DALLAS SEMICONDUCTOR CORP
8-A12B, 1999-09-20
SEMICONDUCTORS & RELATED DEVICES
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                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549

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


                                    FORM 8-A


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


                        DALLAS SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)


         Delaware                                             75-1935715
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(State of incorporation or                                   (IRS Employer
organization)                                             Identification No.)

                           4401 South Beltwood Parkway
                               Dallas, Texas 75244
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(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
         -------------------                      ------------------------------

         Preferred Share Purchase Rights          New York Stock Exchange


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

                                      None
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                 Title of Class


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ITEM 1.           DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES TO BE REGISTERED.
                  ------------------------------------------

         RIGHTS. The Board of Directors of DALLAS SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION (the
"Company")  has declared a dividend of one  preferred  share  purchase  right (a
"Right") for each  outstanding  share of common stock, par value $.02 per share,
of the Company (the "Common  Stock").  The dividend is payable on September  21,
1999 (the "Record Date") to the  stockholders of record on that date. Each Right
entitles the registered  holder to purchase from the Company one  one-thousandth
of a share of Series A Junior Participating  Preferred Stock, par value $.10 per
share,  of the  Company  (the  "Preferred  Stock")  at a price  of $250  per one
one-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock (the "Purchase Price"),  subject to
adjustment.  The  description  and terms of the Rights are set forth in a Rights
Agreement  dated as of September  10, 1999, as the same may be amended from time
to  time  (the  "Rights   Agreement"),   between  the  Company  and  CHASEMELLON
SHAREHOLDER SERVICES, L.L.C., as Rights Agent (the "Rights Agent").

         DETACHMENT  OF  RIGHTS.  Until  the  earlier  to  occur  of (i) 10 days
following  a public  announcement  that a  person  or  group  of  affiliated  or
associated persons (with certain exceptions, an "Acquiring Person") has acquired
beneficial ownership of 15% or more of the outstanding shares of Common Stock or
(ii) 10 business  days (or such later date as may be determined by action of the
Board of  Directors  prior to such  time as any  person  or group of  affiliated
persons  becomes  an  Acquiring   Person)  following  the  commencement  of,  or
announcement  of an  intention  to make,  a tender  offer or exchange  offer the
consummation  of which would result in the  beneficial  ownership by a person or
group of 15% or more of the  outstanding  shares of Common Stock (the earlier of
such dates being called the "Distribution  Date"), the Rights will be evidenced,
with  respect  to any of the Common  Stock  certificates  outstanding  as of the
Record  Date,  by such  Common  Stock  certificate  together  with a copy of the
Summary of Rights in substantially the form of Exhibit C to the Rights Agreement
(the "Summary of Rights").

         The Rights Agreement  provides that,  until the  Distribution  Date (or
earlier expiration of the Rights),  the Rights will be transferred with and only
with the Common Stock. Until the Distribution Date (or earlier expiration of the
Rights),  new  Common  Stock  certificates  issued  after the  Record  Date upon
transfer or new issuances of Common Stock will contain a notation  incorporating
the Rights  Agreement  by  reference.  Until the  Distribution  Date (or earlier
expiration of the Rights),  the surrender for transfer of any  certificates  for
shares of Common  Stock  outstanding  as of the Record  Date,  even without such
notation or a copy of the Summary of Rights,  will also  constitute the transfer
of the Rights  associated  with the shares of Common Stock  represented  by such
certificates.  As soon as practicable  following the Distribution Date, separate
certificates  evidencing  the Rights  ("Right  Certificates")  will be mailed to
holders  of  record  of the  Common  Stock as of the  close of  business  on the
Distribution Date and such separate Right  Certificates  alone will evidence the
Rights.

         The Rights are not exercisable until the Distribution  Date. The Rights
will expire on September 9, 2009 (the "Final Expiration Date"), unless the Final
Expiration  Date is  advanced  or  extended  or unless the  Rights  are  earlier
redeemed or exchanged by the Company, in each case as described below.

         If any person or group of affiliated or associated  persons  becomes an
Acquiring Person,  each holder of a Right, other than Rights  beneficially owned
by the Acquiring Person (which will





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<PAGE>



thereupon become void),  will thereafter have the right to receive upon exercise
of a Right that number of shares of Common  Stock  having a market  value of two
times the exercise price of the Right.

