GROW GROUP INC
8-K, 1995-05-25
PAINTS, VARNISHES, LACQUERS, ENAMELS & ALLIED PRODS
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                   SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                        WASHINGTON, D.C.  20549
                                           

                                FORM 8-K

                            CURRENT REPORT

                  PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(D) OF
                  THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

   DATE OF REPORT (DATE OF EARLIEST EVENT REPORTED):    MAY 21, 1995     

                             GROW GROUP, INC.                 
           (EXACT NAME OF REGISTRANT AS SPECIFIED IN CHARTER)

                                NEW YORK                     
              (STATE OR OTHER JURISDICTION OF INCORPORATION)

           1-4596                                  11-1665588          
   (COMMISSION FILE NUMBER)            (IRS EMPLOYER IDENTIFICATION NO.)

     200 PARK AVENUE, NEW YORK, NEW YORK                 10166  
   (ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE OFFICES)            (ZIP CODE)

     REGISTRANT'S TELEPHONE NUMBER, INCLUDING AREA CODE: (212) 599-4400

                               NOT APPLICABLE                      
       (FORMER NAME OR FORMER ADDRESS, IF CHANGED SINCE LAST REPORT)


   ITEM 5.   OTHER EVENTS.

             On May 21, 1995, Grow Group, Inc., a New York corporation
   (the "Company"), Imperial Chemical Industries PLC, a corporation
   organized under the laws of England ("ICI"), and GDEN Corporation, a
   New York corporation and an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of ICI
   ("GDEN"), executed Amendment No. 1 ("Amendment No. 1") to the
   Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of April 30, 1995, among the
   Company, ICI and GDEN.  Pursuant to Amendment No. 1, GDEN has amended
   and supplemented GDEN's Offer to Purchase, dated May 4, 1995 (the
   "Offer to Purchase"), to increase the price being offered pursuant to
   GDEN's May 4, 1995 tender offer from $18.10 per share to $22.00 per
   share, net to the seller in cash, subject to the terms and conditions
   set forth in the Offer to Purchase and the Supplement thereto dated
   May 22, 1995.  A copy of Amendment No. 1 has been filed as an exhibit
   hereto and is incorporated herein by reference. 

             On May 22, 1995, The Sherwin-Williams Company ("Sherwin-
   Williams") announced that it was withdrawing its $19.50 per share cash
   tender offer to purchase all outstanding shares of the Company's
   common stock and that, subject to appropriate documentation, Sherwin-
   Williams would terminate the litigation that was previously filed in
   federal and state courts with regard to the tender offer and related
   transactions by ICI and GDEN.  
    
   ITEM 7.   FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, PRO FORMA FINANCIAL INFORMATION AND
             EXHIBITS

             (C)  EXHIBITS.

                   99.1          Amendment No. 1, dated as of May 21,
                                 1995, to the Agreement and Plan of
                                 Merger, dated as of April 30, 1995, by
                                 and among the Company, ICI and GDEN.


                               SIGNATURE

             Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act
   of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on
   its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

                                      GROW GROUP, INC.

   Date:  May 25, 1995

                                      By:  /s/  Lloyd Frank
                                           Lloyd Frank
                                           Secretary


                             Exhibit Index

   Exhibits

   99.1           Amendment No. 1, dated as of May 21, 1995, to the
                  Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of April 30,
                  1995, by and among the Company, ICI and GDEN. 



                            ICI FORM OF AMENDMENT

               AMENDMENT NO. 1 TO AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER

                    Amendment No. 1 ("Amendment No. 1") dated as of
          May 21, 1995, amending the Agreement and Plan of Merger,
          dated as of April 30, 1995 ("Agreement"), among Grow
          Group, Inc., a New York corporation (the "Company"),
          Imperial Chemical Industries PLC, a corporation organized
          under the laws of England ("Buyer"), and GDEN
          Corporation, a New York corporation and an indirect
          wholly owned subsidiary of Buyer ("Merger Subsidiary").

                    WHEREAS, the parties hereto desire to amend the
          Agreement in certain respects in accordance with Section
          11.03 of the Agreement; 

                    NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual
          agreements herein contained and intending to be legally
          bound hereby, the parties hereto agree as follows:

                    1.  Definitions.  Capitalized terms used herein
          and not otherwise defined herein shall have the meaning
          provided therefor in the Agreement.

