ASTRO MED INC /NEW/
S-8, 1998-08-28
COMPUTER PERIPHERAL EQUIPMENT, NEC
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                                            Registration Statement No. 333-32315
================================================================================
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
                           __________________________

                         Post-Effective Amendment No. 1
                                       to
                                    FORM S-8
             Registration Statement Under the Securities Act of 1933
                          __________________________

                                 ASTRO-MED, INC.
               (Exact name of issuer as specified in its charter)

       Rhode Island                                            05-0318215
(State or other jurisdic-                                   (I.R.S. Employer
   tion of incorporation)                                   Identification No.)

                            600 East Greenwich Avenue
                           West Warwick, Rhode Island
                                 (401) 828-4000
               (Address, including zip code, and telephone number,
                 including area code, of registrant's principal
                               executive offices)

                        1997 Incentive Stock Option Plan
                            (Full title of the Plan)

   Joseph P. O'Connell, Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer
                                 Astro-Med, Inc.
                            600 East Greenwich Avenue
                             West Warwick, RI 02893
                                 (401) 828-4000
            (Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number,
              including area code, of agent for service of process)

                                    Copy to:

                            Margaret D. Farrell, Esq.
                            Hinckley, Allen & Snyder
                                1500 Fleet Center
                         Providence, Rhode Island 02903
                                 (401) 274-2000

If any of the  securities  being  registered on this form are to be offered on a
delay or continuous  basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933
check the following box. [x]

                                                        Exhibit Index on Page 8.

This  Post-Effective  Amendment  No.  1  to  the  Registration  Statement  shall
hereafter  become effective in accordance with the provisions of Section 8(c) of
the Securities Act of 1933.

Registration Statement No. 333-32315 is incorporated herein by reference.


<PAGE>




================================================================================
                         CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
================================================================================

Title of
Each Class of  Proposed     Proposed
Securities     Amount       Maximum          Maximum              Amount
to be          to be        Offering Price   Aggregate            Registration
Registered     Registered   Per Share(1)     Offering Price       Fee (2)
_______________________________________________________________________________

Common Stock   500,000      $5.0625           $2,531,250           $102.78
(par value
$.05)
_______________________________________________________________________________

(1)  Computed  pursuant to Rule 457(h) solely for the purpose of determining the
     registration  fee,  based on the  average of the high and low prices of the
     Registrant's Common Stock as reported by NASDAQ on August 27, 1998.

(2)  A registration  fee of $643.94 with respect to 250,000 shares was paid when
     the initial Registration Statement was filed.



<PAGE>


                        Registration of Additional Shares

     Astro-Med,  Inc. (the "Company") filed a Registration Statement on Form S-8
relating to its 1997  Incentive  Stock Option Plan (the "Plan") dated as of July
10, 1997, registering 250,000 shares of the common stock ("Common Stock") of the
Company  reserved for issuance  pursuant to options  granted under the Plan. The
Plan was amended on May 19, 1998 to  authorize  the  issuance  under the Plan of
options  covering an additional  250,000  shares of Common Stock under the Plan.
This  Post-Effective  Amendment No. 1 to  Registration  Statement No.  333-32315
shall serve to register the additional 250,000 shares issuable under the Plan.

                                     PART II

                   INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN THE PROSPECTUS

Item 5. Interests of Named Experts and Counsel.

     Certain  legal  matters in  connection  with the  validity of the shares of
Common  Stock  offered  hereby  have  been  passed  upon for the  Registrant  by
Hinckley,  Allen & Snyder,  1500 Fleet Center,  Providence,  Rhode Island 02903.
Margaret D. Farrell, a partner of Hinckley,  Allen & Snyder, is the Secretary of
the Registrant. Certain retired partners of the firm of Hinckley, Allen & Snyder
own shares of the  Registrant's  Common Stock,  as follows:  (a) Edwin  Torrance
directly owns 6,000 shares;  and (b) Jacques Hopkins  directly owns 4,250 shares
and indirectly owns 9,650 shares, 4,250 of which are owned by his wife and 5,400
of which are held in revocable trusts established by his adult children of which
his wife is co-trustee. In addition, Margaret D. Farrell and Jacques Hopkins are
joint Trustees of the Astro-Med  Employee Stock  Ownership  Trust. As of January
31, 1998, the Employee Stock Ownership Trust owned 62,309 shares of Common Stock
of Astro-Med.

