| Page 240 611 F.2d 240
57 A.L.R.Fed. 790, Fed. Sec. L. Rep.
P 97,204 CHROMALLOY AMERICAN CORPORATION,
Appellant,
v.
SUN CHEMICAL CORPORATION and Norman E.
Alexander, Appellees.
CHROMALLOY AMERICAN CORPORATION, Appellee,
v.
SUN CHEMICAL CORPORATION and Norman E.
Alexander, Appellants. Nos. 79-1741, 79-1757. United States Court of Appeals,
Eighth Circuit. Submitted Oct. 12, 1979.
Decided Dec. 14, 1979.
Page 242
Thomas J. Guilfoil, Guilfoil,
Symington, Petzall & Shoemake, St. Louis,
Mo., for Chromalloy American Corp.; Thompson
& Mitchell, St. Louis, Mo., Whitman &
Ransom, New York City, and Skadden, Arps,
Slate, Meagher & Flom, New York City, on
brief.
David Hyde, Cahill, Gordon &
Reindel, New York City, for Sun Chemical
Corp., et al.; Bryan, Cave, McPheeters &
McRoberts, St. Louis, Mo., on brief.
John Ashcroft, Atty. Gen., and B.
J. Jones, Asst. Atty. Gen., Jefferson City,
Mo., amicus curiae brief.
Before LAY, HEANEY and HENLEY,
Circuit Judges.
HENLEY, Circuit Judge.
This case, arising under
disclosure provisions of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, 15 U.S.C. § 78m(d)
(1977), requires us to decide whether the
district court
1
erred in the partial grant and partial
denial of preliminary injunctive relief.
Plaintiff-appellant Chromalloy
American Corporation (Chromalloy) appeals
the denial of injunctive relief which would
compel defendant Sun Chemical Corporation to
disclose its proposals for control of
Chromalloy, and which would halt the
purchase of Chromalloy stock by Sun for
ninety days. Defendants-appellees Sun
Chemical Corporation (Sun) and Norman E.
Alexander cross-appeal from the district
court's order that Sun disclose an intention
to obtain control of Chromalloy.
We assume jurisdiction on appeal
pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1292(a). Finding no
error of law and no abuse of discretion in
the district court's actions, we decline to
reverse.
I. Procedural and Factual Background.
In January, 1978 Sun Chemical
Corporation began purchasing significant
amounts of Chromalloy stock on the New York
Stock Exchange. Chromalloy is a diversified
corporation with revenues in fiscal year
1978 of nearly.$1.4 billion and net earnings
of $47 million, while Sun is a considerably
smaller corporation with 1978 revenues of
$394 million and net earnings of $20
million. Norman E. Alexander is Chief
Executive
Page 243 Officer and Chairman of Sun's Board of
Directors, and has been instrumental in
instigating and furthering the purchase of
Chromalloy stock by Sun Chemical
Corporation.
By February 5, 1979 Sun had
acquired 605,620 shares, or 5.2 per cent, of
Chromalloy's total outstanding shares.
2 Sun was
therefore required to comply with the
disclosure provisions of § 13(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act, 15 U.S.C. §
78m(d)(1) (1976).
3
Pursuant to the disclosure requirements, Sun
on February 5, 1979 filed its first Schedule
13D. Sun stated that its acquisitions were
for investment; that it had no present
intention of seeking control of Chromalloy;
that it presently intended to continue to
increase its holdings; that the amount of
such increase had not been determined; that
Sun had been discussing with certain
directors and members of Chromalloy
management the possible increase in Sun's
holdings; and that Sun might "at any time
determine to seek control of Chromalloy." In
four subsequent amendments to the Schedule
13D between April, 1979 and late July, 1979
Sun reported its plans to purchase
additional stock, its unsuccessful attempt
to gain representation on the Chromalloy
Board, and its negotiations regarding a
"stand-still" agreement whereby Sun would
limit its purchases for a period of time as
a condition of representation on the
Chromalloy Board. In each of the amendments
to its Schedule 13D Sun disclaimed any
intent to control Chromalloy.