         If, after a person or group has become an Acquiring Person, the Company
is acquired in a merger or other business combination transaction or 50% or more
of its consolidated  assets or earning power are sold, proper provisions will be
made so that each holder of a Right (other than Rights  beneficially owned by an
Acquiring  Person which will have become void) will thereafter have the right to
receive  upon the  exercise of a Right that number of shares of common  stock of
the person with whom the Company has engaged in the  foregoing  transaction  (or
its  parent)  that at the time of such  transaction  have a market  value of two
times the exercise price of the Right.

         At any time after any person or group  becomes an Acquiring  Person and
prior to the earlier of one of the events described in the previous paragraph or
the  acquisition  by such  Acquiring  Person  of 50% or more of the  outstanding
shares of Common  Stock,  the Board of Directors of the Company may exchange the
Rights (other than Rights owned by such Acquiring  Person which will have become
void),  in whole or in part, for shares of Common Stock or Preferred Stock (or a
series of the Company's  preferred stock having equivalent  rights,  preferences
and  privileges),  at an  exchange  ratio of one  share of  Common  Stock,  or a
fractional  share of Preferred  Stock (or other preferred  stock)  equivalent in
value thereto, per Right.

         PREFERRED  SHARES.  Shares of Preferred Stock purchasable upon exercise
of the Rights  will not be  redeemable.  Each share of  Preferred  Stock will be
entitled,  when, as and if declared, to a dividend payment per share equal to an
aggregate  dividend  of 1000  times the  dividend  declared  per share of Common
Stock.  Upon the  liquidation,  dissolution  or winding up of the  Company,  the
holders  of the  Preferred  Stock  will be  entitled  to a minimum  preferential
payment of $1.00 per share (plus any accrued but unpaid  dividends)  but will be
entitled to an  aggregate  payment of 1000 times the  payment  made per share of
Common  Stock.  Each  share of  Preferred  Stock  will have 1000  votes,  voting
together with the Common Stock. Finally, upon any merger, consolidation or other
transaction  in which  outstanding  shares of  Common  Stock  are  converted  or
exchanged,  each share of Preferred Stock will be entitled to receive 1000 times
the amount  received per share of Common  Stock.  These Rights are  protected by
customary antidilution provisions.

         Because of the nature of the Preferred  Stock's  dividend,  liquidation
and voting rights,  the value of the one  one-thousandth  interest in a share of
Preferred Stock  purchasable upon exercise of each Right should  approximate the
value of one share of Common Stock.

         The offer and sale of the Preferred  Shares or Common  Shares  issuable
upon exercise of the Rights will be registered pursuant to the Securities Act of
1933, as amended;  such  registration will not become effective until the Rights
become exercisable.

         ANTIDILUTION AND OTHER ADJUSTMENTS.  The number of one  one-thousandths
of a Preferred Share or other  securities or property  issuable upon exercise of
the Rights, and the Purchase Price payable, are subject to customary adjustments
from time to time to prevent dilution.






                                        3

<PAGE>



         REDEMPTION  OF  RIGHTS.  At any time  prior to the  earlier  of (i) the
Distribution  Date or (ii) the Final  Expiration Date, the Board of Directors of
the Company may redeem all but not less than all of the then outstanding  Rights
at a price of $0.01 per Right (the  "Redemption  Price").  The redemption of the
Rights  may be made  effective  at  such  time,  on such  basis  and  with  such
conditions as the Board of Directors in its sole  discretion may  establish.  At
the  effective  time of such  redemption,  the right to exercise the Rights will
terminate  and the only right of the  holders of Rights  will be to receive  the
Redemption Price.

         NO  RIGHTS  AS  STOCKHOLDER.  Until a Right is  exercised,  the  holder
thereof,  as  such,  will  have  no  rights  as a  stockholder  of the  Company,
including, without limitation, the right to vote or to receive dividends.

         AMENDMENT OF RIGHTS. For so long as the Rights are then redeemable, the
Company  may,  except with  respect to the  redemption  price,  amend the Rights
Agreement in any manner. After the Rights are no longer redeemable,  the Company
may, except with respect to the redemption price,  amend the Rights Agreement in
any  manner  that does not  adversely  affect  the  interests  of holders of the
Rights.

         This summary  description of the Rights does not purport to be complete
and is qualified in its  entirety by  reference  to the Rights  Agreement  filed
herewith as Exhibit 1, which is hereby incorporated by reference.