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;

          (ii) To reflect in the  prospectus  any facts or events  arising after
               the effective  date of this  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 this Registration Statement (or the most
               recent post-effective amendment thereof);

          (iii)To include any material  information  with respect to the plan of
               distribution  not previously  disclosed or any material change to
               such information;

     Provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii) shall not apply
     if the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by
     those  paragraphs is contained in periodic  reports filed by the Registrant
     pursuant  to  Section  13 or  Section  15(d) of the  Exchange  Act that are
     incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement.

     (2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities
     Act,  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,  each  filing  of  the
Registrant's  annual  report  pursuant to Section  13(a) or Section 15(d) of the
Exchange Act (and, where  applicable,  each filing of an employee benefit plan's
annual  report   pursuant  to  Section  15(d)  of  the  Exchange  Act)  that  is
incorporated by reference in this 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) The  undersigned  Registrant  hereby  undertakes  to  deliver or cause to be
delivered with the prospectus,  to each person to whom the prospectus is sent or
given,  the latest annual  report to security  holders that is  incorporated  by
reference  in  the  prospectus  and  furnished   pursuant  to  and  meeting  the
requirements  of Rule 14a-3 or Rule 14c-3 under the  Exchange  Act;  and,  where
interim  financial  information  required  to  be  presented  by  Article  3  of
Regulation S-X is not set forth in the  prospectus,  to deliver,  or cause to be
delivered  to each person to whom the  prospectus  is sent or given,  the latest
quarterly  report  that  is  specifically   incorporated  by  reference  in  the
prospectus to provide such interim financial information.

(d) Insofar as indemnification  for liabilities arising under the Securities Act
may  be  permitted  to  directors,  officers  and  controlling  persons  of  the
Registrant  pursuant to the  provisions  described in Item 6, 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
Securities 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  of whether  such
indemnification  by it is against  public policy as expressed in the  Securities
Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.


<PAGE>


                                   SIGNATURES

     Pursuant  to  the  requirements  of  the  Securities  Act,  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  of  the  undersigned,  thereunto  duly
authorized, on the 28th day of August, 1998.

                                                    ASTRO-MED, INC.

                                                    By: /s/ Albert W. Ondis
                                                    Albert W. Ondis, Chairman
                                                    and Chief Executive Officer


     Pursuant to the  requirements  of the Securities  Act, this  Post-Effective
amendment  No. 1 to the  Registration  Statement  has been  signed  below by the
following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

Signature                      Title                          Date

/s/ Albert W. Ondis            Chairman (Principal            August 28, 1998
Albert W. Ondis                Executive Officer)
                               and Director

/s/ Everett V. Pizzuti         President (Principal           August 28, 1998
Everett V. Pizzuti             Operating Officer)
                               and Director

/s/ Joseph P. O'Connell        Vice President and             August 28, 1998
Joseph P. O'Connell            Treasurer (Principal
                               Financial Officer)

/s/ Gary A. Dalton             Controller (Principal          August 28, 1998
Gary A. Dalton                 Accounting Officer)

/s/ Jacques V. Hopkins         Director                       August 28, 1998
Jacques V. Hopkins

/s/ Hermann Viets              Director                       August 28, 1998
Hermann Viets, Ph.D.