By late July, 1979 Sun's
ownership had increased to nearly ten per
cent of Chromalloy's outstanding stock.
Following a large block purchase of stock by
Sun at the end of July, Chromalloy filed the
present action for injunctive and
declaratory relief, alleging violations of
Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Securities
Exchange Act, the Missouri Take-Over Bid
Disclosure Act, and § 203 of the Delaware
General Corporation Law. Only the Count
requesting injunctive relief pursuant to
Section 13(d) of the Securities Exchange
Act, 15 U.S.C. § 78m(d), is relevant to this
appeal.
On August 1, 1979, when
Chromalloy's verified complaint was filed,
the district court granted a temporary
restraining order which halted all purchases
of Chromalloy stock by Sun and prohibited
Sun's use of already-acquired stock to
influence Chromalloy management. After an
evidentiary hearing on August 14, 1979, the
court on August 20, 1979 issued its findings
of fact, conclusions of law and order,
granting in part and denying in part
Chromalloy's request for a preliminary
injunction.
The district court found that
Norman Alexander and Sun "have had the
intent to control Chromalloy from the
beginning," and that "(d)efendants have
intended to exert considerable influence
over the Board of Directors of Chromalloy,
and, through this influence, direct the
policies and management of Chromalloy."
Pursuant to 15 U.S.C. § 78m(d), the court
enjoined further acquisition of Chromalloy
stock until Sun's Schedule 13D was amended
to reflect this intention.
On August 21, 1979 Chromalloy was
granted leave to brief the issue of whether
further injunctive relief was required.
Chromalloy sought further disclosures by
Sun, the mailing of a corrected disclosure
statement to Chromalloy stockholders at
Sun's expense, and a "cooling off" period of
ninety days during which Sun's purchases
would be enjoined while information was
disseminated to investors and the public. On
August 29, 1979 the court denied
Chromalloy's request for additional
injunctive relief, at the same time
approving Sun's version of an amended
Schedule 13D.
In the court-approved Schedule
13D, Sun acknowledged its "intention to
continue to seek representation on the Board
of Directors of (Chromalloy) and to
exercise, if possible, considerable
influence over the Board of Directors of
(Chromalloy) and thereby seek to direct the
policies and management of (Chromalloy)."
Sun stated its
Page 244 intention to acquire sufficient shares of
Chromalloy stock to utilize the equity
method of accounting, that is, twenty per
cent of the combined voting power of all
classes of Chromalloy stock. Sun disclosed
that insofar as "a combination of arithmetic
and influence constitutes control of
(Chromalloy), it is Sun's intention, absent
unforeseen contingencies, to attempt to
ultimately obtain control of (Chromalloy)."
Upon being advised that this
amended Schedule 13D had been filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission, the
district court lifted the preliminary
injunction then in effect to allow appellees
to resume purchasing Chromalloy stock.
On September 4, 1979 Chromalloy
obtained from this court an interim stay to
prevent the lifting of the district court's
injunction pending argument before this
court's full administrative panel. On
September 12, 1979 the administrative panel
denied Chromalloy's motion for a stay,
quashed the interim stay, and ordered
expedited hearing of the present appeal.
II. The Standard of Review.
The scope of our review on appeal
is limited. Traditionally, a party seeking a
preliminary injunction must prove (1)
substantial probability of success on the
merits, and (2) irreparable injury if
injunctive relief is not forthcoming.
Planned Parenthood of Minnesota, Inc. v.
Citizens for Community Action, 558 F.2d 861,
866 (8th Cir. 1977);
Minnesota Bearing Co. v. White Motor Corp.,
470 F.2d 1323, 1326 (8th Cir. 1973).
However, in Fennell v. Butler, 570 F.2d 263,
264 (8th Cir.), Cert. denied, 437 U.S.
