HOUGHTON MIFFLIN CO
S-8, 1998-07-02
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<PAGE>   1

         As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on July 2, 1998

                                               Registration No. 33-_____________

================================================================================

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                            -------------------------

                                    FORM S-8
             REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

                           --------------------------


                            HOUGHTON MIFFLIN COMPANY
             ------------------------------------------------------
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)


         Massachusetts                                       04-1456030
- ------------------------------                           -------------------
(State or other jurisdiction of                           (I.R.S. Employer
incorporation or organization)                           Identification No.)



222 Berkeley Street, Boston, Massachusetts                      01778
- ------------------------------                           -------------------
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)                      (Zip Code)


                          ----------------------------


                            HOUGHTON MIFFLIN COMPANY
                          1998 STOCK COMPENSATION PLAN
                              (Full Title of Plan)


                              PAUL D. WEAVER, ESQ.
                    Senior Vice President and General Counsel
                               222 Berkeley Street
                           Boston, Massachusetts 02116
                    (Name and address of agent for service)
                                  617-351-5000
                               (Telephone number,
                   including area code, of agent for service)

                          -----------------------------




<PAGE>   2

                         Calculation of Registration Fee

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                            Proposed    Proposed
                                             maximum     maximum
                              Amount        offering    aggregate     Amount of
   Title of securities         to be          price     offering    registration
     to be registered     registered (1)    per share     price         fee
     ----------------     --------------    ---------   ---------   ------------
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

<S>                          <C>               <C>         <C>           <C>
Common Stock, par
value $1.00 per share(2)     1,800,000     $32.4375(3) $58,387,500   $17,224.31
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
</TABLE>



- ----------------------

(1)  Plus such additional number of shares as may be required pursuant to the
     plan in the event of a stock dividend, stock split, recapitalization or
     other similar event.

(2)  This Registration Statement also relates to the rights (the "Rights") to
     purchase shares of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock of the
     Registrant which are attached to all shares of Common Stock outstanding as
     of, and issued subsequent to, December 19, 1988, pursuant to the terms of
     the Registrant's Renewed Rights Agreement, dated as of July 30, 1997.

(3)  This estimate is made pursuant to Rule 457(c) and (h) under the Securities
     Act solely for the purpose of determining the amount of the registration
     fee and is based upon the market value of outstanding shares of Houghton
     Mifflin Company Common Stock on June 29, 1998, utilizing the average of the
     high and low sale prices reported on the New York Stock Exchange on that
     date.



                                      -2-
<PAGE>   3


                                     Part II

               INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

Item 3.   INCORPORATION OF DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE.

     The following documents are incorporated by reference in this registration
statement:

     (a)  The latest annual report on Form 10-K of Houghton Mifflin Company (the
          "Company" or the "registrant") filed with the Securities and Exchange
          Commission pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities
          Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act");

     (b)  All other reports filed pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the
          Exchange Act since the end of the fiscal year covered by the
          registrant document referred to in (a) above; and

     (c)  The description of the registrant's Common Stock contained in its
          registration statement under the Exchange Act and any amendments or
          reports filed for the purpose of updating such description.

     In addition, all documents subsequently filed by the registrant pursuant to
Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act, prior to the filing of
a post-effective amendment which indicates that all securities offered have been
sold or which deregisters all 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. Any statement contained in a
document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference herein shall be
deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes hereof to the extent that a
statement contained herein or in any other subsequently filed document which
also is incorporated or 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 Registration Statement.

Item 4.   DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES.

     Not Applicable.

Item 5.   INTERESTS OF NAMED EXPERTS AND COUNSEL.

     Not Applicable.

Item 6.   INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS.

     As permitted by Massachusetts law, the Restated Articles of Organization of
the Company contain indemnification provisions to the effect that, subject to
certain standards, directors and officers may be indemnified by the Company for
all liabilities incurred by them in connection with any proceeding in which they
are involved as a result of serving or having served as a director or officer of
the Company or, at the request of the Company, as a director or officer of any
other organization or in any capacity with respect to any employee benefit plan.

     As permitted by Massachusetts law, the Restated Articles of Organization of
the Company provide that a director of the Company will not be personally liable
to the Company or its stockholders for monetary damages arising out of the
director's breach of his or her fiduciary duty, except to the extent that the
Massachusetts Business Corporation Law ("MBCL") does not permit exception from
such liability. Currently, the MBCL provides that a director remains potentially
liable for monetary damages for (i) any breach of the director's duty of loyalty
to the Company or its stockholders; (ii) any acts or omissions not in good faith
or involving intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law; (iii) any
improper payment of a dividend, improper repurchase of the Company's stock, or
certain loans to directors and officers of the Company in violation of Sections
61 or 62 of MBCL; or (iv) any transaction from which a director derives an
improper benefit.


                                      -3-
<PAGE>   4

     As also permitted by Massachusetts law, the Company has purchased
directors' and officers' liability insurance, which insures against certain
liabilities incurred in connection with the performance of their duties.

Item 7.   EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION CLAIMED.

     Not Applicable.