/s/ Neil K. Robertson          Director                       August 28, 1998
Neil K. Robertson


<PAGE>



                                  EXHIBIT INDEX


                                                                    SEQUENTIALLY
EXHIBIT                                                             NUMBERED
NUMBER                EXHIBIT                                       PAGE

4.1                   Articles of Incorporation of
                      the Registrant, as amended
                      (filed as Exhibit No. 3A to
                      the Registrant's report on
                      Form 10-Q for the quarter ended
                      August 1, 1992 and by this
                      reference incorporated herein)                N/A

4.2                   By-laws of the Registrant, as
                      amended (filed as Exhibit No. 3B
                      to the Registrant's report on Form
                      10-Q for the quarter ended July 30, 1988
                      and by this reference
                      incorporated herein)                          N/A

4.3                   1997 Incentive Stock Option Plan, as
                      Amended, of Registrant                        9

5                     Opinion of Hinckley, Allen &
                      Snyder                                        14

23.1                  Consent of Arthur Andersen LLP                16

23.2                  Consent of Hinckley, Allen &
                      Snyder (contained in their
                      opinion filed as Exhibit 5)                   N/A








                                                                     Exhibit 4.3


This  document  constitutes  a  Prospectus  covering  securities  that have been
registered under the Securities Act of 1933.

                                 ASTRO-MED, INC.
                        1997 INCENTIVE STOCK OPTION PLAN

                                  (As Amended)

     1. Purpose. The purpose of this 1997 Incentive Stock Option Plan (the "1997
ISO  Plan") is to attract  and retain key  employees  of  Astro-Med,  Inc.  (the
"Company") and to provide them with  additional  incentive for unusual  industry
and efficiency by offering an opportunity to acquire a proprietary  stake in the
Company and its future growth.  It is the view of the Company that this goal may
best be achieved by granting stock options.

     2.  Administration.  (a) The  1997  ISO Plan  shall  be  administered  by a
committee of the Board of Directors (the  "Board"),  consisting of not less than
two members (the "Committee Committee"). It is the intention of the Company that
so long as the Company has a class of securities registered under the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange  Act"),  the 1997 ISO Plan shall
be  administered  by persons  who shall be  "disinterested  persons"  within the
meaning of Rule 16b-3 under the Exchange Act but the  authority  and validity of
any act taken or not taken by the  Compensation  Committee shall not be affected
if any person administering the 1997 ISO Plan is not a disinterested person; and
provided,  that, with respect to individual  participants who are not subject to
Section  16(b) of the Exchange  Act,  the  Compensation  Committee  may delegate
authority to administer the 1997 ISO Plan to another committee of directors (the
"Employee  Committee")  which  committee  may  include  directors  who  are  not
disinterested   persons.   Unless  the  context  otherwise  required,  the  term
"Committee"  shall refer to both the  Compensation  Committee  and the  Employee
Committee.

          (b) The  Committee  shall have plenary  authority  in its  discretion,
subject to and not inconsistent with the express provisions of the 1997 ISO Plan
to grant options,  to determine the purchase price of the shares of common stock
covered by each option,  the term of each option,  the persons to whom,  and the
time or times at which options shall be granted,  and the number of shares to be
covered by each option; to interpret the 1997 ISO Plan; to prescribe,  amend and
rescind  rules and  regulations  relating to the 1997 ISO Plan; to determine the
terms and  provisions  of the option  agreements  (which need not be  identical)
entered into in connection  with awards under the 1997 ISO Plan; and to make all
other determinations deemed necessary or advisable for the administration of the
1997 ISO Plan. All actions taken and all interpretations and determinations made
by the  Committee  in good faith shall be final and binding upon all persons who
have received awards, the Company and all other interested persons. No member or
agent of the Committee shall be personally liable for any action,  determination
or interpretation  taken or made in good faith with respect to the 1997 ISO Plan
or awards made thereunder,  and all members and agents of the Committee shall be
fully  indemnified  and  protected by the Company in respect of any such action,
determination  or  interpretation.  No Committee  member shall be liable for any
action,  determination or  interpretation  made in good faith and all members of
the Committee shall be fully indemnified and protected by the Company in respect
of any such action, determination or interpretation.