906, 98 S.Ct. 3093, 57 L.Ed.2d 1136 (1978),
this court directed the district court on
remand to apply what may be slightly
different standards for a preliminary
injunction used in the Second Circuit. The
Second Circuit has held that a preliminary
injunction should issue upon a clear showing
of either (1) probable success on the merits
And possible irreparable injury, Or (2)
sufficiently serious questions going to the
merits to make them fair ground for
litigation and a balance of hardships
tipping decidedly toward the party
requesting the preliminary relief.
Sonesta International Hotels Corp. v.
Wellington Associates, 483 F.2d 247, 250 (2d
Cir. 1973).
Minnesota Association of Health Care
Facilities, Inc. v. Minnesota Dept. of
Public Welfare, 602 F.2d 150 (8th Cir. 1979);
Young v. Harris, 599 F.2d 870 (8th Cir.
1979);
Dakota Wholesale Liquor, Inc. v. Minnesota,
584 F.2d 847 (8th Cir. 1978);
William Inglis & Sons Baking Co. v. ITT
Continental Banking Co., 526 F.2d 86, 88
(9th Cir. 1975).
On review, the grant or denial of
a preliminary injunction may be reversed
only if, under the applicable standard, the
trial court abused its discretion or based
its decision on an erroneous legal premise.
FTC v. National Tea Co., 603 F.2d 694, 696
(8th Cir. 1979); Dakota Wholesale
Liquor, Inc. v. Minnesota, supra, 584 F.2d
at 849;
Modern Controls, Inc. v. Andreadakis, 578
F.2d 1264, 1270 (8th Cir. 1978). We
consider the present appeal in this limited
context and find no ground for reversal
under either standard.
III. Issues on Appeal.
Chromalloy's position on appeal
is that the district court correctly ordered
Sun to disclose a control intention, but
abused its discretion in refusing to order
further disclosures. The disclosures sought
by Chromalloy include Sun's wish to use
Chromalloy money to pay for transactions
with Sun, as allegedly required by Item 3 of
Section 13D;
4
Sun's plans upon obtaining control to cause
Chromalloy to acquire the assets of Sun, as
allegedly required by Item 4 of
Page 245 Schedule 13D;
5
Sun's proposals to sell various divisions of
Chromalloy as allegedly required by Item 4
of Schedule 13D;
6
and Sun's offer to "take care of" certain
Chromalloy officers in return for support,
as allegedly required by Item 6 of Schedule
13D.
7 Chromalloy
also argues that a properly amended Schedule
13D should contain the warning that Sun's
previous Schedule 13D and amendments were
false and should not be relied upon.
Moreover, in order properly to disseminate
this information, Chromalloy contends that a
cooling off period and a stockholder mailing
are required. On cross-appeal, Sun contends
that the district court erred as a matter of
law in finding that Sun has a purpose to
acquire control of Chromalloy.
The issues on appeal are governed
by recent SEC revisions in Schedule 13D,
particularly in Item 4. Under the former
terms of Item 4, a securities purchaser was
required to state the purpose of his
purchase, and if one purpose was to acquire
control, to describe any plans or proposals
for major corporate changes.
8
In the revised version of Item 4,
9 effective more than six
months before Sun's first Schedule 13D
filing, the term "control" is not used.
Rather, a securities purchaser is required
to disclose the purpose of the purchase and,
in addition, to disclose certain plans or
proposals regardless of whether the
underlying purpose is to acquire control of
the issuer.
10 The
Securities and Exchange Commission has
expressly noted that under revised Item 4,
"plans or proposals which result in or
relate to extraordinary corporate
transactions have been made a separate item
of disclosure."
11
Under the provisions of the
revised SEC regulations, we are confronted
with two
Page 246 distinct questions: first, whether the
district court erred in finding that Sun has
a disclosable purpose to acquire control,
and second, whether the district court
abused its discretion in refusing to order
disclosure of Sun's proposals for corporate
changes aside from Sun's control intent.
