SHARPER IMAGE CORP
8-A12B, 1999-06-22
MISCELLANEOUS SHOPPING GOODS STORES
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<PAGE>   1

                       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 EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

                            SHARPER IMAGE CORPORATION
               (Exact name of registrant as specified in charter)
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
           DELAWARE                    0-15827                         94-2493558
           --------                    -------                         ----------
<S>                             <C>                        <C>
  (State of incorporation or    (Commission File Number)   (IRS Employer Identification No.)
         organization)
</TABLE>

650 DAVIS STREET, SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA 94111
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Address of principal executive offices)

Registrant's telephone number, including area code (415) 445-6000
                                                   -----------------------------


SECURITIES TO BE REGISTERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 12(b) OF THE ACT:

                         PREFERRED STOCK PURCHASE RIGHTS
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                (Title of Class)


SECURITIES TO BE REGISTERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 12(g) OF THE ACT:


                                      NONE
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                (Title of Class)
<PAGE>   2

Item 1.  Description of Securities to be Registered.

        On June 7, 1999, the Board of Directors of Sharper Image Corporation
(the "Company") declared a dividend of one preferred share purchase right (a
"Right") for each outstanding share of Common Stock (the "Common Stock"), par
value $0.01 per share, of the Company. The dividend is payable on June 22, 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 (a "Unit") of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock, par
value $0.01 per share (the "Series A Preferred Stock"), of the Company at a
price of $ 47.00 per Unit (the "Purchase Price"), subject to adjustment. The
description and terms of the Rights are set forth in a Rights Agreement dated as
of June 7, 1999 (the "Rights Agreement") between the Company and ChaseMellon
Shareholder Services, as Rights Agent (the "Rights Agent").

        Until the earlier to occur of (i) the close of business on the first
date of a public announcement that a person or group of affiliated or associated
persons (an "Acquiring Person") have acquired beneficial ownership of 15% or
more of the outstanding 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 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 such outstanding 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 with a copy of this Summary of Rights
attached thereto.

        The Rights Agreement provides that, until the Distribution Date, the
Rights will be transferred with and only with the Common Stock. Until the
Distribution Date (or earlier redemption or expiration of the Rights), new
Common Stock certificates issued after the Record Date, upon transfer or new
issuance of Common Stock will contain a notation incorporating the Rights
Agreement by reference. Until the Distribution Date (or earlier redemption or
expiration of the Rights), the surrender for transfer of any certificates for
Common Stock, outstanding as of the Record Date, even without such notation or a
copy of this Summary of Rights being attached thereto, will also constitute the
transfer of the Rights associated with the Common Stock represented by such
certificate. As soon as practicable following the Distribution Date, separate
certificates evidencing the Rights ("Rights 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 Rights Certificates alone will evidence the
Rights.

        The Rights are not exercisable until the Distribution Date. The Rights
will expire at the close of business on June 22, 2009 (the "Final Expiration
Date"), unless the Final Expiration Date is extended or unless the Rights are
earlier redeemed or exchanged by the Company, in each case as described below.

        The  Purchase  Price  payable,  and the  number  of  Units  of  Series A
Preferred Stock or other securities or property  issuable,  upon exercise of the
Rights are subject to  adjustment  from time to time to prevent  dilution (i) in
the  event  of  a  stock   dividend  on,  or  a   subdivision,   combination  or
reclassification  of,  the  Series A  Preferred  Stock,  (ii)  upon the grant to
holders of the Units of Series A Preferred  Stock of certain  rights or warrants
to subscribe for or purchase  Units of Series A Preferred  Stock at a price,  or
securities  convertible into Units of Series A Preferred Stock with a conversion
price,  less  than the  then  current  market  price  of the  Units of  Series A
Preferred Stock or (iii) upon the distribution to holders of the Units of Series
A Preferred  Stock of evidences of  indebtedness  or assets  (excluding  regular
periodic cash dividends  paid out of earnings or retained  earnings or dividends
payable  in Units of  Series A  Preferred  Stock) or of  subscription  rights or
warrants (other than those referred to above).

