Cooper Tire & Rubber Company 8-K

CURRENT REPORT
PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE
SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

COOPER TIRE & RUBBER COMPANY

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)


Delaware	001-04329	34-4297750

(State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation)	(Commission File Number)	(IRS Employer Identification No.)

701 Lima Avenue, Findlay, Ohio		45840

(Address of Principal Executive Offices)		(Zip Code)

Not Applicable

(Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)

On March 24, 2004, Cooper Tire & Rubber Company (“Cooper Tire”) issued a press release announcing that it is exploring the possibility of a sale of its Cooper-Standard Automotive Group. A copy of the press release issued by Cooper Tire is attached as Exhibit 99.1 hereto and is incorporated herein by reference.


(c)	Exhibits:

	Number	Exhibit

	99.1	Press release, dated March 24, 2004

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.


	COOPER TIRE & RUBBER COMPANY

	By:	/s/ James E. Kline

		Name:	James E. Kline
		Title:	Vice President, General Counsel and
			Corporate Secretary

Dated: March 24, 2004


Number		Exhibit
99.1		Press release, dated March 24, 2004


COMPANY CONTACT:	Roger S. Hendriksen	FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
	(419) 427-4768	March 24, 2004

FINDLAY, Ohio, March 24, 2004 — Cooper Tire & Rubber Company (NYSE: CTB) announced today that it is exploring the possibility of a sale of its Cooper-Standard Automotive Group. The Company has retained Lazard Freres to assist in this process.

If this process results in a sale, the Company may use net proceeds to reduce debt, invest in tire operations, return capital to stockholders, repurchase shares, or a combination of the foregoing.

Cooper-Standard Automotive is a leading manufacturer of fluid handling systems, body sealing systems, and active and passive vibration control systems, primarily for automotive original equipment manufacturers. The group is headquartered in Novi, Michigan and had revenue of approximately $1.66 billion in 2003.

Commenting on the announcement, Thomas A. Dattilo, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Cooper Tire & Rubber Company said, “Over the past few years, we have invested a significant amount of effort building our automotive business into a leader in its respective markets. At this time, our Board of Directors believes that it is appropriate to evaluate strategic alternatives for the group. We believe that Cooper Tire & Rubber may best be served by dedicating our resources to investing in our tire business and further pursuing global expansion.”

Until further details are available, the Company expects to continue operations as usual by seeking new business, developing new products and filling customer orders as needed to maintain the expected level of customer service.

Cooper Tire & Rubber Company, headquartered in Findlay, Ohio, specializes in the manufacture and marketing of products for the global automotive industry. Products include automotive, motorcycle and truck tires, inner tubes, tread rubber and equipment, as well as sealing, trim, NVH control systems and fluid handling systems. Cooper Tire & Rubber has more than 20,000 employees and 52 manufacturing facilities in 13 countries. For more information, visit the Company’s web site at: www.coopertireandrubber.com.

Certain statements made in this release are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (the “Act”). Forward-looking statements include, without limitation, any statement that may predict, forecast, indicate, or imply future results, performance or achievements, and may contain the, words “believe,” “anticipate,” “expect,” “estimate,” “project,” “will be,” “will continue,” “will likely result,” or similar words or phrases. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, which may cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements. There is no certainty that a sale of Cooper-Standard Automotive Group will occur, what the timing will be, or what the actual proceeds will be. Additional risks and uncertainties are detailed from time to time in reports filed by the Cooper Tire & Rubber Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including in its forms 10-K and 10-Q. New risk factors emerge from time to time and it is not possible for management to predict all such risk factors, nor can it assess the impact of all such risk factors on the Company’s business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements. Given these risks and uncertainties, investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements as a prediction of actual results.

