SEARS CREDIT ACCOUNT MASTER TRUST II
8-K, 1999-09-23
ASSET-BACKED SECURITIES
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<PAGE>   1
                                  UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549


                                    FORM 8-K


                                 CURRENT REPORT


                          PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OF THE

                         SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934


      DATE OF REPORT (DATE OF EARLIEST EVENT REPORTED): SEPTEMBER 23, 1999


                      SEARS CREDIT ACCOUNT MASTER TRUST II
               --------------------------------------------------
               (EXACT NAME OF REGISTRANT AS SPECIFIED IN CHARTER)



   ILLINOIS                        0-24776                 NOT APPLICABLE
   --------                        -------                 --------------
  (STATE OF                     (COMMISSION                (IRS EMPLOYER
ORGANIZATION)                   FILE NUMBER)             IDENTIFICATION NO.)


C/O SRFG, INC.
3711 KENNETT PIKE
GREENVILLE, DELAWARE                                           19807
- ----------------------------------------                       -----
(ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE OFFICES)                    (ZIP CODE)


REGISTRANT'S TELEPHONE NUMBER, INCLUDING AREA CODE:  (302) 434-3176

FORMER NAME OR FORMER ADDRESS, IF CHANGED SINCE LAST REPORT:  NOT APPLICABLE



<PAGE>   2
ITEM 5.           OTHER EVENTS

                  SERIES 1999-2. ON SEPTEMBER 22, 1999, THE REGISTRANT MADE
AVAILABLE TO INVESTORS A PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT, DATED SEPTEMBER 16, 1999, AND
PROSPECTUS, DATED SEPTEMBER 16, 1999, WITH RESPECT TO THE ISSUANCE OF
$500,000,000 AGGREGATE PRINCIPAL AMOUNT OF 6.35% CLASS A MASTER TRUST
CERTIFICATES, SERIES 1999-2, OF THE SEARS CREDIT ACCOUNT MASTER TRUST II (THE
"TRUST"), PURSUANT TO THE POOLING AND SERVICING AGREEMENT, DATED AS OF JULY 31,
1994, AS AMENDED, AMONG SRFG, INC. (FORMERLY SEARS RECEIVABLES FINANCING GROUP,
INC.) AS SELLER ("SRFG"), SEARS, ROEBUCK AND CO. AS SERVICER ("SEARS") AND BANK
ONE, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION (FORMERLY THE FIRST NATIONAL BANK OF CHICAGO) AS
TRUSTEE (THE "TRUSTEE"), AND THE SERIES SUPPLEMENT TO BE DATED AS OF SEPTEMBER
27, 1999, AMONG SRFG AS SELLER, SEARS AS SERVICER AND THE TRUSTEE.

                  IN CONNECTION WITH THE ISSUANCE OF SERIES 1999-2, (I) STEVEN
M. COOK, DEPUTY GENERAL COUNSEL, TRANSACTIONS AND SECURITIES OF SEARS, ROEBUCK
AND CO. HAS DELIVERED AN OPINION TO SRFG, DATED SEPTEMBER 23, 1999, REGARDING
THE LEGALITY OF THE 6.35% CLASS A MASTER TRUST CERTIFICATES, SERIES 1999-2, UPON
ISSUANCE AND SALE THEREOF ON SEPTEMBER 27, 1999; AND (II) LATHAM & WATKINS,
COUNSEL TO SRFG AND SEARS, HAS DELIVERED AN OPINION TO SRFG AND SEARS, DATED
SEPTEMBER 23, 1999, AS TO CERTAIN FEDERAL TAX MATTERS CONCERNING THE 6.35% CLASS
A MASTER TRUST CERTIFICATES, SERIES 1999-2. A COPY OF THE OPINION AS TO LEGALITY
IS ATTACHED AS EXHIBIT 5, AND A COPY OF THE OPINION AS TO CERTAIN TAX MATTERS IS
ATTACHED AS EXHIBIT 8.

ITEM 7.           EXHIBITS

EXHIBIT NO.       DESCRIPTION

EXHIBIT 5         OPINION OF STEVEN M. COOK, DEPUTY GENERAL COUNSEL,
                  TRANSACTIONS AND SECURITIES OF SEARS, ROEBUCK AND CO.

EXHIBIT 8         OPINION OF LATHAM & WATKINS AS TO CERTAIN FEDERAL TAX
                  MATTERS CONCERNING THE CLASS A CERTIFICATES OF SERIES 1999-2.

