LOEWEN GROUP INC
8-K, 1996-10-01
PERSONAL SERVICES
Previous: KASH N KARRY FOOD STORES INC, POS AM, 1996-10-01
Next: UNITED STATES EXPLORATION INC, 8-K, 1996-10-01



<PAGE>   1

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                            WASHINGTON, D.C.  20549


                                    FORM 8-K
                                 CURRENT REPORT


                     Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
                        Securities Exchange Act of 1934



Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported)  September 26, 1996

                             THE LOEWEN GROUP INC.
            --------------------------------------------------------
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)


  British Columbia, Canada              0-18429                98-0121376       
- ----------------------------    -----------------------    -------------------
(State or other jurisdiction    (Commission File Number       (IRS Employer 
      of incorporation)                                    Identification No.)
       


     4126 Norland Avenue, Burnaby, British Columbia                 V5G 3S8
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
     (Address of principal executive offices)                    (zip code)




Registrant's telephone number, including area code 604-299-9321



                                          N/A
        ---------------------------------------------------------------
         (Former name or former address, if changed since last report)




                                                      Exhibit Index is on page 3
                                                                     Page 1 of 6
<PAGE>   2
ITEM 5.  OTHER EVENTS.

Pursuant to Form 8-K, General Instructions F, registrant hereby incorporates by
reference the press release attached hereto as Exhibit 99.


ITEM 7.  FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, PRO FORMA FINANCIAL INFORMATION AND EXHIBITS.

         Exhibit No.      Description

         Exhibit 99-1     The Loewen Group Inc. Press Release dated September
26, 1996
         Exhibit 99-2     The Loewen Group Inc. Press Release dated September
29, 1996



                                   SIGNATURES

                 Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by
the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

Dated:  September 30, 1996

                                       THE LOEWEN GROUP INC.



                                       By: /s/ PETER S. HYNDMAN
                                          ---------------------------------
                                       Name:    Peter S. Hyndman
                                                Title: Corporate Secretary

<PAGE>   3
                                 EXHIBIT INDEX





<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                          Sequential
Number           Exhibit                                                                  Page Number
- ------           -------                                                                  -----------
<S>              <C>                                                                         <C>
99-1             The Loewen Group Inc.                                                         4
                 Press Release dated September 26, 1996

99-2             The Loewen Group Inc.                                                         5
                 Press Release dated September 29, 1996                              
</TABLE>

<PAGE>   1
                                                                    Exhibit 99.1


Stock Symbols:                      Investor Contacts:
Nasdaq:          LWNG               Paul Wagler, Senior Vice President, Finance
TSE:             LWN                Dwight Hawes, Vice President, Finance
ME:              LWN                The Loewen Group Inc.
                                    Tel: (800) 347-7010


                                    Media Contacts:
                                    Dave Laundy, Vice President,
                                    Communications
                                    The Loewen Group Inc.
                                    Tel: (604) 293-7857

                                    Thomas C. Franco
                                    Christopher G. Tofalli
                                    Broadgate Consultants, Inc.
                                    Tel: (212) 229-2222



                             FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

FLORIDA ATTORNEY GENERAL LAUNCHES ANTITRUST INVESTIGATION OF SERVICE
CORPORATION'S PROPOSED ACQUISITION OF THE LOEWEN GROUP

              ____________________________________________________

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA, September 26, 1996 -- The Loewen Group Inc.
(NASDAQ:LWNG) announced today that it has received a civil subpoena from the
State of Florida Attorney General's Office for documents in connection with the
Antitrust Section's investigation of the proposed acquisition of Loewen by
Service Corporation International.

Raymond L. Loewen, chairman of the board and chief executive officer of The
Loewen Group said, "We welcome the scrutiny of the Florida attorney general's
office and other state regulators as well, since SCI clearly intends to
eliminate its most formidable competitor in the North American marketplace."

The subpoena suggests a wide ranging investigation into the potential impact of
the proposed acquisition on pricing, Medicare-Medicaid issues and market
concentration for cemeteries and funeral homes in the State of Florida.

                                      ###

<PAGE>   1
                                                                    Exhibit 99.2

Stock Symbols:                      Investor Contacts:
Nasdaq:          LWNG               Paul Wagler, Senior Vice President, Finance
TSE:             LWN                Dwight Hawes, Vice President, Finance
ME:              LWN                The Loewen Group Inc.
                                    Tel: (800) 347-7010


                                    Media Contacts:
                                    Dave Laundy, Vice President,
                                    Communications
                                    The Loewen Group Inc.
                                    Tel: (604) 293-7857

                                    Thomas C. Franco
                                    Broadgate Consultants, Inc.
                                    Tel: (212) 229-2222


                             FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

LOEWEN ANNOUNCES NEARLY $100 MILLION IN RECENT ACQUISITIONS

LATEST TRANSACTIONS REFLECT CONCERNS ABOUT ANTICOMPETITIVE EFFECTS OF SERVICE
CORPORATION'S HOSTILE BID

              ____________________________________________________

VANCOUVER, September 29, 1996 -- The Loewen Group Inc. announced the
acquisition of CMS West, a western Pennsylvania-based operator of 28 cemeteries
and 7 funeral homes, during the International Cemetery and Funeral Association
convention in Florida which ended yesterday.  With this transaction and
acquisitions signed or closed since Service Corporation International's (SCI)
unsolicited takeover proposal on September 17, 1996, the aggregate value of
acquisition activity by Loewen in the past three weeks totals nearly $100
million.

"The acquisition interest we've seen in the last twelve days reflects serious
concerns among potential sellers of funeral and cemetery properties about the
negative impact SCI'S proposed acquisition will have on the market," said
Raymond L. Loewen, chairman of the board and chief executive officer of The
Loewen Group.  "The anticompetitive effects of the proposed acquisition have
already prompted regulatory scrutiny in several jurisdictions."  The State of
Florida has announced a wide ranging investigation into the anticompetitive
effects of SCI's proposed acquisition of Loewen.
<PAGE>   2
                                      -2-


Mr. Loewen added, "Loewen enjoys the best reputation in our industry.  The
superior quality of our people, our management and employees at all levels of
our Company, has been the major driver of our success.  In addition, our
demonstrated record of caring for our employees, our customers and the
communities that we serve has motivated potential sellers within the industry
increasingly to deal with Loewen."

With offices in Vancouver, Cincinnati, and Philadelphia, The Loewen Group
employs over 13,000 people.  Since the first of the year, the Company has
closed or signed approximately US$715 million in acquisitions, not including
the Rose Hills and Prime Succession transactions valued at over US$535 million.
More than 90 percent of the Company's revenue is generated in the United
States.  The Company's shares will be listed on the New York Stock Exchange on
October 2, 1996.  The symbol will be LWN.

                                      ###


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