AREA BANCSHARES CORP
S-8, 1997-10-16
COMMERCIAL BANKS, NEC
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<PAGE>   1
    As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on October 15, 1997

                                               Registration No. 333_____________

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549


                                    FORM S-8

                          REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER
                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

                           AREA BANCSHARES CORPORATION
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
             (Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)

            KENTUCKY                                     61-0902343
- -------------------------------                       -----------------
(State or other jurisdiction of                       (I.R.S. Employer
incorporation or organization)                        Identification No.)

                 230 FREDERICA STREET, OWENSBORO, KENTUCKY 42301
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
              (Address of principal executive offices and zip code)

                            CARDINAL BANCSHARES, INC.
                             401(K) SAVINGS PLAN AND
                               TRUST AGREEMENT (1)
                            (Full Title of the Plan)
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                            KATHRYN L. KNUDSON, ESQ.
                     POWELL, GOLDSTEIN, FRAZER & MURPHY LLP
                     191 PEACHTREE STREET, N.E., 16TH FLOOR
                             ATLANTA, GEORGIA 30303
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                     (Name and address of agent for service)

                                 (404) 572-6952
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
          (Telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)

                                    Copy to:
                           Timothy O. Shelburne, Esq.
                           Area Bancshares Corporation
                              230 Frederica Street
                            Owensboro, Kentucky 42301
                                 (502) 688-7750

                         CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                 Proposed               Proposed
Title of                                         Maximum                Maximum
Securities              Amount                   Offering               Aggregate               Amount of
to be                   to be                    Price                  Offering                Registration
Registered              Registered               Per Share              Price                   Fee
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                     <C>                      <C>                    <C>                     <C>
Common
Stock, no               136,955                  $20.00 (3)             $2,739,100 (4)          $831
par value               shares (2)
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
</TABLE>

(1)      The Registrant acquired Cardinal Bancshares, Inc. ("Cardinal") through
         the merger of a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Registrant and Cardinal,
         effective September 30, 1997.
(2)      In addition, pursuant to Rule 416(c) under the Securities Act of 1933,
         as amended, this registration statement also covers an indeterminate
         amount of interests to be offered or sold pursuant to the employee
         benefit plan described herein.
(3)      The average of the high and low prices of the Registrant's Common Stock
         as reported by the Nasdaq National Market for October 13, 1997.
(4)      The aggregate offering price is calculated solely for the purpose of
         determining the registration fee pursuant to Rule 457(h)(1) under the
         Securities Act of 1933, as amended.


<PAGE>   2

                                     PART I

              INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE SECTION 10(a) PROSPECTUS


         The documents containing the information specified in Part I of the
Instructions to the Registration Statement on Form S-8 will be sent or given to
employees of the Registrant as required by Rule 428(b)(1) promulgated under the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act").

<PAGE>   3
                                     PART II

               INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

ITEM 3. INCORPORATION OF DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE.

        The following documents filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission (the "Commission") are incorporated herein by reference:

         (1)      The Registrant's Registration Statement on Form S-4 dated June
                  17, 1997, as amended on July 30, 1997 and August 8, 1997 (File
                  No. 333-29385);

         (2)      The Registrant's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal
                  year ended December 31, 1996 (File No. 0-26032);

         (3)      The Registrant's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter
                  ended March 31, 1997 (File No. 0-26032);

         (4)      The Registrant's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter
                  ended June 30, 1997 (File No. 0-26032); and

         (5)      The Registrant's Current Report on Form 8-K dated May 2, 1997
                  (File No. 0-26032);

         (6)      The Registrant's Current Report on Form 8-K dated October 14,
                  1997 (File No. 0-026032).

         (7)      The Registrant's Current Report on Form 8-K/A dated October
                  15, 1997 (File No. 0-026032).

         (8)      The description of the Registrant's Common Stock contained in
                  the Registrant's Registration Statement on Form 10-A1 as filed
                  with the Securities and Exchange Commission on June 30, 1995
                  pursuant to Section 12 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
                  as amended (the "Exchange Act" (File No. 0-26032).

         (9)      Cardinal Bancshares, Inc. 401(K) Savings Plan Annual Report 
                  on Form 11-K for the year ended December 31, 1996.