     3. Amount of Stock Subject to Plan. The amount of stock which may be issued
under options pursuant to the 1997 ISO Plan is five hundred  thousand  (500,000)
shares of the Company's $.05 par value common stock (the "common stock"). If any
options  terminate  or expire for any reason  without  having been  exercised in
full,  the shares not  purchased  under the  options may again be  subjected  to
options  granted  under the 1997 ISO Plan to the extent not  prohibited  by Rule
16b-3.

     4.  Eligibility.  Key employees of the Company or any  subsidiary  shall be
eligible to participate in the 1997 ISO Plan,  except that directors who are not
full time  officers  or  employees  shall not be eligible  to  participate.  Key
employees shall be those employees,  including  officers,  who are deemed by the
Committee  to be of  primary  importance  in  the  operation  of  the  Company's
business. The Committee may in its discretion from time to time grant options to
any or all eligible employees to purchase such number of shares as the Committee
shall determine,  subject to the limitation that except as hereinafter provided,
no option may be granted  hereunder to any employee who, at the time such option
is  granted,  owns stock  possessing  more than ten  percent  (10%) of the total
combined  voting power of all classes of stock of the Company or any  subsidiary
or parent. The foregoing  limitation shall not apply if, at the time such option
is granted,  the option price is at least one hundred ten percent  (110%) of the
fair  market  value of the stock  subject to the  option and such  option by its
terms is not  exercisable  after the  expiration of five (5) years from the date
such option is  granted,  or such  shorter  period as may be  determined  by the
Committee,  unless sooner  terminated  under Paragraph 10 or Paragraph 12 below.
Fair market value for this purpose  shall be  determined  at the time and in the
manner set forth in  Paragraph 6 below.  As used in the 1997 ISO Plan,  the term
"subsidiary"  has the meaning  ascribed to "subsidiary  corporation"  by section
424(f) of the Internal  Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the  "Code"),  and the
term "parent" has the meaning ascribed to "parent corporation" by section 424(e)
of the Code.

     5. Aggregate Annual Limit.  The aggregate fair market value  (determined as
of the  respective  date or dates of grant of an option  hereunder) of the stock
with respect to which options  granted  hereunder (and all other incentive stock
option plans of the Company or any subsidiary or parent) are exercisable for the
first  time by any  employee  during  any one  calendar  year  shall not  exceed
$100,000.  In the event that section  422(d) of the Code is amended to alter the
limitation set forth therein so that, following such amendment,  such limitation
shall differ from the limitation  set forth herein,  then the limitation of this
Paragraph 5 shall be automatically  amended to conform to the limitation of such
section of the Code.

     6. Option Price and Payment. The option price of the shares of common stock
subject  to each  option  will be fixed by the  Committee  but,  subject  to the
limitation  set forth in  Paragraph  4 above,  will not be less than one hundred
percent  (100%) of fair market  value of the common stock  determined  as of the
date of the granting of the option.  Upon the exercise of the option, the option
price may be paid in one or more of the following  ways, as the Committee in its
discretion  determines:  (i) in full in cash; or (ii) by exchanging other shares
of the Company's common stock owned by the owner of such option.  The term "fair
market  value"  shall be deemed to be the mean  between the high and low selling
prices on any exchange on which the stock is listed (or over-the-counter if such
stock is not then  listed on such  exchange),  on the date the option is granted
or, if no sale has taken  place,  the mean  between bid and asked prices on such
date.  However,  if  any  such  method  is  inconsistent  with  any  regulations
applicable  to incentive  stock options  heretofore or hereafter  adopted by the
Commissioner of Internal Revenue, then the fair market value shall be determined
by the Committee in accordance with such regulations.

