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OMB APPROVAL |
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OMB Number:
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3235-0059 |
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Expires:
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January 31, 2008 |
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Estimated average burden hours per
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14. |
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
SCHEDULE 14A
Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 (Amendment No. )
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Filed by the Registrant
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Filed by a Party other than the Registrant
o |
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Check the appropriate box: |
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o Preliminary Proxy Statement |
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o
Confidential, for Use of the Commission Only (as permitted by
Rule 14a-6(e)(2)) |
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o Definitive Proxy Statement |
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x Definitive Additional Materials |
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o
Soliciting Material Pursuant to §240.14a-12 |
CYBERONICS, INC.
(Name
of Registrant as Specified In Its Charter)
(Name
of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if other than the
Registrant)
Payment of Filing Fee (Check the appropriate box):
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x No fee required. |
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o
Fee computed on table below per Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i)(1) and
0-11. |
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1) Title of each class of securities to which transaction applies: |
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2) Aggregate number of securities to which transaction applies: |
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3) Per unit price or other underlying value of transaction computed
pursuant to Exchange Act Rule 0-11 (set forth the amount on which the
filing fee is calculated and state how it was determined): |
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4) Proposed maximum aggregate value of transaction: |
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o Fee paid previously with preliminary materials. |
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o Check box if any part of the fee is offset as provided by Exchange Act
Rule 0-11(a)(2) and identify the filing for which the offsetting fee
was paid previously. Identify the previous filing by registration
statement number, or the Form or Schedule and the date of its filing. |
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1) Amount Previously Paid: |
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2) Form, Schedule or Registration Statement No.: |
January 24, 2007
Dear Fellow Cyberonics Stockholder,
Cyberonics’ February 1st Annual Meeting of Stockholders is rapidly approaching, and your
vote is important, no matter how many, or how few, shares you own. We urge you to support your
Board of Directors by signing, dating and returning the enclosed WHITE proxy card today.
In advance of the Annual Meeting, members of our Board and management team have been meeting with
stockholders to have open discussions about the future of our Company. We have appreciated the
opportunity to exchange ideas and share our vision of Cyberonics’ bright future. While we did not
seek out this proxy contest — and indeed, sought to avoid it — we are grateful for the
opportunity it has provided us to meet with you and benefit from your insights. We are resolutely
focused on creating stockholder value, and we are actively executing on a strategy designed to make
it happen.
YOUR BOARD HAS IMPLEMENTED STRONG
CORPORATE GOVERNANCE SAFEGUARDS
You should be aware that your Board has proactively addressed a number of governance issues over
the past year, even before this proxy contest began. For example, the Company has adopted an
option grants policy with underlying work instructions that are meant to ensure tight
administrative accountability. The work instructions describe the process for initiating,
approving, and documenting all equity grants and the persons responsible for each step of the
process. Among the highlights of the policy are:
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Officers and directors are not eligible to receive options. Equity grants to
officers and directors will be limited to restricted stock. This codifies a practice
adopted in 2004. |
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• |
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Restricted stock grants to officers and directors can be made only once each year on
the date of the annual meeting. |
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Equity grants to other employees can be made only once each quarter in the 7th week
of the fiscal quarter. All paperwork for these grants (other than Compensation
Committee approval) must be complete by the 4th week of the quarter. |
VOTING ADVISORY FIRM ISS RECOGNIZES OUR STEADILY INCREASING REVENUES,
COST CUTTING EFFORTS, AND INCREASING GROSS PROFIT MARGINS
In addition to recognizing a number of improvements our Board is making, we are pleased that
Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS), a leading independent voting advisory service,
recommended that Cyberonics stockholders vote to re-elect Cyberonics’ Chairman, Tony Coelho, to the
Cyberonics Board of Directors. In its January 22, 2007 report, ISS stated:
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"[O]perationally the company has been able to steadily increase its revenues, expand
into international markets, and as a result of an internal cost structure review, has
been able to increase its gross profit margins.”* |
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“The company is awaiting favorable coverage from the large national and regional
insurance payers which may require close relationships with constituencies such as
lawmakers, regulators, providers and major payers which could be critical to the
company’s success. We believe that the presence of Tony Coelho on the board could
enhance this process, particularly given his experience and his position as the
chairman of the Epilepsy Foundation. As such, we believe that Tony Coelho should
continue as a director.”* |
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"[W]e believe that replacement of Tony Coelho could negatively impact the execution
of the company’s business plan, in particular obtaining broad-based national and
regional coverage policy for treatment using the VNS device.”* |
OUR BOARD AND MANAGEMENT HAVE IN PLACE A STRATEGIC PLAN
We’ve heard in our meetings with stockholders that you would like a clearer understanding of our
plan to create value and of the key milestones on the path ahead. We’re proud of the actions we
have already taken to position Cyberonics for continued success. As a result of these efforts,
Cyberonics is now a stronger company with less risk and uncertainty. Our focus is on obtaining
broad-based national and regional coverage policy for Vagus Nerve Stimulation Therapy (VNS Therapy)
in treatment-resistant depress (TRD) more quickly than we did for refractory epilepsy.