EXHIBIT 23-1      CONSENT OF STEVEN M. COOK, DEPUTY GENERAL COUNSEL,
                  TRANSACTIONS AND SECURITIES OF SEARS, ROEBUCK AND CO.
                  (INCLUDED IN EXHIBIT 5).

EXHIBIT 23-2      CONSENT OF LATHAM & WATKINS (INCLUDED IN EXHIBIT 8)


                                     PAGE 2
<PAGE>   3



                                   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 THEREUNTO DULY AUTHORIZED.


                      SEARS CREDIT ACCOUNT MASTER TRUST II
                                             (REGISTRANT)


                                     BY:  SRFG, INC.
                                          (ORIGINATOR OF THE TRUST)



DATE:  SEPTEMBER 23, 1999            BY:  /S/ GEORGE F. SLOOK
                                          --------------------------------------
                                          GEORGE F. SLOOK
                                          PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER




                                     PAGE 3
<PAGE>   4



                                INDEX TO EXHIBITS

EXHIBIT NO.       DESCRIPTION

EXHIBIT 5         OPINION OF STEVEN M. COOK, DEPUTY GENERAL COUNSEL,
                  TRANSACTIONS AND SECURITIES OF SEARS, ROEBUCK AND CO.

EXHIBIT 8         OPINION OF LATHAM & WATKINS AS TO CERTAIN FEDERAL TAX
                  MATTERS CONCERNING THE CLASS A CERTIFICATES OF SERIES 1999-2.

EXHIBIT 23-1      CONSENT OF STEVEN M. COOK, DEPUTY GENERAL COUNSEL,
                  TRANSACTIONS AND SECURITIES OF SEARS, ROEBUCK AND CO.
                  (INCLUDED IN EXHIBIT 5).

EXHIBIT 23-2      CONSENT OF LATHAM & WATKINS (INCLUDED IN EXHIBIT 8)




                                     PAGE 4


<PAGE>   1
                                                                       EXHIBIT 5


                               [SEARS LETTERHEAD]


                                                              September 23, 1999


SRFG, Inc., as Originator
  of Sears Credit Account Master Trust II
3711 Kennett Pike
Greenville, Delaware 19807


         Re:  Sears Credit Account Master Trust II, Series 1999-2
               Registration Statement on Form S-3

Ladies and Gentlemen:

         At your request, I, Steven M. Cook, Deputy General Counsel of Sears,
Roebuck and Co., have examined your Registration Statement on Form S-3
(Registration No. 33-97744), together with the exhibits thereto (as amended, the
"Registration Statement"), registering credit account pass-through certificates
representing undivided interests in the Sears Credit Account Master Trust II
(the "Trust"), and the related Prospectus and Prospectus Supplement, each dated
September 16, 1999 (together, the "Prospectus"), filed by you with the
Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities
Act of 1933, as amended, relating to the issuance of Series 1999-2 6.35% Class A
Master Trust Certificates (the "Series 1999-2 Certificates"). The Series 1999-2
Certificates will be issued pursuant to the Pooling and Servicing Agreement (the
"Pooling and Servicing Agreement") dated as of July 31, 1994, as amended by the
Amendment to the Pooling and Servicing Agreement, dated as of March 31, 1995, as
further amended by Amendment No. 2 to the Pooling and Servicing Agreement, dated
as of December 21, 1995, and as supplemented by a related Series Supplement
("Series 1999-2 Supplement"), a copy of the form of which is included as Exhibit
4.4 to the Registration Statement and the specific terms of which are summarized
in the Prospectus, each by and among SRFG, Inc. (formerly Sears Receivables
Financing Group, Inc.) as Seller (the "Company"), Sears, Roebuck and Co. as
Servicer and Bank One, National Association (formerly The First National Bank of
Chicago), as Trustee. I am familiar with the proceedings taken by the Company as
originator of the Trust in connection with the authorization of the issuance and
sale of the Series 1999-2 Certificates, and have examined such documents and
such questions of law and fact as I have deemed necessary in order to express
the opinion hereinafter stated.

