SYMS CORP
SC 13D/A, 1998-06-08
FAMILY CLOTHING STORES
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<PAGE>   1


                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549


                                  SCHEDULE 13D
                               (Amendment No. 4)*
                                       of
                           Tweedy, Browne Company LLC


                                  SCHEDULE 13D
                               (Amendment No. 4)*
                                       of
                               TBK Partners, L.P.


                                  SCHEDULE 13D
                               (Amendment No. 4)*
                                       of
                            Vanderbilt Partners, L.P.



                    Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

                                SYMS CORPORATION
                                (Name of Issuer)


                     Common Stock, Par Value $0.05 per Share
                         (Title of Class of Securities)

                                    871551107
                                 (CUSIP Number)



                                 John D. Spears
                              52 Vanderbilt Avenue
                            New York, New York 10017
                                 (212) 916-0600
                 (Name, Address and Telephone Number of Persons
                Authorized to Receive Notices and Communications)


                                  JUNE 2, 1998
             (Date of Event which Required Filing of this Statement)


<PAGE>   2



If the filing person has previously filed a statement on Schedule 13G to report
the acquisition which is the subject of this Schedule 13D, and is filing this
schedule because of Rule 13d-1(b)(3) or (4), check the following box [ ].


Check the following box if a fee is paid with the statement [ ]. (A fee is not
required only if the reporting person: (1) has a previous statement on file
reporting beneficial ownership of more than five percent of the class of
securities described in Item 1; and (2) has filed no amendment subsequent
thereto reporting beneficial ownership of five percent or less of such class.)
(See Rule 13d-7.)

* 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 ("Act") or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section of the Act,
but shall be subject to all the provisions of the Act (however, see the Notes).


<PAGE>   3
                                  SCHEDULE 13D

CUSIP No. 871551107                                        Page __ of __ Pages
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1       NAME OF REPORTING PERSON
        S.S. OR I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON

        Tweedy, Browne Company LLC. ("TBC")
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2       CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP*               (a) / /
                                                                        (b) /X/
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3       SEC USE ONLY

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4       SOURCE OF FUNDS*

        00
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5       CHECK BOX IF DISCLOSURE OF LEGAL PROCEEDINGS IS REQUIRED PURSUANT
        TO ITEMS 2(d) or 2(E)                                               / /

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
6       CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION

        Delaware
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                7       SOLE VOTING POWER TBC has sole voting power with 
                        respect to 954,363 shares held in certain TBC 
                        accounts (as hereinafter defined). Additionally, 
                        certain of the general partners of TBC may be deemed 
                        to have sole power to vote certain shares as more 
                        fully set forth herein.
  NUMBER OF     ----------------------------------------------------------------
   SHARES       8       SHARED VOTING POWER
BENEFICIALLY
  OWNED BY              0 shares
    EACH        ----------------------------------------------------------------
 REPORTING      9       SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER 0 shares, except that certain 
   PERSON               of the general partners of TBC may be deemed to have
    WITH                sole power to dispose of certain shares as more fully 
                        set forth herein.
                ----------------------------------------------------------------
                10      SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER 
                        1,059,794 shares held in accounts of TBC (as 
                        hereinafter defined).
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
11      AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON

        1,059,794 shares
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
12      CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (11) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES*
                                                                            /X/
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
13      PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (11)

        5.93%
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
14      TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON*

        BD, IA and OO
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                     *SEE INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE FILLING OUT!


<PAGE>   4
                                  SCHEDULE 13D

CUSIP No. 871551107                                         Page __ of __ Pages
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1       NAME OF REPORTING PERSON
        S.S. OR I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON

        TBK Partners, L.P. ("TBK")   
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2       CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP*               (a) / /
                                                                        (b) /X/
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3       SEC USE ONLY

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4       SOURCE OF FUNDS*

        WC and BK
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5       CHECK BOX IF DISCLOSURE OF LEGAL PROCEEDINGS IS REQUIRED PURSUANT
        TO ITEMS 2(d) or 2(E)                                               / /

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
6       CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION

        Delaware
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                7       SOLE VOTING POWER 64,510 shares, except that the 
                        general partners in TBK, solely by reason of their 
                        positions as such, may be deemed to have shared power 
                        to vote these shares.
  NUMBER OF     ----------------------------------------------------------------
   SHARES       8       SHARED VOTING POWER
BENEFICIALLY
  OWNED BY              0 shares
    EACH        ----------------------------------------------------------------
 REPORTING      9       SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER 64,510 shares, except that the
   PERSON               general partners in TBK, solely by reason of their
    WITH                positions as such, may be deemed to have shared power
                        to vote these shares.
                ----------------------------------------------------------------
                10      SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER

                        0 shares
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
11      AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON

          64,510 shares
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
12      CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (11) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES*
                                                                            / /
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
13      PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (11)

          0.36%
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
14      TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON*

          PN
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                     *SEE INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE FILLING OUT!


<PAGE>   5
                                  SCHEDULE 13D

CUSIP No. 871551107                                         Page __ of __ Pages
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1       NAME OF REPORTING PERSON
        S.S. OR I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON

        Vanderbilt Partners, L.P. ("Vanderbilt")
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2       CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP*               (a) / /
                                                                        (b) /X/
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3       SEC USE ONLY

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4       SOURCE OF FUNDS*

        WC and BK
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5       CHECK BOX IF DISCLOSURE OF LEGAL PROCEEDINGS IS REQUIRED PURSUANT
        TO ITEMS 2(d) or 2(E)                                               / /
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
6       CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION

        Delaware
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                7       SOLE VOTING POWER 16,000 shares, except that the
                        general partners in Vanderbilt, solely by reason of
                        their positions as such, may be deemed to have shared
                        power to vote these shares.
  NUMBER OF     ----------------------------------------------------------------
   SHARES       8       SHARED VOTING POWER
BENEFICIALLY
  OWNED BY              0 shares
    EACH        ----------------------------------------------------------------
 REPORTING      9       SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER 16,000 shares, except that the
   PERSON               general partners in Vanderbilt, solely by reason of
    WITH                their positions as such, may be deemed to have shared
                        power to vote these shares.
                ----------------------------------------------------------------
                10      SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER

                        0 shares 
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
11      AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON

        16,000 shares
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
12      CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (11) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES*
                                                                            / /
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
13      PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (11)

        0.09%
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
14      TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON*

        PN
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                     *SEE INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE FILLING OUT!


<PAGE>   6


PRELIMINARY NOTE


     The persons filing this Amendment No. 4 are (i) Tweedy, Browne Company LLC
("TBC"), a Delaware limited liability company, (ii) TBK Partners, L.P. ("TBK"),
a Delaware limited partnership and (iii) Vanderbilt Partners, L.P.
("Vanderbilt"), a Delaware limited partnership. This Amendment No. 4 amends a
Statement on Schedule 13D filed by TBC, TBK and Vanderbilt dated August 26, 1994
(the "Statement"). The filing of this Amendment No. 4 should not be deemed an
admission that TBC, TBK and Vanderbilt comprise a group within the meaning of
Section 13(d) (3) of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the
"Act").


     Tweedy, Browne Company L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (the
"Partnership") and its general partners entered into a definitive agreement,
pursuant to which the Partnership converted to Tweedy, Browne Company LLC (the
"Company"), a Delaware limited liability company, and AMG/TBC Holdings, Inc.
(Holdings"), a Delaware corporation and wholly owned subsidiary of Affiliated
Managers Group, Inc. (a Boston-based holding company, the business address of
which is Two International Place, Boston, Massachussets 02110), acquired a
majority interest in the Company on October 9, 1997.

     This Amendment No.4 relates to the Common Stock, $0.05 par value (the
"Common Stock"), of Syms Corporation (the "Company"), which, to the best
knowledge of the persons filing this Amendment No. 4, is a company organized
under the laws of Delaware, with its principal executive offices at Syms Way,
Secaucus, New Jersey 07094.

     This Amendment No. 4 contains information regarding shares of Common Stock
that may be deemed to be beneficially owned by TBC. Such shares are held in the
accounts of various customers of TBC, with respect to which it has obtained sole
or shared voting power.

     Other than as set forth below, to the best knowledge of TBC, TBK and
Vanderbilt, there has been no material change in the information set forth in
response to Items 1,2,3,4,6 and 7 of the Statement, as amended. Accordingly,
those Items are omitted from this Amendment No. 4.

ITEM 5.  INTEREST IN SECURITIES OF THE ISSUER

     (a) As of the date hereof, TBC may be deemed to be the beneficial owner of
an aggregate of 1,059,794 shares of Common Stock, which constitutes
approximately 5.93% of the 17,869,090 shares of Common Stock which TBC believes
to be the total number of shares of Common Stock outstanding. The TBC Shares are
held in the TBC Accounts.

     Also included in the TBC shares are 495 shares of Common Stock held in a
TBC Account for a charitable foundation of which Christopher H. Browne is a
trustee. Mr. Browne is a member of TBC and a general partner of TBK and
Vanderbilt.

     As of the date hereof, TBK beneficially owns directly 64,510 shares of
Common Stock, which constitutes approximately 0.36% of the 17,869,090 shares of
Common Stock which TBK believes to be the total number of shares of Common Stock
outstanding.

     As of the date hereof, Vanderbilt beneficially owns directly 16,000 shares
of Common Stock, which constitutes approximately 0.09% of the 17,869,090 shares
of Common Stock which Vanderbilt believes to be the total number of shares of
Common Stock outstanding.

<PAGE>   7

     Each of TBC, TBK and Vanderbilt disclaims that it is the beneficial owner
of any of the shares of Common Stock held in the TBC Accounts. The aggregate
number of shares of Common Stock with respect to which TBC, TBK and Vanderbilt
could be deemed to be the beneficial owner as of the date hereof, is 1,140,304
shares, which constitutes approximately 6.39% of the 17,869,090 shares of Common
Stock, which the filing persons believe to be the total number of shares of
Common Stock outstanding, but nothing contained herein shall be construed as an
admission that TBC is the beneficial owner of any of the TBC Shares.


     The aggregate number of shares and percentage of Common Stock with respect
to which each of the Members may be deemed to be the beneficial owner by reason
of his being a member of TBC and a general partner of TBK and Vanderbilt,
respectively, is 1,140,304 shares, which constitutes approximately 6.39% of the
17,869,090 shares of Common Stock outstanding. The aggregate number of shares
and percentage of Common Stock with respect to which Thomas P. Knapp may be
deemed to be a beneficial owner by reason of his being a general partner of TBK
is 64,510 shares of Common Stock which constitutes approximately 0.36% of the
17,869,090 shares of Common Stock outstanding. However, nothing contained herein
shall be construed as an admission that any of the General Partners or Thomas P.
Knapp is the beneficial owner of any shares of Common Stock, except as set forth
herein as expressly and admittedly being beneficially owned by a particular
General Partner or Thomas P. Knapp.

     Each of TBC, TBK and Vanderbilt disclaims beneficial ownership of Common
Stock held by the other. Except as described herein, to the best knowledge of
TBC, TBK and Vanderbilt, no person who may be deemed to comprise a group with
any of TBC, TBK, Vanderbilt, or any other person named in Item 2 of the
Statement, beneficially owns any shares of Common Stock.

     (b)  TBC has investment discretion with respect to 1,059,794 shares of
Common Stock held by the TBC Accounts and has sole power to dispose or direct
the disposition of all of such shares. Of these shares of Common Stock, TBC has
sole power to vote or to direct the voting of 954,363 shares of Common Stock
held in certain TBC Accounts.

     Each of the General Partners of TBC, solely by reason of their positions as
such, may be deemed to have (i) shared power to dispose of or to direct the
disposition of all of the shares of Common Stock held in the TBC Accounts; and
(ii) shared power to vote or direct the vote of 954,363 shares of Common Stock
held in certain TBC Accounts.

     TBK has the sole power to vote or direct the voting of and dispose or
direct the disposition of the TBK Shares. Each of the General Partners and
Thomas P. Knapp, solely by reason of their positions as general partners, may be
deemed to have shared power to vote or direct the vote of and to dispose or
direct the disposition of the TBK Shares.

     Vanderbilt has the sole power to vote or direct the voting of and dispose
or direct the disposition of the Vanderbilt Shares. Each of the General Partners
of Vanderbilt, solely by reason of their positions as such, may be deemed to
have shared power to vote or direct the vote of and to dispose or direct the
disposition of the Vanderbilt Shares.


<PAGE>   8

     (c)  No transactions in Common Stock were effected by TBK and Vanderbilt
during the sixty-day period ended as of the date hereof. During the sixty-day
period ended as of the date hereof, transactions in Common Stock effected by TBC
are set forth below:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

REPORTING                        NO. OF SHARES      PRICE
PERSON             DATE          SOLD               PER SHARE
<S>               <C>           <C>                 <C>
TBC Accounts      04/03/98         595              $ 14 3/8
                  04/13/98         100              $ 14 15/16
                  04/20/98       6,200              $ 14.0005
                  04/21/98       4,050              $ 14
                  04/23/98       1,435              $ 14 1/16
                  05/04/98         400              $ 15.3437
                  05/05/98         510              $ 15 7/16
                  05/06/98         520              $ 15.7764
                  05/07/98          60              $ 15 5/8
                  05/08/98         600              $ 15 5/8
                  05/11/98      19,675              $ 15.6154
                  05/19/98       1,325              $ 15 5/16
                  05/27/98       5,000              $ 15.10
                  05/29/98       1,030              $ 14 15/16
                  06/01/98       1,995              $ 14 13/16
                  06/02/98         800              $ 14.8593
</TABLE>


     (d)  To the best knowledge of TBC, each of the persons maintaining an
account with TBC has the right to receive or the power to direct the receipt of
dividends from, or the proceeds from the sale of, the shares of Common Stock
held in said person's TBC Account.

     To the best knowledge of TBK, no person other than TBK has the right to
receive or the power to direct the receipt of dividends from, or the proceeds
from the sale of, the TBK Shares, except that the General Partners and Thomas P.
Knapp may be deemed to have such rights and powers solely by reason of being
general partners in TBK.

     To the best knowledge of Vanderbilt, no person other than Vanderbilt has
the right to receive or the power to direct the receipt of dividends from, or
the proceeds from the sale of, the Vanderbilt Shares, except that the General
Partners in Vanderbilt may be deemed to have such rights and powers solely by
reason of being general partners in Vanderbilt.

     (e)  Not applicable.


<PAGE>   9


                                    SIGNATURE


     Each of Tweedy, Browne Company LLC., TBK Partners, L.P. and Vanderbilt
Partners, L.P., after reasonable inquiry and to the best of its knowledge and
belief, hereby certifies that the information set forth in this Statement is
true, complete and correct.

                                          TWEEDY, BROWNE COMPANY LLC



                                          By /s/ Christopher H. Browne
                                             _________________________________
                                             Christopher H. Browne
                                             Member



                                          TBK PARTNERS, L.P.



                                          By /s/ Christopher H. Browne
                                             _________________________________
                                             Christopher H. Browne
                                             General Partner



                                          VANDERBILT PARTNERS, L.P.



                                          By /s/ Christopher H. Browne
                                             _________________________________
                                             Christopher H. Browne
                                             General Partner



Dated:   June 4, 1998





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