August 5, 1996
Via EDGAR Transmission
Securities and Exchange Commission
Judiciary Plaza
450 Fifth Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20549
Re: Countrywide Credit Industries, Inc.
Final Prospectus for Dividend Reinvestment
and Stock Purchase Plan
Ladies and Gentlemen:
In accordance with Rule 424(b)(3) promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933,
as amended, we are hereby transmitting in EDGAR format the final Prospectus,
dated August 2, 1996, relating to the Countrywide Credit Industries, Inc.
Dividend Reinvestment and Stock Purchase Plan.
If you have any questions regarding the enclosed filing, please call me at (818)
304-8505 or (800) 669-6094 extension 8505.
Very truly yours,
/s/Sandor E. Samuels
Sandor E. Samuels
Enclosure
Pursuant to Rule 424(b)(3)
Registration No. 333-06473 and
Registration No. 33-53048
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PROSPECTUS
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
COUNTRYWIDE CREDIT INDUSTRIES, INC.
DIVIDEND REINVESTMENT AND STOCK PURCHASE PLAN
The Dividend Reinvestment and Stock Purchase Plan (the "Plan") of Countrywide
Credit Industries, Inc. (the "Company") as in effect beginning August 2, 1996,
provides holders of record and beneficial owners of shares of Common Stock, $.05
par value, of the Company (the "Common Stock") with a simple and convenient
method of investing cash dividends in additional shares of stock and making
optional cash purchases of additional shares of stock. A discount of 0% to 5%
(the "Discount") off the Market Price (as determined in accordance with the
Plan) may be established by the Company in its sole discretion each month after
a review of current market conditions, the level of participation in the Plan
and the Company's current and projected capital needs.
Brokers and nominees may reinvest dividends and make optional cash payments on
behalf of beneficial owners. Those holders of Common Stock who do not
participate in the Plan will receive cash dividends, as declared, in the usual
manner.
To enroll in the Plan, simply complete the Authorization Form and return it to
the Plan Administrator (as defined in Question 4). Enrollment in the Plan is
entirely voluntary and participants in the Plan may terminate their
participation at any time. Shareholders who are presently enrolled in the
existing Countrywide Credit Industries, Inc. Dividend Reinvestment Plan will
continue to be enrolled in the Plan unless you notify the Company otherwise.
Effective August 2, 1996, the Plan amends and restates in its entirety the
existing Countrywide Credit Industries, Inc. Dividend Reinvestment Plan.
Shareholders who are not participants in the Plan and who do not want to become
participants need do nothing and will continue to receive their cash dividends,
if and when declared, as usual.
A participant in the Plan may obtain additional shares of Common Stock by:
o reinvesting dividends on all or part of the shares of Common Stock held
by the participant.
o making optional cash payments of not less than $100 up to $3,000 per
month whether or not dividends on shares held by the participant are being
reinvested.
o making optional cash payments in excess of $3,000 per month with the
permission of the Company whether or not dividends on shares held by the
participant are being reinvested.
Optional cash payments in excess of $3,000 may be made only pursuant to an
accepted request for waiver. It is expected that a portion of the shares of
Common Stock available for issuance under the Plan will be issued pursuant to
such waivers. Each month, at least three business days prior to the related
record date, the Company will establish the Threshold Price, if any (as defined
in Question 18), applicable to optional cash payments that exceed $3,000. The
price to be paid for shares of Common Stock purchased under the Plan in excess
of $3,000 pursuant to the optional cash payment feature of the Plan will be a
price reflecting a discount of 0% to 5% from the Market Price (as determined in
accordance with the Plan). There is no pre-established maximum limit applicable
to optional cash payments that may be made pursuant to accepted requests for
waiver. Optional cash payments that do not exceed $3,000 and the reinvestment of
dividends in additional shares of Common Stock will not be subject to the
Threshold Price, if any. Participants in the Plan may request that any or all of
their shares held in Plan accounts be sold by the Plan Administrator. See
Question 27.
To the extent that shares of Common Stock issued hereunder are authorized but
previously unissued shares or treasury shares rather than shares acquired in the
open market, the Plan will raise additional capital for the Company. The Company
currently intends to issue such shares and, therefore, the Plan is expected to
raise capital for the Company. Each month a portion of the shares available for
issuance under the Plan may be purchased by owners of shares (including brokers
or dealers) who, in connection with any resales of such shares, may be deemed to
be underwriters within the meaning of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended
(the "Securities Act").
From time to time, financial intermediaries, including brokers and dealers, may
engage in positioning transactions in order to benefit from the discount from
market price of the Common Stock acquired through the reinvestment of dividends
under the Plan. Such transactions may cause fluctuations in the trading volume
of the Common Stock. Financial intermediaries which engage in positioning
transactions may be deemed to be underwriters within the meaning of the
Securities Act.
This Prospectus relates to 10,208,256 shares of Common Stock offered hereby and
registered for sale under the Plan. Participants should retain this Prospectus
for future reference.
The outstanding shares of Common Stock are, and the shares received pursuant to
the Plan will be, listed on the New York Stock Exchange ("NYSE") and the Pacific
Stock Exchange.
THESE SECURITIES HAVE NOT BEEN APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED BY THE SECURITIES AND
EXCHANGE COMMISSION OR ANY STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION NOR HAS THE COMMISSION OR
ANY STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION PASSED UPON THE ACCURACY OR ADEQUACY OF THIS
PROSPECTUS. ANY REPRESENTATION TO THE CONTRARY IS A CRIMINAL OFFENSE.
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK HAS NOT PASSED
ON OR ENDORSED THE MERITS OF THIS OFFERING. ANY
REPRESENTATION TO THE CONTRARY IS UNLAWFUL.
The date of this Prospectus is August 2, 1996
This Prospectus does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an
offer to buy any of the securities offered hereby in any jurisdiction to any
person to whom it is unlawful to make such an offer or solicitation in such
jurisdiction. No person has been authorized to give any information or to make
any representations other than those contained in this Prospectus in connection
with the offering made hereby, and if given or made, such information or
representations must not be relied upon as having been authorized by the
Company. Neither the delivery of this Prospectus nor any sale made hereunder
shall, under any circumstances, create any implication that information herein
is correct as of any time subsequent to the date hereof.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Available Information......................................................4
Incorporation of Certain Documents by Reference............................4
Countrywide Credit Industries, Inc.........................................4
Summary of Plan............................................................5
The Plan...................................................................6
Purposes...................................................................6
Options Available to Participants..........................................7
Advantages and Disadvantages...............................................7
Administration.............................................................9
Participation..............................................................9
Purchases and Prices of Shares.............................................12
Reports to Participants....................................................18
Dividends on Fractions.....................................................18
Certificates for Common Shares.............................................18
Sales of Shares, Withdrawals and Termination...............................18
Other Information..........................................................20
Dividends..................................................................24
Use of Proceeds............................................................24
Plan of Distribution.......................................................24
Legal Matters..............................................................25
Experts....................................................................25
Glossary...................................................................26
Schedule A
<PAGE>
AVAILABLE INFORMATION
The Company is subject to the informational requirements of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act") and, in accordance
therewith, files reports and other information with the Securities and Exchange
Commission (the "Commission"). Reports, proxy statements and other information
concerning the Company can be inspected at Room 1024, Judiciary Plaza, 450 Fifth
Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20549 and at the following regional offices of
the Commission: New York (7 World Trade Center, 13th Floor, New York, New York
10048), and Chicago (Citicorp Center, 500 West Madison Street, Suite 1400,
Chicago, Illinois 60661), and copies of such material can be obtained from the
Public Reference Section of the Commission at Room 1024, Judiciary Plaza, 450
Fifth Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20549, at prescribed rates. Reports, proxy
statements and other information concerning the Company also may be inspected at
the offices of the NYSE and the Pacific Stock Exchange where the Company's
Common Stock is listed. This Prospectus does not contain all information set
forth in the Registration Statement and Exhibits thereto which the Company has
filed with the Commission under the Securities Act and to which reference is
hereby made.
INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE
The following documents filed with the Commission by the Company are
incorporated by reference in this Prospectus: (1) the Company's Annual Report on
Form 10-K for the year ended February 29, 1996, (2) the Company's Quarterly
Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended May 31, 1996 and (3) the description
of the Common Stock (and associated Preferred Stock purchase rights) contained
in the Company's registration statements under Section 12 of the Exchange Act
and all amendments and reports filed for the purpose of updating that
description.
All documents filed by the Company pursuant to Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d)
of the Exchange Act subsequent to the date of this Prospectus and prior to the
termination of the offering of the securities offered hereby shall be deemed
incorporated by reference into this Prospectus and to be a part hereof from the
date of filing such documents. Any statement contained herein or in a document
incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference herein shall be deemed to
be modified or superseded for purposes of this Prospectus 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 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
Prospectus.
Any person receiving a copy of this Prospectus may obtain without charge, upon
request, a copy of any of the documents incorporated by reference herein, except
for the exhibits to such documents unless such exhibits are specifically
incorporated by reference into the information this Prospectus incorporates.
Written requests should be addressed to Investor Relations, Countrywide Credit
Industries, Inc., 155 North Lake Avenue, P.O. Box 7137, Pasadena, California
91109-7137. Telephone requests may be directed to Investor Relations at (818)
304-7523.
COUNTRYWIDE CREDIT INDUSTRIES, INC.
The Company is a holding company which, through its principal subsidiary
Countrywide Home Loans, Inc. ("CHL"), formerly known as Countrywide Funding
Corporation, is engaged primarily in the mortgage banking business, and as such
originates, purchases, sells and services mortgage loans. The Company's mortgage
loans are principally prime credit quality first-lien mortgage loans secured by
single- (one to four) family residences. The Company also offers home equity
loans both in conjunction with newly produced first-lien mortgages and as a
separate product, and sub-prime credit quality first-lien single-family mortgage
loans. The Company, through its other wholly-owned subsidiaries, offers products
and services complementary to its mortgage banking business. A subsidiary of the
Company trades to other broker-dealers and institutional investors
mortgage-backed securities and other mortgage-related assets. In addition, a
subsidiary of the Company receives fee income for managing the operations of CWM
Mortgage Holdings, Inc. ("CWM"), a real estate investment trust whose shares are
traded on the NYSE. CWM conducts real estate lending activities and has an
affiliate engaged in the operation of a jumbo and non-conforming mortgage loan
conduit. The Company also has a subsidiary which acts as an agent in the sale of
insurance, including homeowners, fire, flood, earthquake, mortgage life and
disability, to CHL's mortgagors and others. Another subsidiary of the Company
earns fee income by brokering servicing contracts owned by other mortgage
lenders and loan servicers. The Company also has a subsidiary that acts as a
provider of various title insurance and escrow services in the capacity of an
agent rather than an underwriter. The Company's principal executive office is
located at 155 North Lake Avenue, Pasadena, California 91101, telephone (818)
304-8400.