        All documents subsequently filed by the Registrant and the Plan pursuant
to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act prior to the filing
of a post-effective amendment that indicates that all securities offered hereby
have been sold or that deregisters all such securities then remaining unsold,
shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement
and to be a part hereof from the date of filing of such documents.


                                      II-1

<PAGE>   4

ITEM 6. INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS.

        Area. The Registrant's Articles of Incorporation state that the
Registrant will indemnify its officers and directors as provided by Section
271B.8-510 Kentucky Act. Section 271B.8-510, as is currently in effect, provides
that a corporation may indemnify its officers and directors against reasonable
expenses (including attorneys' fees) incurred by them in the defense of any
action, suit or proceeding to which they were made a party, or in defense of any
claim, issue or matter therein, by reason of the fact that they are or were
officers or directors of the corporation, to the extent that they have been
successful, on the merits or otherwise, in such defense. Section 271B.8-510 also
permits indemnification of a corporation's directors and officers against any
liability incurred in connection with any threatened, pending or completed
action, suit or proceeding by reason of the fact that they are or were directors
or officers of the corporation or who, while directors or officers of the
corporation, are or were serving at the corporation's request as directors,
officers, partners, trustees, employees or agents of another entity, if they
acted in a manner they believed in good faith to be in, or not opposed to, the
best interests of the corporation, or, with respect to any criminal proceeding,
had no reasonable cause to believe their conduct was unlawful, if a
determination has been made that they have met these standards of conduct. Such
indemnification in connection with a proceeding by or in the right of the
corporation, however, is limited to reasonable expenses, including attorney's
fees, incurred in connection with the proceeding. The corporation may also
advance expenses incurred by any director officer in defending any such action,
suit or proceeding upon receipt of an undertaking by or on behalf of such
officer or director to repay such advances unless it is ultimately determined
that he or she is not entitled to indemnification by the corporation.

        Section 271B.8-520 of the Kentucky Act provides that a corporation shall
indemnify a director who was wholly successful, on the merits or otherwise, in
the defense of any proceeding to which he or she was a party because such person
is or was a director of the corporation against reasonable expenses incurred in
connection with such proceeding.

        Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities
Act may be permitted to directors, officers or persons controlling the
Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, the Registrant has been
informed that in the opinion of the Commission such indemnification is against
public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is therefore unenforceable.


ITEM 8.  EXHIBITS.

        The following exhibits are filed with or incorporated by reference into
this Registration Statement pursuant to Item 601 of Regulation S-K:

                                      II-2


<PAGE>   5

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Exhibit
  No.                          Description
- -------                        -----------
<S>      <C>
4.1      Articles of Incorporation, as amended through September 30, 1997, of
         the Registrant (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to the
         Registrant's Registration Statement on Form S-8 as filed with the
         Securities and Exchange Commission on October 15, 1997).

4.2      Bylaws of the Registrant (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.2 to
         the Registrant's Report on Form 10-A1 as filed with the Securities and
         Exchange Commission on June 30, 1995 (Reg. No. 026032)).

5.1      Opinion of Timothy O. Shelburne, Esq. with respect to the securities
         being registered, including consent.

23.1     Consent of counsel (included in Exhibit 5.1).

23.2     Consents of KPMG Peat Marwick LLP, independent accountants.

24.1     Power of Attorney (see signature pages to this Registration Statement).

</TABLE>


ITEM 9.  UNDERTAKINGS.

        (a)      The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes:

                 (1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are
        being made, a post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement:

                          (i)   To include any prospectus required by Section
                 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act;

                          (ii)  To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events
                 arising after the effective date of the Registration Statement
                 (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which,
                 individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental
                 change in the information set forth in the Registration
                 Statement;

                          (iii) To include any material information with respect
                 to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the
                 Registration Statement or any material change to such
                 information in the Registration Statement;

provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii) do not apply if the
registration statement is on Form S-3 or Form S-8 and the information required
to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in
periodic reports filed by the Registrant pursuant to

                                      II-3

<PAGE>   6


Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act that are incorporated by
reference in the Registration Statement.

                 (2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under
        the Securities Act, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed
        to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered
        therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be
        deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

                 (3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective
        amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at
        the termination of the offering.

        (b) The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of
determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the
Registrant's annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the
Exchange Act (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan's
annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act) that is
incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement shall be deemed to be a
new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the
offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona
fide offering thereof.

