Acquiring Person obtains a Threshold Amount, (i) the Company is acquired in a
merger or other business combination transaction, or (ii) 50% or more of the
Company's consolidated assets or earning power are sold (other than in
transactions in the ordinary course of business), proper provision must be made
so that each holder of a Right which has not theretofore been exercised (other
than Rights beneficially owned by the Acquiring Person, which will thereafter be
void) will thereafter have the right to receive, upon exercise, shares of common
stock of the acquiring company having a value equal to two times the Purchase
Price.
Exchange Provision
At any time after an Acquiring Person obtains 15% or more of the Company's
outstanding shares and prior to the acquisition by such Acquiring Person of 50%
or more of the Company's outstanding Common Shares, the Board of Directors of
the Company may exchange the Rights (other than Rights owned by the Acquiring
Person), in whole or in part, at an exchange ratio of one Common Share per
Right.
Redemption
At any time on or prior to the Close of Business on the earlier of (i) the
fifth day following the attainment of a Threshold Amount by an Acquiring Person
(or such later date as may be determined by action of the Company's Board of
Directors and publicly announced by the Company), or (ii) the Final Expiration
Date, the Company may redeem the Rights in whole, but not in part, at a price of
$0.001 per Right.
Adjustments to Prevent Dilution
The Purchase Price payable, the number of Rights, and the number of Series
A Preferred or Common Shares or other securities or property issuable upon
exercise of the Rights are subject to adjustment from time to time in connection
with the dilutive issuances by the Company as set forth in the Rights Agreement.
With certain exceptions, no adjustment in the Purchase Price will be required
until cumulative adjustments require an adjustment of at least 1% in such
Purchase Price.
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Cash Paid Instead of Issuing Fractional Shares
No fractional Common Shares will be issued upon exercise of a Right and, in
lieu thereof, an adjustment in cash will be made based on the market price of
the Common Shares on the last trading date prior to the date of exercise.
No Shareholders' Rights Prior to Exercise
Until a Right is exercised, the holder thereof, as such, will have no
rights as a shareholder of the Company (other than any rights resulting from
such holder's ownership of Common Shares), including, without limitation, the
right to vote or to receive dividends.
Amendment of Rights Agreement
The terms of the Rights and the Rights Agreement may be amended in any
respect without the consent of the Rights holders on or prior to the
Distribution Date; thereafter, the terms of the Rights and the Rights Agreement
may be amended without the consent of the Rights holders in order to cure any
ambiguities or to make changes which do not adversely affect the interests of
Rights holders (other than the Acquiring Person).
Rights and Preferences of the Series A Preferred
Each one one-thousandth of a share of Series A Preferred has rights and
preferences substantially equivalent to those of one Common Share.
No Voting Rights
Rights will not have any voting rights.
Certain Anti-Takeover Effects
The Rights approved by the Board are designed to protect and maximize the
value of the outstanding equity interests in the Company in the event of an
unsolicited attempt by an acquirer to take over the Company in a manner or on
terms not approved by the Board of Directors. Takeover attempts frequently
include coercive tactics to deprive the Company's Board of Directors and its
shareholders of any real opportunity to determine the destiny of the Company.
The Rights have been declared by the Board in order to deter such tactics,
including a gradual accumulation of shares in the open market of 15% or greater
position to be followed by a merger or a partial or two-tier tender offer that
does not treat all shareholders equally. These tactics unfairly pressure
shareholders, squeeze them out of their investment without giving them any real
choice and deprive them of the full value of their shares.
The Rights are not intended to prevent a takeover of the Company and will
not do so. Subject to the restrictions described above, the Rights may be
redeemed by the Company at $0.001 per Right at any time prior to the
Distribution Date. Accordingly, the Rights should not interfere with any merger
or business combination approved by the Board of Directors.
However, the Rights may have the effect of rendering more difficult or
discouraging an acquisition of the Company deemed undesirable by the Board of
Directors. The Rights may cause substantial dilution to a person or group that
attempts to acquire the Company on terms or in a manner not approved by the
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Company's Board of Directors, except pursuant to an offer conditioned upon the
negation, purchase or redemption of the Rights.
Issuance of the Rights does not in any way weaken the financial strength of
the Company or interfere with its business plans. The issuance of the Rights
themselves has no dilutive effect, will not affect reported earnings per share,
should not be taxable to the Company or to its shareholders, and will not change
the way in which the Company's shares are presently traded. The Company's Board
of Directors believes that the Rights represent a sound and reasonable means of
addressing the complex issues of corporate policy created by the current
takeover environment.
Item 2. Exhibits
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EXHIBIT INDEX
Exhibit
Number Description
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4.3 Preferred Stock Rights Agreement, dated as of September 25, 2000,
between Palm, Inc. and Fleet National Bank (c/o EquiServe, L.P.),
including the Certificate of Designation, the form of Rights
Certificate and the Summary of Rights attached thereto as
Exhibits A, B, and C, respectively.
3.1 Bylaws of Palm, Inc., as amended./1/
3.2 Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of Palm,
Inc./2/
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/1/ Incorporated by reference to same numbered Exhibits to Palm, Inc.'s Form
S-1/A dated January 28, 2000.
/2/ Incorporated by reference to same numbered Exhibits to Palm, Inc.'s Form
S-1/A dated January 28, 2000.
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SIGNATURE
Pursuant to the requirements of Section 12 of the Securities Exchange Act
of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed
on its behalf by the undersigned, thereto duly authorized.
Date: October 20, 2000 Palm, Inc.
By: /s/ Stephen Yu
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Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary
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EXHIBIT INDEX
Exhibit
Number Description
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4.3 Preferred Stock Rights Agreement, dated as of September 25,
2000, between Palm, Inc. and Fleet National Bank (c/o
EquiServe, L.P.), including the Certificate of Designation,
the form of Rights Certificate and the Summary of Rights
attached thereto as Exhibits A, B, and C, respectively.
3.1 Bylaws of Palm, Inc., as amended./1/
3.2 Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of Palm,
Inc./2/
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/1/ Incorporated by reference to same numbered Exhibits to Palm, Inc.'s Form
S-1/A dated January 28, 2000.
/2/ Incorporated by reference to same numbered Exhibits to Palm, Inc.'s Form
S-1/A dated January 28, 2000.