SUMMARY OF PLAN
The Plan as in effect beginning August 2, 1996, provides owners of Common Stock
with a simple and convenient method of investing cash dividends and optional
cash payments in additional shares of Common Stock without payment of any
brokerage commission or service charge. The Company may in its sole discretion
establish a discount each month ranging from 0% to 5% (the "Discount") of the
Market Price (as defined in Question 13) that would otherwise be applicable. The
Discount may vary from time to time and may also vary with the category of
participant. The Discount, if any, will be established after a review of current
market conditions, the level of participation in the Plan and the Company's
current and projected capital needs.
Subject to the availability of shares of Common Stock registered for issuance
under the Plan, there is no minimum or maximum limitation on the amount of
dividends a Participant may reinvest under the Plan. See Question 2.
Participants electing to invest optional cash payments in additional shares of
Common Stock are subject to a minimum per month purchase limit of $100 and a
maximum per month purchase limit of $3,000 (subject to waiver). See Question 18.
Optional cash payments in excess of $3,000 may be made only upon acceptance by
the Company of a completed Request for Waiver form from a Participant. "Request
for Waiver" means a written request from a Participant to make optional cash
payment in excess of $3,000. See Question 18. Each month, at least three
business days prior to each Record Date (as defined in Question 19), the Company
will establish the Discount and Threshold Price, if any (as defined in Question
18), applicable to optional cash payments that exceed $3,000. The term "business
day" means any day other than Saturday, Sunday or legal holiday on which NYSE is
closed or a day on which the Plan Administrator is authorized or obligated by
law to close. With respect to optional cash payments that exceed $3,000 only,
for each Trading Day of the related Pricing Period (each as defined in Question
13) on which the Threshold Price is not satisfied, one-tenth of a Participant's
optional cash payment will be returned without interest. Optional cash payments
that do not exceed $3,000 and the reinvestment of dividends in additional shares
of Common Stock will not be subject to the Threshold Price, if any. Optional
cash payments of less than $100 and that portion of any optional cash payment
which exceeds the maximum monthly purchase limit of $3,000, unless such limit
has been waived, are subject to return to the Participant without interest.
Subject to the availability of shares of Common Stock registered for issuance
under the Plan, there is no total maximum number of shares that can be issued
pursuant to the reinvestment of dividends and no pre-established maximum limit
applies to optional cash payments that may be made pursuant to Requests for
Waiver. As of the date hereof, 10,208,256 shares of Common Stock have been
registered and are available for sale under the Plan.
The Company expects to grant Requests for Waiver to financial intermediaries,
including brokers and dealers, and other Participants in the future. Grants of
Requests for Waiver will be made in the sole and absolute discretion of the
Company based on a variety of factors, which may include: the Company's current
and projected capital needs, the alternatives available to the Company to meet
those needs, prevailing market prices for the Common Stock and other Company
securities, general economic and market conditions, expected aberrations in the
price or trading volume of the Common Stock, the potential disruption of the
price of the Common Stock by a financial intermediary, the number of shares of
Common Stock held by the Participant submitting the Request for Waiver, the past
actions of a Participant under the Plan, the aggregate amount of optional cash
payments for which such waivers have been submitted and the administrative
constraints associated with granting such waivers. If Requests for Waiver are
granted, a portion of the shares available for issuance under the Plan will be
purchased by Participants (including brokers or dealers) who, in connection with
any resales of such shares, may be deemed to be underwriters within the meaning
of the Securities Act. To the extent that Requests for Waiver are granted, it is
expected that a greater number of shares will be issued under the optional cash
payment feature of the Plan as opposed to the dividend reinvestment feature of
the Plan. If such requests are submitted for any Investment Date (as defined in
Question 19) for aggregate amount in excess of the amount the Company is then
willing to accept, the Company may honor such requests in order of receipt, pro
rata or by any other method which the Company determines to be appropriate.
Financial intermediaries may purchase a significant portion of the shares of
Common Stock issued pursuant to the optional cash payment feature of the Plan.
The Company does not have any formal or informal understanding with any such
organizations and, therefore, the extent of such financial intermediaries'
participation under the Plan cannot be estimated at this time. Participants that
are financial intermediaries that acquire shares of Common Stock under the Plan
with a view to distribution of such shares or that offer or sell shares for the
Company in connection with the Plan may be deemed to be underwriters within the
meaning of the Securities Act.
From time to time, financial intermediaries, including brokers and dealers, may
engage in positioning transactions depending on the discount level from the
Market Price of the shares of Common Stock acquired through the reinvestment of
dividends under the Plan. Such transactions may cause fluctuations in the
trading volume of the Common Stock. Financial intermediaries which engage in
positioning transactions may be deemed to be underwriters within the meaning of
the Securities Act. The Plan is intended for the benefit of investors in the
Company and not for individuals or investors who engage in transactions which
may cause aberrations in the price or trading volume of the Common Stock.
THE PLAN
The Plan was adopted and approved by the Board of Directors of the Company on
November 15, 1995 and amended on June 17, 1996. Effective August 2, 1996, the
Plan amends and restates in its entirety the existing Countrywide Credit
Industries, Inc. Dividend Reinvestment Plan originally adopted and approved by
Board of Directors of the Company on March 24, 1992 (the "Original Plan").
Because the Company currently expects to continue the Plan indefinitely, it
expects to authorize for issuance and register under the Securities Act
additional shares from time to time as necessary for purposes of the Plan. The
following questions and answers explain and constitute the Plan as in effect
beginning August 2, 1996. Shareholders who do not participate in the Plan will
receive cash dividends, as declared, and paid in the usual manner. A person
participating in the Original Plan will be enrolled automatically in the Plan,
unless the person gives written notice to the contrary.
PURPOSES
1. What are the purposes of the Plan?
The Plan provides eligible holders of shares of Common Stock with a
simple and convenient method of increasing their investment in the
Company by investing cash dividends and optional cash payments in
additional shares of Common Stock without payment of any brokerage
commission or service charge. See Question 5 for a description of the
holders who are eligible to participate in the Plan. The Plan may also
be used by the Company to raise additional capital through the sale
each month of a portion of the shares available for issuance under the
Plan to owners of shares (including brokers or dealers). Any owners who
so purchase shares may be deemed to be underwriters in connection with
resales of such shares. These sales will be effected in substantial
part through the Company's ability to waive limitations applicable to
the amounts which Participants (as defined in Question 2) may invest
pursuant to the Plan's optional cash payment feature. See Question 18
for information concerning limitations applicable to optional cash
payments and certain of the factors considered by the Company in
granting waivers. The Plan provides that shares of Common Stock to be
issued hereunder may be (i) previously unissued or treasury shares, or
(ii), subject to prior approval by the Company's Board of Directors,
shares acquired in the open market. To the extent that shares of Common
Stock issued hereunder are authorized but previously unissued shares or
treasury shares rather than shares acquired in the open market, the
Plan will raise additional capital for the Company. These additional
funds will be used for general corporate purposes. From time to time,
financial intermediaries may engage in positioning transactions
depending on the discount level from the Market Price of the shares of
Common Stock acquired through the reinvestment of dividends under the
Plan. Such transactions may cause fluctuations in the trading volume of
the Common Stock.
The Plan is intended for the benefit of investors in the Company and
not for individuals or investors who engage in transactions which may
cause aberrations in the price or trading volume of Common Stock. The
Company reserves the right to modify, suspend or terminate
participation in the Plan by otherwise eligible holders of Common Stock
in order to eliminate practices which are not consistent with the
purposes of the Plan.
OPTIONS AVAILABLE TO PARTICIPANTS
2. What options are available to enrolled Participants?
Eligible holders of Common Stock who wish to participate in the Plan
(each a "Participant") may elect to have cash dividends paid on all or
a portion of their shares of Common Stock automatically reinvested in
additional shares of Common Stock. Cash dividends are paid on the
Common Stock when and as declared by the Company's Board of Directors.
Subject to the availability of shares of Common Stock registered for
issuance under the Plan, there is no minimum or maximum limitation on
the amount of dividends a Participant may reinvest under the dividend
reinvestment feature of the Plan.
Each month Participants may also elect to invest optional cash payments
in additional shares of Common Stock, subject to a minimum per month
purchase limit of $100 and a maximum per month purchase limit of
$3,000, subject to waiver. See Question 18 for information concerning
limitations applicable to optional cash payments and the availability
of waivers with respect to such limitations. Participants may make
optional cash payments in any month even if dividends on their shares
of Common Stock are not being reinvested and whether or not a dividend
has been declared.
ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES
3. What are the advantages and disadvantages of the Plan?
.........Advantages:
(a) The Plan provides Participants with the opportunity to
reinvest cash dividends paid on all or a portion of their shares of
Common Stock in additional shares of Common Stock.
(b) The Plan provides Participants with the opportunity to
make monthly investments of optional cash payments, subject to minimum
and maximum amounts, for the purchase of additional shares of Common
Stock.
(c) No brokerage commissions or services charges are paid by
Participants in connection with any purchase of shares made under the
Plan.
(d) Shares may be offered from time to time at a Discount
from the Market price ranging from 0% up to 5%. The Discount may vary
among different categories of purchasers. See Question 13.
(e) Subject to the availability of shares of Common Stock
registered for issuance under the Plan, all cash dividends paid on
Participants' shares can be fully invested in additional shares of
Common Stock because the Plan permits fractional shares to be credited
to Plan accounts. Dividends on such fractional shares, as well as on
whole shares, will also be reinvested in additional shares which will
be credited to Plan accounts.
(f) The Plan Administrator, at no charge to Participants,
provides for the safekeeping of stock certificates for shares credited
to each Plan account.