As you may know, we expect to receive a proposed national coverage determination for VNS Therapy in
TRD from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on February 7, 2007. If favorable,
this will be an important step forward in the quest for TRD coverage. During the first public
comment period for our TRD coverage request, CMS received 1,329 public comments, 99.5% of which
favored coverage for TRD, including comments from 258 psychiatric thought leaders and
psychiatrists, 50 neurologists, more than 100 other healthcare professionals, 645 patients and
family members, 41 patient advocacy groups, and more than 20 members of Congress.
Given the body of clinical evidence that VNS Therapy in TRD is safe and effective, and the
overwhelming support among physicians and patients, CMS should propose a favorable coverage policy
for our life-altering product. Even if CMS proposes a favorable coverage policy, however, our
quest for coverage among major private payers and the sales growth that will accompany increased
coverage must continue anew. In this regard, continuity on your Board is critical as the current
Board members have relationships with key constituencies that are critical to our success, in
particular, key contacts with lawmakers, regulators, providers and major payors — our most
important constituencies.
WE URGE YOU NOT TO JEOPARDIZE THE CONSIDERABLE SUCCESS
WE HAVE ALREADY ACHIEVED
Your Board unanimously recommends that Cyberonics stockholders vote to reelect the following highly
qualified individuals: Stanley H. Appel, M.D., Tony Coelho, Guy C. Jackson, Kevin S. Moore, Hugh M.
Morrison, Alan J. Olsen, Michael J. Strauss, M.D., M.P.H., and Reese S. Terry, Jr. Each of these
directors possesses extensive and relevant experience, and relationships with key constituencies
that are critical to the Company’s success.
TIME IS SHORT. Protect your investment in Cyberonics TODAY by voting your shares by phone, by
using the internet, or by signing, dating and returning the enclosed WHITE proxy card.
On behalf of your Board of Directors, thank you for your continued support.
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TONY COELHO
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REESE S. TERRY, JR. |
Chairman of the Board of Directors
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Interim Chief Executive Officer |
Your vote is extremely important — no matter how many or
how few shares you own.
Remember, you may be able to vote by telephone or by the Internet—simply follow the easy
instructions on the enclosed WHITE proxy card. To vote your shares by mail, please sign, date and
return the enclosed WHITE proxy card TODAY in the postage-paid envelope provided. Please note that,
even if you have previously returned a Gold proxy card in error, you have every legal right to
change your vote — only your latest-dated proxy counts.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT VOTING OR NEED ADDITIONAL ASSISTANCE,
PLEASE CONTACT THE FIRM ASSISTING US IN THE SOLICITATION OF PROXIES:
INNISFREE M&A INCORPORATED
STOCKHOLDERS CALL TOLL FREE AT 1-877-825-8631.
Additional Informational and Forward-Looking Statements
These Definitive Additional Materials contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of
Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934, as amended. These statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking
terminology, including “may,” “believe,” “will,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “plan,”
“intend,” and “forecast,” or other similar words. Statements contained in these Definitive
Additional Materials are based upon information presently available to the Company and assumptions
that the Company believes to be reasonable. The Company is not assuming any duty to update this
information should those facts change or should we no longer believe the assumptions to be
reasonable. Investors are cautioned that all such statements involve risks and uncertainties,
including without limitation, statements regarding creating stockholder value, obtaining favorable
reimbursement coverage by CMS and other payers for VNS Therapy in TRD, and execution of our
business plan. The Company’s actual decisions, performance and results may differ materially.