IV. The Disclosure of Control Purpose.
In assessing Sun's obligation to
disclose a control purpose, we look to the
definition of "control" appearing in Rule
12b-2(f), 17 C.F.R. § 240.12b-2(f) (1979),
made applicable to Schedule 13D filings by
17 C.F.R. § 240.12b-1 (1979).
12
Rule 12b-2(f) provides:
Control. The term "control"
(including the terms "controlling",
"controlled by" and "under common control
with") means the possession, directly or
indirectly, of the power to direct or cause
the direction of the management and policies
of a person, whether through the ownership
of voting securities, by contract, or
otherwise.
17 C.F.R. § 240.12b-2(f) (1979).
Sun argues that the district
court erred under this definition in
ordering Sun to disclose an intent to
acquire control of Chromalloy. First, the
district court is said to have improperly
equated Sun's intention to influence
Chromalloy policies with an intention to
seek control. Second, Sun alleges that the
district court did not find a "fixed plan"
by Sun to acquire control of Chromalloy.
Finally, the "reasonable doubt" language of
Rule 12b-22, 17 C.F.R. § 240.12b-22 (1979),
13 is said by Sun
to limit a purchaser's obligation to
disclose control intentions. While these
arguments present close questions, we hold
that the district court neither erred as a
matter of law nor abused its discretion in
ordering the disclosure of Sun's control
purpose.
Contrary to Sun's first
contention, Sun's desire to influence
substantially the policies, management and
actions of Chromalloy amounts to a purpose
to control Chromalloy. There is ample
support in the record for the finding of a
control purpose. Sun has disclosed its plans
to acquire twenty per cent of Chromalloy's
stock, its attempts to gain representation
on Chromalloy's Board, and its intention to
review continually its position with respect
to Chromalloy. The district court further
found that Sun has prepared an "acquisition
model" with Chromalloy as a "target"; that
Norman Alexander first learned of the
investment opportunities in Chromalloy when
a brokerage firm informed him that the
thirty-five per cent of common stock held by
insiders was not in a solid management
block; that Norman Alexander's private
memoranda have been concerned from the start
with the split on Chromalloy's Board of
Directors as a possible avenue to power; and
that according to an investment banker,
Sun's projected twenty per cent interest in
Chromalloy would be a wise business decision
only if Sun is attempting to gain control.
Taken together, these facts support the
finding that Sun proposes to control
Chromalloy through a combination of numbers
and influence.
As a matter of law, Rule 12b-2(f)
contemplates that influence can be an
element of control. Control is defined to
include "the (Indirect ) power to . . .
cause the direction of . . . policies."
Disclosure of a control purpose may be
required where the securities purchaser has
a perceptible desire to influence
substantially
Page 247 the issuer's operations.
Gulf & Western Industries, Inc. v. Great
Atlantic & Pacific Tea Co., 476 F.2d 687,
696-97 (2d Cir. 1973) (tender offer
context);
Graphic Sciences, Inc. v. International
Mogul Mines Ltd., 397 F.Supp. 112, 125-27
(D.D.C.1974).
Moreover, the Securities Exchange
Act is remedial legislation and is to be
broadly construed in order to give effect to
its intent.
Tcherepnin v. Knight, 389 U.S. 332, 336, 88
S.Ct. 548, 19 L.Ed.2d 564 (1967);
Bath Industries v. Blot,
427 F.2d 97 (7th
Cir. 1970). To protect the investing
public through full and fair disclosure of
Sun's intentions, the district court was
justified in defining control to include
working control and substantial influence.
Graphic Sciences, Inc. v. International
Mogul Mines Ltd., supra, 397 F.Supp. at 125.
14
Sun next contends that the
district court failed to find a "fixed plan"
to acquire control of Chromalloy. This fact
is not determinative. Item 4 of Schedule 13D
15 requires
disclosure of a purpose to acquire control,
even though this intention has not taken
shape as a fixed plan. We do not agree with
Sun's contention that disclosure of Sun's
control purpose will mislead investors by
overstating the definiteness of Sun's plans.
Missouri Portland Cement Co. v. Cargill,
Inc., 498 F.2d 851, 872 (2d Cir.), Cert.
denied, 419 U.S. 883, 95 S.Ct. 150, 42
L.Ed.2d 123 (1974) (disclosure of intention
to substantially expand target company would
be misleading where purchaser's twenty year
study included this possibility but where no
plan was adopted);
Susquehanna Corp. v. Pan American Sulphur
Corp., 423 F.2d 1075, 1084-85 (5th Cir.
1970) (disclosure of plan for merger
would be misleading where plan subsisted for
only two days before repudiation);
Electronic Speciality Co. v. International
Controls Corp.,
409 F.2d 937, 948 (2d Cir.
1969) (disclosure that purchaser "would
give consideration" to merger was sufficient
disclosure, where merger was proposed as
alternative to tender offer). The cited
cases stress that disclosure of plans for
specific corporate changes can be misleading
until these assume definite, non-contingent
form. Disclosure of a purchaser's Purpose in
acquiring stock is a different matter. Item
4 specifically requires disclosure of a
purpose to acquire control, regardless of
the definiteness or even the existence of
any plans to implement this purpose.
Finally, we find no merit in
Sun's argument that SEC Rule 12b-22 limits
the obligation to disclose a control
purpose. Rule 12b-22 allows registrants
under Sections 13 and 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act to disclaim the
Existence of control:
Disclaimer of control. If the
existence of control is open to reasonable
doubt in any instance, the registrant may
disclaim the existence of control and any
admission thereof; in such case, however,
the registrant shall state the material
facts pertinent to the possible existence of
control.
17 C.F.R. § 240.12b-22 (1970).
This rule on its face is inapposite to Item
4 of Schedule 13D, since Item 4 requires
disclosure of "the Purpose of the
acquisition," while Rule 12b-22 is concerned
with Existing control. We have found no
relevant authority, nor has Sun offered any,
to support the contention that Rule 12b-22
modifies the obligation of a purchaser to
disclose a control purpose.
In sum, we find no error of law
and no abuse of discretion in the district
court's order that Sun disclose a purpose to
seek control of Chromalloy.
V. Additional Disclosures Sought by
Chromalloy.
We also perceive no abuse of
discretion in the district court's refusal
to order disclosures beyond Sun's
court-approved Schedule 13D.
Page 248
Admittedly, the purpose of
Section 13(d) is to "alert the market place
to every large, rapid aggregation or
accumulation of securities, regardless of
technique employed, which might represent a
potential shift in corporate control."
Financial General Bankshares, Inc. v. Lance,
(1978 Transfer Binder) Fed.Sec.L.Rep. (CCH)
P 96,403 at 93,424 (D.D.C.1978), Quoting
from
GAF Corp. v. Milstein,
453 F.2d 709, 717 (2d
Cir. 1971), Cert. denied, 406 U.S. 910,
92 S.Ct. 1610, 31 L.Ed.2d 821 (1972). The
disclosure provisions are intended to
protect investors, and to enable them to
receive the facts necessary for informed
investment decisions. Graphic Sciences, Inc.
v. International Mogul Mines Ltd., supra,
397 F.Supp. at 124 n.36 (D.D.C.1974),
Quoting from Tcherepnin v. Knight, supra,
389 U.S. at 336, 88 S.Ct. 548. However, the
objective of full and fair disclosure can be
endangered as much by overstating the
definiteness of plans as by understating
them. Missouri Portland Cement Co. v.
Cargill, Inc., supra, 498 F.2d at 872, Cert.
denied, 419 U.S. 883, 95 S.Ct. 150, 42
L.Ed.2d 123 (1974); Susquehanna Corp. v. Pan
American Sulphur Co., supra, 423 F.2d at
1085; Electronic Specialty Co. v.
International Controls Corp., supra, 409
F.2d at 948;
S-G Securities, Inc. v. Fuqua Investment
Co., 466 F.Supp. 1114, 1128 (D.Mass.1978).
In the present case, Sun's
long-range hopes for certain corporate
changes could prove misleading to investors
if disclosed as firm proposals. The district
court's findings of fact indicate that Sun
has made the following tentative overtures
towards corporate changes: Norman Alexander
once told Moody's Investor Services that any
deal with Chromalloy "would be done with
Chromalloy's money or they would get out";
Alexander "hoped" Chromalloy would
eventually seek to acquire the assets of
Sun; Sun commissioned a study to recommend
which divisions of Chromalloy are most
feasible to sell off; Alexander expressed
the opinion that a profit could be realized
if a trim-down of Chromalloy were properly
executed; and Alexander offered to "take
care of" certain Chromalloy Board members in
return for their support. Each of these
items involves little more than an
unconsummated hope, feasibility study, or
opinion, not a firm plan or proposal. We
note also that Sun and Alexander have to
date been denied a seat on Chromalloy's
Board of Directors, and are seemingly not in
a position to precipitate any of the
hoped-for changes.
The degree of specificity with
which future plans must be detailed in
Schedule 13D filings presents a difficult
question. S-G Securities, Inc. v. Fuqua
Investment Co., supra, 466 F.Supp. at 1128.
Thus, within the scope of its discretion,
the district court might have required
further disclosures of Sun. However, given
the arguable danger of overstatement and the
rule that parties are not required to
disclose plans which are contingent or
indefinite,
Missouri Portland Cement Co. v. H. K. Porter
Co., 535 F.2d 388, 398 (8th Cir. 1976)
(tender offer context), we hold that the
district court's order refusing further
disclosures involved no abuse of discretion.
16
VI. Additional Injunctive Relief.
The final issue on appeal is
whether the district court abused its
discretion in refusing Chromalloy's request
for a cooling-off period, the mailing of a
restated Schedule 13D to Chromalloy
shareholders at Sun's expense, and the
publication of a restated Schedule 13D in
the press.
17
We consider the argument for
additional injunctive relief in light of the
principles set forth by the Supreme Court in
Page 249 Rondeau v. Mosinee Paper Corp.,
422 U.S. 49, 95 S.Ct. 2069, 45 L.Ed.2d 12 (1975). The
Court in Rondeau considered the availability
of injunctive relief to remedy a § 13(d)
violation following compliance with the
reporting requirements. Recognizing that the
injunctive process is designed to deter, not
to punish, Id., at 61, the Court held that
injunctive relief under the Williams Act was
subject to traditional equitable
limitations. Relief beyond compliance with
the reporting requirements is justified only
if the petitioner can show irreparable harm
in the absence of such relief. Id.
18
We have concluded that the
Schedule 13D approved by the district court
adequately discloses Sun's control
intention. Given Sun's compliance with §
13(d), we do not perceive such ongoing harm
to Chromalloy or its present shareholders
19 as would
justify a cooling-off period or a
stockholder mailing. Shareholders who were
misinformed by Sun's original Schedule 13D
and amendments have been reapprised by the
same form of communication. The present case
is distinguishable from
Weeks Dredging & Contracting, Inc. v.
American Dredging Co., 451 F.Supp. 468
(E.D.Pa.1978), where the court required
that the target company's misleading
statements to the press be corrected by a
shareholder mailing.
There is also no precedent for a
cooling-off period. In the closely analogous
context of misleading tender offers, courts
have held that a misleading tender offer is
adequately cured by an amended offer.
Corenco Corp. v. Schiavone & Sons, Inc., 488
F.2d 207, 214-15 (2d Cir. 1973)
(specifically rejecting a cooling-off period
in tender offer context. See also Missouri
Portland Cement Co. v. H. K. Porter Co.,
supra, 535 F.2d 388 (defective tender offer
can be cured by an amending offer).
