ARVINMERITOR INC
S-8, 2001-01-09
MOTOR VEHICLE PARTS & ACCESSORIES
Previous: PRICE T ROWE GROUP INC, S-8 POS, EX-24, 2001-01-09
Next: ARVINMERITOR INC, S-8, EX-5.A, 2001-01-09



<PAGE>   1
                                                      Registration No. 333-_____
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                                  UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549
                                    FORM S-8
                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                      Under
                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

                              --------------------

                               ARVINMERITOR, INC.
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

           INDIANA                                        33-3354643
(State or other jurisdiction of             (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)
 incorporation or organization)

                             --------------------

      2135 West Maple Road                                     48084-7186
          Troy, Michigan                                        (Zip Code)
(Address of principal executive offices)

                              ---------------------

                         ARVINMERITOR, INC. SAVINGS PLAN
                            (Full title of the plan)

                              ---------------------

                            Vernon G. Baker, II, Esq.
                             Senior Vice President,
                          General Counsel and Secretary
                               ArvinMeritor, Inc.
                              2135 West Maple Road
                            Troy, Michigan 48084-7186
                                 (248) 435-1000
(Name, address, and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)

                         CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TITLE OF SECURITIES           AMOUNT           PROPOSED  MAXIMUM     PROPOSED MAXIMUM
TO BE REGISTERED              TO BE            OFFERING PRICE        AGGREGATE             AMOUNT OF
                              REGISTERED       PER SHARE (1)         OFFERING PRICE (1)    REGISTRATION FEE (1)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                           <C>              <C>                   <C>                   <C>
Common Stock, par value       2,000,000        $ 11.50               $ 23,000,000          $ 5,750
$1 per share, and
associated preferred share
purchase rights(2)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
</TABLE>

(1)  Based on the average of the high and low prices reported on the
     consolidated reporting system of the New York Stock Exchange on January 2,
     2001, pursuant to Rule 457(c) and 457(h)(1) under the Securities Act of
     1933.

(2)  In addition, pursuant to Rule 416(c) under the Securities Act of 1933, this
     registration statement also covers an indeterminate amount of interests to
     be offered or sold pursuant to the ArvinMeritor, Inc. Savings Plan.


<PAGE>   2


                                     PART II

               INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

Item 3. INCORPORATION OF DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE

        The following documents or portions thereof, which have been filed with
the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"), are incorporated by
reference and made a part hereof:

        Annual Report on Form 10-K of ArvinMeritor, Inc. ("ArvinMeritor" or the
        "Company") for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2000 (including
        portions of the Company's 2000 Annual Report to Shareowners and proxy
        statement for the Company's 2001 annual meeting of shareowners
        incorporated therein by reference) (File No. 1-15983).

        The information under the heading "Description of Combined Company
        Capital Stock" in ArvinMeritor's Registration Statement on Form S-4, as
        amended (Registration No. 333-36448)("Form S-4").

        All documents subsequently filed by the Company and by the ArvinMeritor,
Inc. Savings Plan (the "Plan") pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d)
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "Exchange Act") 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 herein by reference and be a part hereof from the
date of filing of such documents. Any statement contained in a document
incorporated or deemed to be incorporated 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 other subsequently filed document which
also is or is deemed to be incorporated by reference herein modifies or
supersedes that statement. Any such statement so modified or superseded shall
not constitute a part of this Registration Statement, except as so modified or
superseded.

Item 4. DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES

        Not applicable.


Item 5. INTERESTS OF NAMED EXPERTS AND COUNSEL

        Vernon G. Baker, II, Esq., who has passed upon the legality of any newly
issued Common Stock of the Company covered by this Registration Statement, is
Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary of the Company.


                                      II-1

<PAGE>   3

Item 6. INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS

        The Indiana Business Corporation Law permits indemnification of
officers, directors, employees and agents against liabilities and expenses
incurred in proceedings if the person acted in good faith and reasonably
believed that (1) in the case of conduct in the person's official capacity with
the corporation, that the person's conduct was in the corporation's best
interests, and (2) in all other cases, that the person's conduct was at least
not opposed to the corporation's best interests. In criminal proceedings, the
person must either have reasonable cause to believe the conduct was lawful or
must have had no reasonable cause to believe that the conduct was unlawful.
Unless the articles of incorporation provide otherwise, indemnification is
mandatory in two instances: (1) a director successfully defends himself in a
proceeding to which he or she was a party because he or she is or was a director
of the corporation, or (2) it is ordered by a court.

        Section 8.06 of ArvinMeritor's Restated Articles of Incorporation
contains provisions authorizing, to the extent permitted under the Indiana
Business Corporation Law and the ArvinMeritor By-Laws, indemnification of
directors and officers, including payment in advance of expenses in defending an
action and maintaining liability insurance on such directors and officers.
Specifically, ArvinMeritor's By-Laws provide that the Company will indemnify any
person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any
threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil or
criminal, administrative or investigative, formal or informal, by reason of the
fact that such person is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of
ArvinMeritor, or is or was serving at the request of ArvinMeritor as a director,
officer, employee, agent, partner, trustee or member or in another authorized
capacity of or for another corporation, unincorporated association, business
trust, estate, partnership, trust, joint venture, individual or other legal
entity, whether or not organized or formed for profit, against expenses
(including attorney's fees) and judgments, penalties, fines and amounts paid in
settlement actually and reasonably incurred by such person in connection with
such action. ArvinMeritor will pay, in advance of the final disposition of an
action, the expenses reasonably incurred in defending such action by a person
who may be entitled to indemnification. The Company's By-Laws also set forth
particular procedures for submission and determination of claims for
indemnification.

