LOEWEN GROUP INC
424B3, 1996-07-26
PERSONAL SERVICES
Previous: MARRIOTT HOTEL PROPERTIES II LIMITED PARTNERSHIP, 10-Q, 1996-07-26
Next: CURBSTONE ACQUISITION CORP, 10-Q, 1996-07-26



<PAGE>

                                                FILED PURSUANT TO RULE 424(b)(3)
                                                FILE NO. 333-07175
     Prospectus
     ----------

                             THE LOEWEN GROUP INC.
                              4126 Norland Avenue
                           Burnaby, British Columbia
                                 Canada V5G 3S8

                            1,216,011 Common Shares

          The Common shares without par value (the "Common Shares") of The
     Loewen Group Inc., a corporation organized under the laws of British
     Columbia ("Loewen"), offered hereby (the "Offered Shares") are being sold
     by certain shareholders of Loewen (collectively, the "Selling
     Shareholders").  Loewen will receive none of the proceeds from the sale of
     the Offered Shares.  Information regarding the Selling Shareholders is set
     forth herein under the heading "Selling Shareholders."

          The Common Shares currently are traded on The Nasdaq National Market
     under the symbol "LWNG."  On July 24, 1996, the closing price per Common
     Share on The Nasdaq National Market was $26.875.

    THESE SECURITIES HAVE NOT BEEN APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED BY THE SECURITIES
           AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION OR ANY STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION
           NOR HAS THE COMMISSION OR ANY STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION
            PASSED UPON THE ACCURACY OR ADEQUACY OF THIS PROSPECTUS.
           ANY REPRESENTATION TO THE CONTRARY IS A CRIMINAL OFFENSE.

          Some or all of the Offered Shares may be offered for sale from time to
     time by the Selling Shareholders on The Nasdaq National Market at such
     prices and on such terms as may then be obtainable, in negotiated
     transactions, or otherwise.  In addition, the Selling Shareholders may
     engage in short sales, short sales against the box and other transactions
     in the Common Shares or derivatives thereof, and may pledge, sell, deliver
     or otherwise transfer the Offered Shares in connection therewith.  Brokers
     executing orders are expected to charge normal commissions, and the
     proceeds to the Selling Shareholders will be net of brokerage commissions.
     This Prospectus may be used by the Selling Shareholders or by any broker-
     dealer who may participate in sales of the Offered Shares.  Loewen will pay
     the expenses of the preparation of this Prospectus, but all commissions,
     transfer taxes, and other expenses associated with the sales of the Offered
     Shares will be paid by the Selling Shareholders.

          No person is authorized by Loewen or the Selling Shareholders to give
     any information or to make any representations other than those contained
     in this Prospectus.  Neither the delivery of this Prospectus nor any sale
     made hereunder shall create any implication that there has been no change
     in the information contained herein since the date hereof.


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

                 The date of this Prospectus is July 25, 1996
<PAGE>
 
                             AVAILABLE INFORMATION

     Loewen has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the
"Commission") a Registration Statement on Form S-3 covering the Offered Shares
(together with any amendments, exhibits, annexes and schedules thereto, the
"Registration Statement") pursuant to the Securities Act of 1933, as amended
(the "Securities Act") and the rules and regulations thereunder. This Prospectus
does not include all of the information set forth in the Registration Statement,
certain parts of which are omitted in accordance with the rules and regulations
of the Commission. Statements made in the Prospectus as to the contents of any
contract, agreement or other document referred to in the Registration Statement
are not necessarily complete. With respect to each such contract, agreement or
other document filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement, reference is
made to the exhibit for a more complete description of the matter involved, and
each such statement shall be deemed qualified in its entirety by such reference.

     Loewen is subject to the informational requirements of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), and in accordance
therewith, files reports, proxy statements and other information with the
Commission. Such reports, proxy statements and other information filed by Loewen
may be inspected and copied at the public reference facilities maintained by the
Commission at Room 1024, Judiciary Plaza, 450 Fifth Street, N.W., Washington,
D.C. 20549, and at the Commission's regional offices located at Seven World
Trade Center, Suite 1300, New York, New York 10048, and Citicorp Center, 500
West Madison Street, Suite 1400, Chicago, Illinois 60661-2511. Copies of such
material can be obtained by mail from the Public Reference section of the
Commission at Judiciary Plaza, 450 Fifth Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20549,
at prescribed rates. In addition, reports, proxy statements and other 
information that Loewen files with the Commission electronically are contained 
in the Internet Web site maintained by the Commission. The Commission's Web site
address is http://www.sec.gov. The Common Shares are quoted on The Nasdaq
National Market and are traded on The Toronto Stock Exchange and The Montreal
Exchange. Reports, proxy statements and other information filed by Loewen may be
inspected at the offices of The Nasdaq Stock Market at 1735 "K" Street, N.W.,
Washington, D.C. 20006, at the offices of The Toronto Stock Exchange at The
Exchange Tower, 2 First Canadian Place, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5X 1J2 and at
the offices of The Montreal Exchange at 800 Victoria Square, Montreal, Quebec,
Canada H4Z 1A9.

