UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
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FORM 8-K
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CURRENT REPORT
PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE
SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
February 17, 1999 1-9078
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Date of Report (Commission File Number)
Date of earliest event reported)
THE ALPINE GROUP, INC.
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(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Delaware 221620387
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(State or other jurisdiction (I.R.S. Employer Identification Number)
of incorporation or organization)
1790 Broadway
New York, New York 10019
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(Address of Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code)
(212) 757-3333
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(Registrant's telephone number, including area code)
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ITEM 5. OTHER EVENTS.
On February 17, 1999, the Board of Directors of The Alpine Group, Inc. (the
"Company") declared a dividend distribution of one preferred stock purchase
right (a "Right") for each outstanding share of Common Stock, $.10 par value, of
the Company (the "Common Shares"), payable to the stockholders of record on
March 1, 1999 (the "Record Date"). The Board of Directors also authorized and
directed the issuance of one Right with respect to each Common Share issued
thereafter until the Distribution Date (as defined below) (or the earlier
redemption or expiration of the Rights).
Except as set forth below, each Right, when it becomes exercisable,
entitles the registered holder to purchase one one-hundredth of a share of
Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock, $1.00 par value (the "Preferred
Shares"), at a price of $75, subject to adjustment (the "Purchase Price"). The
description and terms of the Rights are set forth in a Rights Agreement (the
"Rights Agreement") between the Company and the American Stock Transfer & Trust
Company, as Rights Agent (the "Rights Agent"), dated as of February 17, 1999.
Initially, the Rights will be attached to all certificates representing
Common Shares then outstanding, and no separate Right Certificates will be
distributed. The Rights will separate from the Common Shares upon the earliest
to occur of (i) the tenth day after a person or entity (a "Person") or group of
affiliated or associated Persons (a "Group") having acquired beneficial
ownership of 15% or more of the outstanding Common Shares (except pursuant to a
Permitted Offer, as hereinafter defined); or (ii) 10 business days (or such
later date as the Board of Directors may determine) following the commencement
of, or announcement of an intention to make, a tender offer or exchange offer
the consummation of which would result in a Person or Group becoming an
Acquiring Person (as hereinafter defined) (the earliest of such dates being
called the "Distribution Date"). A Person or Group whose acquisition of Common
Shares causes a Distribution Date pursuant to clause (i) above is an "Acquiring
Person." The date that a Person or Group becomes an Acquiring Person is the
"Stock Acquisition Date."
Notwithstanding the foregoing, stockholders who currently own in excess of
15% of the outstanding Common Shares and their affiliates, associates and
permitted transferees will not be deemed to be Acquiring Persons and their
ownership will not cause a Distribution Date unless they acquire additional
Common Shares equal to more than 20% of the number of Common Shares owned by
them on the date of the Rights Agreement.
In addition, a Person who acquires Common Shares pursuant to a tender or
exchange offer which is for all outstanding Common Shares at a price and on
terms which the Board of Directors determines (prior to acquisition) to be
adequate and in the best interests of the Company and its stockholders (other
than such Person, its affiliates and associates) (a "Permitted Offer") will not
be deemed to be an Acquiring Person and such Person's ownership will not
constitute a Distribution Date.
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The Preferred Shares purchasable upon exercise of the Rights will have a
minimum preferential quarterly dividend of $1.00 per share, but will be entitled
to receive, in the aggregate, a dividend of 100 times the dividend declared on
the Common Shares. In the event of liquidation, the holders of the Preferred
Shares will be entitled to receive a minimum liquidation payment of $100 per
share, but will be entitled to receive an aggregate liquidation payment equal to
100 times the payment made per Common Share. Each Preferred Share will have 100
votes, voting together with the Common Shares. In the event of any merger,
consolidation or other transaction in which Common Shares are exchanged, each
Preferred Share will be entitled to receive 100 times the amount and type of
consideration received per Common Share. The rights of the Preferred Shares as
to dividends and liquidation, and in the event of mergers and consolidation, are
protected by customary anti-dilution provisions.
The Rights Agreement provides that, until the Distribution Date, the Rights
will be transferred with and only with the Common Shares. Until the Distribution
Date (or earlier redemption or expiration of the Rights), new Common Share
certificates issued after the Record Date upon the transfer or new issuance of
Common Shares will contain a notation incorporating the Rights Agreement by
reference. Until the Distribution Date (or earlier redemption or expiration of
the Rights), the surrender for transfer of any certificates for Common Shares
outstanding as of the Record Date, even without such notation or a copy of this
Summary of Rights being attached thereto, will also constitute the transfer of
the Rights associated with the Common Shares represented by such certificate. As
soon as practicable following the Distribution Date, separate certificates
evidencing the Rights ("Right Certificates") will be mailed to holders of record
of the Common Shares as of the close of business on the Distribution Date (and
to each initial record holder of certain Common Shares issued after the
Distribution Date), and such separate Right Certificates alone will evidence the
Rights.
The Rights are not exercisable until the Distribution Date, and will expire
at the close of business on February 17, 2009, unless earlier redeemed by the
Company as described below.