        The number of outstanding Rights and the number of Units of Series A
Preferred Stock issuable upon exercise of each Rights are also subject to
adjustment in the event of a stock split of the Common Stock or a stock dividend
on the Common Stock payable in Common Stock or subdivisions, consolidations or
combinations of the Common Stock occurring, in any such case, prior to the
Distribution Date.



                                       1.
<PAGE>   3

        Units of Series A Preferred Stock purchasable upon exercise of the
Rights will not be redeemable. Each Unit of Series A Preferred Stock will be
entitled to an aggregate dividend of 1,000 times the dividend declared per share
of Common Stock. In the event of liquidation, the holders of the Units of Series
A Preferred Stock will be entitled to an aggregate payment of 1,000 times the
payment made per share of Common Stock. Each Unit of Series A Preferred Stock
will have 1,000 votes, voting together with the Common Stock. Finally, in the
event of any merger, consolidation or other transaction in which shares of
Common Stock are exchanged, each Unit of Series A Preferred Stock will be
entitled to receive 1,000 times the amount received per share of Common Stock.
These rights are protected by customary anti-dilution provisions.

        Because of the nature of the dividend, liquidation and voting rights,
the value of the Series A Preferred Stock, the Units of Series A Preferred Stock
purchasable upon exercise of each Rights should approximate the value of one
share of Common Stock.

        In the event that, after the Rights become exercisable, the Company is
acquired in a merger or other business combination transaction with an Acquiring
Person or an affiliate thereof, or 50% or more of its consolidated assets or
earning power are sold to an Acquiring Person or an affiliate thereof, proper
provision will be made so that each holder of a Rights will thereafter have the
right to receive, upon exercise thereof at the then current exercise price of
the Rights, that number of shares of common stock of the acquiring company which
at the time of such transaction will have a market value of two times the
exercise price of the Rights.

        In the event that any person or group of affiliated or associated
persons becomes the beneficial owner of 15% or more of the outstanding shares of
Common Stock, proper provision shall be made so that each holder of a Right,
other than Rights beneficially owned by the Acquiring Person (which will
thereafter be void), will thereafter have the right to receive upon exercise
that number of shares of Common Stock or Units of Series A Preferred Stock (or
cash, other securities or property) having a market value of two times the
exercise price of the Rights.

        At any time after the acquisition by a person or group of affiliated or
associated persons of beneficial ownership of 15% or more of the outstanding
shares of Common Stock and prior to the acquisition by such person or group of
50% or more of the outstanding Common Stock, the Board of Directors of the
Company may exchange the Rights (other than Rights owned by such person or group
which have become void), in whole or in part, at an exchange ratio of one Unit
of Series A Preferred Stock (subject to adjustment) which shall equal, subject
to adjustment to reflect stock splits, stock dividends and similar transactions
occurring after the date hereof, that number obtained by dividing the Purchase
Price by the then current per share market price per Unit of Series A Preferred
Stock on the earlier of (i) the date on which any Person becomes an Acquiring
Person and (ii) the date on which a tender or exchange offer is announced by any
Person, if upon consummation thereof such Person would be the Beneficial Owner
of 15% or more of the shares of Company Common Stock then outstanding.

        With certain exceptions, no adjustment in the Purchase Price will be
required until cumulative adjustments require an adjustment of at least 1% in
such Purchase Price. No fractional shares of Series A Preferred Stock will be
issued (other than fractions which are integral multiples of one one-thousandth
of a share of Series A Preferred Stock, which may, at the election of the
Company, be evidenced by depositary receipts) and, in lieu thereof, an
adjustment in cash will be made based on the market price of the Units of Series
A Preferred Stock on the last trading day prior to the date of exercise.