Important factors that may cause actual results to differ include, but are not limited to:
continued market acceptance of VNS Therapy and sales of the Company’s product; the development and
satisfactory completion of clinical trials and/or market test and/or regulatory approval of VNS
Therapy for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease, anxiety, or other indications; adverse changes in
coverage or reimbursement amounts by third-parties; intellectual property protection and potential
infringement claims; maintaining compliance with government regulations and obtaining necessary
government approvals for new applications; product liability claims and potential litigation;
reliance on single suppliers and manufacturers for certain components; the accuracy of management’s
estimates of future expenses and sales; the results of the previously disclosed governmental
inquiries; the impact of the previously announced restatement of the Company’s financial statements
or other actions that might be taken or required as a result of the review by the Audit Committee
of the Company’s Board of Directors of the Company’s stock option grants, procedures, and
practices, including a default under credit facilities or debt instruments; any litigation relating
thereto or to the Company’s stock option grants, procedures, and practices (including the
previously disclosed private litigation); uncertainties associated with compliance with the
requirements of the NASDAQ Panel to avoid possible delisting of the Company’s stock from NASDAQ for
failure to file timely periodic reports with the SEC; uncertainties associated with any appeal
concerning any possible delisting by NASDAQ; uncertainties associated with stockholder litigation
and other risks detailed from time to time in the Company’s filings with the SEC. For a detailed
discussion of these and other cautionary statements, please refer to the Company’s most recent
filings with the SEC, including its Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended April 28, 2006.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CYBERONICS SENDS LETTER TO STOCKHOLDERS
Urges Stockholders to Reelect Board’s Highly Qualified Nominees
HOUSTON, Texas — January 24, 2007 — Cyberonics, Inc. (NASDAQ: CYBX) today announced that it will
send the following letter to stockholders urging them to vote to reelect the Board’s highly
qualified nominees, Stanley H. Appel, M.D., Tony Coelho, Guy C. Jackson, Kevin S. Moore, Hugh M.
Morrison, Alan J. Olsen, Michael J. Strauss, M.D., M.P.H., and Reese S. Terry, Jr.
January 24, 2007
Dear Fellow Cyberonics Stockholder,
Cyberonics’ February 1st Annual Meeting of Stockholders is rapidly approaching,
and your vote is important, no matter how many, or how few, shares you own. We urge you to
support your Board of Directors by signing, dating and returning the enclosed WHITE proxy
card today.
In advance of the Annual Meeting, members of our Board and management team have been meeting
with stockholders to have open discussions about the future of our Company. We have
appreciated the opportunity to exchange ideas and share our vision of Cyberonics’ bright
future. While we did not seek out this proxy contest — and indeed, sought to avoid it — we
are grateful for the opportunity it has provided us to meet with you and benefit from your
insights. We are resolutely focused on creating stockholder value, and we are actively
executing on a strategy designed to make it happen.
YOUR BOARD HAS IMPLEMENTED STRONG
CORPORATE GOVERNANCE SAFEGUARDS
You should be aware that your Board has proactively addressed a number of governance issues
over the past year, even before this proxy contest began. For example, the Company has
adopted an option grants policy with underlying work instructions that are meant to ensure
tight administrative accountability. The work instructions describe the process for
initiating, approving, and documenting all equity grants and the persons responsible for
each step of the process. Among the highlights of the policy are:
|
• |
|
Officers and directors are not eligible to receive options. Equity grants
to officers and directors will be limited to restricted stock. This codifies a
practice adopted in 2004. |
|
|
• |
|
Restricted stock grants to officers and directors can be made only once each
year on the date of the annual meeting. |
|
|
• |
|
Equity grants to other employees can be made only once each quarter in the
7th week of the fiscal quarter. All paperwork for these grants (other than
Compensation Committee approval) must be complete by the 4th week of the
quarter. |
VOTING ADVISORY FIRM ISS RECOGNIZES OUR STEADILY INCREASING REVENUES,
COST CUTTING EFFORTS, AND INCREASING GROSS PROFIT MARGINS
In addition to recognizing a number of improvements our Board is making, we are pleased that
Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS), a leading independent voting advisory service,
recommended that Cyberonics stockholders vote to re-elect Cyberonics’ Chairman, Tony Coelho,
to the Cyberonics Board of Directors. In its January 22, 2007 report, ISS stated:
|
• |
|
"[O]perationally the company has been able to steadily increase its
revenues, expand into international markets, and as a result of an internal
cost structure review, has been able to increase its gross profit margins.”* |
|
|
• |
|
“The company is awaiting favorable coverage from the large national and
regional insurance payers which may require close relationships with
constituencies such as lawmakers, regulators, providers and major payers which
could be critical to the company’s success. We believe that the presence of
Tony Coelho on the board could enhance this process, particularly given his
experience and his position as the chairman of the Epilepsy Foundation. As
such, we believe that Tony Coelho should continue as a director.”* |
|
|
• |
|
"[W]e believe that replacement of Tony Coelho could negatively impact the
execution of the company’s business plan, in particular obtaining broad-based
national and regional coverage policy for treatment using the VNS device.”* |
OUR BOARD AND MANAGEMENT HAVE IN PLACE A STRATEGIC PLAN
We’ve heard in our meetings with stockholders that you would like a clearer understanding of
our plan to create value and of the key milestones on the path ahead. We’re proud of the
actions we have already taken to position Cyberonics for continued success. As a result of
these efforts, Cyberonics is now a stronger company with less risk and uncertainty. Our
focus is on obtaining broad-based national and regional coverage policy for Vagus Nerve
Stimulation Therapy (VNS Therapy) in treatment-resistant depress (TRD) more quickly than we
did for refractory epilepsy.
As you may know, we expect to receive a proposed national coverage determination for VNS
Therapy in TRD from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on February 7, 2007.
If favorable, this will be an important step forward in the quest for TRD coverage. During
the first public comment period for our TRD coverage request, CMS received 1,329 public
comments, 99.5% of which favored coverage for TRD, including comments from 258 psychiatric
thought leaders and psychiatrists, 50 neurologists, more than 100 other healthcare
professionals, 645 patients and family members, 41 patient advocacy groups, and more than 20
members of Congress.
Given the body of clinical evidence that VNS Therapy in TRD is safe and effective, and the
overwhelming support among physicians and patients, CMS should propose a favorable coverage
policy for our life-altering product. Even if CMS proposes a favorable coverage policy,
however, our quest for coverage among major private payers and the sales growth that will
accompany increased coverage must continue anew. In this regard, continuity on your Board
is critical as the current Board members have relationships with key constituencies that are
critical to our success, in particular, key contacts with lawmakers, regulators, providers
and major payors — our most important constituencies.
WE URGE YOU NOT TO JEOPARDIZE THE CONSIDERABLE SUCCESS
WE HAVE ALREADY ACHIEVED
Your Board unanimously recommends that Cyberonics stockholders vote to reelect the following
highly qualified individuals: Stanley H. Appel, M.D., Tony Coelho, Guy C. Jackson, Kevin S.
Moore, Hugh M. Morrison, Alan J. Olsen, Michael J. Strauss, M.D., M.P.H., and Reese S.
Terry, Jr. Each of these directors possesses extensive and relevant experience, and
relationships with key constituencies that are critical to the Company’s success.
TIME IS SHORT. Protect your investment in Cyberonics TODAY by voting your shares by phone,
by using the internet, or by signing, dating and returning the enclosed WHITE proxy card.
On behalf of your Board of Directors, thank you for your continued support.
|
|
|
TONY COELHO
|
|
REESE S. TERRY, JR. |
Chairman of the Board of Directors
|
|
Interim Chief Executive Officer |
About VNS Therapy and Cyberonics
Information on Cyberonics, Inc. and VNS Therapy is available at www.cyberonics.com and
www.vnstherapy.com.
Additional Informational and Forward-Looking Statements
These Definitive Additional Materials contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of
Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934, as amended. These statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking
terminology, including “may,” “believe,” “will,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “plan,”
“intend,” and “forecast,” or other similar words. Statements contained in these Definitive
Additional Materials are based upon information presently available to the Company and assumptions
that the Company believes to be reasonable. The Company is not assuming any duty to update this
information should those facts change or should we no longer believe the assumptions to be
reasonable. Investors are cautioned that all such statements involve risks and uncertainties,
including without limitation, statements regarding creating stockholder value, obtaining favorable
reimbursement coverage by CMS and other payers for VNS Therapy in TRD, and execution of our
business plan. The Company’s actual decisions, performance and results may differ materially.
Important factors that may cause actual results to differ include, but are not limited to:
continued market acceptance of VNS Therapy and sales of the Company’s
product; the development and satisfactory completion of clinical trials and/or market test and/or
regulatory approval of VNS Therapy for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease, anxiety, or other
indications; adverse changes in coverage or reimbursement amounts by third-parties; intellectual
property protection and potential infringement claims; maintaining compliance with government
regulations and obtaining necessary government approvals for new applications; product liability
claims and potential litigation; reliance on single suppliers and manufacturers for certain
components; the accuracy of management’s estimates of future expenses and sales; the results of the
previously disclosed governmental inquiries; the impact of the previously announced restatement of
the Company’s financial statements or other actions that might be taken or required as a result of
the review by the Audit Committee of the Company’s Board of Directors of the Company’s stock option
grants, procedures, and practices, including a default under credit facilities or debt instruments;
any litigation relating thereto or to the Company’s stock option grants, procedures, and practices
(including the previously disclosed private litigation); uncertainties associated with compliance
with the requirements of the NASDAQ Panel to avoid possible delisting of the Company’s stock from
NASDAQ for failure to file timely periodic reports with the SEC; uncertainties associated with any
appeal concerning any possible delisting by NASDAQ; uncertainties associated with stockholder
litigation and other risks detailed from time to time in the Company’s filings with the SEC. For a
detailed discussion of these and other cautionary statements, please refer to the Company’s most
recent filings with the SEC, including its Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended April 28, 2006.
CONTACT INFORMATION:
Eric Brielmann / Jeremy Jacobs
Joele Frank, Wilkinson Brimmer Katcher
(212) 355-4449