                    2.  Amendments to Agreement.  The Agreement is
          hereby amended as set forth in this Section 2:

                         (i)  Section 1.01 of the Agreement is
          amended to add the following new paragraphs (c) and (d):

                                   (c)  Pursuant to an offer to
                         purchase, dated May 4, 1995 (the "Offer to
                         Purchase"), Merger Subsidiary has offered
                         to purchase all of the outstanding Shares
                         at a price of $18.10 per Share, net to the
                         seller in cash (the "Offer").  On or prior
                         to the close of business on May 23, 1995,
                         Buyer shall cause Merger Subsidiary to
                         amend and supplement the Offer to Purchase
                         to (i) increase the price being offered
                         pursuant to the Offer from $18.10 to
                         $22.00 per Share (the "New Offer Price"),
                         net to the seller in cash, subject to any
                         amounts required to be withheld under
                         applicable federal, state, local, or
                         foreign income tax regulations, and (ii)
                         extend the expiration date of the Offer to
                         the date which is ten (10) business days
                         subsequent to the date that such amendment
                         and supplement to the Offer to Purchase is
                         first filed with the SEC (the "Expiration
                         Date"); provided, however, that if the
                         Minimum Condition has not been satisfied
                         by the Expiration Date, Buyer and Merger
                         Subsidiary agree to extend the Expiration
                         Date for one or more periods for up to an
                         aggregate of 30 calendar days until the
                         Minimum Condition is satisfied.  The Offer
                         as amended pursuant to the provisions
                         hereof is herein referred to as the
                         "Amended Offer" and unless the context
                         otherwise requires, all references in the
                         Agreement to the "Offer" shall mean the
                         "Amended Offer" and all references in the
                         Agreement to the "Offer Price" shall mean
                         the "New Offer Price".

                                   (d)  On the date the Offer is
                         amended, Buyer and Merger Subsidiary shall
                         file (i) with the SEC an amendment to the
                         Tender Offer Statement on Schedule 14D-1
                         filed on May 4, 1995 (such Schedule 14D-1
                         together with all other amendments and
                         supplements thereto, the "Schedule 14D-
                         1"), which shall include as exhibits a
                         supplement to the Offer to Purchase (the
                         "Supplement") and a revised letter of
                         transmittal which provides for the Amended
                         Offer; and (ii) with the Attorney General
                         of the State of New York, an Amendment
                         with respect to the Registration Statement
                         filed on May 4, 1995 in accordance with
                         the Security Takeover Disclosure Act. 
                         Buyer and the Company each agrees promptly
                         to correct any information provided by it
                         for use in the Offer Documents if and to
                         the extent that it shall have become false
                         or misleading in any material respect. 
                         Buyer agrees to take all steps necessary
                         to cause the Offer Documents as so
                         corrected to be filed with the SEC and
                         with the Attorney General of the State of
                         New York and to be disseminated to holders
                         of the Shares, in each case as and to the
                         extent required by applicable federal and
                         state laws.  The Company and its counsel
                         shall be given a reasonable opportunity to
                         review and comment on the amended Offer
                         Documents, including the Supplement, prior
                         to their being filed with the applicable
                         authorities.

                         (ii)  Section 1.02 of the Agreement is
          amended to add the following new paragraphs (d) and (e):

                                   (d)  The Company hereby consents
                         to the Amended Offer and represents that
                         its Board of Directors at a meeting duly
                         called and held on May 21, 1995, (i) has
                         determined that the Amended Offer is fair
                         to, and in the best interests of, the
                         stockholders of the Company; (ii) has
                         approved this Amendment No. 1 and the
                         Amended Offer; and (iii) has resolved to
                         recommend approval and adoption of this
                         Amendment No. 1 and acceptance of the
                         Amended Offer by the Company's
                         stockholders; provided that such
                         recommendation may be withdrawn, modified
                         or amended if, in the opinion of the Board
                         of Directors, after consultation with
                         independent legal counsel, such
                         recommendation would be inconsistent with
                         its fiduciary duties to the Company's
                         stockholders under applicable law.  The
                         Supplement may contain reference to the
                         recommendation of the Board of Directors
                         that the Company's stockholders accept the
                         Amended Offer.  The Company shall promptly
                         file with the SEC and mail to the holders
                         of Shares an amendment to the
                         Solicitation/Recommendation Statement on
                         Schedule 14D-9 previously filed on behalf
                         of the Company with the SEC (the "Schedule
                         14D-9 Amendment"), which amendment shall
                         reflect such recommendation of the Board
                         of Directors.