ITEM 2.           EXHIBITS.
                  --------

         1.       Rights  Agreement  dated as of  September  10,  1999,  between
                  Dallas Semiconductor  Corporation and ChaseMellon  Shareholder
                  Services,  L.L.C.,  which  includes the form of Certificate of
                  Designation  for  Designating  Series A  Junior  Participating
                  Preferred  Stock,  $.10 par  value,  as Exhibit A, the form of
                  Right  Certificate  as Exhibit B, and the Summary of Rights as
                  Exhibit C.  (Incorporated  by  reference to Exhibit 4.1 of the
                  Company's Form 8-K filed as of September 20, 1999.)

         2.       Form of Certificate of Designation  for  Designating  Series A
                  Junior Participating Preferred Stock, $.10 par value (included
                  as  Exhibit  A to the  Rights  Agreement,  which is  Exhibit 1
                  hereto).

         3.       Form of Right Certificate (included as Exhibit B to the Rights
                  Agreement,  which is Exhibit 1 hereto). Pursuant to the Rights
                  Agreement, printed Right Certificates will not be mailed until
                  as soon as practicable after the Distribution Date.

         4.       Form of Summary of Rights (included as Exhibit C to the Rights
                  Agreement,  which is  Exhibit 1 hereto)  that,  together  with
                  certificates representing the outstanding Common Shares of the
                  Company,  shall  represent  the Rights until the  Distribution
                  Date.

         5.       Specimen of legend to be placed,  pursuant to Section  3(c) of
                  the Rights  Agreement,  on all new Common  Share  certificates
                  issued after September 21, 1999 and prior





                                        4

<PAGE>



                  to  the  Distribution  Date  upon  transfer,  exchange  or new
                  issuance  (included in Section  3(c) of the Rights  Agreement,
                  which is Exhibit 1 hereto).






                                        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, thereunto duly authorized.

Dated: September 20, 1999.

                                   DALLAS SEMICONDUCTOR
                                   CORPORATION


                                   By:       /s/ C.V. Prothro
                                             -----------------------------------
                                   Name:     C.V. Prothro
                                             -----------------------------------
                                   Title:    Chairman of the Board, President &
                                             -----------------------------------
                                             Chief Executive Officer
                                             -----------------------------------






                                        6

<PAGE>


                                  EXHIBIT INDEX


         EXHIBIT
           NO.                     EXHIBIT DESCRIPTION
         -------                   -------------------

           1.             Rights  Agreement  dated  as  of  September 10,  1999,
                          between   Dallas    Semiconductor   Corporation    and
                          ChaseMellon   Shareholder   Services,   L.L.C.,  which
                          includes the form of Certificate  of  Designation  for
                          Designating  of  the  Series  A  Junior  Participating
                          Preferred  Stock,  $.10 par  value,  as Exhibit A, the
                          form  of  Right  Certificate  as  Exhibit  B,  and the
                          Summary  of  Rights as  Exhibit  C.  (Incorporated  by
                          reference  to Exhibit  4.1 of the  Company's  Form 8-K
                          filed on September 20, 1999.)

           2.             Form of  Certificate of  Designation  for  Designating
                          Series A Junior  Participating  Preferred Stock,  $.10
                          par  value  (included  as  Exhibit  A  to  the  Rights
                          Agreement, which is Exhibit 1 hereto).

           3.             Form of Right  Certificate  (included  as Exhibit B to
                          the  Rights  Agreement,  which is  Exhibit 1  hereto).
                          Pursuant  to  the  Rights  Agreement,   printed  Right
                          Certificates  will  not be  mailed  until  as  soon as
                          practicable after the Distribution Date.

           4.             Form of  Summary of Rights  (included  as Exhibit C to
                          the Rights Agreement, which is Exhibit 1 hereto) that,
                          together   with    certificates    representing    the
                          outstanding  Common  Shares  of  the  Company,   shall
                          represent the Rights until the Distribution Date.


           5.             Specimen  of legend to be placed,  pursuant to Section
                          3(c) of the Rights Agreement,  on all new Common Share
                          certificates issued after September 21, 1999 and prior
                          to the  Distribution  Date upon transfer,  exchange or
                          new  issuance  (included in Section 3(c) of the Rights
                          Agreement, which is Exhibit 1 hereto).






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