     7. Term of Option;  Employment  Requirement.  (a) Except as provided in the
limitation set forth in Paragraph 4 above,  the term of each option shall be ten
(10) years,  or such shorter period as may be determined by the Committee,  from
the date of grant of the option,  unless sooner  terminated under the provisions
of  Paragraph  10 or  Paragraph  12  below.  All or  part of the  shares  may be
purchased,  subject to the provisions of Paragraph 10 below, at any time or from
time to time during the term of the option. No option shall be granted after the
termination  of the  1997 ISO  Plan,  but  options  theretofore  granted  may be
exercised  thereafter in accordance  with their terms and the  provisions of the
1997 ISO Plan.

     (b) Except as otherwise  permitted  under Paragraph 10 in the case of death
of the holder of an option, no option will be exercisable  unless at the time of
the  exercise  of the  option:  (i) the  holder  thereof  has been  continuously
employed by the Company,  one or more subsidiaries,  or both the Company and one
or more  subsidiaries  for a period of at least one  year,  and (ii) the  holder
thereof is still employed by the Company or one or more subsidiaries;  provided,
however,  that if the holder's  employment  has  terminated not more than ninety
(90) days before the exercise of such option under  circumstances  acceptable to
the  Committee   (whose   determination  in  this  regard  shall  be  final  and
conclusive),  then the option will nevertheless be exercisable during the ninety
(90)  day  period  notwithstanding  termination  of  employment;  and  provided,
further,  that if the holder's  employment  has terminated not more than one (1)
year  before the  exercise  of such  option as a result of the  holder  becoming
disabled (within the meaning of section  22(e)(3) of the Code),  then the option
will nevertheless be exercisable during such one (1) year period.

     (c)  Military  or sick  leave not  exceeding  ninety  (90) days will not be
deemed to interrupt or terminate  employment  for the purposes of this Paragraph
7.  Whether  military  or sick  leave in  excess  of  ninety  (90) days or other
authorized leave of absence will be deemed to interrupt or terminate  employment
for the purposes of this  Paragraph 7 will be determined by the Committee  whose
determination shall be final and conclusive.

     8.  Change of  Control.  Unless the  Committee  determines  otherwise,  all
outstanding  options  shall  become  immediately  exercisable  upon a Change  of
Control  Event.  A Change of Control  Event shall  include  (i) any  purchase of
common  stock  pursuant to a tender  offer or exchange  offer (other than by the
Company), (ii) the acquisition of 30% or more of the beneficial ownership of the
combined voting  securities of the Company by any person or group (as such terms
are used in Section 13(d) and 14(d) of the Exchange Act), other than the Company
or its  subsidiaries  or any employee  benefit plan of the Company or any person
who was an officer or director of the Company on the effective  date of the 1997
ISO Plan, which person or group did not theretofore beneficially own 30% or more
of the combined  voting  securities  of the Company,  (iii)  approval by Company
shareholders of a consolidation, a merger in which the Company does not survive,
or the sale of substantially  all of the Company's  assets,  or (iv) a change in
the  composition  of a majority of the  Company's  Board over a two-year  period
unless the  selection  or  nomination  of each of the new members is approved by
two-thirds  of those  remaining  members  of the Board who were  members  at the
beginning of the two-year period.

     9. Other Terms and Conditions; Waivers. Options will be evidenced by option
agreements  in such  form  and  containing  such  terms  and  conditions  as the
Committee may determine  (but not  inconsistent  with the provisions of the 1997
ISO Plan) including, without being limited to, the following:

     (a) Each option will be granted on the condition that the purchase of stock
thereunder  will be for  investment  purposes  and not with a view to  resale or
distribution,  except  that  such  condition  will be  inoperative  if the stock
subject  to such  option is  registered  under the  Securities  Act of 1933,  as
amended,  or if in the  opinion of  counsel  for the  Company  such stock may be
resold without registration;

     (b) No option will be transferable by the holder thereof  otherwise than by
will or by the  laws of  descent  and  distribution,  and  such  option  will be
exercisable during the lifetime of the holder thereof only by the holder; and

     (c) The  Committee,  in particular  cases,  before or after the issuance of
stock options under the 1997 ISO Plan, may waive any of the  conditions  imposed
by the  1997 ISO Plan  upon the  issuance  or  exercise  of  options;  provided,
however,  that no such waiver  shall be made which  would cause any  outstanding
incentive  stock option to fail to qualify as an incentive  stock option  within
the meaning of section 422 of the Code.