Item 8.   EXHIBITS.

     The exhibits listed in the accompanying index to exhibits are filed as part
of this Registration Statement.

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 of 1933;

               (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; and

               (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) above 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 Section 13 or
Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are incorporated by
reference in the registration statement.


          (2)  That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the
               Securities Act of 1933, 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 of 1933, each
          filing of the registrant's annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or
          Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 


                                      -4-
<PAGE>   5

          1934 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.

     (c)  Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the
          Securities Act of 1933 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 Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification
          is against public policy as expressed in the 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 of 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 Act and will be
          governed by the final adjudication of such issue.



                                       -5-
<PAGE>   6

                                   SIGNATURES


     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, 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 Boston, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, on July 2,
1998.



                                        HOUGHTON MIFFLIN COMPANY



                                        By: /s/ Nader F. Darehshori
                                            ------------------------------------
                                            Nader F. Darehshori, Chairman
                                            of the Board, President an
                                            Chief Executive Officer


     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
Registration Statement has been signed below by the following persons in the
capacities and on the dates indicated.


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
SIGNATURE                        TITLE                                   DATE
- ---------                        -----                                   ----

<S>                              <C>                                     <C>    
Principal Executive Officer:

                                 
/s/ Nader F. Darehshori          Chairman of the Board, President,       July 2, 1998
- -------------------------------  and Chief Executive Officer, Director
Nader F. Darehshori              


Principal Financial Officer:

                                 
/s/ Gail Deegan                  Executive Vice President, Chief         July 2, 1998
- -------------------------------  Financial Officer, and Treasurer
Gail Deegan                      


Principal Accounting Officer:


/s/ David R. Caron               Vice President and Controller           July 2, 1998
- -------------------------------
David R. Caron


                                 Director                                July 2, 1998
- -------------------------------
Joseph A. Baute



James O. Freedman*               Director                                July 2, 1998
- -------------------------------
James O. Freedman
</TABLE>


                                      -6-
<PAGE>   7

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
SIGNATURE                        TITLE                                   DATE
- ---------                        -----                                   ----

<S>                              <C>                                     <C>    



Mary H. Lindsay*                 Director                                July 2, 1998
- -------------------------------
Mary H. Lindsay


Charles R. Longsworth*           Director                                July 2, 1998
- -------------------------------
Charles R. Longsworth


John F. Magee*                   Director                                July 2, 1998
- -------------------------------
John F. Magee


                                 Director                                July 2, 1998
- -------------------------------
Claudine B. Malone


Alfred L. McDougal*              Director                                July 2, 1998
- -------------------------------
Alfred L. McDougal


George Putnam*                   Director                                July 2, 1998
- -------------------------------
George Putnam


Ralph Z. Sorenson*               Director                                July 2, 1998
- -------------------------------
Ralph Z. Sorenson


Robert J. Tarr, Jr.*             Director                                July 2, 1998
- -------------------------------
Robert J. Tarr, Jr.
</TABLE>

*By: /s/ Paul D. Weaver
     -----------------------------------
     Paul D. Weaver,  Attorney-in-fact





                                      -7-
<PAGE>   8

                                  EXHIBIT INDEX




       Exhibit No.                       Description

          4.1       Registrant's Restated Articles of Organization, as amended
                    to date (incorporated by reference to Exhibits 4.1 and 4.2
                    to Registration Statement No. 33-14850, as amended)

                    Amendment to Restated Articles of Organization in the form
                    of a certificate of vote of directors establishing a series
                    of a classs of stock (incorporated by reference to Exhibit
                    3(i) of the registrant's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the
                    year ended December 31, 1995)


          4.2       Registrant's By-laws, as amended to date (incorporated by
                    reference to Exhibit 3(ii) of the registrant's Annual Report
                    on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1995)


          4.3       Rights Agreement between the registrant and the First
                    National Bank of Boston, as Rights Agent (incorporated by
                    reference to Exhibit 4 of the registrant's Annual Report on
                    Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1995)

                    Renewed Rights Agreement between the registrant and
                    BankBoston, N.A., as Rights Agent (incorporated by reference
                    to Exhibit 4 of the registrant's quarterly report on Form
                    10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 1997)


          5         Opinion of Goodwin, Procter & Hoar LLP

         23.1       Consent of Ernst & Young LLP

         23.2       Consent of Goodwin, Procter & Hoar LLP (included in 
                    Exhibit 5 of this registration statement

         24         Power of Attorney



                                      -8-

<PAGE>   1

                                    EXHIBIT 5

                  [Letterhead of Goodwin, Procter & Hoar LLP]




                                  July 2, 1998



Houghton Mifflin Company
222 Berkeley Street
Boston, Massachusetts 02116

Ladies and Gentlemen:

     This opinion is furnished in connection with the registration pursuant to
the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), of 1,800,000
shares (the "Shares") of Common Stock, par value $1.00 per shares ("Common
Stock"), of Houghton Mifflin Company, a Massachusetts corporation (the
"Company") to be issued from time to time pursuant to the Company's 1998 Stock
Compensation Plan (the "Plan").