GRAPHIC 4 l05620al0562000.gif GRAPHIC begin 644 l05620al0562000.gif M1TE&.#EAR@)>`/<```````@("!`0$!@8&"$A(2DI*3$Q,3DY.4)"0DI*2E)2 M4EI:6F-C8VMK:W-SX2$A(R,C)24E)RWN?GY^_O[_?W]_______________________________________ M____________________________________________________________ M____________________________________________________________ M____________________________________________________________ M____________________________________________________________ M____________________________________________________________ M____________________________________________________________ M____________________________________________________________ M____________________________________________________________ M____________________________________________________________ M____________________________________________________________ M____________________________________________________________ M____________________________________________________________ M____________________________________________________________ M____________________________________________________________ M_____________________RP`````R@)>```(_@`_"!Q(L*#!@P@3*ES(L*'# MAQ`C2IQ(L:+%BQ@S:MS(L:/'CR!#BAQ)LJ3)DRA3JES)LJ7+ES!CRIQ)LZ;- MFSASZMS)LZ?/GT"#"AU*M*C1HTB3*EW*M*G3IU"C2IU*M:K5JUBS:MW*M:O7 MKV##BAU+MJS9LVC3JEW+MJW;MW#?>N@PMRY"NGCG(O10-R_;OGK9YNW0(>'@ MP'&_:J`P@0*&@AD*)Q;H08($#A$Y6)@PX4)!#1MR*@!`NG3I!`,]%##-6H"& M@1!8LVX@D(-LTP\$QKY-FL$'";Q)%_"`,'CI#PQ(._B0P;B`T!\"&,^0D`)O MWPDO&!^`^4/IQP2;_I/^X,%X``D"+6RG_J&!<0@?'!@_H'`#@>`1!JH/CF`@ M:X,/F+8<<+P%4`%DIGE&D'6E"5"0`:118!MI"A0T06D3K'1?`!QR"`!J!VW8 MH8<41`#`B"BFV"$``WBG(@`&?(#`B2@"0-\&-*Y(P$`!RD:;C`"@IU`%.:HX MX@`)9&@0A$8V*=T"'PQ09(U0)B2EDT8"L-Q")@)0H4,5""`;`I@!1U^`6+[H M($@)&.>E0&Z21MR%;BXW87#P$7C=!W0&1]]!<;9'6FX:!!KE=`F)R1MT!VEG MGD"*LC>0>`&0%^=C^QDG4(^\P;=;<%\"ZJ9GA;I9`)RF8>0HMR:UE^<_244KH\,23=>0]8"@``#;9;FGHW(G?L?2-,R ML,`"#(#[0:FD\;MOOZ6AMQII"`@,KVD?W*E``A!C"X"#!!80`0088_R`!:U. M_'#$L0*`$,0)*-#L`!^C-B^AUY*HRV3 M##.DI$DJ4*F5EJ><`PXTP'2WNI(FP`--,YU,#%-3_@V6XHDZR`HFL: ME&D`^O(K,6WS`E!`V@Q('+.RINTL**MT"I!R_KP``.OHB:0=.!"MIG%\:ZY9 MEP9=:3&RQ`$%ZK(F&4$<7-`N``]DP%<'',A-V@0;=+"!!6T?Q\&QI&E06`>? M*BZ9!JT;$!J&!?5LFK<)S<6!?*Q9$/H&%(0<,$&$V2>;!1QPH$$%GO?'00<: M@-O;\Y,?Q'GTK5V0_&)\#U]?X0Q9&ZI`>@I'7O*VFP:ZZ!;PSC"^I"DXT)U1 MKUN0NKGA;U"?#1]'$`;'(9"J]D>:/Q'$?PKI$K`$LK)_2'&1&"(R<_8A6FDH5A$`[^D`3A500!BGG(:PAXD"L&#^#E`\` M@B.(!\!E0!:6IGH,<1_6"G(G`-@*(:4K5T+HU,>!R)`T+=HA:P8X$#".L2,D M/$BF#A*OW"C*<%PT728WJ:<4`0`SC"R(TD2VD!L6I(&EPB+=9";"&NG0CJ9A M(WFR\\""^`^$H9SA*@E`S`$0(&3$R10QCTD`1:614Z;4S:\*XBM9"J1+IU(( MMBZH0@#T$`"/),[5%$"@W-!)CG<#T2;IMD4&T:>,4MPBW4P#2)9DRC0P_AP( M@0[210#DYR#M&H@@3TD0U-E-(`#T9O\N21`]Y=-!A'0-,8K9O9%,A` M-;B0@=;34CY<2+(4\AV$W*F#_?RG09K(RH]DTFPO!5(+%97'@0!LH>XZ@`$. M8,D6=8DW91)A`98)LT,BQ)4$@65IADI,F*51>*U)2+-8"@`+B.>B`_D;4PD` MLVP"TZ8B!&EPU%FG36GJ`[L1`%&MF)N#=.F6!HD7-SWXS0_8#DK'Z1%\\G:` MONI47@)1E[?X)Q!:T2>A;X*B'EDCOY<0CC4_(\A^^,D:7?K2?A,EC2XSB\(H'6X4(J4C_NA!SJF0O]$.(=#BJ#Y)V$_< M03"T&BG-03<5@=RLLR!@]"1I0`G6\13R-GDJH`4H0($*4'<".A```!ZUJ7NLR];"33IRY&;?!19+PHI<1Z7O."L3_[&6G M1PF8;G6O"UK>-)(@7=KN#A\`@6')E5AUI5N\H-0C<[KJ`X1C@(;;]D_#:K0T M%XB7/#^`6-\ZED6W.4A"*9M++F*79V-D32-98]3D;(EO"E':^$0:T=_2TT*L M,=H%MB@F!;_V(;&E8`7R&-*$=,]\"'%C8PVBJ&!"S:8OMBMP,U*:N6[R;^F% M%GS4=>#TX?0V/^J2_E$)TJ<51>[`-NQN$;];1@^)42"Q3O&FR@:RL,"L>+!1DRWC[*$2`3@+(P,LF*#]%.7;>I.J0ABR4O*3;RH`D^[ M'CJ0T2ARSSV^[(_9'&05[C:2HHX@;%E#0?O)!\ZK@ID3$?)3:&MRC+TER&A> MY:N0($NLQN'8DV^S(_HEY(ZL:5$J"?(WAB!USBV,I2J%.U[>6-:#!TC;`RY7 MZ0]PD)#^\_-M*K3*X+3HGKRAS4#CB-9I+HC/+#9.A7YZ5@3BTZPMI&V4_D^# M`)XBP)+P<6ACKNYO9V?@-E29H=Y#5^XT1]3!PQRN;?T6:WEH#&4'XW M_#;$>61PT`/QV[QFXJ9!38^,FE!K2C$XKXJ3D!#X*:>WD$!6[S(NQT.KC#*' M-2TGC=!70J0UW8:"M0YABP4B'D;US&Z'7Z"V`=#.60O$2&KW` M34YZ:235)8)(B2!'=DB2YPQLHB-D-1F*ZD'0_HZP"+Q*GW(,]]%(PZCD#)`%[K3Y@\/0"!]9/,`9+I``,:0&S6,J!J3A.`#0`?&+!_,]

