SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
SCHEDULE 13G
Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
(Amendment No.3)
The First American Financial Corporation
(Name of issuer)
Common Stock, $1.00 par value per share
(Title of class of securities)
318522307
(CUSIP number)
The remainder of this cover page shall be filled out for a reporting person's
initial filing on this form with respect to the subject class of securities, and
for any subsequent amendment containing information which would alter the
disclosures provided in a prior cover page.
The information required in the remainder of this cover page shall not be deemed
to be "filed" for the purpose of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934 ("Act") or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section of the Act
but shall be subject to all other provisions of the Act (however, see the
notes).
<PAGE>
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1 NAME OF REPORTING PERSONS
S.S. OR I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NOS. OF ABOVE PERSONS
EQSF Advisers, Inc.
(EIN 13-3354359)
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2 CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP* (a) [ ]
(b) [ ]
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3 SEC USE ONLY
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4 CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION
New York Corporation
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5 SOLE VOTING POWER
NUMBER OF
SHARES 3,774,150
-------------------------------------------------
BENEFICIALLY 6 SHARED VOTING POWER
OWNED BY None
------------------------------------------------
EACH 7 SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
REPORTING
PERSON 3,774,150
-------------------------------------------------
WITH 8 SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
None
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
9 AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
3,774,150
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
10 CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES
CERTAIN SHARES* [ ]
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
11 PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (11)
7%
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
12 TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON*
IA
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<PAGE>
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 NAME OF REPORTING PERSONS
S.S. OR I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NOS. OF ABOVE PERSONS
M.J. Whitman Advisers, Inc.
(EIN 13-3686379)
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2 CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP* (a) [ ]
(b) [ ]
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3 SEC USE ONLY
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4 CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION
New York Corporation
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5 SOLE VOTING POWER
NUMBER OF
SHARES 546,750
-------------------------------------------------
BENEFICIALLY 6 SHARED VOTING POWER
OWNED BY None
------------------------------------------------
EACH 7 SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
REPORTING
PERSON 546,750
-------------------------------------------------
WITH 8 SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
None
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
9 AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
546,750
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
10 CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES
CERTAIN SHARES* [ ]
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
11 PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (11)
1.01%
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
12 TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON*
IA
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*SEE INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE FILLING OUT!
<PAGE>
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 NAME OF REPORTING PERSONS
S.S. OR I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NOS. OF ABOVE PERSONS
Martin J. Whitman
(###-##-####)
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2 CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP* (a) [ ]
(b) [ ]
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3 SEC USE ONLY
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4 CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION
USA
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5 SOLE VOTING POWER
NUMBER OF None (See Item 4)
-------------------------------------------------
6 SHARED VOTING POWER
SHARES
BENEFICIALLY None
OWNED BY -------------------------------------------------
EACH 7 SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
REPORTING None (See Item 4)
-------------------------------------------------
PERSON WITH 8 SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
None
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
9 AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
-0- (See Item 4)
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
10 CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES
CERTAIN SHARES* [ ]
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
11 PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (11)
-0-
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
12 TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON*
IN
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*SEE INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE FILLING OUT!
<PAGE>
Item 1.
(a) Name of Issuer:
The First American Financial Corporation (the "Issuer").
(b) Address of Issuer's Principal Executive Offices or, if None,
Residence:
114 East Fifth Street, Santa Ana, CA 92701-4699
Item 2.
(a) Name of Person Filing:
This schedule is being jointly filed by EQSF Advisers, Inc.
("EQSF"), M.J. Whitman Advisers, Inc. (MJWA), and Martin J. Whitman, the
Chief Executive Officer of EQSF and MJWA and controlling person of EQSF
and MJWA. (EQSF, MJWA and Martin J. Whitman are sometimes
collectively referred to hereinafter as "Filer"). Attached hereto as an exhibit
is a copy of the joint schedule 13G filing agreement among the reporting
persons.
