<PAGE>
AS FILED ELECTRONICALLY WITH
THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION ON December 11, 1997
Registration No. 333-
=================================================================
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
FORM S-8
REGISTRATION STATEMENT
UNDER
THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
ASSOCIATES FIRST CAPITAL CORPORATION
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Delaware
(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization)
06-0876639
(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)
250 East Carpenter Freeway
Irving, Texas
(Address of principal executive offices)
75062-2729
(Zip Code)
FORD MOTOR COMPANY SAVINGS AND STOCK
INVESTMENT PLAN FOR SALARIED EMPLOYEES
(Full title of the Plan)
Timothy M. Hayes, Esq.
Associates First Capital Corporation
250 East Carpenter Freeway
Irving, Texas
75062-2729
(972) 652-4000
(Name, address and telephone number,
including area code, of agent for service)
CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
- --------------------------------------------------------------------
<TABLE>
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C>
- --------------------------------------------------------------------
TITLE OF SECURITIES AMOUNT TO BE PROPOSED PROPOSED AMOUNT OF
TO BE REGISTERED REGISTERED <F1> MAXIMUM MAXIMUM REGISTRATION
OFFERING AGGREGATE FEE
PRICE OFFERING
PER SHARE PRICE
</TABLE>
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------
<TABLE>
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Class A Common Stock 1,700,000 $65.3125 $111,031,250 $32,754.22
$.01 par value per Shares
share
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------
<FN>
<F1> The number of shares being registered represents the maximum number of
shares that may be acquired be Fidelity Management Trust Company, as trustee,
under the Ford Motor Company Savings and Stock Investment Plan for Salaried
Employees (the "Plan"), during 1997 and during subsequent years until a new
Registration Statement becomes effective.
<F2> Based on the market price of Class A Common Stock of the Company on
December 5,1997 in accordance with rule 457(c) under the Securities Act of 1933.
</FN>
</TABLE>
In addition, pursuant to Rule 416(c) under the Securities Act of 1933, this
Registraton Statement also covers an indeterminate amount of interests to be
offered or sold pursuant to the Plan described herein.
<PAGE>
FORD MOTOR COMPANY SAVINGS AND
STOCK INVESTMENT PLAN FOR SALARIED EMPLOYEES
______________________
INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT
Item 3. Incorporation of Documents by Reference.
The following documents filed or to be filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission are incorporated by reference in this Registration
Statement:
(a) The latest annual report of Associate First Capital Corporation (the
"Company" or "Associates") filed pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "1934 Act") which contains, either
directly or indirectly by incorporation by reference, certified financial
statements for Associates' latest fiscal year for which such statements have
been filed.
(b) All other reports filed pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the
1934 Act since the end of the fiscal year covered by the annual report
referred to in paragraph (a) above.
(c) The description of Associates Class A Common Stock contained in
registration statement no. 333-817, as amended, filed by Associates under the
Securities Act of 1933 (the "1933 Act").
All documents subsequently filed by Associates pursuant to Sections 13(a),
13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the 1934 Act, prior to the filing of a post-effective
amendment which indicates that all securities offered have been sold or which
deregisters all securities then remaining unsold, shall be deemed to be
incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement and to be a part
hereof from the date of filing such documents.
Item 6. Indemnification of Directors and Officers.
Section 145 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the
"Delaware Law") empowers a Delaware corporation to indemnify any persons who
are, or are threatened to be made, parties to any threatened, pending or
completed legal action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal,
administrative or investigative (other than an action by or in the right of
such corporation), by reason of the fact that such person was an officer or
director of such corporation, or is or was serving at the request of such
corporation as a director, officer employee or agent of another corporation or
enterprise. The indemnity may include expenses (including attorneys' fees),
judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably
incurred by such person in connection with such action, suit, or proceeding,
provided that such officer or director acted in good faith and in a manner he
or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the corporation's best
interests, and, for criminal proceedings, had no reasonable cause to believe
his or her conduct was illegal. A Delaware corporation may indemnify officers
and directors against expenses (including attorney's fees) in connection with
the defense or settlement of an action by or in the right of the corporation
under the same conditions, except that no indemnification is permitted without
judicial approval if the officer or director is adjudged to be liable to the
corporation. Where an officer or director is successful on the merits or
otherwise in the defense of any action referred to above, the
<PAGE>
corporation must indemnify him or her against the expenses which such officer
or director actually and reasonably incurred.
