DST SYSTEMS INC
8-A12B/A, 1998-01-12
ENGINEERING, ACCOUNTING, RESEARCH, MANAGEMENT
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                                    FORM 8-A12B/A

                          SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                               Washington, D.C.  20549

                    REGISTRATION OF CERTAIN CLASSES OF SECURITIES
                       PURSUANT TO SECTION 12(b) OR (g) OF THE
                           SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

                                  DST SYSTEMS, INC.
                (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)


          State of incorporation or organization:  DELAWARE

          I.R.S. Employer Identification No.:  43-1581814

          333 WEST 11TH STREET, KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI              64105
          (Address of principal executive offices)               (Zip Code)

          Securities to be registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

               Title of each class           Name of each exchange on which
               to be so registered           each class is to be registered

               COMMON STOCK, PAR VALUE       NEW YORK STOCK EXCHANGE*
               $0.01 PER SHARE               CHICAGO STOCK EXCHANGE

          * Primary exchange for purposes of filings.

               If  this form  relates to  the  registration of  a class  of
          securities pursuant to  Section 12(b) of the Exchange  Act and is
          effective  pursuant  to  General  Instruction  A.(c),  check  the
          following box.  [ X ]

               If  this form  relates to  the  registration of  a class  of
          securities pursuant to  Section 12(g) of the Exchange  Act and is
          effective  pursuant  to  General  Instruction  A.(d),  check  the
          following box.  [   ]

          Securities Act registration  statement file number to  which this
          form relates:  1-14036

          Securities to be registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act:
          Not Applicable

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          <PAGE>

               This   registration   statement  amends   the   Registrant's
          registration statement originally filed October 30, 1995.

                    INFORMATION REQUIRED IN REGISTRATION STATEMENT

          Item 1.  Description of Registrant's Securities to be Registered.

               The  authorized  capital  stock of  DST  Systems,  Inc. (the
          "Company") includes 125,000,000 shares of Common Stock, $0.01 par
          value per share (the "Common  Stock"), of which 49,045,961 shares
          are outstanding as  of the date  of this Registration  Statement.
          Holders of Common Stock are  entitled to one vote for  each share
          held on all  matters submitted to a vote  of stockholders, except
          that stockholders  may cumulate  their votes  in the election  of
          directors.   Under  cumulative  voting,  a  minority  stockholder
          holding a sufficient  percentage of the Common Stock  may be able
          to ensure the election  of one or more directors.   At such times
          as   Kansas  City   Southern   Industries,  Inc.'s,   a  Delaware
          corporation ("KCSI's") ownership  of Common Stock falls  below 30
          percent of the  outstanding shares,  the affirmative  vote of  70
          percent of the voting power of all shares of the Company entitled
          to  vote for the  election of directors  is required to  amend or
          repeal  certain  provisions  of  the  Company's   Certificate  of
          Incorporation (the "Certificate").

               Certain provisions  of the Company's Certificate  and Bylaws
          could  be   deemed  to  have  an  anti-takeover  effect.    These
          provisions are intended  to enhance the likelihood  of continuity
          and stability in the composition of the Board and in the policies
          formulated  by  the  Board,  and  to  discourage  an  unsolicited
          takeover of  the  Company  if  the  Board  determines  that  such
          takeover is  not in the  best interests  of the  Company and  its
          stockholders.  However, these provisions could have the effect of
          discouraging  certain attempts to  acquire the company  or remove
          incumbent management  even if some or a  majority of stockholders
          deemed such an attempt to be in their best interests.  Insofar as
          KCSI holds a substantial percentage  of the outstanding shares of
          stock entitled to  vote generally  in the  election of  directors
          (the  "Voting Stock")  of  the  Company, the  Company  is not  at
          present expected  to  be vulnerable  to  a takeover  without  the
          approval of KCSI.

               The Certificate provides for a classified Board of Directors
          (the  "Board") consisting  of three classes,  as nearly  equal in
          number  as the then  authorized number of  directors constituting
          the Board permits.   The  initial terms of  the first class,  the
          second  class and  the  third  class are  set  to  expire at  the
          conclusion  of the 1996 annual meeting,  the 1997 annual meeting,
          and  the 1998 annual  meeting of stockholders,  respectively.  At
          each annual meeting of stockholders beginning in 1996, successors
          to the directors whose terms  expire at that annual meeting shall
          be  elected for  a three-year  term, with  each director  to hold
          office until a successor has been duly elected and qualified.  As
          a result,  approximately one-third of  the Board will  be elected
          each year.

