SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, DC 20549
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SCHEDULE 13D
INFORMATION TO BE INCLUDED IN STATEMENTS FILED PURSUANT
TO RULE 13d-1(a) AND AMENDMENTS THERETO FILED PURSUANT TO
RULE 13d-2(a)
(Amendment No. __)*
Vector Group Ltd.
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(Name of Issuer)
Common Stock
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(Title of Class of Securities)
112525100
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(CUSIP Number)
Gilbert, Segall and Young LLP
430 Park Avenue
New York, New York 10022
Attention: Arthur E. Rosenberg, Esq.
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(Name, Address and Telephone Number of Person
Authorized to Receive Notices and Communications)
June 30, 2000
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(Date of Event Which Requires Filing of This Statement)
If the filing person has previously filed a statement on Schedule 13G to report
the acquisition that is the subject of this Schedule 130, and is filing this
schedule because of Rule 13d-l(e), 13d-l(f), check the following box |_|.
Note: Schedules filed in paper format shall include a signed original and five
copies of the schedule, including all exhibits. See Rule 13d-7(b) for other
parties to whom copies are to be sent.
(Continued on following pages)
(Page 1 of 8 Pages)
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* 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 disclosures provided in a prior cover page.
The information required on 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 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>
CUSIP No. 112525100 SCHEDULE 13D Page 2 of 8 Pages
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1 NAMES OF REPORTING PERSONS
I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NOS. OF ABOVE PERSONS (ENTITIES ONLY)
Artemis America Partnership
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2 CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP*
(a) |X|
(b) |_|
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3 SEC USE ONLY
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4 SOURCE OF FUNDS*
OO
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5 CHECK BOX IF DISCLOSURE OF LEGAL PROCEEDINGS IS REQUIRED PURSUANT
TO ITEM 2(d) or 2(e) |_|
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6 CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION
Delaware
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7 SOLE VOTING POWER
--------------------------------------------------------
NUMBER OF 8 SHARED VOTING POWER
SHARES
BENEFICIALLY 1,826,000 shares of Common Stock
OWNED BY --------------------------------------------------------
EACH 9 SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
REPORTING
PERSON
WITH --------------------------------------------------------
10 SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
1,826,000 shares of Common Stock
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11 AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
1,826,000 shares of Common Stock
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12 CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (11) EXCLUDES
CERTAIN SHARES* |_|
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13 PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (11)
7.7%
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14 TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON*
PN
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*SEE INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE FILLING OUT!
<PAGE>
CUSIP No. 112525100 SCHEDULE 13D Page 3 of 8 Pages
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1 NAMES OF REPORTING PERSONS
I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NOS. OF ABOVE PERSONS (ENTITIES ONLY)
Artemis Finance SNC
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2 CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP*
(a) |X|
(b) |_|
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3 SEC USE ONLY
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4 SOURCE OF FUNDS*
OO
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5 CHECK BOX IF DISCLOSURE OF LEGAL PROCEEDINGS IS REQUIRED PURSUANT
TO ITEM 2(d) or 2(e) |_|
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6 CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION
France
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7 SOLE VOTING POWER
--------------------------------------------------------
NUMBER OF 8 SHARED VOTING POWER
SHARES
BENEFICIALLY 1,826,000 shares of Common Stock
OWNED BY --------------------------------------------------------
EACH 9 SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
REPORTING
PERSON
WITH --------------------------------------------------------
10 SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
1,826,000 shares of Common Stock
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11 AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
1,826,000 shares of Common Stock
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
12 CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (11) EXCLUDES
CERTAIN SHARES* |_|
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
13 PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (11)
7.7%
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14 TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON*
PN
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*SEE INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE FILLING OUT!
<PAGE>
CUSIP No. 112525100 SCHEDULE 13D Page 4 of 8 Pages
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1 NAMES OF REPORTING PERSONS
I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NOS. OF ABOVE PERSONS (ENTITIES ONLY)
Artemis SA
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2 CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP*
(a) |X|
(b) |_|
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3 SEC USE ONLY
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4 SOURCE OF FUNDS*
OO
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5 CHECK BOX IF DISCLOSURE OF LEGAL PROCEEDINGS IS REQUIRED PURSUANT
TO ITEM 2(d) or 2(e) |_|
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6 CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION
France
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7 SOLE VOTING POWER
--------------------------------------------------------
NUMBER OF 8 SHARED VOTING POWER
SHARES
BENEFICIALLY 1,826,000 shares of Common Stock
OWNED BY --------------------------------------------------------
EACH 9 SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
REPORTING
PERSON
WITH --------------------------------------------------------
10 SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
1,826,000 shares of Common Stock
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
11 AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
1,826,000 shares of Common Stock
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
12 CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (11) EXCLUDES
CERTAIN SHARES* |_|
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
13 PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (11)
7.7%
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14 TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON*
HC; CO
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*SEE INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE FILLING OUT!
<PAGE>
Page 5
STATEMENT PURSUANT TO RULE 13d-1
OF THE
GENERAL RULES AND REGULATIONS
UNDER THE
SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934, AS AMENDED
Item 1. Security and Issuer
This Statement on Schedule 13D relates to the Common Stock, $.10 par value
per share ("Common Stock"), of Vector Group Ltd., a Delaware corporation (the
"Issuer"). The principal executive offices of the Issuer are located at 100 S.E.