     In connection with rendering this opinion, we have examined the Restated
Articles of Organization, as heretofore amended and restated, and the Bylaws of
the Company, as amended through the date hereof; such records of the corporate
proceedings of the Company as we deemed material; a registration statement on
Form S-8 under the Securities Act relating to the Shares (the "Registration
Statement") and such other certificates, receipts, records and documents as we
considered necessary for the purposes of this opinion.

     We are attorneys admitted to practice in The Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
We express no opinion concerning the laws of any jurisdictions other than the
laws of the United States of America and The Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

     Based upon the foregoing, we are of the opinion that the Shares, when
issued in accordance with the Plan and pursuant to the Registration Statement,
will be legally issued, fully paid and nonassessable shares of the Company's
Common Stock.

     The foregoing assumes that all requisite steps will be taken to comply with
the requirements of the Securities Act and applicable requirements of state laws
regulating the offer and sale of securities.

     We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the
Registration Statement.

                                         Very truly yours,



                                         /s/ GOODWIN, PROCTER & HOAR LLP


                                      -9-

<PAGE>   1

                                  EXHIBIT 23.1



                         CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT AUDITORS

We consent to the incorporation by reference in the Registration Statement
(Form S-8 No. 33__________ ) pertaining to the 1998 Stock Compensation Plan of
Houghton Mifflin Company of our report dated January 26, 1998, with respect
to the consolidated financial statements and schedule of Houghton Mifflin
Company included in its Annual Report (Form 10-K) for the year ended December
31, 1997, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.


                                       /s/ Ernst & Young LLP


Boston, Massachusetts
June 26, 1998





                                      -10-

<PAGE>   1

                                   EXHIBIT 24


                                POWER OF ATTORNEY
                                -----------------


     WE, the undersigned officers and Directors of Houghton Mifflin Company,
hereby severally constitute Nader F. Darehshori, Paul D. Weaver and Gary L.
Smith, and each of them singly, our true and lawful attorneys with full power to
them, and each of them singly, to sign for us and in our names in the capacities
indicated below and in such other capacities as the undersigned may from time to
time serve in the future, (i) the Registration Statement on Form S-8 filed with
the Securities and Exchange Commission for the purpose of registering securities
of Houghton Mifflin Company to be issued pursuant to the Houghton Mifflin
Company 1998 Stock Compensation Plan (such registration statement hereinafter
referred to as the "Registration Statement"), and (ii) any and all amendments to
said Registration Statement, and generally to do all such things in our name and
behalf (either on behalf of Houghton Mifflin Company or in our capacities as
officers and Directors thereof) to enable Houghton Mifflin Company to comply
with the provisions of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and all
requirements and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission, hereby
ratifying and confirming our signatures as they may be signed by our said
attorneys to said Registration Statement and any and all amendments thereto.

     Witness our hands and common seal on the dates set forth below.

     Dated:   June 24, 1998             HOUGHTON MIFFLIN COMPANY


                                        By: /s/ Nader F. Darehshori
                                            ------------------------------------
                                            Nader F. Darehshori, Chairman
                                            of the Board, President and
                                            Chief Executive Officer



<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
SIGNATURE                        TITLE                                  DATE
- ---------                        -----                                  ----

<S>                              <C>                                    <C> 
Principal Executive Officer:

                                 
/s/ Nader F. Darehshori          Chairman of the Board, President,      June 24, 1998
- -------------------------------  and Chief Executive Officer, Director
Nader F. Darehshori              


Principal Financial Officer:

                                 
/s/ Gail Deegan                  Executive Vice President, Chief        June 24, 1998
- -------------------------------  Financial Officer, and Treasurer
Gail Deegan                      


Principal Accounting Officer:


/s/ David R. Caron               Vice President and Controller          June 24, 1998
- -------------------------------
David R. Caron
</TABLE>


                                      -11-
<PAGE>   2


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
SIGNATURE                        TITLE                                  DATE
- ---------                        -----                                  ----

<S>                              <C>                                    <C> 


                                 Director                               June 24, 1998
- -------------------------------
Joseph A. Baute


/s/ James O. Freedman            Director                               June 24, 1998
- -------------------------------
James O. Freedman


/s/ Mary H. Lindsay              Director                               June 24, 1998
- -------------------------------
Mary H. Lindsay


/s/ Charles R. Longsworth        Director                               June 24, 1998
- -------------------------------
Charles R. Longsworth


/s/ John F. Magee                Director                               June 24, 1998
- -------------------------------
John F. Magee


                                 Director                               June 24, 1998
- -------------------------------
Claudine B. Malone


/s/ Alfred L. McDougal           Director                               June 24, 1998
- -------------------------------
Alfred L. McDougal


/s/ George Putnam                Director                               June 24, 1998
- -------------------------------
George Putnam


/s/ Ralph Z. Sorenson            Director                               June 24, 1998
- -------------------------------
Ralph Z. Sorenson


/s/ Robert J. Tarr, Jr.          Director                               June 24, 1998
- -------------------------------
Robert J. Tarr, Jr.
</TABLE>



                                      -12-


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