        ArvinMeritor's directors and officers are insured against certain
liabilities for actions taken in such capacities, including liabilities under
the Securities Act of 1933.

Item 7. EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION CLAIMED

        Not applicable.

Item 8. EXHIBITS

        4(a)    Restated Articles of Incorporation of ArvinMeritor (filed as
                Exhibit 4.01 to the Form S-4 and incorporated herein by
                reference).


                                  II-2

<PAGE>   4

        4(b)    By-laws of ArvinMeritor (filed as Exhibit 4.02 to the Form S-4
                and incorporated herein by reference).

        4(c)    Rights Agreement, dated as of July 3, 2000, between ArvinMeritor
                and EquiServe Trust Company, N.A., as rights agent (filed as
                Exhibit 4.03 to the Form S-4 and incorporated herein by
                reference).

        5(a)    Opinion of Vernon G. Baker, II, Esq., Senior Vice President,
                General Counsel and Secretary of the Company, as to the legality
                of any newly-issued Common Stock of the Company covered by the
                Registration Statement.

        5(b)    In lieu of an opinion concerning compliance with the
                requirements of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of
                1974, as amended, or a determination letter of the Internal
                Revenue Service (the "IRS") that the Plan is qualified under
                Section 401 of the Internal Revenue Code, the Company hereby
                undertakes to submit the Plan and any amendment thereto to the
                IRS in a timely manner and to make all changes required by the
                IRS in order to qualify the Plan.

        23(a)   Consent of Vernon G. Baker, II, Esq., Senior Vice President,
                General Counsel and Secretary of the Company, is contained in
                his opinion filed as Exhibit 5(a) to this Registration
                Statement.

        23(b)   Consent of M. L. Murrah, Esq.

        23(c)   Consent of Deloitte & Touche LLP, independent auditors.

        24      Power of Attorney authorizing certain persons to sign the
                Registration Statement.


Item 9. UNDERTAKINGS.

        The Company and the Plan hereby undertake:

                (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
        Securities Act of 1933; (ii) to reflect in the prospectus any facts or
        events arising after the effective date of the 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 the registration statement; notwithstanding the
        foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if
        the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which
        was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the

                                      II-3

<PAGE>   5

        estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of
        prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the
        Securities Act if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price
        represent no more than a 20% change in the maximum aggregate offering
        price set forth in the "Calculation of Registration Fee" table in the
        effective registration statement; (iii) to include any material
        information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously
        disclosed in the registration statement or any material change to such
        information in the registration statement; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that (i)
        and (ii) do not apply if the registration statement is on Form S-8 and
        the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by
        those provisions is contained in periodic reports filed with or
        furnished to the SEC by the registrant pursuant to section 13 or section
        15(d) of the Exchange Act that are incorporated by reference in the
        registration statement.

                (2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the
        Securities Act of 1933, 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.

                (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 offering.

                (4) That, for purposes of determining any liability under the
        Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the Company's annual report
        pursuant to section 13(a) or section 15(d) of the Exchange Act (and each
        filing of the Plan's annual report pursuant to section 15(d) of the
        Exchange Act) that is incorporated by reference in the 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.

                (5) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the
        Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and
        controlling persons of the Company pursuant to the provisions described
        above, or otherwise, the Company has been advised that in the opinion of
        the SEC such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in
        the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a
        claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the
        payment by the Company of expenses incurred or paid by a director,
        officer or controlling person of the Company 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 Company 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 Securities Act and will be
        governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

                                      II-4
<PAGE>   6


                                   SIGNATURES

        THE REGISTRANT. Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of
1933, 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 Troy, State of Michigan, on the 8th day of
January, 2001.

                                       ARVINMERITOR, INC.


                                       By: /s/ VERNON G. BAKER, II
                                           -----------------------
                                                Vernon G. Baker, II
                                                Senior Vice President,
                                                General Counsel and Secretary

        Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
registration statement has been signed on the 8th day of January, 2001, by the
following persons in the capacities indicated:

<TABLE>
<S>                                                 <C>

SIGNATURE                                            TITLE
---------                                            -----

Larry D. Yost*                                       Chairman of the Board and
                                                     Chief Executive Officer (principal
                                                     executive officer) and Director

V. William Hunt*                                     Vice Chairman and President and
                                                     Director

Joseph B. Anderson, Jr., Steven C. Beering           Directors
Rhonda L. Brooks, John J. Creedon,
Joseph P. Flannery, Robert E. Fowler, Jr.,
William E. George, Jr., Richard W. Hanselman,
Charles H. Harff, Don J. Kacek,
Victoria B. Jackson, James E. Marley
and Harold A. Poling*

Thomas A. Madden*                                    Senior Vice President and
                                                     Chief Financial Officer
                                                     (principal financial officer)

William M. Lowe*                                     Vice President and Controller
                                                     (principal accounting officer)

*By  /s/ VERNON G. BAKER, II
     -----------------------
     (Vernon G. Baker, II, attorney-in-fact)
</TABLE>

                                      II-5
<PAGE>   7


        THE PLAN. Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933,
the Plan has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf
by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Troy, State of
Michigan, on the 8th day of January, 2001.

                                       ArvinMeritor, Inc. Savings Plan



                                       By:  /s/ RICHARD D. GREB
                                            -------------------
                                            Richard D. Greb, Plan Administrator



© 2022 IncJournal is not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission