-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE----- Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov Originator-Key-Asymmetric: MFgwCgYEVQgBAQICAf8DSgAwRwJAW2sNKK9AVtBzYZmr6aGjlWyK3XmZv3dTINen TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA, SHXIfTz15XD5x/2dsicImkHilC9DYtoFritWvKPgbSxGGXy8CoLmr/p2GvSZ73kp J8UQLXz8eHQyQ9H4FxsZRg== 0001169232-07-000372.txt : 20070129 0001169232-07-000372.hdr.sgml : 20070129 20070129162642 ACCESSION NUMBER: 0001169232-07-000372 CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE: SC 13D/A PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT: 2 FILED AS OF DATE: 20070129 DATE AS OF CHANGE: 20070129 GROUP MEMBERS: NIERENBERG INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT OFFSHORE, INC. GROUP MEMBERS: THE D3 FAMILY BULLDOG FUND, L.P. GROUP MEMBERS: THE D3 FAMILY FUND, L.P. GROUP MEMBERS: THE DIII OFFSHORE FUND, L.P. SUBJECT COMPANY: COMPANY DATA: COMPANY CONFORMED NAME: BROOKS AUTOMATION INC CENTRAL INDEX KEY: 0000933974 STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION: SPECIAL INDUSTRY MACHINERY, NEC [3559] IRS NUMBER: 043040660 STATE OF INCORPORATION: DE FISCAL YEAR END: 0930 FILING VALUES: FORM TYPE: SC 13D/A SEC ACT: 1934 Act SEC FILE NUMBER: 005-45079 FILM NUMBER: 07561344 BUSINESS ADDRESS: STREET 1: 15 ELIZABETH DRIVE CITY: CHELMSFORD STATE: MA ZIP: 01824 BUSINESS PHONE: (978) 262-2400 MAIL ADDRESS: STREET 1: 15 ELIZABETH DRIVE CITY: CHELMSFORD STATE: MA ZIP: 01824 FORMER COMPANY: FORMER CONFORMED NAME: BROOKS-PRI AUTOMATION INC DATE OF NAME CHANGE: 20020514 FORMER COMPANY: FORMER CONFORMED NAME: BROOKS AUTOMATION INC DATE OF NAME CHANGE: 19941215 FILED BY: COMPANY DATA: COMPANY CONFORMED NAME: NIERENBERG INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT CO CENTRAL INDEX KEY: 0001282683 IRS NUMBER: 911677205 FILING VALUES: FORM TYPE: SC 13D/A MAIL ADDRESS: STREET 1: 19605 NE 8TH ST CITY: CAMAS STATE: WA ZIP: 98607 SC 13D/A 1 d70607_sc14da.txt AMENDMENT NO. 6 TO SCHEDULE 13D UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 SCHEDULE 13D Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (Amendment No. 6) BROOKS AUTOMATION, INC. (BRKS) (Name of Issuer) Common Stock (Title of Class of Securities) 114340102 (CUSIP Number) David Nierenberg The D3 Family Funds 19605 NE 8th Street Camas, WA 98607 (360) 604-8600 With a copy to: Henry Lesser, Esq. DLA Piper US LLP 2000 University Avenue East Palo Alto, CA 94303 (650) 833-2000 (Name, Address and Telephone Number of Person Authorized to Receive Notices and Communications) January 29, 2007 (Date of Event which Requires Filing of this Statement) If the filing person has previously filed a statement on Schedule 13G to report the acquisition that is the subject of this Schedule 13D and is filing this schedule because of ss.ss. 240.13d-1(e), 240.13d-1(f) or 240.13d-1(g), check the following box |_|. - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 NAME OF REPORTING PERSON S.S. OR I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NOS. OF ABOVE PERSON The D3 Family Fund, L.P. - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2 CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP* (a) |X| (b) |_| - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3 SEC USE ONLY - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4 SOURCE OF FUNDS* WC - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5 CHECK BOX IF DISCLOSURE OF LEGAL PROCEEDINGS IS REQUIRED PURSUANT TO ITEMS 2(d) OR 2(e) |_| - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6 CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION Washington - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7 SOLE VOTING POWER 849,215 Common shares (1.1%) ----------------------------------------------------------------- NUMBER OF 8 SHARED VOTING POWER SHARES BENEFICIALLY 0 OWNED BY ----------------------------------------------------------------- EACH 9 SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER REPORTING PERSON 849,215 WITH ----------------------------------------------------------------- 10 SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER 0 - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11 AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON For the reporting person listed on this page, 849,215; for all reporting persons as a group, 4,847,458 shares (6.4%) - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12 CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (11) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES* |_| - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 13 PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (11) 6.4% - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 14 TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON* PN - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- *SEE INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE FILLING OUT! 2 - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 NAME OF REPORTING PERSON S.S. OR I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NOS. OF ABOVE PERSON The DIII Offshore Fund, L.P. - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2 CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP* (a) |X| (b) |_| - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3 SEC USE ONLY - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4 