In the event that any person becomes an Acquiring Person, each holder of
Rights (other than Rights that have become null and void as described below)
will thereafter have the right (the "Flip-In Right") to receive, upon exercise
of such Rights, the number of Common Shares (or, in certain circumstances, other
securities of the Company) having a value (immediately prior to such triggering
event) equal to two times the aggregate exercise price of such Rights. For
example, if a Person became an Acquiring person at a time when the current per
share market price of the Company's Common Shares is $20 and the Purchase Price
was $100, each holder of a Right (other than a Right which has become null and
void as described herein) would have the right to receive ten Common Shares upon
exercise of the Right and payment of the Purchase Price of $100. Following the
occurrence of the event described above, all Rights that are or (under certain
circumstances specified in the Rights Agreement) were beneficially owned by any
Acquiring Person or any affiliate or associate thereof or certain transferees
thereof will be null and void.
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The Board, at its option, may at any time after any Person becomes an
Acquiring Person exchange all or part of the then issued and outstanding Rights
(other than those that have become null and void as described above) for Common
Shares at an exchange ratio of one Common Share per Right in lieu of the Flip-In
Right, provided no Person is the beneficial owner of 50% or more of the Common
Shares at the time of such exchange.
In the event that, at any time following the Stock Acquisition Date, (i)
the Company is acquired in a merger or other business combination transaction in
which the holders of all of the outstanding Common Shares immediately prior to
the consummation of the transaction are not the holders of all of the surviving
corporation's voting power, or (ii) more than 50% of the Company's assets or
earning power is sold or transferred, then each holder of Rights (except Rights
which previously have been voided as set forth above) shall thereafter have the
right (the "Flip-Over Right") to receive, upon exercise of such Rights, common
shares of the acquiring company (or in certain circumstances, its parent) having
a value equal to two times the aggregate exercise price of the Rights. The
Flip-Over Right shall not apply to any transaction described in clause (i) if
such transaction is with a Person or Persons (or a wholly owned subsidiary of
any such Person or Persons) that acquired Common Shares pursuant to a Permitted
Offer and the price and form of consideration offered in such transaction is the
same as that paid to all holders of Common Shares whose shares were purchased
pursuant to the Permitted Offer. The holder of a Right will continue to have the
Flip-Over Right whether or not such holder exercises or surrenders the Flip-In
Right.
The Purchase Price payable, and the number of Common Shares or other
securities issuable, upon exercise of the Rights are subject to adjustment from
time to time to prevent dilution (i) in the event of a stock dividend on, or a
subdivision, combination or reclassification of, the Common Shares, (ii) upon
the grant to holders of the Common Shares of certain rights or warrants to
subscribe for or purchase Common Shares at a price, or securities convertible
into Common Shares with a conversion price, less than the then current market
price of the Common Shares, or (iii) upon the distribution to holders of the
Common Shares of evidences of indebtedness or assets (excluding regular
quarterly cash dividends) or of subscription rights or warrants (other than
those referred to above).
With certain exceptions, no adjustment in the Purchase Price will be
required until cumulative adjustments require an adjustment of at least 1% in
such Purchase Price. No fractional Common Shares will be issued and, in lieu
thereof, an adjustment in cash will be made based on the market price of the
Common Shares on the last trading day prior to the date of exercise.
At any time prior to the earlier to occur of (i) a person becoming an
Acquiring Person or (ii) the expiration of the Rights, the Company may redeem
the Rights in whole, but not in part, at a price of $.01 per Right (the
"Redemption Price"), which redemption shall be effective at such time, on such
basis and with such conditions as the Board of Directors may establish in its
sole discretion. The Company may, at its option, pay the Redemption Price in
Common Shares.
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All of the provisions of the Rights Agreement may be amended by the Board
of Directors prior to the Distribution Date. After the Distribution Date, the
provisions of the Rights Agreement may be amended by the Board of Directors in
order to cure any ambiguity, defect or inconsistency, to make changes which do
not adversely affect the interests of holders of Rights (excluding the interests
of any Acquiring Person), or, subject to certain limitations, to shorten or
lengthen any time period under the Rights Agreement.
Until a Right is exercised, the holder thereof, as such, will have no
rights as a stockholder of the Company, including, without limitation, the right
to vote or to receive dividends. While the distribution of the Rights will not
be taxable to stockholders of the Company, stockholders may, depending upon the
circumstances, recognize taxable income should the Rights become exercisable or
upon the occurrence of certain events thereafter.
The Rights have certain anti-takeover effects. The Rights will cause
substantial dilution to a person or group that attempts to acquire the Company
on terms not approved by the Board of Directors, except pursuant to an offer
conditioned on a substantial number of Rights being acquired. The Rights should
not interfere with any merger or other business combination approved by the
Board of Directors, as the Rights may be redeemed by the Corporation at $.01 per
Right prior to the time that a person or group has acquired beneficial ownership
of 15% or more of the shares of Common Stock.
A copy of the Rights Agreement has been filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission as an Exhibit to a Registration Statement on Form 8-A. A
copy of the Rights Agreement is available free of charge from the Company. This
summary description of the Rights does not purport to be complete and is
qualified in its entirety by reference to the Rights Agreement, which is
incorporated herein by reference.
ITEM 7. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, PRO FORMA INFORMATION AND EXHIBITS
(c) Exhibits.
4.1 Rights Agreement, dated as of February 17, 1999, between The Alpine
Group, Inc. and American Stock Transfer and Trust Company,
incorporated by reference to The Alpine Group, Inc. Form 8-A filed
with the Securities and Exchange Commission on February 18, 1999.
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SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, The
Alpine Group, Inc. has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
Date: February 17, 1999
THE ALPINE GROUP, INC.
By: /s/ Stewart Wahrsager, Esq.
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Name: Stewart Wahrsager, Esq.
Title:Senior Vice President, General
Counsel and Secretary
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