#3>,TT%$!_+>!3L,`&6(!#/@9)S@D M"V!_"-``[B4!>\-^#2`I_#=`^Y='.L@`'%.`#0!XS+%_%W@06G@!)M@`!S@! M.\@`6/6$KL9Z+#)^(T5S+15VV4)&WW<0TM-!LA$JHZ%2J24;"[!:R%8:E`1> M]91:[(%H"1%]#3%]_@L%;`HA0P+1:PIE$(IW&P=04VZ(.WDV&9B8B6?1>CRB MAUE5"U%?BOG<'K6AV]$>VL'8K/U=/>D$(;($+$E$&ZD MB"Y$+QC&&@KX`70D++966:*H.)J8C,KH%3#G?,>#4*!X80G!64J2')Z#&8Q( M$#Q'C`YQ>//A:GFXA@=QBPL16RG6$-+!9$A'3=R"3N`E&WRXC/(XCTW!B:NX M+HZ2<9C'8Z51+M(Q3]ER(95V.<8Q9<:G7>E546>%$.2H$.8HC@FQ:P/Q9'P( M;WLR*7$2C_2XD1PY%,WX@;*Q(['GAAGB1H^8$(YH*96B;?W1)JSV`<#'_AM% M!U@QM"V\,HNFH0$>P'&V^'1()CD=<"P-D1QR!'%K9FG MV70$L6X0()&R5S`>Y(%`9AK``P"^P7/*5I>.9@]MY:#Q$(]&76+2$&(J&5MB!#[D8$!^`!0 ME5Z5HT<2X(A()WXDUIF`B11B27L;\#/+0Q&M*!$>D`$:@`$8\!H3L'H>H``1 MT`$(D)`+@0$1(#B_J0&OL0$:H#D/<9N[)!;V_LB.,EF,LQ=L2_1OTE,`8N)! MD-0W652:-B4!!&EZ!REG`D%P""&(2\=`?Q9XLE4<;1A]Y3:1FUE)W')LB6.6 M,40!P+>78C<0TO$SZK%UM6D3T')*&S``$!`CUC%S.`)*$6!U(M6;$>$``5"= ME1(`S*E/%:(`-\D0`Y`;VG%-/5<>)J8>@44A&&8QT%8HFZ(`")"B7"&8!8$Z M,65SQ8:8)<1[I2@;&455/E,0N'*`5RF5.69:?;:.RD>;8R0F./.6J`)]/KFE MJ_);.V4`8;I3$'DA[FD0=+0SLJEEH)0<+_F@-/$SJ.%U4>(9#G"` M0F9'U!)#?5$8&Z"1_A^837%8&!J`,[\)`5"R`$HBG8!:&,_34-!6H22V704P M90>P)H=$4`&@(#,")Z(*%CZ:GG;9EH8I$!-0`)(2.+0F&[C#<0P%1@M!.-[V MGIGI73G)F??)0-LU(9.CI=8!;(:8`"DTDJW"B_:I/DGGH>:IIJSA6ZO:JIT% MISQ!`9[!2@N0&PR`IY-S`*AA``(0`01@`!"``*>B'JMW%=MI$-ZHGJBJ60E!*P8)D"<9H;XWE:3A_J3* MQJ&K2$FHHR0>@#/TB4ARXGDN=Q"KX6VC&5>7=!_!V$^FQR!P9:HMM:8%L1\E M:JTT42ZLU`!0`H:^-#G,\P$1`"4:8$8B,YP?(`"2X@%X]1H*Y1NL])]JM[*_ M^)JYP:K>\1I4XQWDTZ@9DG)GXAM&10!L)"VSF8$!(C\;`!^LA`#'>2J%L@#T MT0&T(3(6D$:]VA6T,B2G*J0YLZ0K1:71"K1WIY;\")]^U%VAJJK-II_[V:6R MIV`_2SPDY"N)B;)V0S@$.A!-M%U*^RV6Z[0XT0`*PDK_UQ[>.A`&BE:^H0&. M2Q[RZAJP,0$5D`!?Z0`5D)N\%P&L9A^-50'9_L0Q!?`8"@4!R\%*66M7&3(! M%=@?Y=$>3(J".(H!VV4`H"0`%W`AD24RKE+.SG9NK7,<::70?!