(g) Periodic statements reflecting all current activity,
including share purchases and latest Plan account balance, simplify
Participants' record keeping. See Question 23 for information
concerning reports to Participants.
.........Disadvantages:
(a) No interest will be paid by the Company or the Plan
Administrator on dividends or optional cash payments held pending
reinvestment or investment. See Question 12. In addition, optional cash
payments in excess of $3,000 may be subject to return to the
Participant without interest if the Threshold Price, if any, is not met
for any Trading Day during the related Pricing Period. See Question 18.
(b) The actual number of shares to be issued to a
Participant's Plan account will not be determined until after the end
of the relevant Pricing Period. Therefore, during the Pricing Period,
Participants will not know the actual number of shares they have
purchased.
(c) Even if a Discount from the Market Price is in effect
during the Pricing Period, the Market Price, as so discounted, may
exceed the price at which shares of the Common Stock are trading on the
Investment Date (as defined in Questions 14 and 19) when the shares are
issued or thereafter.
(d) Because optional cash payments must be received by the
Plan Administrator prior to the related Pricing Period, such payments
may be exposed to changes in market conditions for a longer period of
time than in the case of typical secondary market transactions. In
addition, optional cash payments, once received by the Plan
Administrator, will not be returned to Participants unless a written
request is directed to the Plan Administrator at least five business
days prior to the record date for the Investment Date with respect to
which optional cash payments have been delivered by such Participant.
See Questions 19 and 21.
(e) Resales of shares of Common Stock credited to a
Participant's account under the Plan will involve a nominal fee per
transaction paid to the Plan Administrator (if such resale is made by
the Plan Administrator at the request of a Participant), a brokerage
commission and any applicable stock transfer taxes on the resales. See
Questions 22 and 27.
<PAGE>
ADMINISTRATION
4. Who administers the Plan?
The Company has retained The Bank of New York, as plan administrator
(the "Plan Administrator"), to administer the Plan, keep records, send
statements of account activity to each Participant and perform other
duties relating to the Plan. See Question 23 for information concerning
reports to Participants. Shares purchased under the Plan and held by
the Plan Administrator will be registered in the Plan Administrator's
name or the name of its nominee for the benefit of the Participants. If
the Plan Administrator resigns or otherwise ceases to act as plan
administrator, the Company will appoint a new plan administrator to
administer the Plan. See Question 35.
The Bank of New York also acts as dividend disbursing agent, transfer
agent and registrar for the Common Stock and is the trustee for
securities issued by CWMBS, Inc., a subsidiary of the Company.
PARTICIPATION
For purposes of this section, responses will generally be based upon
the method by which the shareholder holds his or her shares of Common
Stock. Generally, shareholders are either Record Owners or Beneficial
Owners. A "Record Owner" is a shareholder who owns shares of Common
Stock in his or her own name. A "Beneficial Owner" is a shareholder who
beneficially owns shares of Common Stock that are registered in a name
other than his or her own name (for example, the shares are held in the
name of a broker, bank or other nominee). A Record Owner may
participate directly in the Plan, whereas a Beneficial Owner will have
to either become a Record Owner by having one or more shares
transferred into his or her own name or coordinate his or her
participation in the Plan through the broker, bank or other nominee in
whose name the Beneficial Owner's shares are held. If a Beneficial
Owner who desires to become a Participant encounters any difficulties
in coordinating his or her participation in the Plan with his or her
broker, bank or other nominee, he or she should call the Company's
Investor Relations department at (818) 304-7523.
5. Who is eligible to participate?
All Record Owners or Beneficial Owners of at least one share of Common
Stock are eligible to participate in the Plan. A Record Owner may
participate directly in the Plan. A Beneficial Owner must either become
a Record Owner by having one or more shares transferred into his or her
own name or arrange with the broker, bank or other nominee who is the
record holder to participate on his or her behalf. See Question 6.
The right to participate in the Plan is not transferable to another
person apart from a transfer of a Participant's underlying shares of
Common Stock. Shareholders who reside in jurisdictions in which it is
unlawful for the Company to permit their participation are not eligible
to participate in the Plan.
6. How does an eligible shareholder participate?
Record Owners may join the Plan by completing and signing an
Authorization Form and returning it to the Plan Administrator.
Authorization Forms may be obtained at any time by written request to
The Bank of New York, Investor Relations, P.O. Box 11258, Church Street
Station, New York, New York 10286-1258, or by telephoning the Plan
Administrator at (800) 524-4458.
Beneficial Owners who wish to join the Plan must instruct their
brokers, banks or other nominees to complete and sign the Authorization
Form and return it to the Plan Administrator. The broker, bank or other
nominee will forward the completed Authorization Form to its securities
depository, and the securities depository will provide the Plan
Administrator with the information necessary to allow the Beneficial
Owner to participate in the Plan. See Questions 8 and 17 for a
discussion of the Broker and Nominee form (the "B&N Form"), which is
required to be used for optional cash payments of a Beneficial Owner
whose broker, bank or other nominee holds the Beneficial Owner's shares
in the name of a major securities depository.
If a Record Owner or the broker, bank or other nominee for a Beneficial
Owner returns a properly executed Authorization Form without electing
an investment option, such Authorization Form will be deemed to
indicate the intention of such Record Owner or Beneficial Owner, as the
case may be, to apply all cash dividends and optional cash payments, if
any are made, toward the purchase of additional shares of Common Stock.
See Question 7 for investment options.
7. What does the Authorization Form provide?
The Authorization Form appoints the Plan Administrator as agent for the
Participant and directs the Company to pay to the Plan Administrator
each Participant's cash dividends on all or a specified number of
shares of Common Stock owned by the Participant ("Participating
Shares"), as well as on all whole and fractional shares of Common Stock
credited to a Participant's Plan account ("Plan Shares"). The
Authorization Form directs the Plan Administrator to purchase on the
Investment Date (or, in the case of open market purchases, as soon as
thereafter as determined by the Plan Administrator) additional shares
of Common Stock with such dividends and optional cash payments, if any,
made by the Participant. See Questions 8 and 17 for a discussion of the
B&N Form which is required to be used for optional cash payments of a
Beneficial Owner whose broker, bank or other nominee holds the
Beneficial Owner's shares in the name of a major securities depository.
The Authorization Form also directs the Plan Administrator to reinvest
automatically all subsequent dividends on Plan Shares. Dividends will
continue to be reinvested on the number of Participating Shares and on
all Plan Shares until the Participant specifies otherwise by contacting
the Plan Administrator, withdraws from the Plan (see Questions 28 and
29) or the Plan is terminated. See Question 6 for additional
information about the Authorization Form.
The Authorization Form provides for the purchase of additional shares
of Common Stock through the following investment options:
(1) If "Full Dividend Reinvestment" is elected, the Plan
Administrator will apply all cash dividends on all
shares of Common Stock then or subsequently
registered in the Participant's name, and all cash
dividends on all Plan Shares, together with any
optional cash payments, toward the purchase of
additional shares of Common Stock.
(2) If "Partial Dividend Reinvestment" is elected, the
Plan Administrator will apply all cash dividends on
only the number of Participating Shares registered in
the Participant's name and specified on the
Authorization Form and all cash dividends on all Plan
Shares, together with any optional cash payments,
toward the purchase of additional shares of Common
Stock.
(3) If "Optional Cash Payments Only" is elected, the
Participant will continue to receive cash dividends
on shares of Common Stock registered in that
Participant's name in the usual manner. However, the
Plan Administrator will apply any optional cash
payments received from the Participant, together with
all cash dividends on all Plan Shares, toward the
purchase of additional shares of Common Stock.
Each Participant may select any one of these three options. In each
case, dividends will be reinvested on all Participating Shares and on
all Plan Shares held in the Plan account, including dividends on shares
of Common Stock purchased with any optional cash payments, until a
Participant specifies otherwise by contacting the Plan Administrator,
withdraws from the Plan altogether (see Questions 28 and 29) or until
the Plan is terminated. If a Participant would prefer to receive cash
payments of dividends paid on Plan Shares rather than reinvest such
dividends, those shares must be withdrawn from the Plan by written
notification to the Plan Administrator. See Questions 28 and 29
regarding withdrawal of Plan Shares.
IF YOU RETURN AN AUTHORIZATION FORM BUT MAKE NO SELECTION, YOU WILL BE
ENROLLED AS HAVING SELECTED FULL DIVIDEND REINVESTMENT.
Participants may change their investment options at any time by
requesting a new Authorization Form and returning it to the Plan
Administrator at the address set forth in Question 39. See Question 12
for the effective date for any change in investment options.
8. What does the B&N Form provide?
The B&N Form provides the only means by which a broker, bank or other
nominee holding shares of a Beneficial Owner in the name of a major
securities depository may invest optional cash payments on behalf of
such Beneficial Owner. A B&N Form must be delivered to the Plan
Administrator each time that such broker, bank or other nominee
transmits optional cash payments on behalf of a Beneficial Owner. B&N
Forms will be furnished at any time upon request to the Plan
Administrator at the address or telephone number specified in Question
39.
Prior to submitting the B&N Form, the broker, bank or other nominee for
a Beneficial Owner must submit a completed Authorization Form on behalf
of the Beneficial Owner. See Questions 6 and 7.
The B&N Form and appropriate instructions must be received by the Plan
Administrator not later than the applicable Record Date or the optional
cash payment will not be invested until the following Investment Date.
9. Is partial participation possible under the Plan?
Yes. Record Owners or the broker, bank or other nominee for Beneficial
Owners may designate on the Authorization Form a number of shares for
which dividends are to be reinvested. Dividends will thereafter be
reinvested only on the number of shares specified, and the Record Owner
or Beneficial Owner, as the case may be, will continue to receive cash
dividends on the remainder of the shares.
10. When may an eligible shareholder join the Plan?
A Record Owner or a Beneficial Owner may join the Plan at any time.
Once in the Plan, a Participant remains in the Plan until he or she
withdraws from the Plan, the Company terminates his or her
participation in the Plan or the Company terminates the Plan. See
Question 29 regarding withdrawal from the Plan.
11. Will a shareholder presently enrolled in the Original Plan continue to
be enrolled in the Plan?
Yes. A shareholder enrolled in the Original Plan will continue to be
enrolled in the Plan in accordance with the investment option chosen
under the Original Plan, provided he or she is an eligible shareholder
as set forth in Question 5, and thus entitled to participate in the
Plan.