        (h) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the
Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons
of the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions or otherwise, the
Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Commission such
indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and
is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification
against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses
incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the Registrant
in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such
director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being
registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter
has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate
jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public
policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final
adjudication of such issue.


                                      II-4

<PAGE>   7






                                   SIGNATURES

        Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, the Registrant
certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the
requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this Registration
Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly
authorized, in the City of Owensboro, State of Kentucky, on this the 15th day of
October, 1997.

                                             AREA BANCSHARES CORPORATION


                                             By:   /s/ Thomas R. Brumley
                                                --------------------------
                                                   Thomas R. Brumley
                                                   Chief Executive Officer


                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

        KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears
below constitutes and appoints each of Thomas R. Brumley and Timothy O.
Shelburne as his true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent, with full power of
substitution and resubstitution, for him and in his name, place and stead, in
any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments (including post-effective
amendments) to this Registration Statement, and to file the same, with all
exhibits thereto and other documents in connection therewith, with the
Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto each of said attorneys-in-fact
and agents, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and
thing required or necessary to be done in and about the premises, as fully to
all intents and purposes as he might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and
confirming all that each of said attorneys-in-fact and agents, or their
substitutes, could lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

        Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, this Registration
Statement has been signed below by the following persons in the capacities
indicated and on the dates indicated.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
               SIGNATURE                                 TITLE                                          DATE
               ---------                                 -----                                          -----
<S>                                         <C>                                                  <C>
/s/ Anthony G. Bittel                       Director                                             October 15,1997
- ----------------------------------------

Anthony G. Bittel


/s/ Thomas R. Brumely                       President, Chief Executive Officer and               October 15, 1997
- ----------------------------------------    Director (principal executive Officer)
Thomas R. Brumley                                                                 

</TABLE>

                                      II-5

<PAGE>   8

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
               SIGNATURE                                 TITLE                                          DATE
               ---------                                 -----                                          -----
<S>                                         <C>                                                  <C>
/s/ C. M. Gatton                            Chairman of the Board of Directors                   October 15, 1997
- ----------------------------------------
C. M. Gatton


/s/ Gary H. Latham                          Director                                             October 15, 1997
- ----------------------------------------
Gary H. Latham


/s/ Raymond McKinney                        Vice Chairman of the Board of                        October 15, 1997
- ----------------------------------------    Directors
Raymond McKinney                            


/s/ John A. Ray                             Executive Vice President and Chief                   October 15, 1997
- ----------------------------------------    Financial Officer (principal
John A. Ray                                 financial officer
                                           


/s/ Allan R. Rhodes                         Director                                             October 15, 1997
- ----------------------------------------
Allan R. Rhodes


/s/ David W. Smith, Jr.                     Director                                             October 15, 1997
- ----------------------------------------
David W. Smith, Jr.


/s/ William H. Thompson                     Director                                             October 15, 1997
- ----------------------------------------
William H. Thompson


/s/ Pollard White                           Director                                             October 15, 1997
- ----------------------------------------
Pollard White


/s/ Gary White                              Vice President and Controller                        October 15, 1997
- ----------------------------------------    (principal accounting officer)
Gary White                                
</TABLE>



                                      II-6

<PAGE>   9

         Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Trustee
has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Lexington, State of
Kentucky, on October 15, 1997.

                                    Cardinal Bancshares, Inc.
                                    401(k) Savings Plan and Trust Agreement

                                    The Vine Street Trust Company, as Trustee

                                    By:  /s/ Charles B. Verrette
                                         ---------------------------------

                                    Title:  Trust Department Manager
                                          --------------------------------

                                      II-7


<PAGE>   10


                                  EXHIBIT INDEX

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                               Description
        Exhibit                                -----------
         No.
         ---
         <S>      <C>
         4.1      Articles of Incorporation, as amended through September 30,
                  1997, of the Registrant (incorporated herein by reference to
                  Exhibit 4.1 to the Registrant's Registration Statement on Form
                  S-8 as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on
                  October 15, 1997).

         4.2      Bylaws of the Registrant (incorporated herein by reference to
                  Exhibit 3.2 to the Report on Form 10-A1 as filed with the
                  Securities and Exchange Commission on June 30, 1995 (Reg. No.
                  0-26032)).

         5.1      Opinion of Timothy O. Shelburne, Esq. with respect to the
                  securities being registered, including consent.