The disclosure requirements
established by Congress are not intended to
provide a weapon for current management to
discourage takeover bids or prevent large
accumulations of stock.
Piper v. Chris-Craft Industries, Inc., 430
U.S. 1, 26-35, 97 S.Ct. 926, 51 L.Ed.2d 124
(1977); Rondeau v. Mosinee Paper Corp.,
supra, 422 U.S. at 58, 97 S.Ct. 926;
Universal Container Corp. v. Horowitz,
(1977-78) Fed.Sec.L.Rep. (CCH) P 96,161
(S.D.N.Y.1977); S.Rep.No.550, 90th Cong.,
1st Sess., 3 (1967); H.R.Rep.No.1711, 90th
Cong., 2d Sess., 4 (1968). Further
injunctive relief, particularly a
cooling-off period, would in the present
case serve largely as a dilatory tool in the
hands of current management, and for this
reason was properly denied.
In sum, appellant has failed to
sustain the burden of demonstrating abuse of
discretion in the district court's denial of
further disclosures, a cooling-off period,
and a stockholder mailing. Appellees
likewise fail to convince us that the
district court erred as a matter of law in
requiring the disclosure of Sun's control
purpose.
Affirmed.
1 The Honorable John F. Nangle, United
States District Judge for the Eastern
District of Missouri.
2 Percentages assume conversion of the
Chromalloy preferred stock held by Sun.
3 Hereinafter "Williams Act" or "Section
13(d)."
4 Item 3 of Schedule 13D, as amended by
the SEC effective May 30, 1978, provides in
relevant part:
Source and Amount of Funds or Other
Consideration. State the source and the
amount of funds or other consideration used
or to be used in making the purchases, and
if any part of the purchase price is or will
be represented by funds or other
consideration borrowed or otherwise obtained
for the purpose of acquiring, holding,
trading or voting the securities, a
description of the transaction and the names
of the parties hereto.
SEC Exchange Act, Release Nos. 33-5925,
34-14692, IC-10212; 43 F.R. 18484, 18498
(April 28, 1978); (1978 Transfer Binder)
Fed.Sec.L.Rep. (CCH) P 81,571.
5 Item 4, as amended by the SEC effective
May 30, 1978, provides in relevant part:
Purpose of Transaction. State the purpose
or purposes of the acquisition of securities
of the issuer. Describe any plans or
proposals which the reporting persons may
have which relate to or would result in:
(a) The acquisition by any person of
additional securities of the issuer, or the
disposition of securities of the issuer;
(b) An extraordinary corporate
transaction, such as a merger,
reorganization or liquidation, involving the
issuer or any of its subsidiaries;
(c) A sale or transfer of a material
amount of assets of the issuer or any of its
subsidiaries; . . .
(f) Any other material change in the
issuer's business or corporate structure.
SEC Exchange Act Release Nos. 33-5925,
34-14692, IC-10212; 43 F.R. 18484, 18498
(April 28, 1978); (1978 Transfer Binder)
Sec.L.Rep. (CCH) P 81,571.
6 See N.5, Supra, for text of Item 4.
7 Item 6, as amended by the SEC effective
May 30, 1978, provides in relevant part:
Contracts, Arrangements, Understandings
or Relationships with Respect to Securities
of the Issuer. Describe any contracts,
arrangements, understandings or
relationships (legal or otherwise) among the
persons named in Item 2 and between such
persons and any person with respect to any
securities of the issuer, including but not
limited to transfer or voting of any of the
securities, finder's fees, joint ventures,
loan or option arrangements, puts or calls,
guarantees of profits, division of profits
or loss, or the giving or withholding of
proxies, naming the persons with whom such
contracts, arrangements, understandings or
relationships have been entered into.
SEC Exchange Act Release Nos. 33-5925,
34-14692, IC-10212; 43 F.R. 18484, 18499
(April 28, 1978); (1978 Transfer Binder)
Fed.Sec.L.Rep. (CCH) P 81,571.