(b) Address of Principal Business Office:
The address of the principal executive office of EQSF, MJWA and Mr. Whitman
is: 767 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017-2023.
(c) Citizenship:
The citizenship or place of organization of each of the
reporting persons is as follows:
EQSF:
New York State Corporation.
MJWA:
New York State Corporation
Martin J. Whitman:
United States Citizen.
(d) Title of Class of Securities:
Common Stock, $1.00 par value per share.
(e) CUSIP Number:
318522307
<PAGE>
Item 3. If this statement is being filed pursuant to Rules 13d-1(b), or
13d-2(b), check whether the person filing is a:
(e) Investment Adviser registered under section 203 of the
Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (EQSF and MJWA).
Item 4. Ownership.
(a)&(b) EQSF beneficially owns 3,774,150 shares, or 7% of the class of
securities of the issuer. MJWA beneficially owns 546,750 shares, or 1.01% of the
class securities of the issuer.
(c) (i) EQSF: 3,774,150
MJWA: 546,750
(ii) Not applicable.
(iii) EQSF: 3,774,150
MJWA: 546,750
(iv) Not applicable.
Mr. Whitman disclaims beneficial ownership of all such shares.
Item 5. Ownership of Five Percent or Less of a Class.
Not applicable.
Item 6. Ownership of More than Five Percent on Behalf of Another Person.
Third Avenue Value Fund, Inc., an investment company registered under the
Investment Company Act of 1940, has the right to receive dividends from, and the
proceeds from the sale of, 3,666,150 of the shares reported by EQSF and Third
Avenue Small-Cap Value Fund, an investment company registered under the
Investment Company Act of 1940, has the right to receive dividends from, and the
proceeds from the sale of, 108,000 of the shares reported by EQSF. Various
clients for whom MJWA
<PAGE>
acts as investment advisor have the right to receive
dividends from, the proceeds of the sale of, the shares reported by MJWA.
Item 7. Identification and Classification of the Subsidiary Which Acquired
the Security Being Reported on By the Parent Holding Company.
Not Applicable.
Item 8. Identification and Classification of Members of the Group.
Not applicable.
Item 9. Notice of Dissolution of Group.
Not applicable.
Item 10. Certification.
By signing below I certify that, to the best of my knowledge and
belief, the securities referred to above were acquired in the ordinary
course of business and were not acquired for the purpose of and do not have the
effect of changing or influencing the control of the issuer of such securities
and were not acquired in connection with or as a participant in any transaction
having such purposes or effect.
<PAGE>
SIGNATURE
After reasonable inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and belief, I
certify that the information set forth in this statement is true, complete and
correct.
August 13, 1998
(Date)
EQSF ADVISERS, INC.
By:/s/ MARTIN J. WHITMAN
Martin J. Whitman
Chairman, President and
Chief Executive Officer
M.J. WHITMAN ADVISERS, INC.
By: /s/ MARTIN J. WHITMAN
Martin J. Whitman
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
/s/ MARTIN J. WHITMAN
Martin J. Whitman
Exhibit 1
JOINT FILING AGREEMENT
In accordance with Rule 13d-1 (f) under the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, as amended, the undersigned hereby agree to the joint filing with all
other Reporting Entities (as such term is defined in the Schedule 13G) on behalf
of each of them of a statement on Schedule 13G (including amendments thereto)
with respect to the Common Stock, $1.00 par value per share, of The First
American Financial Corporation, and that this Agreement be included as an
Exhibit to such joint filing. This Agreement may be executed in any number of
counterparts all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same
instrument.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned hereby execute this Agreement this 13th
day of August, 1998.
EQSF ADVISERS, INC.
By:/s/ MARTIN J. WHITMAN
Martin J. Whitman
Chairman, President and
Chief Executive Officer
M.J. WHITMAN ADVISERS, INC.
By: /s/ MARTIN J. WHITMAN
Martin J. Whitman
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
/s/ MARTIN J. WHITMAN
Martin J. Whitman