         23.1     Consent of counsel (included in Exhibit 5.1).

         23.2     Consents of KPMG Peat Marwick LLP, independent accountants.

         24.1     Power of Attorney (see signature pages to this Registration
                  Statement).
</TABLE>


                                      II-8


<PAGE>   1







                                                                     EXHIBIT 5.1



                                October 15, 1997


Area Bancshares Corporation
230 Frederica Street
Owensboro, Kentucky  42301

Re:      Registration Statement on Form S-8
         Area Bancshares Corporation
         Cardinal Bancshares, Inc. ss. 401(k) Savings Plan and Trust Agreement

Ladies and Gentlemen:

         This opinion is given in connection with the filing by Area Bancshares
Corporation, a Kentucky corporation (the "Company"), with the Securities and
Exchange Commission under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, pursuant to a
Registration Statement on Form S-8 (the "Registration Statement"), of an
aggregate of 136,955 shares (the "Shares") of common stock, no par value, of the
Company, to be offered and sold by the Company pursuant to the Cardinal
Bancshares, Inc. ss. 401(k) Savings Plan and Trust Agreement. (the "Plan").

         I have examined and am familiar with originals or copies (certified,
photostatic or otherwise identified to our satisfaction) of such documents,
corporate records and other instruments relating to the incorporation of the
Company and the authorization of the shares to be issued pursuant to the Plan as
we have deemed necessary and advisable. In such examinations, I have assumed the
genuineness of all signatures on all originals and copies of documents I have
examined, the authenticity of all documents submitted to me as originals and the
conformity to original documents of all certified, conformed or photostatic
copies. As to questions of fact material and relevant to this opinion, I have
relied upon certificates or representations of Company officials and of
appropriate governmental officials.

         I express no opinion as to matters under or involving the laws of any
jurisdiction other than the corporate law of the State of Kentucky.

<PAGE>   2

Area Bancshares Corporation
October 15, 1997
Page 2


         Based upon and subject to the foregoing and having regard for such
legal considerations as I have deemed relevant, it is my opinion that:

         1.       The Shares have been duly authorized; and

         2.       Upon the issuance and delivery of the Shares and payment
                  therefor as provided in the Plan and as contemplated by the
                  Registration Statement, such Shares will be legally and
                  validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.

         I hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as Exhibit 5.1 to the
Registration Statement.

                                Very truly yours,


                                /s/ Timothy O. Shelburne


<PAGE>   1
                                                                    EXHIBIT 23.2


                        CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT AUDITORS

The Board of Directors
Area Bancshares Corporation

We consent to incorporation by reference herein of our report dated June 26,
1997, with respect to the statements of net assets available for benefits of
Cardinal Bancshares, Inc. 401K Savings Plan and Trust Agreement as of December
31, 1996 and 1995, and the related statements of changes in net assets
available for benefits for the years then ended, which report appears in the
December 31, 1996 annual report on Form 11-K of Cardinal Bancshares, Inc.


                                                    KPMG Peat Marwick LLP
Lexington, Kentucky
October 15, 1997
<PAGE>   2


                        CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT AUDITORS

The Board of Directors
Area Bancshares Corporation

We consent to incorporation by reference herein of our report dated March 7,
1997, with respect to the consolidated balance sheets of Area Bancshares
Corporation and subsidiaries as of December 31, 1996 and 1995, and the related
consolidated statements of income, shareholders' equity, and cash flows for each
of the years in the three-year period ended December 31, 1996, which report
appears in the December 31, 1996 annual report on Form 10-K of Area Bancshares
Corporation.

Our report refers to a change in the method of accounting for certain
investments in debt and equity securities in 1994.


                                                   KPMG Peat Marwick LLP
Louisville, Kentucky
October 15, 1997
<PAGE>   3


                       CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT AUDITORS


The Board of Directors
Area Bancshares Corporation

We consent to incorporation by reference herein of our report dated October 10,
1997, with respect to the supplemental consolidated balance sheets of Area
Bancshares Corporation and subsidiaries as of December 31, 1996 and 1995, and
the related supplemental consolidated statements of income, shareholders'
equity, and cash flows for each of the years in the three-year period ended
December 31, 1996, which report appears in the Form 8-KA of the Company dated
October 15, 1997.

Our report refers to a change in the method of accounting for certain
investments in debt and equity securities in 1994.



Louisville, Kentucky                                    KPMG Peat Marwick LLP
October 15, 1997


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