                                          2
          <PAGE>

               The Certificate also includes certain provisions that do not
          take effect unless KCSI  ceases to own 30 percent or  more of the
          Company's  Voting  Stock   (the  "Ownership  Threshold").     The
          Certificate  provides  that  if KCSI  drops  below  the Ownership
          Threshold, stockholders may remove a director for cause only upon
          the affirmative vote  of 70 percent  of the  Voting Stock.   This
          provision,  combined  with  the  provisions  of  the  Certificate
          authorizing the Board  to fill vacant directorships,  precludes a
          stockholder from  removing incumbent directors without  cause and
          simultaneously  gaining control  of  the  Board  by  filling  the
          vacancies created  by such  removal with its  own nominees.   The
          Certificate also provides that if  KCSI drops below the Ownership
          Threshold, the affirmative vote of 70 percent of the Voting Stock
          is  required  to amend  the  Company's Bylaws,  to  amend certain
          provisions in the Company's Certificate and to enter into certain
          business  combinations  with  a   stockholder  that  directly  or
          indirectly owns 10 percent or more of the Company's Voting Stock.
          Finally, if KCSI drops below the Ownership Threshold,  any action
          by the stockholders of the Company may not be effected by written
          consent in lieu of a duly called annual or special meeting.

               The Bylaws  establish an  advance notice  procedure for  the
          nomination,  other than by  or at the direction  of the Board, of
          candidates  for election  as  directors  as  well  as  for  other
          stockholder  proposals to  be considered  at  annual meetings  of
          stockholders.   Notice must be  received by the Company  not less
          than 60 days prior to the annual meeting and must contain certain
          specified information concerning  the persons to be  nominated or
          the matters to  be brought before the meeting  and concerning the
          stockholder  submitting the proposal.  The Bylaws and Certificate
          also provide that special meetings of stockholders of the Company
          may  be called  only upon  the resolution  of a  majority  of the
          entire Board.

               The  Certificate provides that  the Board when  evaluating a
          tender  offer, merger or offer to  purchase all, or substantially
          all, of  the assets  of the  Company made  by  another party  may
          consider  expanded factors, including certain social and economic
          effects  of the  proposed  transaction.    The  Certificate  also
          provides for expanded indemnification  of directors and  officers
          of  the Company  and limits  the  liability of  directors of  the
          Company.  The Company shall  indemnify each person who is  or was
          an  officer or  director of  the Company,  or was  serving  as an
          officer or  director to any other  company at the request  of the
          Company,  to  the  fullest extent  permitted  under  the Delaware
          General  Corporation Law against all expenses, liability and loss
          reasonably  incurred by  such director  or officer  in  any legal
          proceeding to which  such person is made  or is threatened  to be
          made a party.   Such right to indemnification  includes the right
          to advancement of expenses incurred by such person prior to final
          disposition  of the  proceeding, provided  that  if the  Delaware
          General  Corporation Law requires, such director or officer shall
          provide the Company  with an undertaking to repay  all amounts so
          advanced if it  shall 
                                         3
          <PAGE>

          ultimately be determined by  final judicial
          decision that such  person is not entitled to  be indemnified for
          such expenses.   The Certificate  gives such officer  or director
          the right to  bring suit against the Company  if such advancement
          of expenses  is not  paid by  the Company  within the  period set
          forth  in  the  Certificate.   The  Certificate  provides  that a
          director of  the Company  shall not be  personally liable  to the
          Company or its  stockholders for monetary  damages for breach  of
          fiduciary duty as a director except liability: (i) for any breach
          of  the  director's  duty  of  loyalty  to  the  Company  or  its
          stockholders; (ii)  for acts  or omissions not  in good  faith or
          which  involve intentional misconduct  or a knowing  violation of
          law; (iii) under Section 174 of the  Delaware General Corporation
          Law; or (iv) for any  transaction from which the director derived
          an   improper  personal  benefit.     If  the   Delaware  General
          Corporation  Law is  amended to  further eliminate  or limit  the
          personal liability of directors, then the liability of a director
          of  the Company  shall be  eliminated or  limited to  the fullest
          extent permitted by  the Delaware General Corporation Law,  as so
          amended.