If an eligible shareholder enrolled in the Original Plan does not wish
to participate in the Plan, he or she should withdraw from the Plan in
the manner described in Questions 28 and 29. If an eligible shareholder
wishes to change the nature of his or her participation from that in
the Original Plan, he or she should return an Authorization Form as
described in Question 6. If an eligible shareholder enrolled in the
Original Plan does not wish to withdraw or change the nature of his or
her participation, he or she will be continued in the Plan and the
nature of his or her participation will not be changed until he or she
elects to change his or her investment option under the Plan.
PURCHASES AND PRICES OF SHARES
12. When will dividends be reinvested and/or optional cash payments be
invested?
Purchases of shares of Common Stock will be made on the Investment Date
(as defined in Questions 14 and 19) in each month or, in the case of
open market purchases, as soon thereafter as determined by the Plan
Administrator.
When open market purchases are made by the Plan Administrator, such
purchases may be made on any securities exchange where the shares are
traded, in the over-the-counter market or by negotiated transactions,
and may be subject to such terms with respect to price, delivery and
other matters as agreed to by the Plan Administrator. Neither the
Company nor any Participant shall have any authorization or power to
direct the time or price at which shares will be purchased or the
selection of the broker or dealer through or from whom purchases are to
be made by the Plan Administrator. However, when open market purchases
are made by the Plan Administrator, the Plan Administrator shall use
its best efforts to purchase the shares at the lowest possible price.
If the Authorization Form is received prior to the Record Date for a
dividend payment, the election to reinvest dividends will begin with
that dividend payment. If the Authorization Form is received on or
after any such Record Date, reinvestment of dividends will begin on the
dividend payment date following the next Record Date if the Participant
is still a shareholder of record. Record Dates for payment of dividends
normally precede payment dates by approximately three weeks. See
Question 19 for information as to when optional cash payments must be
received to be invested on each Investment Date.
Shares will be allocated and credited to Participants' accounts as
follows: (1) shares purchased from the Company will be allocated and
credited on the appropriate Investment Date; and (2) shares purchased
in open market transactions will be allocated and credited as of the
date on which the Plan Administrator completes the purchases of the
aggregate number of shares to be purchased on behalf of all
Participants with dividends to be reinvested or optional cash payments,
as the case may be, during the month.
NO INTEREST WILL BE PAID ON CASH DIVIDENDS OR OPTIONAL CASH PAYMENTS
PENDING INVESTMENT OR REINVESTMENT UNDER THE TERMS OF THE PLAN. SINCE
NO INTEREST IS PAID ON CASH HELD BY THE PLAN ADMINISTRATOR, IT NORMALLY
WILL BE IN THE BEST INTEREST OF A PARTICIPANT TO DEFER OPTIONAL CASH
PAYMENTS UNTIL SHORTLY BEFORE COMMENCEMENT OF THE PRICING PERIOD.
13. What will be the price to Participants of shares purchased under the
Plan?
The price per share of Common Stock acquired directly from the Company
with reinvested dividends and optional cash payments that do not exceed
$3,000 will be the average of the high and low sales prices, computed
to four decimal places, of the Common Stock on the NYSE for the ten
Trading Days immediately preceding the relevant Investment Date (as
defined in Questions 14 and 19 below) less any Discount that may be
established by the Company in its sole discretion. A "Trading Day"
means a day on which trades in the Common Stock are reported on the
NYSE. The period encompassing the ten Trading Days which relate to an
Investment Date constitutes the relevant "Pricing Period."
The price per share of Common Stock acquired through open market
purchases with reinvested dividends and optional cash payments that do
not exceed $3,000 will be the weighted average of the actual prices
paid, computed to four decimal places, for all the Common Stock
purchased by the Plan Administrator less any Discount that may be
established by the Company in its sole discretion.
See Question 18 for additional discussion of the Market Price
applicable to optional cash payments in excess of $3,000.
Each month, at least three business days prior to the applicable Record
Date, the Company in its sole discretion may establish a Discount for
each of the three categories of Participants listed below from the
Market Price that otherwise would be applicable. Each such Discount
will range from 0% to 5% of the Market Price as otherwise determined
under the Plan and may vary each month. A Discount may be established
in the Company's sole discretion after a review of current market
conditions, the level of participation in the Plan, and current and
projected capital needs.
A Discount may apply from time to time, in the Company's sole
discretion, to any one or more of the following categories of
Participants electing the following options: (a) those who reinvest
dividends, (b) those who make optional cash payments in the $100 to
$3,000 range, and (c) those who make optional cash payments in excess
of $3,000 pursuant to a Request for Waiver. If established, the
Discount will apply uniformly during each month for all Participants
within any category, but it may vary from 0% to 5% among categories.
Participants may ascertain the Discount applicable to the next Pricing
Period by contacting the Company's Investor Relations department at
(818) 304-7523. Setting a Discount for a particular month will not
affect the setting of a Discount for any subsequent month.
All references in the Plan to the "Market Price" for both dividend
reinvestment and optional cash payments which will be invested in
Common Stock acquired directly from the Company shall mean the average
of the daily high and low sales prices, computed to four decimal
places, of the Common Stock as reported on the NYSE during the related
Pricing Period (as defined above). With respect to both dividend
reinvestment and optional cash payments which will be reinvested in
Common Stock purchased in the open market, "Market Price" shall mean
the weighted average of the actual prices paid, computed to four
decimal places, for all of the Common Stock purchased by the Plan
Administrator as soon after the related Investment Date as the Plan
Administrator determines.
14. What are the Record Dates and Investment Dates for dividend
reinvestment?
For the reinvestment of dividends, the "Record Date" is the record date
established by the Board of Directors for such dividends. Likewise, the
dividend payment date established by the Board of Directors constitutes
the "Investment Date" applicable to the reinvestment of such dividends
with respect to Common Stock acquired directly from the Company, except
that if any such date is not a business day, the first business day
immediately following such date shall be the Investment Date. Dividends
will be reinvested on the Investment Date or, in the case of open
market purchases, as soon thereafter as determined by the Plan
Administrator, using the applicable Market Price (as defined in
Question 13). Generally, record dates for quarterly dividends on the
Common Stock will precede the dividend payment dates by approximately
three weeks. See Schedule A for a list of the anticipated future
dividend record dates and payment dates. Please refer to Question 19
for a discussion of the Record Dates and Investment Dates applicable to
optional cash payments.
There can be no assurance as to the declaration or payment of
dividends, and nothing contained in the Plan obligates the Company to
declare or pay any dividends. The Plan does not represent a change in
the Company's dividend policy or a guarantee of future dividends, which
will continue to be determined by the Board of Directors based upon the
Company's earnings, financial condition and other factors.
15. How will the number of shares purchased for a Participant be
determined?
A Participant's account in the Plan will be credited with the number of
shares, including fractions computed to four decimal places, equal to
the total amount to be invested on behalf of such Participant divided
by the purchase price per share as calculated pursuant to the methods
described in Question 13, as applicable. The total amount to be
invested will depend on the amount of any dividends paid on the number
of Participating Shares and Plan Shares in such Participant's Plan
account and available for investment on the related Investment Date and
the amount of any optional cash payments made by such Participant and
available for investment on the related Investment Date. Subject to the
availability of shares of Common Stock registered for issuance under
the Plan, there is no total maximum number of shares available for
issuance pursuant to the reinvestment of dividends.
16. What is the source of Common Stock purchased under the Plan?
Plan Shares will be purchased either directly from the Company, in
which event such shares will be either authorized but unissued shares
or shares held in the treasury, or on the open market, subject to prior
approval by the Company's Board of Directors, or by a combination of
the foregoing, at the option of the Company, after a review of current
market conditions and the Company's current and projected capital
needs. The Company will determine the source of the Common Stock to be
purchased under the Plan at least three business days prior to the
relevant Record Date and will notify the Plan Administrator of the
same. Neither the Company nor the Plan Administrator shall be required
to provide any written notice to Participants as to the source of the
Common Stock to be purchased under the Plan, but current information
regarding the source of the Common Stock may be obtained by contacting
the Company's Investor Relations department at (818) 304-7523.
17. How does the optional cash payment feature of the Plan work?
All Record Holders who have timely submitted signed Authorization Forms
indicating their intention to participate in this feature of the Plan,
and all Beneficial Owners whose brokers, banks or other nominees have
timely submitted signed Authorization Forms indicating their intention
to participate in this feature of the Plan (except for Beneficial
Owners whose brokers, banks or other nominees hold the shares of the
Beneficial Owners in the name of a major securities depository), are
eligible to make optional cash payments during any month, whether or
not a dividend is declared. If a broker, bank or other nominee holds
shares of a Beneficial Owner in the name of a major securities
depository, optional cash payments must be made through the use of the
B&N Form. See Question 8. Optional cash payments must be accompanied by
an Authorization Form and, if applicable, a B&N Form. Each month the
Plan Administrator will apply any optional cash payment received from a
Participant no later than one business day prior to the commencement of
that month's Pricing Period (as defined in Question 13) to the purchase
of additional shares of Common Stock for the account of the Participant
on the following Investment Date (as defined in Question 19) or, in the
case of open market purchases, as soon thereafter as determined by the
Plan Administrator.
Refer to Question 18 for a discussion of limitations applicable to the
purchase of shares made with optional cash payments.
Optional cash payments may not be withdrawn except as provided in the
Plan. See Questions 21 and 28.
Participants in the Plan are not obligated to participate in the
optional cash payment feature of the Plan at any time. Optional cash
payments need not be made each month and need not be in the same amount
from month to month.
18. What limitations apply to optional cash payments?
Each optional cash payment is subject to a minimum per month purchase
limit of $100 and, unless such limit has been waived by the Company, a
maximum per month purchase limit of $3,000. For purposes of these
limitations, all Plan accounts under the common control or management
of a Participant will be aggregated. Generally, optional cash payments
of less than $100 and that portion of any optional cash payment which
exceeds the maximum monthly purchase limit of $3,000, unless such limit
has been waived by the Company, will be returned to Participants
without interest at the end of the relevant Pricing Period.
Participants may make optional cash payments of not less than $100 up
to $3,000 each month without the prior approval of the Company.