SOURCE OF FUNDS* WC - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5 CHECK BOX IF DISCLOSURE OF LEGAL PROCEEDINGS IS REQUIRED PURSUANT TO ITEMS 2(d) OR 2(e) |_| - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6 CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION Bahamas - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7 SOLE VOTING POWER 1,106,718 common shares (1.5%) ----------------------------------------------------------------- NUMBER OF 8 SHARED VOTING POWER SHARES BENEFICIALLY 0 OWNED BY ----------------------------------------------------------------- EACH 9 SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER REPORTING PERSON 1,106,718 WITH ----------------------------------------------------------------- 10 SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER 0 - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11 AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON For the reporting person listed on this page, 1,106,718; for all reporting persons as a group, 4,847,458 shares (6.4%) - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12 CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (11) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES* |_| - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 13 PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (11) 6.4% - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 14 TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON* PN - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- *SEE INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE FILLING OUT! 3 - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 NAME OF REPORTING PERSON S.S. OR I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NOS. OF ABOVE PERSON The D3 Family Bulldog Fund, L.P. - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2 CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP* (a) |X| (b) |_| - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3 SEC USE ONLY - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4 SOURCE OF FUNDS* WC - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5 CHECK BOX IF DISCLOSURE OF LEGAL PROCEEDINGS IS REQUIRED PURSUANT TO ITEMS 2(d) OR 2(e) |_| - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6 CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION Washington - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7 SOLE VOTING POWER 2,891,525 common shares (3.8%) ----------------------------------------------------------------- NUMBER OF 8 SHARED VOTING POWER SHARES BENEFICIALLY 0 OWNED BY ----------------------------------------------------------------- EACH 9 SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER REPORTING PERSON 2,891,525 WITH ----------------------------------------------------------------- 10 SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER 0 - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11 AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON For the reporting person listed on this page, 2,891,525; for all reporting persons as a group, 4,847,458 shares (6.4%) - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12 CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (11) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES* |_| - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 13 PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (11) 6.4% - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 14 TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON* PN - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- *SEE INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE FILLING OUT! 4 - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 NAME OF REPORTING PERSON S.S. OR I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NOS. OF ABOVE PERSON Nierenberg Investment Management Company, Inc. - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2 CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP* (a) |X| (b) |_| - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3 SEC USE ONLY - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4 SOURCE OF FUNDS* WC - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5 CHECK BOX IF DISCLOSURE OF LEGAL PROCEEDINGS IS REQUIRED PURSUANT TO ITEMS 2(d) OR 2(e) |_| - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6 CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION Washington - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7 SOLE VOTING POWER 0 ----------------------------------------------------------------- NUMBER OF 8 SHARED VOTING POWER SHARES BENEFICIALLY 4,847,458 shares (6.4%) OWNED BY ----------------------------------------------------------------- EACH 9 SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER REPORTING PERSON 0 WITH ----------------------------------------------------------------- 10 SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER 4,847,458 shares - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11 AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON For the reporting person listed on this page, 4,847,458; for all reporting persons as a group, 4,847,458 shares (6.4%) - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12 CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (11) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES* |_| - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 