                             FINANCIAL INFORMATION

     All dollar amounts in financial statements incorporated by reference into
this Prospectus are in United States dollars ("U.S.$" or "$") unless otherwise
indicated. References to "Cdn.$" are to Canadian dollars.

     The consolidated financial statements of Loewen, its subsidiaries and
associated entities (the "Company") included in Loewen's reports filed pursuant
to the Exchange Act are prepared in accordance with accounting principles
generally accepted in Canada ("Canadian GAAP"). Differences between Canadian
GAAP and accounting principles generally accepted in the United States ("U.S.
GAAP"), as applicable to the Company, are explained in Note 21 to the Company's
1995 Consolidated Financial Statements, which are included in the Company's
Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1995. The
consolidated financial statements of the Company for the year ended December 31,
1993, and for prior years, were published in Canadian dollars. Effective January
1, 1994, the Company adopted the United States dollar as its reporting currency
and, accordingly, has published its consolidated financial statements for the
year ended December 31, 1994 and subsequent periods in United States dollars.
Financial information relating to periods prior to January 1, 1994 has been
translated from Canadian dollars into United States dollars as required by
Canadian GAAP at the December 31, 1993 rate of U.S.$1.00=Cdn$1.3217.

                                       2
<PAGE>
 
                                  THE COMPANY

     The Loewen Group Inc. operates the second-largest number of funeral homes
and cemeteries in North America and the largest number of funeral homes in
Canada. The Company also engages in the pre-need selling of funeral services
through its operating locations and the pre-need selling of cemetery and
cremation services through certain of its operating locations. As of July 19,
1996, the Company operated 903 funeral homes (not all of which are wholly
owned) throughout North America. This included 790 funeral homes in the United
States (including locations in Puerto Rico) and 113 funeral homes in Canada. In
addition, as at such date, the Company operated 243 cemeteries in the United
States and six cemeteries in Canada. As at the close of business on July 19,
1996, the Company had negotiated agreements for the acquisition of a further
61 funeral homes and 65 cemeteries in the United States and five funeral homes
in Canada.

     Loewen was incorporated in 1985 under the laws of British Columbia, Canada.
Lowen's principal executive offices are located at 4126 Norland Avenue, Burnaby,
British Columbia, Canada, V5G 3S8; telephone (604) 299-9321.

                                       3
<PAGE>
 
 
                              SELLING SHAREHOLDERS

     Certain of the Selling Shareholders listed in the following table have
indicated their intention to sell some or all of the Offered Shares set forth
opposite their respective names. The following table assumes that each of the
Selling Shareholders will sell all of the Offered Shares set forth opposite such
Selling Shareholder's name. However, one or more of the Selling Shareholders may
sell only a small portion of or none of the Offered Shares set forth opposite
such Selling Shareholder's name.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                               COMMON SHARES                           COMMON SHARES
                                            BENEFICIALLY OWNED                      BENEFICIALLY OWNED
                                           PRIOR TO THE OFFERING                    AFTER THE OFFERING
                                          -----------------------      NUMBER OF    -------------------
                                            NUMBER      PERCENT         SHARES       NUMBER    PERCENT
                                               OF           OF        TO BE SOLD       OF        OF
                                           SHARES(1)    CLASS(1)    IN THE OFFERING  SHARES     CLASS
NAME OF SHAREHOLDER                       -----------  ----------   --------------- --------  ---------
- -------------------
<S>                                       <C>          <C>          <C>             <C>       <C>
 
Provident Indemnity Life Insurance           558,519        .948%        558,519        -0-         --
 Company(2)(3)
Berger & Montague, P.C.(2)                   281,481        .478%        281,481        -0-         --
Provident American Corporation(2)(3)         160,000        .272%        160,000        -0-         --
 