        At any time on or prior to the close of business on the first date of a
public announcement that a person or group of affiliated or associated persons
acquire beneficial ownership of 15% or more of the outstanding Common Stock
(unless the Board of Directors extends such ten-day period), the Board of
Directors of the Company may redeem the Rights in whole, but not in part, at a
price of $.001 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. Immediately upon any
redemption of the Rights, the right to exercise the Rights will terminate and
the only right of the holders of Rights will be to receive the Redemption Price.
The Rights are also redeemable under other circumstances as specified in the
Rights Agreement.



                                       2.
<PAGE>   4

        The terms of the Rights may be amended by the Board of Directors of the
Company without the consent of the holders of the Rights except that from and
after a Distribution Date no such amendment may adversely affect the interests
of the holders of the Rights.

        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.

        The Rights have certain anti-takeover effects. The Rights will cause
substantial dilution to a person or group that attempts to acquire the Company
on terms not approved by the Company's Board of Directors, except pursuant to an
offer conditioned on a substantial number of Rights being acquired. The Rights
should not interfere with any merger or other business combination approved by
the Board of Directors since the Rights may be redeemed by the Company at the
Redemption Price prior to the occurrence of a Distribution Date.

        The Rights Agreement, dated as of June 7, 1999, between the Company and
the Rights Agent, specifying the terms of the Rights, is attached hereto as an
exhibit and is incorporated herein by reference. The foregoing description of
the Rights is qualified in its entirety by reference to such exhibit.

Item 2. Exhibits.

1.      Rights Agreement, dated as of June 7, 1999, between the Company and
        ChaseMellon Shareholder Services, L.L.C., which includes the form of
        Certificate of Designation for the Series A Junior Participating
        Preferred Stock as Exhibit A, the form of Rights Certificate as Exhibit
        B and the Summary of Rights to Purchase Series A Preferred Stock as
        Exhibit C. Pursuant to the Rights Agreement, printed Right Certificates
        will not be mailed until as soon as practicable after the earlier of (i)
        the close of business on the first date of a public announcement that a
        person or group has acquired beneficial ownership of 15% or more of the
        shares of Common Stock or (ii) the tenth (10th) business day (or such
        later date as may be determined by action of the Board of Directors)
        after a person commences, or announces its intention to commence, 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
        shares of Common Stock.(1)



- --------

        (1) Incorporated by reference to Amendment No. 1 to Registration
Statement No. 333-79211 on Form S-2, as filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission on June 17, 1999.



                                       3.
<PAGE>   5

                                    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.

                                            SHARPER IMAGE CORPORATION




DATE:  June 21, 1999                        By: /s/    TRACY Y. WAN
                                                   -----------------------------
                                                Name:  Tracy Y. Wan

                                                Title:  President, Chief
                                                Operating Officer and Corporate
                                                Secretary



<PAGE>   6

                                  EXHIBIT INDEX

EXHIBIT
NUMBER                          DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION

1.        Rights Agreement, dated as of June 7, 1999, between the Company and
          ChaseMellon Shareholder Services, L.L.C., which includes the form of
          Certificate of Designation for the Series A Junior Participating
          Preferred Stock as Exhibit A, the form of Rights Certificate as
          Exhibit B and the Summary of Rights to Purchase Preferred Stock as
          Exhibit C. Pursuant to the Rights Agreement, printed Right
          Certificates will not be mailed until as soon as practicable after the
          earlier of (i) the close of business on the first date of a public
          announcement that a person or group has acquired beneficial ownership
          of 15% or more of the shares of Common Stock or (ii) the tenth (10th)
          business day (or such later date as may be determined by action of the
          Board of Directors) after a person commences, or announces its
          intention to commence, 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 shares of Common Stock.(1)



- --------

          (1) Incorporated by reference to Amendment No. 1 to Registration
Statement No. 333-79211 on Form S-2, as filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission on June 17, 1999.


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