13 PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (11) 6.4% - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 14 TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON* PN - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- *SEE INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE FILLING OUT! 5 - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 NAME OF REPORTING PERSON S.S. OR I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NOS. OF ABOVE PERSON Nierenberg Investment Management Offshore, Inc. - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2 CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP* (a) |X| (b) |_| - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3 SEC USE ONLY - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4 SOURCE OF FUNDS* WC - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5 CHECK BOX IF DISCLOSURE OF LEGAL PROCEEDINGS IS REQUIRED PURSUANT TO ITEMS 2(d) OR 2(e) |_| - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6 CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION Bahamas - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7 SOLE VOTING POWER 0 ----------------------------------------------------------------- NUMBER OF 8 SHARED VOTING POWER SHARES BENEFICIALLY 1,106,718 common shares (1.5%) OWNED BY ----------------------------------------------------------------- EACH 9 SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER REPORTING PERSON 0 WITH ----------------------------------------------------------------- 10 SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER 1,106,718 common shares - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11 AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON For the reporting person listed on this page, 1,106,718; for all reporting persons as a group, 4,847,458 shares (6.4%) - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12 CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (11) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES* |_| - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 13 PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (11) 6.4% - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 14 TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON* PN - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- *SEE INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE FILLING OUT! 6 This Amendment No. 6 to Schedule 13D (this "Amendment") amends the below-indicated items from the Schedule 13D previously filed by or on behalf of the undersigned parties (the "Reporting Persons"), as previously amended (the "Schedule 13D"), by supplementing such Items with the information below: Item 4. Purpose of Transaction Recently Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS) and Glass Lewis (GL) recommended that clients withhold their votes from several incumbent Brooks Automation (BRKS) directors. We strongly disagree with ISS and GL and have voted all of our shares enthusiastically to re-elect the entire BRKS director slate. We believe that the Board of Directors of BRKS has improved dramatically the quality of its corporate governance in the past year. First, the Board announced that former Chairman and CEO Robert Therrien would not be re-nominated for another term on the Board. Second, when the Wall Street Journal broke the story last March about the appearance of back-dated stock option grants made to Mr. Therrien, the Board immediately appointed a special committee of newer, independent directors to examine the matter and empowered the special committee to engage independent legal and accounting counsel. Later, after several months of intensive examination of the Therrien and other suspect stock option grants, the two board members who had been the Board's compensation committee at the time the Therrien grants were made resigned from the Board of Directors. Now BRKS' Board has a capable new Chair; the former Lead Director is no longer on the Board; and BRKS' compensation committee and its nominating and governance committee also have new Chairs. The company is publicly committed to cooperating fully with federal examinations of past option practices and to never repeating the unfortunate practices of the past. Fundamentally, we believe that BRKS has a strong balance sheet, a sensible corporate strategy, and excellent management to execute the strategy. None of the directors opposed by ISS and GL served on the BRKS Board when the problematic stock options were granted to the former Chairman and CEO. In fact, directors Robert Lepofsky and Mark Wrighton did not join BRKS' Board until the company acquired Helix Technology late in 2005. Director Krishna Palepu joined the Board at about the same time precisely to improve the quality of its governance. In conclusion, we have voted enthusiastically to re-elect all eight incumbent BRKS directors. We believe that the formulaic approach taken by ISS and GL would, if followed in this case, cause shareholders to withhold votes from directors who have been doing difficult work exceptionally well. We believe that doing the right thing should be rewarded, not punished. By reporting the information contained in this Amendment, the Reporting Persons do not intend