Optional cash payments in excess of $3,000 may be made by a Participant
only upon acceptance by the Company of a completed Request for Waiver
form from such Participant. There is no pre-established maximum limit
applicable to optional cash payments that may be made pursuant to
accepted Requests for Waiver. A Request for Waiver form must be
received and accepted by the Company each month no later than the
Record Date (as defined in Question 19) for the applicable Investment
Date. Request for Waiver forms will be furnished at any time upon
request to the Company's Investor Relations department at (818)
304-7523 or to the Plan Administrator at the address or telephone
number specified in Question 39. Participants interested in obtaining
further information about a Request for Waiver should contact the
Company's Investor Relations department at (818) 304-7523.
The Company expects to grant Requests for Waiver to financial
intermediaries, including brokers and dealers, and other Participants
in the future. Grants of Requests for Waiver will be made in the sole
and absolute discretion of the Company based on a variety of factors
which may include: the Company's current and projected capital needs,
the alternatives available to the Company to meet those needs,
prevailing market prices for the Common Stock and other Company
securities, general economic and market conditions, expected
aberrations in the price or trading volume of the Common Stock, the
potential disruption of the price of the Common Stock by a financial
intermediary, the number of shares of Common Stock held by the
Participant submitting the Request for Waiver, the past actions of a
Participant under the Plan, the aggregate amount of optional cash
payments for which such Requests for Waiver have been submitted and the
administrative constraints associated with granting such Requests for
Waiver. If such requests are submitted for any Investment Date for an
aggregate amount in excess of the amount the Company is then willing to
accept, the Company may honor such requests in order of receipt, pro
rata or by other method which the Company determines to be appropriate.
Unless it waives its right to do so, the Company may establish for any
Pricing Period a minimum price (the "Threshold Price") applicable only
to the investment of optional cash payments that exceed $3,000 and that
are made pursuant to Requests for Waiver, in order to provide the
Company with the ability to set a minimum price at which Common Stock
will be sold under the Plan each month pursuant to such requests. A
Threshold Price will only be established when shares of Common Stock
will be purchased directly from the Company on the applicable
Investment Date. The Company will, at least three business days prior
to each Record Date (as defined in Question 19), determine whether to
establish a Threshold Price and, if a Threshold Price is established,
its amount and so notify the Plan Administrator. The determination as
to whether to establish a Threshold Price and, if a Threshold Price is
established, its amount will be made by the Company at its sole and
absolute discretion after a review of current market conditions, the
level of participation in the Plan and the Company's current and
projected capital needs. Neither the Company nor the Plan Administrator
shall be required to provide any written notice to Participants as to
whether a Threshold Price has been established for any Pricing Period,
but current information regarding the Threshold Price may be obtained
by contacting the Company's Investor Relations department at (818)
304-7523.
The Threshold Price for optional cash payments made pursuant to
Requests for Waiver, if established for any Pricing Period, will be a
stated dollar amount that the average of the high and low sale prices
of the Common Stock on the NYSE for each Trading Day of the relevant
Pricing Period must equal or exceed. If the Threshold Price is not
satisfied for a Trading Day in the Pricing Period, then that Trading
Day and the trading prices for that day will be excluded from that
Pricing Period. Thus, for example, if the Threshold Price is not
satisfied for three of the ten Trading Days in a Pricing Period, then
the average sales price for purchases and the amount of optional cash
payments which may be invested will be based upon the remaining seven
Trading Days when the Threshold Price is satisfied. For each Trading
Day on which the Threshold Price is not satisfied, one-tenth of each
optional cash payment made by a Participant pursuant to a Request for
Waiver will be returned to such Participant, without interest, as soon
as practicable after the applicable Investment Date. In the example
above, therefore, three-tenths of each Participant's optional cash
payment made pursuant to a Request for Waiver will be returned to such
Participant by check, without interest, as soon as practicable after
the applicable Investment Date. This return procedure will only apply
when shares are purchased directly from the Company for optional cash
payments made pursuant to Requests for Waiver and the Company has set a
Threshold Price with respect to the relevant Pricing Period.
Setting a Threshold Price for a Pricing Period shall not affect the
setting of a Threshold Price for any subsequent Pricing Period. The
Threshold Price concept and return procedure discussed above apply only
to optional cash payments made pursuant to Requests for Waiver and
apply to the full amount of the optional cash payment, not just the
amount in excess of $3,000.
For any Investment Date, the Company may waive its right to set a
Threshold Price for optional cash payments made pursuant to Requests
for Waiver. Participants may ascertain whether the Threshold Price
applicable to a given Pricing Period has been set or waived, as
applicable, by contacting the Company's Investor Relations department
at (818) 304-7523.
For a list of expected dates by which the Threshold Price will be set
in 1996 and 1997, see Schedule A.
As described in Question 13, the Company in its sole discretion may
establish a Discount for optional cash payments made pursuant to
Requests for Waiver between 0% and 5% of the Market Price which
Discount may vary each month, but once established will apply uniformly
to the full amount of each of the optional cash payments made pursuant
to Requests for Waiver during that month (and not just the amount in
excess of $3,000). The Discount will be established in the Company's
sole and absolute discretion after a review of current market
conditions, the level of participation in the Plan and the Company's
current and projected capital needs. Neither the Company nor the Plan
Administrator shall be required to provide any written notice to
Participants as to any applicable Discount, but current information
regarding any Discount applicable to the next Pricing Period may be
obtained by contacting the Company's Investor Relations department at
(818) 304-7523.
The Threshold Price concept and return procedure discussed above apply
only to optional cash payments made pursuant to Requests for Waiver
when shares of Common Stock are to be purchased from the Company on the
applicable Investment Date.
For the purpose of the limitations discussed above, the Company may
aggregate all reinvested dividends and optional cash payments for
Participants with more than one account using the same Social Security
or Taxpayer Identification Number. For Participants unable to supply a
Social Security or Taxpayer Identification Number, their participation
may be limited by the Company to only one Plan account.
Also for the purpose of such limitations, all Plan accounts which the
Company believes to be under common control or management or to have
common ultimate beneficial ownership may be aggregated. Unless the
Company has determined that reinvestment of dividends and investment of
optional cash payments for each such account would be consistent with
the purpose of the Plan, the Company will have the right to aggregate
all such accounts and to return, without interest, within 30 days of
receipt, any amounts in excess of the investment limitations applicable
to a single account received in respect of all such accounts.
19. What are the Record Dates and Investment Dates for optional cash
payments?
Optional cash payments will be invested every month on the related
Investment Date or, in the case of open market purchases, as soon
thereafter as determined by the Plan Administrator. For optional cash
payments made in a monthly period when there is a dividend record date,
the "Record Date" and "Investment Date" are the same as those for
dividend reinvestment. For optional cash payments made in a monthly
period when there is not a dividend record date, the "Record Date" is
two business days prior to the commencement of the related Pricing
Period and the "Investment Date" is the last day of each month (unless
such date is not a business day in which case it is the first business
day immediately thereafter).
Optional cash payments received by the Plan Administrator at least one
business day prior to the commencement of a Pricing Period will be
applied to the purchase of shares of Common Stock on the Investment
Date or, in the case of open market purchases, as soon thereafter as
determined by the Plan Administrator. No interest will be paid by the
Company or the Plan Administrator on optional cash payments held
pending investment. Generally, optional cash payments received on or
after the commencement of a Pricing Period will be returned to
Participants without interest at the end of the Pricing Period; such
optional cash payments may be resubmitted by a Participant prior to the
commencement of the next or a later Pricing Period.
For a schedule of expected Record Dates and Investment Dates in 1996
and 1997, see Schedule A.
20. When must optional cash payments be received by the Plan Administrator?
Each month the Plan Administrator will apply any optional cash payment
for which good funds are timely received to the purchase of shares of
Common Stock for the account of the Participant on the next Investment
Date. See Question 19. In order for funds to be invested on the next
Investment Date, the Plan Administrator must have received good funds
at least one business day immediately preceding the first Trading Day
of the ensuing Pricing Period. Wire transfers may be used only if
approved verbally in advance by the Plan Administrator. Checks and
money orders are accepted subject to timely collection as good funds
and verification of compliance with the terms of the Plan. Checks or
money orders should be made payable to The Bank of New York - CCR DRIP.
Any checks not drawn on a United States bank or not payable in United
States dollars will be returned to Participant, as will any third party
checks.
Checks returned for any reason will not be resubmitted for collection.
NO INTEREST WILL BE PAID BY THE COMPANY OR THE PLAN ADMINISTRATOR ON
OPTIONAL CASH PAYMENTS HELD PENDING INVESTMENT. SINCE NO INTEREST IS
PAID ON CASH HELD BY THE PLAN ADMINISTRATOR, IT NORMALLY WILL BE IN THE
BEST INTEREST OF A PARTICIPANT TO DEFER OPTIONAL CASH PAYMENTS UNTIL
SHORTLY BEFORE COMMENCEMENT OF THE PRICING PERIOD.
In order for payments to be invested on the Investment Date, in
addition to the receipt of good funds at least one business day prior
to the commencement of a Pricing Period, the Plan Administrator must be
in receipt of an Authorization Form (and, if applicable, a B&N Form) as
of the same date. See Questions 6 and 8.
21. May optional cash payments be returned?
Upon written request to the Plan Administrator received at least five
business days prior to the Record Date for the Investment Date with
respect to which optional cash payments have been delivered to the Plan
Administrator, such optional cash payments will be returned to the
Participant as soon as practicable. Requests received less than five
business days prior to such date will not be returned but instead will
be invested on the next related Investment Date. Additionally, a
portion of each optional cash payment will be returned by check,
without interest, as soon as practicable after the Investment Date for
each Trading Day of the Pricing Period that does not meet the Threshold
Price, if any, applicable to optional cash payments made pursuant to
Requests for Waiver. See Question 18. Also, each optional cash payment,
to the extent that it does not either conform to the limitations
described in Question 19 or clear within the time limit described in
Question 20, will be subject to return to the Participant as soon as
practicable.
22. Are there any expenses to Participants in connection with their
participation under the Plan?