-R7#T)";ZDNKF6ZSCA&UK)Z ML84[CW6&ZL)&2WD0G-*ZN`L3J?@:]-L>EI6G%&`!%0(!M$&\HEH`&4(`C/(G MMF$IM*&Q#=,0UDL0;KN]N<%*$M"HSRLR&?`G;[,!'"`ID"-0_:&^#RL_%F`! M1`*<["&_:IP@P/@`2]3<1X`0$$I`$12)1-``,1A&_D1`&U%``A` M`:CQN*KD'J\B+1!0'NB!`#'2+Q4P`,,AL.5AL`#P&D3RBZ+%`!U@'685&K;A M``=U(;/9.VID^0!.VO8`5!U`!M`'+\Y4(I$T#)V MT.21`:CC((K+&A/P41,7=`;W=^]UN_4"6>H\`5#EK)/L$I&U`8(#Q<0'ZO!PF^!F=01DRW3!!C7M3[0$4\'T9($^JTQT7@,)5P8TF3$(/R2VN M-B\*S$[CJ'6?(@!.XV<=*[IN(AG;^%GM?"XH&RX58B]7E->(++O&D<<+89*\,3FQ%<&C/1ZU;4A^C2PM(M8?D)>E\0!6 MB!G`4#=%+"O.38Z$L`` MVF:NT6W=`![@`NX4.VE%"T""M$ M!`#6*I[E`YY@',,Z4.7@7^XF9-@KMF/0/M&!M4$`J^T@.$K&6*2^N;$Q[7&! M^0%`^_8OPT(!I\*U_J'A@PL1U%)'G9,J$"S-TG8#J90Q?.0!W?-#`?K\&D:] M0X*3/)P3L!Q0%Q[P&N`AX92#X`WCZ(3NTX^A&5I>ZO2(5'5M'!W@.[EM'`U0 M&`Q2`"?^$AF5`"%&>PYBY]X1&F0B;M^\L+A#3G?)2L0QB0=$'(Y:$`[01_JZ MZQV`RB)3OAE```W@(/V5-5^2`0)@&Q?0'!QP`'E2`!WPJ1X0``8`.;XA`0F@ ML0%RA!`@`,BC6OPJOQV`P\!+W*=$`03P[!QC3,%C`!(`KJ8^\)EXFKW2VG%B M`>T]`>_(+02PU,F'$V9TW[?.'*Y',\>,')+R`#N)@A>P)LJ=O0B7'A!0_@#? MY\T\DZ(^=9W?,-_O`JK[$`G'U`^?,EZIM];?4` M!Q"0(46.7+#Q@P<%`CQP:`#`P@<`%Q),B"C`8X<#!3X,$,`S008`&1((Y-CA M04P*`#08@`"SP```#04@,#E20(0/#0YP!,`!IH2(&2,"\'`!`$,`$A!TR*BA M`%@*!#0$P/`A00$-!"@,!#!AJX.@'S:D'?R``X`''PY#6'"!X(>D?C]4&##W MPLZM"LX2K#K2\V?0_J%%CR9=VO1IU*E5KV;=VO5KV+$_''#Y@4!%W`<;J+5P M\&6'W,$+>KU=079J#CI/>F#NH<.'YPR]3B;*L?G)Y1PQ3+?^_+D'#-&7>X#. M7+QL[G6UB^^`@?P'!!(RO(>NWGM$#AS(=]B_'G]$\*QS;[SRG(/N.`035'!! M!AMT\$$((QSMM@Z`$RZW"!I08`*7`'#@`PD6H.U"W&A:`("])!1)`_5``TM% M&#\ZP+@8:[3Q1AQSU'%''E.;R`.@2,2-@08:J```!`I"(*+>A*Q(H)92['%* M'34HDCLJL]1R2RZ[]-)&!KK*R$G<,%@@*05.G"F!$\FD2($/3LS@2SKK_K3S M3CSSU'//ULRRP`,W2QRH@)C2>H#-0"D2B%`^&W7T44@CE732U@"`,]&*!J@` M`L!Z4P\J3!.B"0"(*#7U5%135775&D_\0#.%#!B13`,0H("!`1Z#+%2*VJN- M56"#%7988H,%E(+#$KJ,HPAR$C(!OC0S0$1>*;)IHF*SU79;;KOM,

NNU]UY\1P,``@L-"J`C^B(BR,T$P&KS MW81V(B!?AAMV^.%A@XD#C0LJ8$X/_I(R:($_6\I/@(,$DI=DIIMV M^FD(#U@2(:PBZI?4B#@$X+R:#$K,HZ/Z$@G4ZKCZEZ,*VA7LH'\!:`!JN..6 M6^0(ZK;[;KSSOAMG`1YPN:`6`3WH@2,!4)N#JBR$-J(6=RK[(X=4/OG%"1[O M""';$G!,;\X[]_QST$,7?7322S?]=-135WUUUEMW_7788Y=]=MIKM_WS%T-[ MET,)8M;H4N`O)_=DD0!@ M<1^80%/@@SGM08!]_@MD8`,=^$`(1E""$Z1@`VTBFG=%(``0\%U:.A(DA.`/ M,+FC`/6@`X`+CD5_[NH(\T(B0&8!H``H.XA$$!"F"N90ASOD80]]^$,@5G`T M$'A`$8UX1"0F\8@7F%:R'N*1@0%@809HT9'>EC7AC>4L*[/.0KA2%``,@"<% MJ8X$*@(3!E3``4ID8QO=^$8XQE&.UX1SSF48][Y&,?_?A'0`92D(,D M9"$-^48#0H@!;4,(USI`@>;+6+$BR?!&E?$H[$%:.:*NU*( M3CPX-U2F4I5RZPTFQS42`)AP,L\37$ M*;-0TA`A"*!?0A"P`'RZ[7((@!5"","`617D``E`@#LQ9S*"AE2D(_W2#,-5 M/GZ^"F&)`4`T2?I2F,8T0L#!2OE<"#Q>,8]1,N5I3WV:(`5VP(GB$\"\A,:K M#R@P>:>R0`,>H`"3/,`!1HK(`QI`'Y9$P$JY(V`#-,"IQ&C``0[`0(:B,]6O M.L"`&&``!!1@'P,ZU8AD'6N[.-#6!3Q'K`;,_D`#/L22!E3MIX.5*;9`&$2T MN#12#J">!J`5@$D6P("(X0A@(F)9KEPQDQ`07A@!M+@M1D!E'*">&2,"K2+! M9S98`0YY`.45,T:O`>W:XO\(>]N1+N1O/M1DJ5`%J(ZP*)/`B8BK(@*N#SSU M:Q%8@&:9M;@(7.6R8QD+?9['V+UX);5>B0]\/E35)4&@E4D5ZA:QA%OT$G0A M@NOAPB*W*@ILTP%9A$F[)*`7\FZQ`8^ MU'%/9@$+8.`!_WWN_G05^('OGF6\'2FB:4\\RN[&1#L2]DI,(A`=K7%8R0*] MS5X.&L$`M"M)\UR50ZY7XLN19\#BA8F+XR(0!]!88`*.R`8GNS9;JC92$N;.T)>>9G"VA'O%8M@0>R,*,D=XM;A!-, M:#+5L3Q/72?N9X['(E@$>.!K%5".7SF"`)H3`&?C=)`N#:JCHP``=$X"T8(0"G2L4`N7@`+`J4``<$\*'$;,``>,%(KC`: M$0@$X'D1^!"Q3T*`P!Y@OD118`4P4``J,H0`"/#*`Q`0`00T)3D+>,_9[@)@ M52JS6MZJ;%/T`,.^JMU;L,7ZV,=0XV_0`#PT`I]WP!M\8MG?.,=_WC(1U[R - -DZ=\Y2U_>6`%!```.S\_ ` end -----END PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----