                                   (e)  The Company agrees promptly
                         to correct any information in the Schedule
                         14D-9 Amendment which shall have become
                         false or misleading in any material
                         respect and take all steps necessary to
                         cause the Schedule 14D-9 Amendment as so
                         corrected to be filed with the SEC and
                         disseminated to holders of Shares, as and
                         to the extent required by applicable law. 
                         Buyer and its counsel shall be given a
                         reasonable opportunity to review and
                         comment on the Schedule 14D-9 Amendment
                         prior to its being filed with the
                         applicable authorities.

                         (iii)  Section 2.05(a), clause (i) of the
          Agreement is hereby amended to read in its entirety as
          follows:

                         (i)  the excess, if any, of the Merger
                         Consideration over the applicable exercise
                         price of such Option by 

                         (iv)  Section 11.04 of the Agreement is
          hereby amended to add the following new paragraph (c) at
          the end of Section 11.04:

                                   (c)  The Company agrees to pay
                         Buyer in respect of Buyer's expenses and
                         lost opportunity costs an amount in
                         immediately available funds equal to
                         $16,000,000 promptly, but in no event
                         later than two business days, after the
                         occurrence of the events specified below
                         in both clauses (A) and (B):

                                   (A)  A Trigger Event within the
                         meaning of and as specified in Section
                         11.04(b) of this Agreement shall have
                         occurred at any time from or after the
                         date hereof and, as a result thereof, this
                         Agreement is terminated, and (B) within
                         six months after such termination of this
                         Agreement has occurred, an Acquisition
                         Transaction shall have been consummated
                         with any Person (as defined in Sections
                         3(a)(9) and 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act)
                         other than Buyer or a subsidiary or other
                         Affiliate (as defined in Rule 12b-2 under
                         the Exchange Act) of Buyer. 

                                   For purposes of this Section,
                         "Acquisition Transaction" shall mean (i) a
                         merger or consolidation, or any similar
                         business combination transaction,
                         involving the Company; (ii) a purchase,
                         lease or acquisition of all or
                         substantially all of the assets of the
                         Company and its subsidiaries taken as a
                         whole; or (iii) the purchase or
                         acquisition by any Person of securities
                         representing more than 50% of the then
                         outstanding Shares.

                    4.  Miscellaneous.  Except as expressly amended
          hereby, the terms and conditions of the Agreement shall
          continue in full force and effect.  This Amendment No. 1
          is limited precisely as written and shall not be deemed
          to be an amendment to any other term or condition of the
          Agreement or any of the documents referred to therein. 
          Wherever "Agreement" is referred to in the Agreement or
          in any other agreements, documents and instruments, such
          reference shall be to the Agreement as amended hereby. 

                    4.  Counterparts.  This Amendment No. 1 may be
          executed in any number of counterparts and by different
          parties hereto in separate counterparts, each of which
          when so executed shall be deemed to be an original but
          all of which taken together shall constitute one and the
          same agreement.

                    5.  Governing Law.  This Amendment No. 1 shall
          be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws
          of the State of New York without giving effect to the
          provisions thereof relating to conflicts of law.


                    IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this Amendment No. 1 has
          been duly executed and delivered by the Company, Buyer
          and Merger Subsidiary on the date first above written.

                                        GROW GROUP, INC.

                                        By:/s/ R. Banks                   
                                           Name:  Russell Banks
                                           Title:  President & CEO

                                        IMPERIAL CHEMICAL INDUSTRIES PLC

                                        By:/s/ John Thompson              
                                           Name:  John Thompson
                                           Title:  Attorney-in-Fact

                                        GDEN CORPORATION

                                        By:/s/ John Thompson              
                                           Name:  John Thompson
                                           Title:  President




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