Honorine and John Flanagan(4)                148,630        .252%        132,930     15,700      .027%
Honorine Flanagan(4)(5)                       84,081        .143%         83,081      1,000       nil

________________ 
</TABLE>
(1)  Determined as of July 24, 1996. 

(2)  The Offered Shares to be sold by Provident American Corporation ("PAMCO"),
     Provident Indemnity Life Insurance Company ("PILIC") and Berger & Montague,
     P.C. (collectively, the "Provident Shareholders") are included in this
     Registration Statement pursuant to registration rights granted by Loewen in
     connection with the settlement of certain litigation. Loewen has agreed to
     pay all expenses of registering the shares on behalf of the Provident
     Shareholders other than underwriting or broker-dealer discounts and
     commissions and any fees or disbursements of the Provident Shareholders'
     counsel. Loewen and each of the Provident Shareholders have agreed to
     indemnify each other against certain liabilities under the Securities Act.

(3)  PILIC is a wholly-owned subsidiary of PAMCO. Accordingly, PAMCO may be
     deemed to have shared power to direct the vote or the disposition of the
     Common Shares owned by PILIC.

(4)  The Offered Shares to be sold by Honorine Flanagan, individually, and by
     Honorine and John Flanagan (collectively, the "Flanagans") are included in
     this Registration Statement pursuant to certain registration rights granted
     by Loewen in connection with the acquisition by Loewen from the Flanagans
     of certain properties located in California. Loewen has agreed to pay all
     expenses of registering the Offered Shares on behalf of the Flanagans other
     than underwriting or broker-dealer discounts and commissions and any fees
     or disbursements of the Flanagans' counsel. Honorine Flanagan is a director
     of Loewen Group International, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Loewen
     that serves as the holding company for the United States assets and
     operations of the Company ("LGII"). She also is an officer of several
     subsidiaries of LGII. Honorine and John Flanagan are husband and wife.

(5)  Includes 1,000 Common Shares subject to an employee stock option that is
     currently exercisable.

                                       4
<PAGE>
 
                             PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

     It is anticipated that the Offered Shares that the Selling Shareholders
elect to sell will be offered by the Selling Shareholders through broker-dealers
who will receive ordinary brokers' commissions in connection with such sales.
The Offered Shares may be sold on The Nasdaq National Market, in negotiated
transactions, or otherwise, and participating broker-dealers may act as agents
or principals, or both, in connection with such sales. Loewen has not entered
into any agreements for the sale of the Offered Shares.

                       CERTAIN RESTRICTIONS ON TRANSFER

     The Offered Shares issued to the Provident Shareholders were issued
pursuant to a private placement exemption under the laws of British Columbia,
Canada. Such Offered Shares may not be traded in British Columbia until the
expiration of a one-year hold period that commenced on March 19, 1996 (the
"British Columbia Hold Period"). Until the British Columbia Hold Period expires
on March 18, 1997, a certificate representing such Offered Shares cannot be
traded through the facilities of The Toronto Stock Exchange or on The Montreal
Exchange since the certificate is not freely transferable and consequently is
not "good delivery" in settlement of transactions on The Toronto Stock Exchange
or on The Montreal Exchange. Such Offered Shares will bear legends describing
the British Columbia Hold Period and the related trading restrictions imposed by
The Montreal Exchange and The Toronto Stock Exchange until the relevant British
Columbia Hold Period has expired.


     LOEWEN HAS BEEN ADVISED BY THE NASDAQ STOCK MARKET THAT THE CERTIFICATES
REPRESENTING THE OFFERED SHARES WILL BE FREELY TRADEABLE ON THE NASDAQ NATIONAL
MARKET.

                                    EXPERTS

     The consolidated financial statements of Loewen incorporated by reference
in this Prospectus have been audited by KPMG, Chartered Accountants, for the
periods indicated in its report thereon, which is incorporated herein by
reference. Such consolidated financial statements are incorporated herein by
reference in reliance upon such report given upon the authority of such firm as
experts in accounting and auditing.