               Holders of Common Stock are entitled to receive ratably such
          dividends, if any, as  may be declared by the Board  out of funds
          legally   available  therefor.    Such  dividends  shall  not  be
          cumulative.  However, the Company currently intends to retain its
          earnings  for  use  in  its  business   and  therefore  does  not
          anticipate paying any  cash dividends in the  foreseeable future.
          Holders of  Common Stock are  entitled to receive, pro  rata, all
          assets of the  Company available for distribution to such holders
          upon liquidation.  

               Holders of Common Stock have no preemptive, sinking fund  or
          redemption rights  and have  no rights  to  convert their  Common
          Stock into any  other securities.  All of  the outstanding shares
          of Common Stock are fully paid and nonassessable.

               The Company, in its Certificate, reserves the right to amend
          or  repeal  any provision  contained  in the  Certificate  in the
          manner prescribed by Delaware law,  and all rights conferred upon
          stockholders  are granted  subject  to  this  reservation.    The
          rights, preferences  and privileges  of holders  of Common  Stock
          will be subject to and may be adversely affected by the rights of
          holders  of shares  of any  series  of preferred  stock that  the
          Company may designate and issue in the future.

               The  Company and KCSI have agreed to certain restrictions on
          the sale of Common Stock.  The outstanding shares of Common Stock
          which are held by KCSI are deemed "restricted securities."

               The Company  and State  Street Bank  and Trust  Company will
          serve  as  co-transfer agents  and  State Street  Bank  and Trust
          Company  will serve  as  registrar  for the  Common  Stock.   The
          Company owns approximately 3.6 percent of the common stock of the
          parent of State Street Bank and Trust Company.
                                         4
          <PAGE>

          Item 2.  Exhibits.

               99.1 The Company's  Amended Certificate of  Incorporation as
                    restated  August 31, 1995, which is attached as Exhibit
                    3.1  to the Company's registration statement on Form S-
                    1,  as  amended  (Commission file  no.  33-96526)  (the
                    "Registration  Statement")  is hereby  incorporated  by
                    reference as Exhibit 99.1.

               99.2 The  Company's Amended and  Restated By-laws as adopted
                    August 28,  1995, which are attached as  Exhibit 3.2 to
                    the  Company's   Registration  Statement,   are  hereby
                    incorporated by reference as Exhibit 99.2.

               99.3 The  Registration Rights  Agreement  dated October  24,
                    1995,  between  the  Company and  Kansas  City Southern
                    Industries, Inc. ("KCSI"), which is attached as Exhibit
                    4.1 to the Company's  Registration Statement, is hereby
                    incorporated by reference as Exhibit 99.3.

               99.4 The  specimen stock  certificate, which is  attached as
                    Exhibit 4.2 to  the Registration  Statement, is  hereby
                    incorporated by reference as Exhibit 99.4.

               99.5 The Certificate of Designations dated October 16, 1995,
                    establishing  the  Series  A  Preferred  Stock  of  the
                    Company,  which is  attached  as  Exhibit  4.3  to  the
                    Company's    Registration    Statement,    is    hereby
                    incorporated by reference as Exhibit 99.5.

               99.6 The  Summary of the preferred stock purchase rights set
                    forth  in the  Company's Form  8-A  dated November  15,
                    1995,  as amended (Commission file no. 1-14036) and the
                    related Rights Agreement  dated as of October  6, 1995,
                    between the  Company and  State Street  Bank and  Trust
                    Company,  as rights agent, which is attached as Exhibit
                    4.4 to the Company's Registration Statement, are hereby
                    incorporated by reference as Exhibit 99.6.

               99.7 The  Registration Rights  Agreement  dated October  31,
                    1995, between the Company and UMB Bank, N.A. as trustee
                    of the Company's Employee Stock Ownership Plan ("UMB"),
                    which  is  attached  as Exhibit  4.5  to  the Company's
                    annual report on  Form 10-K for the year ended December
                    31, 1995,  (Commission  file no.  1-14036),  is  hereby
                    incorporated by reference as Exhibit 99.7.

                                          5 
          <PAGE>

                                      SIGNATURE

               Pursuant to the requirements of Section 12 of the Securities
          Exchange Act  of  1934,  the  registrant  has  duly  caused  this
          registration  statement  to  be  signed  on  its  behalf  by  the
          undersigned, thereto duly authorized.


          Date: January 9, 1998

                                        DST SYSTEMS, INC.

                                        By: /s/ Robert C. Canfield, Senior
                                            Vice President, General Counsel
                                            and Secretary



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