In accordance with the Delaware Law, the Restated Certificate of
Incorporation of the Company contains a provision to limit the personal
liability of the directors of the Company for violations of their fiduciary
duty. This provision eliminates each director's liability to the Company or
its stockholders for monetary damages except (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 Law
providing for liability of directors for unlawful payment of dividends or
unlawful stock purchases or redemptions, or (iv) for any transaction from
which a director derived an improper personal benefit. The effect of this
provision is to eliminate the personal liability of directors for monetary
damages for actions involving a breach of their fiduciary duty of care,
including any such actions involving gross negligence.
Pursuant to underwriting agreements filed as exhibits to registration
statements relating to underwritten offerings of securities, the underwriters
parties thereto have agreed to indemnify each officer and director of
Associates and each person, if any, who controls Associates within the meaning
of the 1933 Act, against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the
1933 Act.
The directors and officers of the Company are covered by directors' and
officers' insurance policies relating to Ford Motor Company and its
subsidiaries.
The Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Company provides for
indemnification of the officers and directors of the Company to the full
extent permitted by applicable law.
Item 8. Exhibits.
Exhibit
Number
- -------
*4.A - Form of Ford Motor Company Savings and Stock Investment Plan for
Salaried Employees, as amended.
*4.B - Form of Master Trust Agreement between Ford Motor Company and
Fidelity Management Trust Company, as Trustee.
*5 - Copy of Internal Revenue Service determination letter that
the Plan is qualified under Section 401 of the Internal Revenue
Code. (An opinion of counsel as to the legality of the securities
is not being filed since the securities being registered are not
original issue securities.)
**23 - Consent of Coopers & Lybrand L.L.P.
**24 - Powers of Attorney.
* Incorporated by reference to the Company's Registration
Statement No. 333-22369
** Filed with this Registration Statement
<PAGE>
Item 9. Undertakings.
(a) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:
(1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being
made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement:
(i) To include any prospectus required by section 10(a)(3) of the
Securities Act of 1933;
(ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising
after the effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent
post-effective amendment thereof)which, individually or in the aggregate,
represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the
registration statement;
(iii) To include any material information with respect to the plan
of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or any
material change to such information in the registration statement;
(2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the
Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to
be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein,
and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the
initial bona fide offering thereof.
(3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment
any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination
of the offering.
(b) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of
determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the
registrant's annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (and, where applicable, each filing of an
employee benefit plan's annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934) that is incorporated by reference in the
registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement
relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such
securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering
thereof.
(c) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the
Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling
persons of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise,
the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and
Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed
in the Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for
indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the
registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling
person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or
proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in
connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless
in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling
precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether
such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Act
and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.
<PAGE>
SIGNATURES
The Registrant. Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933,
the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it
meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this
Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned,
thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Irving, State of Texas, on this
10th day of December, 1997.
ASSOCIATES FIRST CAPITAL CORPORATION
By: /s/ C. D. Longenecker
---------------------------------
C. D. Longenecker
Title: Executive Vice President
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the
capacities and on the date indicated.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Signature Title Date
- ----------------- ------------------------------------------
<C> <S> <C>
KEITH W. HUGHES* Chairman of the Board,
(Keith W. Hughes) Principal Executive Officer
and Director
HAROLD D. MARSHALL* Director
(Harold D. Marshall)
</TABLE>
December 10, 1997
<TABLE>
<C> <S> <C>
J. Carter Bacot* Director
(J. Carter Bacot)
John M. Devine* Director
(John M. Devine)
Kenneth Whipple* Director
(Kenneth Whipple)
H. James Toffey, Jr.* Director
(H. James Toffey, Jr.)
ROY A. GUTHRIE* Executive Vice President and
(Roy A. Guthrie) Principal Financial Officer
John F. Stillo* Senior Vice President, Comptroller and
(John F. Stillo) Principal Accounting Officer
</TABLE>
- ---------------------
*By signing his name hereto, C. D. Longenecker signs this document on behalf
of each of the persons indicated above pursuant to powers of attorney duly
executed by such persons.
