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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
SCHEDULE 13D
Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
(Amendment No. 5)
SWISS ARMY BRANDS, INC.
(Name of Issuer)
Common Stock, $.10 Par Value
(Title of Class of Securities)
870827102
(CUSIP Number)
Herbert M. Friedman, Esq.
Zimet, Haines, Friedman & Kaplan
460 Park Avenue
New York, New York 10022
(212) 486-1700
(Name, Address and Telephone Number of Persons
Authorized to Receive Notices and Communications)
December 11, 1997
(Dates of Events Which Requires Filing of this Statement)
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. [ ]
Page 1 of 9 Pages.
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CUSIP No. 870827102 13D Page 2 of 9 Pages
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<S> <C> <C>
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1 NAME OF REPORTING PERSON
S.S. OR I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON
Victorinox AG
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2 CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP (a) [ ]
(b) [ ]
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3 SEC USE ONLY
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4 SOURCE OF FUNDS
WC
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5 CHECK BOX OF DISCLOSURE OF LEGAL PROCEEDINGS
IS REQUIRED PURSUANT TO ITEM 2(d) or 2(e) [ ]
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6 CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION
Switzerland
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NUMBER OF 7 SOLE VOTING POWER
SHARES
BENEFICIALLY
OWNED BY
EACH
REPORTING
PERSON WITH
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8 SHARED VOTING POWER
1,943,500
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9 SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
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10 SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
1,943,500
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11 AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
1,943,500
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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)
23.7%
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14 TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON
CO
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<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
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CUSIP No. 870827102 13D Page 3 of 9 Pages
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<S> <C> <C>
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1 NAME OF REPORTING PERSON
S.S. OR I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON
Charles Elsener, Sr.
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2 CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP (a) [ ]
(b) [ ]
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3 SEC USE ONLY
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4 SOURCE OF FUNDS
N/A
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5 CHECK BOX OF DISCLOSURE OF LEGAL PROCEEDINGS
IS REQUIRED PURSUANT TO ITEM 2(d) or 2(e) [ ]
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6 CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION
Switzerland
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NUMBER OF 7 SOLE VOTING POWER
SHARES
BENEFICIALLY
OWNED BY
EACH
REPORTING
PERSON WITH
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
8 SHARED VOTING POWER
1,943,500
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9 SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
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10 SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
1,943,500
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11 AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
1,943,500
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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)
23.7%
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14 TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON
IN
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AMENDMENT NO. 5 TO SCHEDULE 13D
Victorinox AG, a Swiss corporation ("Victorinox"), and Charles
Elsener, Sr., a citizen of Switzerland ("Mr. Elsener"; and together with
Victorinox, the "Reporting Persons"), hereby amend the Statement on Schedule 13D
dated April 6, 1995, as amended by Amendment No. 1 dated April 11, 1995,
Amendment No. 2 dated June 26, 1996, Amendment No. 3 dated November 2, 1996 and
Amendment No. 4 dated November 17, 1997 filed by the Reporting Persons with
respect to the Common Stock, par value $.10 per share ("Common Stock"), of Swiss
Army Brands, Inc., a Delaware corporation ("Swiss Army"), formerly known as The
Forschner Group, Inc.
The purpose of this Amendment is to report that Victorinox has
purchased a total of 226,000 shares of Swiss Army Common Stock in open market
transactions.
Each of Victorinox and Mr. Elsener is responsible for the
completeness and accuracy of only that information concerning each of Victorinox
and Mr. Elsener, respectively, contained herein, or in any subsequent amendment
and is not responsible for the completeness or accuracy of any information
concerning the other party. Neither Victorinox nor Mr. Elsener knows or has
reason to believe that any information concerning the other party contained
herein is inaccurate and the execution of any subsequent amendment by each party
shall constitute a
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representation by such party that it neither knows nor has reason to believe
that any information concerning the other party contained in such amendment is
inaccurate at the time of such execution.
Item 3. Source and Amount of Funds or Other Consideration.
Victorinox purchased an aggregate of 226,000 shares of Common
Stock of Swiss Army (the "Additional Shares") in open market transactions from
November 17, 1997 through December 22, 1997 for an aggregate purchase price of
$2,351,937.50, paid in cash from Victorinox's working capital.
Item 4. Purpose of Transaction.
Victorinox acquired the Additional Shares for investment
purposes.
Although neither Victorinox nor Mr. Elsener has formulated any
definite plans or proposals with respect to their investment in Swiss Army, they
may consider the acquisition of additional shares of Common Stock or the
disposition of some or all of the shares of Common Stock held or to be held by
them, depending on market conditions and other circumstances. Except as set
forth above, neither Victorinox nor Mr. Elsener has any
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plans or proposals which relate to or would result in any of the
following:
(a) The acquisition by any person of additional
securities of Swiss Army, or the disposition of securities of Swiss Army;
(b) An extraordinary corporate transaction, such
as a merger, reorganization or liquidation, involving Swiss Army or any of its
subsidiaries;
(c) A sale or transfer of a material amount of
assets of Swiss Army or any of its subsidiaries;
(d) Any change in the present board of directors
or management of Swiss Army, including any plans or proposals to change the
number or term of directors or to fill any existing vacancies on the board;
(e) Any material change in the present
capitalization or dividend policy of Swiss Army;
(f) Any other material change in Swiss Army's
business or corporate structure;
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(g) Changes in Swiss Army's charter, by-laws or
instruments corresponding thereto or other actions which may impede the
acquisition of control of Swiss Army by any person;
(h) Causing a class of securities of Swiss Army
to be delisted from a national securities exchange or to cease to be authorized
to be quoted in an inter-dealer quotation system of a registered national
securities association;
(i) A class of equity securities of Swiss Army
becoming eligible for termination of registration pursuant to Section 12(g)(4)
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended; or
(j) Any action similar to any of those
enumerated above.
Item 5. Interest in Securities of the Issuer.
(a) Victorinox is the beneficial owner of an
aggregate of 1,943,500 shares of Common Stock, constituting approximately 23.7%
of the issued and outstanding shares of Common Stock as of the date hereof. As
the controlling stockholder of Victorinox, Mr. Elsener may be deemed to be the
beneficial owner of the shares of Common Stock held by Victorinox and thus may
be deemed to be the beneficial owner of 1,943,500
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shares of Common Stock, constituting approximately 23.7% of the issued and
outstanding shares of Common Stock as of the date hereof.
(b) Victorinox and Mr. Elsener share with each
other the power to vote or direct the vote and to dispose or direct disposition
of 1,943,500 shares of Common Stock held by Victorinox.
(c) Except for the open market purchases by
Victorinox described below, there were no transactions in Common Stock effected
during the sixty day period prior to the date of the event which requires the
filing of this statement.
Purchase Price
Date No. Shares Per Share
October 14, 1997 5,000 10.50
October 17, 1997 9,000 11.00
October 22, 1997 15,000 11.00
October 23, 1997 12,000 10.75
October 28, 1997 2,000 9.875
October 28, 1997 4,000 10.00
October 28, 1997 2,000 10.25
October 28, 1997 5,000 10.50
October 29, 1997 1,000 10.625
October 29, 1997 2,500 11.00
October 30, 1997 10,500 11.00
November 3, 1997 1,000 10.875
November 4, 1997 310,000 11.0625
November 10, 1997 3,000 10.375
November 12, 1997 1,000 10.375
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Purchase Price
Date No. Shares Per Share
November 13, 1997 3,000 10.25
November 14, 1997 22,500 10.2153
November 14, 1997 250,000 10.125
November 17, 1997 2,000 9.6875
November 17, 1997 7,000 10.00
November 17, 1997 3,000 10.125
November 20, 1997 22,500 10.1875
December 8, 1997 17,000 10.50
December 11, 1997 40,000 10.4375
December 11, 1997 95,000 10.50
December 12, 1997 5,000 10.4375
December 12, 1997 2,000 10.50
December 16, 1997 7,000 10.25
December 16, 1997 3,000 10.3125
December 17, 1997 4,000 10.1875
December 18, 1997 6,000 10.1875
December 22, 1997 10,000 10.625
December 22, 1997 2,500 10.1875
After reasonable inquiry and to the best of the undersigned's
knowledge and belief, the undersigned hereby certifies that the information
set forth in this statement is true, complete and correct.
Dated: December 30, 1997
VICTORINOX AG
By: /s/ Charles Elsener, Sr.
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Charles Elsener, Sr.
/s/ Charles Elsener, Sr.
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Charles Elsener, Sr.
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