Participants will incur no brokerage commissions or service charges in
connection with purchases made under the Plan. The Company will pay all
other costs of administration of the Plan. However, Participants who
request that the Plan Administrator sell all or any portion of their
shares (see Question 27) must pay a nominal fee per transaction to the
Plan Administrator, any related brokerage commissions and applicable
stock transfer taxes. The Plan Administrator may effect open market
purchases and sales of shares for the Plan through BNY Brokerage Inc,
an affiliated broker-dealer, in which case BNY Brokerage Inc. will
receive a commission for effecting such transactions.
REPORTS TO PARTICIPANT
23. What kind of reports will be sent to Participants in the Plan?
Each Participant in the Plan will receive a statement of his or her
account following each purchase of additional shares of Common Stock.
These statements, which provide a record of account activity and
indicate the cost of such Participant's purchases under the Plan,
should be retained for income tax purposes. In addition, Participants
will receive copies of other communications sent to holders of the
Common Stock, including the Company's annual report to its
shareholders, the notice of annual meeting and proxy statement in
connection with its annual meeting of shareholders and Internal Revenue
Service information for reporting dividends paid.
DIVIDENDS ON FRACTIONS
24. Will Participants be credited with dividends on fractions of shares?
Yes.
CERTIFICATES FOR COMMON SHARES
25. Will certificates be issued for shares purchased?
No. Common Stock purchased for Participants will be held in the name of
the Plan Administrator or its nominee. No certificates will be issued
to Participants for shares in the Plan unless a Participant submits a
written request to the Plan Administrator or until participation in the
Plan is terminated. At any time, a Participant may request the Plan
Administrator to send a certificate for some or all of the whole shares
credited to a Participant's account. This request should be mailed to
the Plan Administrator at the address set forth in the answer to
Question 39. Any remaining whole shares and any fractions of shares
will remain credited to the Plan account. Certificates for fractional
shares will not be issued under any circumstances.
26. In whose name will certificates be registered when issued?
Each Plan account is maintained in the name in which the related
Participant's certificates were registered at the time of enrollment in
the Plan. Stock certificates for whole shares purchased under the Plan
will be similarly registered when issued upon a Participant's request.
If a Participant is a Beneficial Owner, such request should be placed
through such Participant's banker, broker or other nominee. See
Question 6. A Participant who wishes to pledge shares credited to such
Participant's Plan account must first withdraw such shares from the
account.
SALES OF SHARES, WITHDRAWALS AND TERMINATION
27. When and how may a Participant request that shares be sold?
A Participant may request that any whole number of Plan Shares be sold
by completing the information on the written statement received by the
Participant from the Plan Administrator or by providing detailed
written notice to the Plan Administrator at the address given in
Question 39. The sale of Plan Shares on behalf of Participants will
happen as soon as practicable after receipt of a request for sale by
the Plan Administrator and will be made in the open market at a then
prevailing price on the date of sale. If a request is made by a
Participant to sell his or her shares, no Participant shall have the
authority to direct the date or sales price at which Plan Shares may be
sold. The Participant will receive the proceeds of the sale, less
related brokerage commissions, a nominal fee per transaction paid to
the Plan Administrator and any applicable stock transfer taxes. The
Company will have no control over sales of shares for Participants. If
the request for sale is received by the Plan Administrator on or after
the Record Date for purchases made through the reinvestment of
dividends, the Plan Administrator will reinvest such dividend in Common
Stock on behalf of the Participant. A request to sell all shares held
in a Participant's account will be treated as a withdrawal from the
Plan. See Question 29 for information concerning the effects of
termination of participation in the Plan, the sale of all Plan Shares
and the withdrawal of Plan Shares.
28. When may Participants withdraw from the Plan?
Participants may withdraw from the Plan with respect to all or a
portion of the shares held in his or her account in the Plan at any
time. If the request to withdraw is received prior to a dividend record
date set by the Board of Directors for determining shareholders of
record entitled to receive a dividend, the request will be processed on
the day following receipt of the request by the Plan Administrator.
If the request to withdraw is received by the Plan Administrator on or
after a dividend record date, but before payment date, the Plan
Administrator, in its sole discretion, may either pay such dividend in
cash or reinvest it in shares for the Participant's account. The
request for withdrawal will then be processed as promptly as possible
following such dividend payment date. All dividends subsequent to such
dividend payment date will be paid in cash unless a shareholder
re-enrolls in the Plan, which may be done at any time.
Any optional cash payments which have been sent to the Plan
Administrator prior to a request for withdrawal will also be invested
on the next Investment Date unless a Participant expressly requests
return of that payment in the request for withdrawal, and the request
for withdrawal is received by the Plan Administrator at least five
business days prior to the Record Date for the Investment Date with
respect to which optional cash payments have been delivered to the Plan
Administrator.
29. How does a Participant withdraw from the Plan?
A Participant who wishes to withdraw from the Plan with respect to all
or a portion of the shares held in his or her account in the Plan must
notify the Plan Administrator in writing at its address set forth in
the answer to Question 39. Upon a Participant's withdrawal from the
Plan or termination of the Plan by the Company, certificates for the
appropriate number of whole shares credited to his or her account under
the Plan will be issued. A cash payment will be made for any fraction
of a share.
Upon withdrawal from the Plan, a Participant may also request in
writing that the Plan Administrator sell all or part of the shares
credited to his or her account in the Plan. The Plan Administrator will
sell the shares as requested within ten business days after processing
the request for withdrawal. The Participant will receive the proceeds
of the sale, less a nominal fee per transaction paid to the Plan
Administrator, related brokerage fees or commissions and any applicable
stock transfer taxes, generally within five business days of the sale.
See Question 27 above.
30. Are there any automatic termination provisions?
Participation in the Plan will be terminated if the Plan Administrator
receives written notice of the death or adjudicated incompetency of a
Participant, together with satisfactory supporting documentation of the
appointment of a legal representative, at least five business days
before the next Record Date for purchases made through the reinvestment
of dividends or optional cash payments, as applicable. If written
notice of death or adjudicated incompetency and such supporting
documentation is received by the Plan Administrator less than five
business days before the next Record Date for purchases made through
the reinvestment of dividends or optional cash payments, as applicable,
shares will be purchased for the Participant with the related cash
dividend or optional cash payment and participation in the Plan will
not terminate until after such dividend or payment has been reinvested.
Thereafter, no additional purchase of shares will be made for the
Participant's account and the Participant's shares and any cash
dividends paid thereon will be forwarded to such Participant's legal
representative.
OTHER INFORMATION
31. What happens if a Participant sells or transfers all of the shares
registered in the Participant's name?
If a Participant disposes of all shares registered in his or her name
and is not shown as a Record Owner on a dividend record date, the
Participant may be terminated from the Plan as of such date and such
termination treated as though a withdrawal notice had been received
prior to the dividend record date.
32. What happens if the Company declares a dividend payable in shares
or declares a stock split or has a rights offering?
Any dividend payable in shares and any additional shares distributed by
the Company in connection with a stock split in respect of shares
credited to a Participant's Plan account will be added to that account.
Stock dividends or split shares which are attributable to shares
registered in a Participant's own name and not in his or her Plan
account will be mailed directly to the Participant as in the case of
shareholders not participating in the Plan. If the Participant has
elected Partial Dividend Reinvestment, dividends will continue to be
reinvested for the same number of shares previously designated by the
Participant following any stock dividend or stock split.
Participation in any rights offering will be based upon both shares of
Common Stock registered in a Participant's name and any whole Plan
Shares credited to such Participant's Plan account. The Plan
Administrator may curtail or suspend transaction processing for a short
period of time following the record date for a stock dividend, stock
split or rights offering to permit the Plan Administrator to calculate
the number of shares or the rights to be allocated to each account.
33. How will shares held by the Plan Administrator be voted at meetings of
shareholders?
If the Participant is a Record Owner, the Participant will receive a
proxy card covering both directly held shares and shares held in the
Plan. If the Participant is a Beneficial Owner, the Participant will
receive a proxy covering shares held in the Plan through his or her
broker, bank or other nominee.
If a proxy is returned properly signed and marked for voting, all the
shares covered by the proxy will be voted as marked. If a proxy is
returned properly signed but no voting instructions are given, all of
the Participant's shares will be voted in accordance with
recommendations of the Board of Directors of the Company, unless
applicable laws require otherwise. If the proxy is not returned, or if
it is returned unexecuted or improperly executed, shares registered in
a Participant's name may be voted only by the Participant in person.
34. What are the responsibilities of the Company and the Plan
Administrator under the Plan?
The Company and the Plan Administrator will not be liable in
administering the Plan for any act done in good faith or required by
applicable law or for any good faith omission to act including, without
limitation, any claim of liability arising out of failure to terminate
a Participant's account upon his or her death, with respect to the
prices at which shares are purchased or sold and/or the times when such
purchases or sales are made or with respect to any fluctuation in the
market value before or after purchase or sale of shares.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing contained in the Plan limits the
Company's liability with respect to alleged violations of federal
securities laws.
The Company and the Plan Administrator shall be entitled to rely on
completed forms as proof of due authority to participate in the Plan,
without further responsibility of investigation or inquiry.
Each Participant should recognize that neither the Company nor the Plan
Administrator can assure a profit or protect against a loss on shares
purchased under the Plan. The establishment and maintenance of the Plan
by the Company does not constitute an assurance with respect to either
the value of Common Stock or whether the Company will continue to pay
dividends on Common Stock or at what rate.
35. May the Plan be changed or discontinued?
Yes. The Company may suspend, terminate, or amend the Plan at any time.
Notice will be sent to Participants of any suspension or termination,
or of any amendment that alters the Plan terms and conditions, as soon
as practicable after such action by the Company.
If the Company terminates or amends the Plan for the purpose of
establishing a new dividend reinvestment plan applicable to the Common
Stock, Participants will be enrolled automatically in the new plan, the
Company will continue to apply cash dividends and/or optional cash
payments in accordance with Participants' Authorization Forms and
shares credited to Participants' Plan accounts will be credited
automatically to the new plan, unless notice is received to the
contrary.
The Company reserves the right to terminate any shareholder's
participation in the Plan at any time for any reason. The Company also
reserves the right to establish additional requirements with respect to
participation in the Plan by brokers, banks and others acting in a
representative capacity on behalf of Beneficial Owners.
The Company may substitute another administrator or agent in place of
the Plan Administrator at any time; Participants will be promptly
informed of any such substitution.
Any questions of interpretation arising under the Plan will be
determined by the Company and any such determination will be final.