                                 LEGAL MATTERS

     The validity of the Offered Shares will be passed upon for Loewen by
Russell & DuMoulin, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

          ENFORCEABILITY OF CERTAIN CIVIL LIABILITIES AGAINST LOEWEN

     Loewen is a corporation organized under and governed by the laws of the
Province of British Columbia, Canada. Certain of its directors, controlling
persons, and officers are residents of Canada, and all or a portion of the
assets of such persons and of Loewen are located outside the United States. As a
result, it may be difficult or impossible for United States holders of the
Common Shares to effect service within the United States upon Loewen (although
it may be possible to effect service upon direct or indirect United States
subsidiaries of Loewen) and those directors or officers who are not residents of
the United States, or to realize in the United States upon judgments of courts
of the United States predicated upon the civil liability of such persons under
the Securities Act
                                       5
<PAGE>
 
or the Exchange Act, to the extent such judgments exceed such person's United
States assets. Loewen has been advised by Russell & DuMoulin, its Canadian
counsel, that there is doubt as to the enforceability in Canada against any of
these persons, in original actions or in actions for enforcement of judgments of
United States courts, of liabilities predicated solely on the Securities Act or
the Exchange Act.

               INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN INFORMATION BY REFERENCE

     The following documents heretofore filed by Loewen with the Commission are
hereby incorporated herein by reference: (i) Annual Report on Form 10-K for the
fiscal year ended December 31, 1995 filed March 28, 1996 (as amended on Form 10-
K/A filed June 20, 1996); (ii) Current Reports on Form 8-K dated January 3,
1996, January 17, 1996, January 24, 1996, January 26, 1996, February 6, 1996,
February 12, 1996, February 27, 1996, March 4, 1996, March 13, 1996, March 20,
1996, March 26, 1996, (as amended on Form 8-K/A, filed June 10, 1996, and as
further amended on Form 8-K/A-2 filed on July 5, 1996), March 31, 1996, May 1,
1996, May 8, 1996, May 24, 1996, May 31, 1996, June 4, 1996, June 6, 1996 and
June 17, 1996; (iii) Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March
30, 1996, filed May 15, 1996; and (iv) the description of the Common Shares
contained in Loewen's Form 20-F Registration Statement filed March 30, 1990,
including any amendment or report filed for the purpose of updating such
description. All documents filed by Loewen pursuant to Section 13(a), 13(c), 14,
or 15(d) of the Exchange Act after the date of this Prospectus and prior to the
termination of this Offering shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference in
this Prospectus and to be a part hereof from the date of filing of such
documents.

     Any statement contained in a document incorporated or deemed to be
incorporated by reference herein shall be deemed to be modified or superseded
for purposes of this Prospectus to the extent that a statement contained herein
or in any other subsequently filed document which also is incorporated or deemed
to be incorporated by reference herein modifies or supersedes such statement.
Any such statement so modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except as so
modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this Prospectus.

     Loewen will provide without charge to each person to whom this Prospectus
is delivered, upon the written or oral request of such person, a copy of any or
all of the foregoing documents incorporated by reference herein (other than
exhibits to any such document unless such exhibits are specifically incorporated
by reference into such document). Requests for such copies should be directed to
the Corporate Secretary of Loewen, 4126 Norland Avenue, Burnaby, British
Columbia, Canada V5G 3S8, telephone number (604) 299-9321.

                                       6
<PAGE>
 
     No dealer, salesman or any other person has been authorized to give any
information or to make any representations other than those contained in this
Prospectus, and, if given or made, such information or representations must not
be relied upon as having been authorized by the Company or the Selling
Shareholders. This Prospectus does not constitute an offer to sell or a
solicitation of an offer to buy the shares by anyone in any jurisdiction in
which such offer or solicitation is not authorized, or in which the person
making the offer or solicitation is not qualified to do so, or to any person to
whom it is unlawful to make such offer or solicitation. Under no circumstances
shall the deliver of this Prospectus or any sale made pursuant to this
Prospectus create any implication that information contained in this Prospectus
is correct as of any time subsequent to the date of this Prospectus.



                               TABLE OF CONTENTS
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                              Page
                                                              ----
<S>                                                           <C>
 
Available Information.......................................  2
Financial Information.......................................  2
The Company.................................................  3
Selling Shareholders........................................  4
Plan of Distribution........................................  5
Certain Restrictions on Transfer............................  5
Experts.....................................................  5
Legal Matters...............................................  5
Enforceability of Certain Civil Liabilities Against Loewen..  5
Incorporation of Certain Information by Reference...........  6
</TABLE>

                             THE LOEWEN GROUP INC.



                                 ____________

                                  PROSPECTUS
                                 ____________


                                  __________

                                   1,216,011
                                 COMMON SHARES
                                  __________





                                 JULY 25, 1996  



© 2022 IncJournal is not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission