-----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, UVdEGgah71/iNuJLZujXy1hazD93yH5sNI5INFhDNS7tyDwacYCxjSZxpSAFdn2U 7SFOiEH239omMsw8iC+/7Q== 0001162315-09-000002.txt : 20090109 0001162315-09-000002.hdr.sgml : 20090109 20090109110610 ACCESSION NUMBER: 0001162315-09-000002 CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE: 8-K PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT: 2 CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT: 20090108 ITEM INFORMATION: Other Events ITEM INFORMATION: Financial Statements and Exhibits FILED AS OF DATE: 20090109 DATE AS OF CHANGE: 20090109 FILER: COMPANY DATA: COMPANY CONFORMED NAME: AMBASSADORS GROUP INC CENTRAL INDEX KEY: 0001162315 STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION: SERVICES-EDUCATIONAL SERVICES [8200] IRS NUMBER: 911957010 STATE OF INCORPORATION: DE FISCAL YEAR END: 1231 FILING VALUES: FORM TYPE: 8-K SEC ACT: 1934 Act SEC FILE NUMBER: 000-33347 FILM NUMBER: 09517453 BUSINESS ADDRESS: STREET 1: 2001 SOUTH FLINT CITY: SPOKANE STATE: WA ZIP: 99224 BUSINESS PHONE: 5095687000 MAIL ADDRESS: STREET 1: 2001 SOUTH FLINT CITY: SPOKANE STATE: WA ZIP: 99224 8-K 1 form8k.htm 8-K 1-9-09 form8k.htm

UNITED STATES
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)
January 8, 2009
 

AMBASSADORS GROUP, INC.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
 

 
         
Delaware
 
No. 0-33347
 
91-1957010
(State or Other Jurisdiction
of Incorporation)
 
(Commission File Number)
 
(IRS Employer
Identification No.)
     
Dwight D. Eisenhower Bldg., 2001 South Flint Rd., Spokane, WA
 
99224
(Address of principal executive offices)
 
(Zip Code)
 
Registrant’s telephone number, including area code
(509) 568-7800
 
Not Applicable
(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)
 


Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:
 
¨
Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)
¨
Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)
¨
Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
¨
Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

 
 
 

 

Item 8.01 Other Events.
 
On January 8, 2009, Ambassadors Group, Inc. (the “Company”) announced that due to continued deteriorating economic conditions, it is planning to reduce its current workforce of approximately 270 employees by 15 to 20 percent.  The planned reductions are expected to be completed by the end of January 2009.

The Company also announced that as of January 8, 2009, it had 34,583 net enrolled participants for 2009 travel programs compared to 42,548 net enrolled participants for 2008 travel programs as of the same date last year.

A copy of the press release is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1 and incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.
 
(d) Exhibits
 
Exhibit 99.1:    Press Release, dated January 8, 2009.

 
 
 

 

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.
 
   
AMBASSADORS GROUP, INC.
 
 
Date: January 8, 2009
 
 
By:
 
 
 /s/ Chadwick J. Byrd
 
 
       
 
Chadwick J. Byrd
Chief Financial Officer

 
 
 

 

EXHIBIT INDEX
 
     
 
 
Exhibit
Number
 
 
Description
 
 
 
99.1
 
 
Press Release, dated January 8, 2009.


 
 
 

 

EX-99.1 2 exhibit99_1.htm EXHIBIT 99.1 exhibit99_1.htm

 
 
 
NEWS FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
 
January 8, 2009
 
CONTACT: Chadwick J. Byrd
 
(509) 568-7800

 
AMBASSADORS GROUP ANNOUNCES PLAN TO REDUCE CURRENT WORKFORCE
 
Spokane, WA. – January 8, 2009
 
Ambassadors Group Inc. (NASDAQ:EPAX), a leading provider of educational travel experiences, announced today that due to continued deteriorating economic conditions, the Company is planning to reduce its current workforce of approximately 270 employees by 15 to 20 percent. The planned reductions are expected to be completed within the month of January 2009. Other expense management measures implemented by the company include a freeze on cash compensation for the Ambassadors Group executive team for 2009 along with the voluntary decline of incentives earned in 2008 by president and chief executive officer, Jeff Thomas and executive vice president, Peg Thomas. Additionally, total compensation increases for 2009 have been limited to 1 percent of total payroll. The Company will continue to aggressively manage costs throughout the year.

As of January 7, 2009, the Company had 34,583 net enrolled participants for 2009 travel programs compared to 42,548 net enrolled participants for 2008 travel programs as of the same date last year.

“Families continue to express high levels of interest in our educational travel programs, but are reluctant to commit to travel in this time of economic difficulty. We have seen enrollments decrease by approximately 19 percent compared to last year’s more favorable economic environment,” said Jeff Thomas, president and chief executive officer of Ambassadors Group, Inc. “These planned reductions are an unfortunate necessity given the economic conditions and are a proactive step to bring us more in line with previous operating and financial performance. We value and appreciate each and every one of our employees and thank them tremendously for their support.”

Quarterly conference call and webcast

We will host a conference call to discuss fourth quarter and fiscal year 2008 results of operations on Friday, February 6, 2009, at 8:30 a.m. Pacific Time. Dial in and webcast information will be announced three weeks prior to the call.

Business overview

Ambassadors Group, Inc. is a leading educational travel and online educational research organization that organizes and promotes international and domestic travel programs for students, athletes, and professionals, and provides nearly 6 million pages of online content. Our travel programs provide opportunities for grade school, junior, and senior high school students to visit foreign and domestic destinations to learn about the history, government, economy and culture of such areas, as well as for junior and senior high school athletes to participate in international sports challenges. Our professional programs emphasize meetings and seminars between participants and persons in similar professions abroad. Our online content attracts millions of users and advertisers each month. We are headquartered in Spokane, Washington, with associates also in Washington, D.C. In this press release, “Company,” “we,” “us,” and “our” refer to Ambassadors Group, Inc.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements regarding our actual and expected financial performance and the reasons for variances between period-to-period results. Forward-looking statements, which are included per the “safe harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, may involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our actual results and performance in future periods to be materially different from any future results or performance suggested by the forward-looking statements in this release. Such forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this release and may not reflect risks related to the conflict in the Middle East and international unrest, outbreak of disease, conditions in the travel industry, direct marketing environment, changes in economic conditions and changes in the competitive environment. We expressly disclaim any obligation to provide public updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements found herein to reflect any changes in our expectations or any change in events. Although we believe the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are based upon reasonable assumptions, we can give no assurance that our expectations will be met. For a more complete discussion of these and other factors, please refer to the Ambassadors Group, Inc. 10-K filed March 6, 2008 and proxy statement filed April 8, 2008.

 
 

 

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