36. What are the federal income tax consequences of participation in the
Plan?
The following general summary is based upon an interpretation of
current federal income tax law, which is subject to change.
Participants should consult their own tax advisers to determine their
federal income tax and state income tax (as well as non-income tax,
such as stock transfer tax) consequences of participation in the Plan,
which may depend upon their particular circumstances and may vary from
state to state. Income tax consequences to Participants residing
outside the United States will vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction.
Participants in the Plan will be treated for federal income tax
purposes as having received, on the dividend payment date, a
distribution in an amount equal to the fair market value on that date
of the shares acquired with reinvested dividends. Such shares will have
a tax basis equal to the same amount. For federal income tax purposes,
the fair market value of shares acquired with reinvested dividends
under the Plan will be equal to 100% of the average of the high and low
sale prices of shares on the related Investment Date. It should be
noted that the fair market value on the dividend payment date is likely
to differ from the Market Price for the Pricing Period immediately
preceding the related dividend payment date (which is used to determine
the number of shares acquired).
Such distribution will be taxable as a dividend to the extent of the
Company's current or accumulated earnings and profits. To the extent
the distribution is in excess of the Company's current or accumulated
earnings and profits, the distribution will be treated first as a
tax-free return of capital, reducing the tax basis in a Participant's
shares, and any portion of the distribution in excess of a
Participant's tax basis will be taxable as gain realized from the sale
of its shares.
In the case of a corporate shareholder, dividends so received may be
eligible for the dividends-received deduction.
Example 1:
The following example may be helpful to illustrate the federal income
tax consequences of the reinvestment of dividends. A 3% Discount from
the Market Price is assumed for illustrative purposes only. The actual
Discount will vary from 0% to 5%.
Cash dividends reinvested.............................. $100.00
Fair market value*..................................... $25.00
Market Price*.......................................... $24.00
Less 3% discount per share............................. $(0.72)
-------
Net purchase price per share........................... $23.28
Number of shares purchased ($100.00/$23.28)............ 4.2955
Total taxable dividend resulting from transaction
($25.00 x 4.2955)...................................... $107.39
---------------
* These prices are assumed for illustrative purposes only, and
will vary with the trading prices of Common Stock.
Participants will be treated as having received a distribution, upon
the purchase of shares with an optional cash payment, in an amount
equal to the excess, if any, of the fair market value of the shares on
the Investment Date over the amount of the optional cash payment. The
taxation of such a distribution may not be entirely clear. Participants
should be aware that the Company will treat the entire amount of the
distribution, for tax reporting purposes, as a distribution taxable as
a dividend. Participants are encouraged to consult their own tax
advisers in this regard.
Shares acquired under the optional cash payment feature of the Plan
will have a tax basis equal to the amount of the payment plus the
excess, if any, of the fair market value, on the date acquired, of the
shares purchased over the amount of the payment. The fair market value
on an acquisition date is likely to differ from the Market Price for
the Pricing Period immediately preceding the related Investment Date
(which is used to determine the number of shares acquired).
Example 2:
The following example may be helpful to illustrate the federal income
tax consequences of the optional cash payment feature. A 3% discount
from the Market Price is assumed for illustrative purposes only.
The actual Discount will vary from 0% to 5%.
Optional cash payment.................................. $100.00
Fair market value*..................................... $25.00
Market Price*.......................................... $24.00
Less 3% discount per share............................. $(0.72)
-------
Net purchase price per share........................... $23.28
Number of shares purchased ($100.00/$23.28)............ 4.2955
Total taxable dividend resulting from transaction
([4.2955 x $25.00] - $100.00).......................... $7.39
---------------
* These prices are assumed for illustrative purposes only, and
will vary with the trading prices of Common Stock.
A Participant's holding period for shares acquired pursuant to the Plan
will begin on the day following the Investment Date.
A Participant will not realize any taxable income upon receipt of
certificates for whole shares credited to the Participant's account,
either upon the Participant's request for certain of those shares or
upon termination of participation in the Plan. A Participant will
realize gain or loss upon the sale or exchange of shares acquired under
the Plan. A Participant will also realize gain or loss upon receipt,
following termination of participation in the Plan, of a cash payment
for any fractional share credited to the Participant's account. The
amount of any such gain or loss will be the difference between the
amount that the Participant received for the shares or fractional share
and the tax basis thereof.
The foregoing discussion is based on the assumption that shares
acquired pursuant to the Plan will be newly issued or treasury shares
purchased directly from the Company. If the shares are purchased in the
open market, the tax consequences will be generally the same. However,
the payment of brokerage commissions by the Company in connection with
the purchase of shares in the open market will be treated as additional
dividend income to the Participant and, in such event, will increase
the tax basis of such shares.
37. How are income tax withholding provisions applied to shareholders who
participate in the Plan?
If a Participant fails to provide certain federal income tax
certifications in the manner required by law, dividends on shares of
Common Stock, proceeds from the sale of fractional shares and proceeds
from the sale of shares held for a Participant's account will generally
be subject to federal income tax backup withholding at the rate of 31%.
If backup withholding is required for any reason, the appropriate
amount of tax will be withheld. Certain shareholders (including most
corporations) are, however, exempt from the above backup withholding
requirements. Any amounts withheld from a payment to or on behalf of a
Participant under the backup withholding rules will be allowed as a
refund or credit against such Participant's federal income tax provided
that the required information is furnished to the Internal Revenue
Service.
If a Participant is a foreign shareholder whose dividends are subject
to federal income tax withholding at 30% (or a lower treaty rate), the
appropriate amount of cash will be withheld and the balance invested in
shares which will be credited to such Participant's account.
38. Who bears the risk of market fluctuations in the Common Stock?
A Participant's investment in shares held in the Plan account is no
different from his or her investment in directly held shares. The
Participant bears the risk of any loss and enjoys the benefits of any
gain from market price changes with respect to such shares.
39. Who should be contacted with questions about the Plan?
All correspondence regarding the Plan should be directed to:
The Bank of New York
Investor Relations Department
P.O. Box 11258
Church Street Station
New York, New York 10286-1258
Telephone (800) 524-4458
Please mention Countrywide Credit Industries, Inc. and this Plan in
all correspondence.
<PAGE>
40. How is the Plan interpreted?
Any question of interpretation arising under the Plan will be
determined by the Company and any such determination will be final. The
Company may adopt rules and regulations to facilitate the
administration of the Plan. The terms and conditions of the Plan and
its operation, all related forms and Participants' accounts will be
governed by the laws of the State of California.
41. What are some of the Participant responsibilities under the Plan?
Plan Shares are subject to escheat to the state in which the
Participant resides if such shares are deemed, under such state's laws,
to have been abandoned by the Participant. Participants, therefore,
should notify the Plan Administrator promptly in writing of any change
of address. Account statements and other communications to Participants
will be addressed to them at the last address of record provided by
Participants to the Plan Administrator.
Participants will have no right to draw checks or drafts against their
Plan accounts or to instruct the Plan Administrator with respect to any
shares of Common Stock or cash held by the Plan Administrator except as
expressly provided herein.
DIVIDENDS
The Company has paid cash dividends on its Common Stock quarterly since 1979,
except that no cash dividend was paid in the fiscal quarter ended February 28,
1982. In part to accommodate the provisions of this Plan, the Company
anticipates that dividends, if and to the extent declared in the future, will be
payable on or about the last day of January, April, July and October.
USE OF PROCEEDS
The Company does not know the number of shares of Common Stock that will be
ultimately purchased pursuant to the Plan, the extent to which shares will be
purchased directly from the Company rather than the open market or the prices at
which such shares will be purchased. The Company will use the net proceeds from
purchases of Common Stock directly from the Company under the Plan for general
corporate purposes.
PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION
Except to the extent the Plan Administrator purchases Common Stock in open
market transactions, the Common Stock acquired under the Plan will be sold
directly by the Company through the Plan. The Company may sell Common Stock to
owners of shares (including brokers or dealers) who, in connection with any
resales of such shares, may be deemed to be underwriters within the meaning of
the Securities Act. Such shares, including shares acquired pursuant to waivers
granted with respect to the optional cash payment feature of the Plan, may be
resold in market transactions (including coverage of short positions) on any
national securities exchange on which shares of Common Stock trade or in
privately negotiated transactions. The Common Stock is currently listed on the
NYSE and the Pacific Stock Exchange. It is expected that a portion of the shares
of Common Stock available for issuance under the Plan will be issued pursuant to
such waivers. The difference between the price such persons pay to the Company
for shares of Common Stock acquired under the Plan, after deduction of any
applicable Discount from the Market Price, and the price at which such shares
are resold, may be deemed to constitute underwriting commissions received by
such owners in connection with such transactions.
The Company will not extend to any person any rights or privileges other than
those to which it would be entitled as a Participant, nor will the Company enter
into any agreement with any person regarding such person's purchase of such
shares or any resale or distribution thereof. As discussed above, the Company
may, however, approve Requests for Waivers relating to optional cash payments by
persons in excess of the allowable maximum limitation. If such Requests for
Waivers are submitted for any Investment Date for an aggregate amount in excess
of the amount the Company is then willing to accept, the Company may honor such
requests in order of receipt, pro rata or by any other method which the Company
determines to be appropriate.
Subject to the availability of shares of Common Stock registered for issuance
under the Plan, there is no total maximum number of shares that can be issued
pursuant to the reinvestment of dividends. From time to time, financial
intermediaries may engage in positioning transactions depending on the discount
level from the Market Price of Common Stock acquired through the reinvestment of
dividends under the Plan.
The Company will pay any and all brokerage commissions and related expenses
incurred in connection with purchases of Common Stock under the Plan. Upon
withdrawal by a Participant from the Plan by the sale of Common Stock held under
the Plan, the Participant will receive the proceeds of such sale less a nominal
fee per transaction paid to the Plan Administrator (if such resale is made by
the Plan Administrator at the request of a Participant), related brokerage
commissions and any applicable transfer taxes.
Common Stock may not be available under the Plan in all states. This Prospectus
does not constitute an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy, any
Common Stock or other securities in any state or any other jurisdiction to any
person to whom it is unlawful to make such offer in such jurisdiction.