     10. Termination of Employment upon Death. In the event an eligible employee
dies while in the employ of the Company or any subsidiary, and at such time such
employee  holds  options  under the 1997 ISO Plan,  his or her options shall end
automatically  six (6) months  after such death,  unless  sooner  ended by their
terms. Prior to the expiration of such six (6) month period,  during the term of
such  options,  the  executor or  administrator  of the estate of such  eligible
employee shall have the right to exercise any option previously  granted to such
employee hereunder.

     11. Readjustment of Stock or Recapitalization. Upon any recapitalization or
readjustment of the Company's capital stock whereby the character of the present
common stock shall be changed, appropriate adjustments shall be made so that the
stock to be  purchased  under the 1997 ISO Plan shall be the  equivalent  of the
present common stock after such readjustment or  recapitalization.  In the event
of a subdivision or  combination  of the shares of common stock,  the Board will
proportionately  adjust  number  of  shares  that  may be  optioned  and sold to
eligible employees and the number of shares which are the subject of outstanding
options and the price therefor.  In case of  reclassification or other change in
the shares of common  stock,  such action will be taken as in the opinion of the
Board will be appropriate under the  circumstances.  Accordingly,  in such cases
the maximum number of authorized but unissued shares, or shares held as treasury
stock,  which  are  subject  to the 1997 ISO Plan may be  adjusted  by the Board
without shareholder or any other action.

     12. Sale of Assets,  Stock Exchange,  etc. If the Board recommends that the
Company  sell   substantially  all  of  its  assets,  or  that  the  holders  of
substantially  all of the shares of  outstanding  stock sell or  exchange  their
shares to or with any person, firm or corporation,  or that the Company merge or
consolidate  with another  corporation,  or that the Company be  liquidated  and
dissolved, then in any such event, the Committee may by notice in writing mailed
or  delivered  to each  holder of an  outstanding  option set a date (which date
shall be not less than sixty (60) days from the date of mailing or delivering of
such  written  notice)  on or  before  which  such  outstanding  options  may be
exercised,  and all such outstanding options which have not been exercised on or
before such date will thereafter expire and be of no further force and effect.

     13. Term of the Plan. The 1997 ISO Plan shall become  effective on the date
of its approval by the shareholders, and subsequent adoption and ratification by
the Board,  and shall  continue in effect until the expiration of ten (10) years
from the date of such approval by the shareholders  unless sooner  terminated as
provided herein.  The powers of the Committee shall continue in effect after the
termination  of the 1997 ISO Plan,  until  exercise or expiration of all options
then outstanding.

     14. Amendment and Termination.  The Board at any time may amend, suspend or
terminate  the 1997 ISO Plan. No action of the Board,  however,  may without the
written  consent of the holder,  alter or impair any option  previously  granted
under the 1997 ISO Plan  (except  pursuant to Paragraph 11 or Paragraph 12 above
or Paragraph 16 below). In addition, except as provided in the 1997 ISO Plan, no
action of the Board may, unless duly approved by the shareholders,  (i) increase
the  maximum  number of shares  subject  to the 1997 ISO Plan;  (ii)  change the
option price or the manner of  determining  the option  price;  (iii) extend the
period within which options may be granted;  (iv) extend the termination date of
the 1997 ISO Plan; (v) permit participation by directors who are not officers or
employees;  or (vi)  change  the  aggregate  annual  limit  provided  for  under
Paragraph 5 above.