         I am opining herein as to the effect on the subject transactions of
only United States federal law and the laws of the State of New York in reliance
on an opinion of Latham & Watkins of even date herewith, and I express no
opinion with respect to the applicability thereto or the effect thereon of the
laws of any other jurisdiction or as to any matters of municipal law or the laws
of any local agencies within any state.
<PAGE>   2


         Based on the foregoing, I am of the opinion, as of the date hereof,
that the Series 1999-2 Certificates, upon issuance and sale thereof in the
manner described in the Prospectus and as provided in the Pooling and Servicing
Agreement and the related Series 1999-2 Supplement, will be validly issued,
fully paid and nonassessable, and enforceable in accordance with their terms and
entitled to the benefits of the Pooling and Servicing Agreement and the related
Series 1999-2 Supplement, except as the same may be limited by (i) bankruptcy,
insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws now or hereafter in
effect relating to or affecting the rights and remedies of creditors, and (ii)
general principles of equity (whether enforcement is considered in a proceeding
at law or in equity) and by the discretion of the court before which any
proceeding therefor may be brought.

         In rendering my opinion, I have assumed that, upon or prior to the
issuance and sale of the Series 1999-2 Certificates, (i) the Series 1999-2
supplement will be duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Trustee, (ii)
all documents required to be executed and delivered in connection with the
issuance and sale of the Series 1999-2 Certificates will be so executed and
delivered by properly authorized persons, and (iii) the purchase prices for the
Class A Certificates of Series 1999-2 will be paid to you by the various
underwriters named in the Prospectus.

         I hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as part of the Trust's
Current Report on Form 8-K, dated September 23, 1999.

                                                         Very truly yours,



                                                         /s/ Steven M. Cook


<PAGE>   1
                                                                       EXHIBIT 8



                         [LATHAM & WATKINS LETTERHEAD]

                                                              September 23, 1999

SRFG, Inc.                                   Sears, Roebuck and Co.
3711 Kennett Pike                            3333 Beverly Road
Greenville, Delaware  19807                  Hoffman Estates, Illinois  60179

                  Re:      Sears Credit Account Master Trust II, Series 1999-2
                           Registration Statement on Form S-3

Ladies and Gentlemen:

                  In connection with the Registration Statement on Form S-3
(Registration No. 33-97744), registering credit card pass-through certificates
representing undivided interests in the Sears Credit Account Master Trust II
(the "Trust") and the related Prospectus and Prospectus Supplement, each dated
September 16, 1999 (together, the "Prospectus"), to be filed by you with the
Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities
Act of 1933, as amended, relating to the issuance pursuant to the Registration
Statement of Series 1999-2 6.35% Class A Master Trust Certificates (the "Series
1999-2 Certificates"), you have requested our opinion regarding the description
of material tax consequences related to the issuance of the Series 1999-2
Certificates (the "Offering") as described in the Prospectus. Capitalized terms
not otherwise defined herein have the meanings ascribed to them in the
Prospectus.

                  Our opinion is based on our examination of the Prospectus, the
Pooling and Servicing Agreement dated as of July 31, 1994, as amended, among
Sears, Roebuck and Co. as Servicer, SRFG, Inc. (formerly Sears Receivables
Financing Group, Inc.) as Seller and Bank One, National Association (formerly
The First National Bank of Chicago) as Trustee of the Trust, and such other
documents, instruments and information as we considered necessary. Our opinion
also is based on (i) the assumption that neither the Trustee nor any affiliate
thereof will become either the Servicer or the delegee of the Servicer; (ii) the
assumption that all agreements


<PAGE>   2

LATHAM & WATKINS

   SRFG, Inc.
   Sears, Roebuck and Co.
   September 23, 1999
   Page 2


   relating to the creation of the Trust will remain in full force and effect;
   (iii) the assumption that all agreements and documents required to be
   executed and delivered in connection with the issuance and sale of the Series
   1999-2 Certificates will be so executed and delivered by properly authorized
   persons in substantial conformity with the drafts thereof as described in the
   Prospectus and such agreements will remain in full force and effect; (iv)
   currently applicable provisions of the federal income tax laws, including the
   Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, applicable Treasury Regulations
   promulgated thereunder, judicial authority and current administrative rulings
   and practice; and (v) legal opinions rendered by local tax counsel retained
   by Sears and SRFG relating to the income and/or franchise tax laws of
   Arizona, Delaware, Georgia, Ohio and Texas (upon which we have relied for
   purposes of rendering our opinion with respect to the laws of such states).

                  Based on the foregoing, as of the date hereof, we adopt and
   confirm the statements under the captions "Certain Federal Income Tax
   Consequences" and "Certain State Tax Consequences" as our opinion of the
   material tax consequences of the Offering, to the extent such statements
   constitute legal conclusions. We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion
   as part of the Trust's Current Report on Form 8-K, dated September 23, 1999.

                                              Very truly yours,



                                              /s/ Latham & Watkins



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