LEGAL MATTERS
The validity of the securities offered hereby has been passed upon by
Sandor E. Samuels, General Counsel of the Company. Mr. Samuels, in his capacity
as General Counsel and Secretary of the Company, is paid a salary by the Company
and participates in various employee benefit plans offered to executive officers
of the Company generally. Mr. Samuels is also an officer of certain subsidiaries
of the Company.
EXPERTS
The consolidated financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries
incorporated in this Prospectus by reference to the Annual Report on Form 10-K
for the year ended February 29, 1996 have been audited by Grant Thornton LLP,
independent certified public accountants, to the extent indicated in their
report thereon, and have been so incorporated in reliance upon the authority of
said firm as experts in accounting and auditing.
<PAGE>
GLOSSARY
"Beneficial Owners" means shareholders who beneficially own shares of Common
Stock that are registered in a name other than their own (for example, in the
name of a broker, bank or other nominee).
"B&N Form" means a Broker and Nominee form.
"business day" means any day other than Saturday, Sunday or legal holiday on
which the NYSE is closed or a day on which the Plan Administrator is authorized
or obligated by law to close.
"Commission" means the Securities and Exchange Commission.
"Common Stock" means the Common Stock, $.05 par value, of the Company.
"Company" means Countrywide Credit Industries, Inc.
"Discount" means the discount from the Market Price established by the Company
for (a) reinvested dividends, (b) optional cash payments in the $100 to $3,000
range and (c) optional cash payments made pursuant to Requests for Waiver. Such
Discount will vary between 0% and 5% of the Market Price, may vary each month
and may vary among categories (a), (b), and (c), above.
"Exchange Act" means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
"Investment Date" means, with respect to Common Stock acquired directly from the
Company, the last calendar day of each month in which dividends are not paid or
the dividend payment date declared by the Board of Directors for each month in
which dividends are paid (unless in either case such date is not a business day
in which case it is the first business day immediately thereafter).
"Market Price" means, with respect to Common Stock acquired directly from the
Company, the average of the daily high and low sales prices, computed to four
decimal places, of the Common Stock as reported on the NYSE during the related
Pricing Period. With respect to Common Stock purchased in the open market,
"Market Price" shall mean the weighted average of the actual prices paid,
computed to four decimal places, for all of the Common Stock purchased by the
Plan Administrator as soon after the related Investment Date as the Plan
Administrator determines.
"NYSE" means the New York Stock Exchange.
"Participant" means an eligible holder of Common Stock who participates in the
Plan.
"Participating Shares" means shares of Common Stock owned by a Participant on
the applicable Record Date as to which such Participant has directed the Company
to pay the related cash dividends to the Plan Administrator.
"Plan" means the Countrywide Credit Industries, Inc. Dividend Reinvestment and
Stock Purchase Plan.
"Plan Administrator" means a plan administrator that administers the Plan, keeps
records, sends statements of account to each Participant and performs other
duties related to the Plan. The Bank of New York currently serves as Plan
Administrator of the Plan.
"Plan Shares" means all whole and fractional shares of Common Stock credited to
a Participant's Plan account.
"Pricing Period" means the period encompassing the ten Trading Days preceding
the relevant Investment Date.
"Record Date" means, with respect to reinvestments of dividends, the record date
declared by the Board of Directors for such dividend; and with respect to
optional cash payments, two business days prior to the commencement of the
related Pricing Period, except in months having a dividend Record Date, in which
case the record date is the same as the dividend Record Date.
"Record Owners" means shareholders who own shares of Common Stock in their own
names.
"Requests for Waiver" means a written request from a Participant to make
optional cash payments in excess of $3,000.
"Securities Act" means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
"Threshold Price" means the minimum price, if any, established by the Company
that the average high and low prices of the Common Stock must equal or exceed
during each Trading Day of the Pricing Period for optional cash payments made
pursuant to Requests for Waiver.
"Trading Day" means a day on which trades in the Common Stock are reported on
the NYSE.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
SCHEDULE A
============ ====================== ===================== ====================== ======================= ======================
(C) (D) (E) (F) (G)
Threshold Price and Optional Cash Pricing Period
Discount Record Payment Due Commence Investment
Cycle Set Date Date Date Date Date
============ ====================== ===================== ====================== ======================= ======================
============ ====================== ===================== ====================== ======================= ======================
============ ====================== ===================== ====================== ======================= ======================
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
B August 12, 1996 August 15, 1996 August 16, 1996 August 19, 1996 September 3, 1996
- ------------ ---------------------- --------------------- ---------------------- ----------------------- ----------------------
- ------------ ---------------------- --------------------- ---------------------- ----------------------- ----------------------
B September 9, 1996 September 12, 1996 September 13, 1996 September 16, 1996 September 30, 1996
- ------------ ---------------------- --------------------- ---------------------- ----------------------- ----------------------
- ------------ ---------------------- --------------------- ---------------------- ----------------------- ----------------------
A October 10, 1996 October 15, 1996 October 16, 1996 October 17, 1996 October 31, 1996
- ------------ ---------------------- --------------------- ---------------------- ----------------------- ----------------------
- ------------ ---------------------- --------------------- ---------------------- ----------------------- ----------------------
B November 8, 1996 November 13, 1996 November 14, 1996 November 15, 1996 December 2, 1996
- ------------ ---------------------- --------------------- ---------------------- ----------------------- ----------------------
- ------------ ---------------------- --------------------- ---------------------- ----------------------- ----------------------
B December 9, 1996 December 12, 1996 December 13, 1996 December 16, 1996 December 31, 1996
- ------------ ---------------------- --------------------- ---------------------- ----------------------- ----------------------
- ------------ ---------------------- --------------------- ---------------------- ----------------------- ----------------------
A January 10, 1997 January 15, 1997 January 16, 1997 January 17, 1997 January 31, 1997
- ------------ ---------------------- --------------------- ---------------------- ----------------------- ----------------------
- ------------ ---------------------- --------------------- ---------------------- ----------------------- ----------------------
B February 6, 1997 February 11, 1997 February 12, 1997 February 13, 1997 February 28, 1997
- ------------ ---------------------- --------------------- ---------------------- ----------------------- ----------------------
- ------------ ---------------------- --------------------- ---------------------- ----------------------- ----------------------
B March 7, 1997 March 12, 1997 March 13, 1997 March 14, 1997 March 31, 1997
- ------------ ---------------------- --------------------- ---------------------- ----------------------- ----------------------
- ------------ ---------------------- --------------------- ---------------------- ----------------------- ----------------------
A April 9, 1997 April 14, 1997 April 15, 1997 April 16, 1997 April 30, 1997
- ------------ ---------------------- --------------------- ---------------------- ----------------------- ----------------------
- ------------ ---------------------- --------------------- ---------------------- ----------------------- ----------------------
B May 9, 1997 May 14, 1997 May 15, 1997 May 16, 1997 June 2, 1997
- ------------ ---------------------- --------------------- ---------------------- ----------------------- ----------------------
- ------------ ---------------------- --------------------- ---------------------- ----------------------- ----------------------
B June 9, 1997 June 12, 1997 June 13, 1997 June 16, 1997 June 30, 1997
- ------------ ---------------------- --------------------- ---------------------- ----------------------- ----------------------
- ------------ ---------------------- --------------------- ---------------------- ----------------------- ----------------------
A July 10, 1997 July 15, 1997 July 16, 1997 July 17, 1997 July 31, 1997
- ------------ ---------------------- --------------------- ---------------------- ----------------------- ----------------------
- ------------ ---------------------- --------------------- ---------------------- ----------------------- ----------------------
B August 11, 1997 August 14, 1997 August 15, 1997 August 18, 1997 September 2, 1997
- ------------ ---------------------- --------------------- ---------------------- ----------------------- ----------------------
- ------------ ---------------------- --------------------- ---------------------- ----------------------- ----------------------
B September 9, 1997 September 12, 1997 September 15, 1997 September 16, 1997 September 30, 1997
- ------------ ---------------------- --------------------- ---------------------- ----------------------- ----------------------
- ------------ ---------------------- --------------------- ---------------------- ----------------------- ----------------------
A October 10, 1997 October 15, 1997 October 16, 1997 October 17, 1997 October 31, 1997
- ------------ ---------------------- --------------------- ---------------------- ----------------------- ----------------------
- ------------ ---------------------- --------------------- ---------------------- ----------------------- ----------------------
B November 7, 1997 November 12, 1997 November 13, 1997 November 14, 1997 December 1, 1997
- ------------ ---------------------- --------------------- ---------------------- ----------------------- ----------------------
- ------------ ---------------------- --------------------- ---------------------- ----------------------- ----------------------
B December 9, 1997 December 12, 1997 December 15, 1997 December 16, 1997 December 31, 1997
- ------------ ---------------------- --------------------- ---------------------- ----------------------- ----------------------
</TABLE>
Summary Date Information
A. Investment of optional cash payments and dividends.
B.......Investment of optional cash payments only.
C. The Discount and the Threshold Price, if any, are set
three business days prior to the applicable Record Date.
D. The Record Date for dividend months (those indicated by the letter "A"
in the cycle column) is estimated. If and when a dividend is declared
by the Board of Directors of the Company, the actual Record Date will
be set by the Board of Directors of the Company. The Record Date for
non-dividend months (those indicated by the letter "B" in the cycle
column) will be two business days immediately preceding the first day
of the related Pricing Period.
E. The due date for optional cash payments is one business day prior
to the commencement of the relevant Pricing Period.
F. The Pricing Period is ten Trading Days preceding the relevant
Investment Date.
G. The Investment Date is, with respect to Common Stock acquired directly
from the Company, the last calendar day of each month in which
dividends are not paid or the dividend payment date declared by the
Board of Directors for each month in which dividends are paid (unless
in either case such date is not a business day in which case it is the
first business day immediately thereafter). The actual dividend payment
dates will be set by the Board of Directors of the Company.
<PAGE>
U.S. EQUITY MARKETS CLOSED
1996 1997
---- ----
==========================================================================
New Years Day 1/1 1/1
==========================================================================
==========================================================================
Presidents Day 2/19 2/17
==========================================================================
Good Friday 4/5 3/28
Memorial Day 5/27 5/26
Independence Day 7/4 7/4
Labor Day 9/2 9/1
Thanksgiving 11/28 11/2
==========================================================================
Christmas Day 12/25 12/25
==========================================================================