     15.  Obligation of the Company to Issue Shares.  Notwithstanding  any other
provision of the 1997 ISO Plan,  the Company shall not be obligated to issue any
shares pursuant to any stock option unless or until:

     (a) the shares  with  respect to which the option is being  exercised  have
been registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or are exempt from
such registration;

     (b) the prior  approval of such sale or issuance has been obtained from any
state regulatory body having jurisdiction; and

     (c) in the  event the stock  has been  listed  on any stock  exchange,  the
shares with respect to which the option is being exercised have been duly listed
on such exchange in accordance with the procedure specified therefor.

     16. Qualifying  Amendments.  Notwithstanding  any other provision hereof to
the  contrary,  the Board  shall have the right to amend or modify the terms and
provisions  of the 1997 ISO Plan,  and any option  previously  granted under the
1997 ISO  Plan may be  amended  or  modified  by the  Committee,  to the  extent
necessary to qualify any or all such options for such  favorable  federal income
tax treatment  (including deferral of taxation upon exercise) as may be afforded
employee stock options under section 422 or any successor provision of the Code.








                                                                       Exhibit 5

                            Hinckley, Allen & Snyder
                                1500 Fleet Center
                         Providence, Rhode Island 02903


                                                              August 28, 1998



Astro-Med, Inc.
600 East Greenwich Avenue
West Warwick, RI 02893

          RE:  Amendment  No. 1 to  Registration  Statement on Form S-8 for 1997
               Incentive Stock Option Plan

Gentlemen:

     We have acted as counsel to  Astro-Med,  Inc., a Rhode  Island  corporation
(the "Company"), in connection with the filing by the Company of Amendment No. 1
to the Registration  Statement on Form S-8 (the  "Registration  Statement") with
the  Securities  and  Exchange  Commission  relating  to Five  Hundred  Thousand
(500,000)  shares of the Company's  common stock,  par value $.05 per share (the
"Common Stock"),  issuable under the Astro-Med, Inc. 1997 Incentive Stock Option
Plan, as amended (the "Plan").

     In connection with this opinion, we have examined the Company's Articles of
Incorporation,   the  bylaws  of  the  Company,  as  amended,  the  Registration
Statement,  corporate proceedings of the Company relating to the issuance of the
Common  Stock,  the Plan and such other  instruments  and  documents  as we have
deemed relevant under the circumstances.

     In making the aforesaid examination, we have assumed the genuineness of all
signatures and the conformity to original  documents of all copies  furnished to
us as original or photostatic copies.

     Based upon and subject to the  foregoing,  we are of the  opinion  that the
Common  Stock which may be issued  under the Plan has been duly  authorized  and
when  issued in  accordance  with the terms of the Plan will be validly  issued,
fully paid and non-assessable.

     We hereby  consent  to the use of our  opinion  as  herein  set forth as an
exhibit  to the  Registration  Statement.  This  opinion is  rendered  to you in
connection with the  Registration  Statement,  and except as consented to in the
preceding  sentence,  may not be relied upon or furnished to any other person in
any context.  In giving such consent, we do not thereby admit that we are within
the  category  of persons  whose  consent  is  required  under  Section 7 of the
Securities  Act of 1933 or the  rules  and  regulations  of the  Securities  and
Exchange Commission thereunder.

                                                   Very truly yours,


                                                   /s/ Hinckley, Allen & Snyder




                                                                    Exhibit 23.1


                                ARTHUR ANDERSEN

                   Consent of Independent Public Accountants

     As independent public  accountants,  we hereby consent to the incorporation
by reference in this registration  statement of our reports dated March 17, 1998
included in Astro-Med,  Inc.'s Form 10-K for the year ended January 31, 1998 and
to all references to our Firm included in this registration statement.

                                                         /s/ Arthur Andersen LLP

Boston, Massachusetts
August 28, 1998



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