Second Street, Florida 33131
Item 2. Identity and Background
This Schedule 13D is being filed jointly on behalf of Artemis America
Partnership ("Artemis America"); Artemis Finance SNC ("Artemis Finance"); and
Artemis SA ("Artemis," and together with Artemis America and Artemis Finance,
the "Reporting Persons").
Artemis America is principally engaged in making and holding investments
in U.S. commercial and industrial business. The general partners of Artemis
America are Artemis Finance and Artemis. Artemis is a holding company and
Artemis Finance is a partnership, both of which are principally engaged in
directly and indirectly making and holding investments in French and foreign
businesses. The directors of Artemis are Francois Pinault, Patricia Barbizet,
Francois-Jean Pinault, Jean-Louis de Roux, and John Ryan.
The principal office of Artemis America is c/o RL&F Services Corporation,
One Rodney Square, Wilmington, Delaware 19801. The principal office of Artemis
Finance and Artemis is 5 Boulevard de Latour Maubourg, 75007 Paris, France.
Set forth in Appendix A attached hereto and incorporated herein by
reference are the names, business addresses, principal occupation and
citizenship of each executive officer and director of the Reporting Persons and
other entities as to which such information is required to be disclosed in
response to Item 2 and General Instruction C of Schedule 13D.
During the last five years, none of the Reporting Persons, or, to the best
of their respective knowledge, any executive officer or director of such
entities, has been convicted in a criminal proceeding (excluding traffic
violations or similar misdemeanors) or has been a party to a civil proceeding of
a judicial or administrative body of competent jurisdiction and as a result of
such proceeding was or is subject to a judgment, decree or final order enjoining
future violations of, or prohibiting or mandating activities subject to, federal
or state securities laws or finding any violation with respect to such laws.
<PAGE>
Page 6
Item 3. Source and Amount of Funds or Other Consideration
See the information set forth under "Item 4. Purpose of the Transaction."
Item 4. Purpose of the Transaction
The filing is being made in connection with the transfer to Artemis
America, effective as of June 30, 2000, of voting rights with respect to
currently exercisable warrants to purchase an aggregate of 1,826,000 shares of
Common Stock (the "Warrants"). The Warrants were previously beneficially held by
Lion Advisors, L.P. ("Lion") in a managed account on behalf of Artemis America
pursuant to a management agreement by and between Lion and Artemis America (the
"Management Agreement"). The Management Agreement expired pursuant to its terms
on June 30, 2000, effecting the transfer of beneficial ownership of the
Warrants, for no additional consideration, from Lion to Artemis America.
The Reporting Persons currently hold the Warrants for general investment
purposes; however, the Reporting Persons retain the right to change their
investment intent in the future depending upon relevant and applicable
circumstances.
Except as set forth herein, the Reporting Persons do not have any plans or
proposals which would relate to or result in any of the transactions described
in subparagraphs (a) through (j) of Item 4 of Schedule 13D.
Item 5. Interest of Securities of the Issuer
(a) The Warrants are currently exercisable for an aggregate of 1,826,000
shares of Common Stock. Accordingly, Artemis America currently beneficially owns
within the meaning of Rule 13d-3, by virtue of their ownership of the Warrants,
an aggregate of 1,826,000 shares of Common Stock, representing approximately
7.7% of the issued and outstanding shares of Common Stock (assuming exercise in
full of the Warrants), based on the Issuer having issued and outstanding
21,989,782 shares of Common Stock on May 12, 2000 (according to the Issuer's
most recent Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q). Artemis Finance and Artemis as
general partners of Artemis America may be deemed to be the beneficial owners of
the Warrants owned by Artemis America.
(b) The Reporting Persons may be deemed to have shared voting and
dispositive power with respect to 1,826,000 shares of Common Stock. See the
information set forth on Appendix A.
(c) See the information set forth under "Item 4. Purpose of the
Transaction."
(d) - (e) Not applicable.
<PAGE>
Page 7
Item 6. Contracts, Arrangements, Understandings or Relationships With Respect to
the Securities of the Issuer
None.
Item 7. Material to be Filed as Exhibits
None.
SIGNATURE
After reasonably inquiry and to the best of their knowledge and belief,
the undersigned certify that the information set forth in this statement is
true, complete and correct.
Dated: July 10, 2000
ARTEMIS AMERICA PARTNERSHIP
By: Artemis SA, General Partner
By: /s/ Emmanuel Cueff
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Name: Emmanuel Cueff
Title: General Secretary
ARTEMIS FINANCE SNC
By: Artemis SA, General Partner
By: /s/ Emmanuel Cueff
------------------------------------
Name: Emmanuel Cueff
Title: General Secretary
ARTEMIS SA
By: /s/ Emmanuel Cueff
------------------------------------
Name: Emmanuel Cueff
Title: General Secretary
<PAGE>
Page 8
APPENDIX A
The following sets forth information with respect to the general partners,
executive officers, directors and principal shareholders of the Reporting
Persons.
The general partners of Artemis America are Artemis Finance and Artemis.
The general partner of Artemis Finance is Artemis.
The directors and executive officers of Artemis are Francois Pinault,
Chairman; Patricia Barbizet, Director and Chief Operating Officer; Francois-Jean
Pinault, Director; Jean Louis de Roux, Director; and John Ryan, Director. Mr.
Ryan is a U.S. citizen with a business address at 13 Avenue de Bude, Geneva,
1202 Switzerland. All of the other directors and officers listed above are
French citizens. The business address for each of the above directors and
officers, other than Mr. Ryan, is 5 Boulevard de Latour Maubourg, 75007, Paris,
France.