<PAGE>
By: /s/ C. D. LONGENECKER
____________________
C. D. Longenecker
(Attorney-in-Fact)
<PAGE>
The Plan. Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Plan
has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Dearborn, State of
Michigan, on this 10th day of December, 1997.
Ford Motor Company Savings and Stock
Investment Plan for Salaried Employees
By: /s/G. A. Anderson
--------------------------
G. A. Anderson, Chairman
Savings and Stock Investment Plan
<PAGE>
EXHIBIT INDEX
Exhibit
Number
- -------
*4.A - Form of Ford Motor Company Savings and Stock Investment Plan for
Salaried Employees, as amended.
*4.B - Form of Master Trust Agreement between Ford Motor Company and
Fidelity Management Trust Company, as Trustee.
*5 - Copy of Internal Revenue Service determination letter that
the Plan is qualified under Section 401 of the Internal Revenue
Code. (An opinion of counsel as to the legality of the securities
is not being filed since the securities being registered are not
original issue securities.)
**23 - Consent of Coopers & Lybrand L.L.P.
**24 - Powers of Attorney.
* Incorporated by reference to the Company's Registration
Statement No. 333-22369
** Filed with this Registration Statement
<PAGE>
Exhibit 23
CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANTS
We consent to the incorporation by reference in the
Registration Statement of Associates First Capital Corporation on
Form S-8 (File No. 333- ) of our report dated January 28, 1997,
on our audits of the consolidated financial statements of the
Associates First Capital Corporation as of December 31, 1996
and 1995, and for the years ended December 31, 1996, 1995 and 1994,
appearing in the Annual Report on Form 10-K of Associates
First Capital Corporation.
/s/ Coopers & Lybrand L.L.P.
COOPERS & LYBRAND L.L.P.
Dallas, Texas
December 10, 1997
<PAGE>
POWERS OF ATTORNEY
KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that each of the undersigned, being an
officer or director, or both, of ASSOCIATES FIRST CAPITAL CORPORATION, a
Delaware corporation (the "Company"), do hereby make, constitute and appoint
Roy A. Guthrie, Timothy M. Hayes, and Chester D. Longenecker, and each of
them, attorneys-in-fact and agents of the undersigned with full power and
authority of substitution and resubstitution, in any and all capacities, to
execute for and on behalf of the undersigned the Registration Statement on
Form S-8 relating to the shares of Class A Common Stock of the Company and/or
obligations of the Company with values based on the value of Class A Common
Stock and certain other indexes, and any and all pre-effective and
post-effective amendments or supplements to the foregoing Registration
Statement and any other documents and instruments incidental thereto, and to
deliver and file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and all documents and
instruments in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange
Commission, and with each exchange on which any class of securities of the
Company is registered, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents, and
each of them, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act
and thing that said attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them, deem
advisable or necessary to enable the Company to effectuate the intents and
purposes hereof, and the undersigned hereby fully ratify and confirm all that
said attorneys-in-fact and agents, or any of them, or their respective
substitutes, if any, shall do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.
IN WITNESS HEREOF, each of the undersigned has subscribed his or her
name, this 4th day of December, 1997.
<TABLE>
<C> <C>
/s/ J. Carter Bacot /s/ H. James Toffey, Jr.
- ------------------------ -------------------------
Name: J. Carter Bacot Name: H. James Toffey, Jr.
Title: Director Title: Director
/s/ John M. Devine /s/ Harold D. Marshall
- ------------------------ --------------------------
Name: John M. Devine Name: Harold D. Marshall
Title: Director Title: Director
/s/ Kenneth Whipple /s/ Keith W. Hughes
- ------------------------ --------------------------
Name: Kenneth Whipple Name: Keith W. Hughes
Title: Director Title: Chairman of
the Board, Principal
Executive Officer and
Director
/s/John F. Stillo /s/ Roy A. Guthrie
- -------------------------- --------------------------
Name: John F. Stillo Name: Roy A. Guthrie
Title: Senior Vice President Title: Executive Vice President
Comptroller and Principal And Chief Financial
Accounting officer Officer
</TABLE>