8 Item 4 of Schedule 13D previously
provided:
Purpose of Transaction. State the purpose
or purposes of the purchase or proposed
purchase of securities of the issuer. If the
purpose or one of the purposes of the
purchase or proposed purchase is to acquire
control of the business of the issuer,
describe any plans or proposals which the
purchasers may have to liquidate the issuer,
to sell its assets or to merge it with any
other persons, or to make any other major
change in its business or corporate
structure.
(emphasis added). 17 C.F.R. § 240.13d-101
(1978).
9 43 F.R. 18498 (April 28, 1978). The
text of Item 4 is set forth, Supra, at n.5.
10 SEC Exchange Act Release Nos. 33-5925,
34-14692, IC-10212; 43 F.R. 18484, 18493
(April 28, 1978); (1978 Transfer Binder)
Fed.Sec.L.Rep. (CCH) P 81,571.
11 Id.
12 Although revised Item 4 does not use
the term "control", we assume that any
control purpose is still measurable against
the definition of control appearing in Rule
12b-2(f).
Cases decided before the revision of Item
4 have considered the definition of
"control" in Rule 12b-2(f) to be
controlling.
TSC Industries, Inc. v. Northway, Inc., 426
U.S. 438, 451 n.13, 96 S.Ct. 2126, 48
L.Ed.2d 757 (1976);
Graphic Sciences, Inc. v. International
Mogul Mines Ltd., 397 F.Supp. 112, 125 &
n.37 (D.D.C.1974). The Southern District of
New York, in a case decided after the
effective date of the revised form,
considered a number of circumstances in
determining control intent without reference
to the definition of control in Rule
12b-2(f).
Transcon Lines v. A. G. Becker, Inc., 470
F.Supp. 356, 376-78 (S.D.N.Y.1979).
13 Made applicable to Schedule 13D
filings by 17 C.F.R. § 240.12b-1 (1979).
14 See also L. Loss, Securities
Regulation 782 (2d ed. 1961) (in the context
of other securities regulations, the
difference between control and controlling
influence is one of degree).
15 43 F.R. 18498 (April 28, 1978). The
text of Item 4 is set forth, Supra, at n.5.
16 The district court properly suggested
that additional injunctive relief might be
required in the future by "unforeseen
contingencies." We express no opinion as to
events which would necessitate such relief,
noting only that the full and fair
disclosure objectives of the Williams Act
are to be observed.
Piper v. Chris-Craft Industries, Inc., 430
U.S. 1, 26-29, 97 S.Ct. 926, 51 L.Ed.2d 124
(1977);
Rondeau v. Mosinee Paper Corp., 422 U.S. 49,
58, 97 S.Ct. 926, 51 L.Ed.2d 124 (1975).
17 Chromalloy has abandoned on appeal its
demand for an offer of rescission to
shareholders who have sold to Sun.
18 Because this case involves only the
availability of injunctive relief Following
compliance with § 13(d), we are not required
to decide what circumstances might justify a
decree enjoining a shareholder who is
Currently in violation of § 13(d) from
acquiring further shares or exercising
voting rights, pending compliance with the
reporting requirements. The posture of the
case is identical to Rondeau in this
respect. Rondeau v. Mosinee Paper Corp.,
supra, 422 U.S. at 59 n.9, 97 S.Ct. 926.
19 We do not reach the issue of harm to
former Chromalloy shareholders who may have
sold to Sun without attempting to garner a
control premium. Chromalloy on appeal has
pressed the interests of present
shareholders and the public in requesting
additional relief, perhaps recognizing that
a cooling-off period and additional
dissemination of information cannot redress
the harm, if any, suffered by past
shareholders who have already sold to Sun.
These shareholders have an adequate remedy
at law through an action for damages.
Rondeau v. Mosinee Paper Corp., supra, 422
U.S. at 60, 97 S.Ct. 926;
Missouri Portland Cement Co. v. H. K.
Porter, 535 F.2d 388, 395, 399 (8th Cir.
1976). |