to solicit, nor are they soliciting, proxies or consents from, nor seeking or requesting any other action by, any of the other stockholders of BRKS. The Reporting Persons are reporting their own voting intentions and the reasons therefor. The previous statements by the Reporting Persons regarding their investment in BRKS represent solely their own analyses and judgments, based on publicly-available information and their own 7 internal evaluation thereof. Those statements are not intended, and should not be relied on, as investment advice to any other investor or prospective investor. To the extent those statements reflect assessments of possible future developments, those assessments are inherently subject to the uncertainties associated with all assessments of future events; actual developments may materially differ as a result of circumstances affecting BRKS and/or extrinsic factors such as developments in the company's industry and the economic environment. The Reporting Persons reserve the right to change their internal evaluation of this investment in the future, as well as to increase or decrease their investment depending on their evaluation, without further amending the Schedule 13D except as required by applicable rules. Item 5. Interest in Securities of the Issuer. (a, b) The Reporting Persons, in the aggregate, beneficially own 4,847,458 Shares, constituting approximately 6.4% of the outstanding Shares. (c) During the past sixty (60) days, the following purchases of Shares were made by D3 Family Funds in open market transactions: Fund Trade Date Shares Bought Price ---- ---------- ------------- ----- DIII Offshore Fund LP 1/18/2007 147,000 14.00 D3 Family Bulldog Fund LP 1/18/2007 3,000 13.97 In addition, on January 3, 2007, an aggregate of 203,280 Shares were distributed in kind, on a pro rate basis, to the general partners in the DIII Offshore Fund, LP. Item 7. Material to be filed as Exhibits Exhibit 1 to this Amendment is the joint filing agreement pursuant to which all of the filing persons have authorized the filing of this Amendment as a group. 8 SIGNATURE After reasonable inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and belief, each of the undersigned certifies that the information set forth in the Statement is true, complete and correct. D3 Family Fund, L.P. and D3 Bulldog Fund, L.P By: Nierenberg Investment Management Company, Inc. Its: General Partner January 29, 2007 By: /s/ David Nierenberg ----------------------------------- David Nierenberg, President DIII Offshore Fund, L.P. By: Nierenberg Investment Management Offshore, Inc. Its: General Partner January 29, 2007 By: /s/ David Nierenberg ----------------------------------- David Nierenberg, President Nierenberg Investment Management Company, Inc. January 29, 2007 By: /s/ David Nierenberg ----------------------------------- David Nierenberg, President Nierenberg Investment Management Offshore, Inc. January 29, 2007 By: /s/ David Nierenberg ------------------------------------ David Nierenberg, President 9 EX-1 2 d70607_ex1.txt JOINT FILING AGREEMENT Exhibit 1 JOINT FILING AGREEMENT WHEREAS, the undersigned (collectively, the "Reporting Persons") from time to time make filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to Regulation 13D-G under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended; and WHEREAS, the Reporting Persons prefer to make joint filings on behalf of all Reporting Persons rather than individual filings on behalf of each of the Reporting Persons; NOW, THEREFORE, the undersigned hereby agree as follows with each of the other Reporting Persons: 1. Each of the Reporting Persons is individually eligible to make joint filings. 2. Each of the Reporting Persons is responsible for timely making joint filings and any amendments thereto. 3. Each of the Reporting Persons is responsible for the completeness and accuracy of the information concerning such person contained in joint filings. 4. None of the Reporting Persons is responsible for the completeness or accuracy of the information concerning the other Reporting Persons contained in joint filings, unless such person knows or has reason to believe that such information is inaccurate. 5. This Joint Filing Agreement amends, restates and supersedes the Joint Filing Agreement dated July 5, 2006 by and among the undersigned, D3 Children's Fund, L.P. and D3 Family Retirement Fund, L.P. 10 6. The undersigned agree that each joint filing made on or after the date hereof will be, and any amendment thereto will be, made on behalf of each of the Reporting Persons. D3 Family Fund, L.P., and D3 Bulldog Fund, L.P. By: Nierenberg Investment Management Company, Inc. Its: General Partner July 24, 2006 By: ------------------------------------------- David Nierenberg, President DIII Offshore Fund, L.P. By: Nierenberg Investment Management Offshore, Inc. Its: General Partner July 24, 2006 By: ------------------------------------------- David Nierenberg, President Nierenberg Investment Management Company, Inc. July 24, 2006 By: ------------------------------------------- David Nierenberg, President Nierenberg Investment Management Offshore, Inc. July 24, 2006 By: ------------------------------------------- David Nierenberg, President 11 -----END PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----