-----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, PwTvjRqS02t1KPJdzPHLTz6G/u1Mg8BCbkVv9OwUyHR5ja/PAP5IB/3tC/toakEZ +gyi0I/NyuD1Mx6yDGkG4A== 0000909518-96-000412.txt : 19961202 0000909518-96-000412.hdr.sgml : 19961202 ACCESSION NUMBER: 0000909518-96-000412 CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE: SC 14D1/A PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT: 3 FILED AS OF DATE: 19961127 SROS: NYSE GROUP MEMBERS: OMEGA ACQUISITION CORPORATION GROUP MEMBERS: PENNEY J C CO INC SUBJECT COMPANY: COMPANY DATA: COMPANY CONFORMED NAME: ECKERD CORP CENTRAL INDEX KEY: 0000031364 STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION: RETAIL-DRUG STORES AND PROPRIETARY STORES [5912] IRS NUMBER: 133302437 STATE OF INCORPORATION: DE FISCAL YEAR END: 0131 FILING VALUES: FORM TYPE: SC 13D/A SEC ACT: 1934 Act SEC FILE NUMBER: 005-03871 FILM NUMBER: 96673826 BUSINESS ADDRESS: STREET 1: 8333 BRYAN DAIRY ROAD CITY: LARGOO STATE: FL ZIP: 34647 BUSINESS PHONE: 8133996000 MAIL ADDRESS: STREET 1: JACK ECKERD CORPORATION STREET 2: P O BOX 4689 CITY: CLEARWATER STATE: FL ZIP: 34618 FORMER COMPANY: FORMER CONFORMED NAME: ECKERD DRUGS OF FLORIDA INC DATE OF NAME CHANGE: 19700112 SUBJECT COMPANY: COMPANY DATA: COMPANY CONFORMED NAME: ECKERD CORP CENTRAL INDEX KEY: 0000031364 STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION: RETAIL-DRUG STORES AND PROPRIETARY STORES [5912] IRS NUMBER: 133302437 STATE OF INCORPORATION: DE FISCAL YEAR END: 0131 FILING VALUES: FORM TYPE: SC 14D1/A SEC ACT: 1934 Act SEC FILE NUMBER: 005-03871 FILM NUMBER: 96673827 BUSINESS ADDRESS: STREET 1: 8333 BRYAN DAIRY ROAD CITY: LARGOO STATE: FL ZIP: 34647 BUSINESS PHONE: 8133996000 MAIL ADDRESS: STREET 1: JACK ECKERD CORPORATION STREET 2: P O BOX 4689 CITY: CLEARWATER STATE: FL ZIP: 34618 FORMER COMPANY: FORMER CONFORMED NAME: ECKERD DRUGS OF FLORIDA INC DATE OF NAME CHANGE: 19700112 FILED BY: COMPANY DATA: COMPANY CONFORMED NAME: PENNEY J C CO INC CENTRAL INDEX KEY: 0000077182 STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION: RETAIL-DEPARTMENT STORES [5311] IRS NUMBER: 135583779 STATE OF INCORPORATION: DE FISCAL YEAR END: 0126 FILING VALUES: FORM TYPE: SC 14D1/A BUSINESS ADDRESS: STREET 1: 6501 LEGACY DRIVE CITY: PLANO STATE: TX ZIP: 75024-3698 BUSINESS PHONE: 2144311000 FILED BY: COMPANY DATA: COMPANY CONFORMED NAME: PENNEY J C CO INC CENTRAL INDEX KEY: 0000077182 STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION: RETAIL-DEPARTMENT STORES [5311] IRS NUMBER: 135583779 STATE OF INCORPORATION: DE FISCAL YEAR END: 0126 FILING VALUES: FORM TYPE: SC 14D1/A BUSINESS ADDRESS: STREET 1: 6501 LEGACY DRIVE CITY: PLANO STATE: TX ZIP: 75024-3698 BUSINESS PHONE: 2144311000 SC 14D1/A 1 AMENDMENT NO 2 ================================================================================ SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549 SCHEDULE 14D-1 TENDER OFFER STATEMENT PURSUANT TO SECTION 14(D)(1) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 (AMENDMENT NO. 2) AND SCHEDULE 13D UNDER THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 (AMENDMENT NO. 2) ECKERD CORPORATION (Name of Subject Company) OMEGA ACQUISITION CORPORATION J. C. PENNEY COMPANY, INC. (BIDDERS) COMMON STOCK, $.01 PAR VALUE 278763 10 7 (Title of Class of Securities) (CUSIP Number of Class of Securities) CHARLES R. LOTTER, ESQ. EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT, GENERAL COUNSEL AND SECRETARY J.C. PENNEY COMPANY, INC. 6501 LEGACY DRIVE PLANO, TEXAS 75024-3698 (972) 431-1000 (Name, Address and Telephone Number of Person Authorized to Receive Notices and Communications on Behalf of Bidder) COPIES TO: DENNIS J. BLOCK, ESQ. WEIL, GOTSHAL & MANGES LLP 767 FIFTH AVENUE NEW YORK, NEW YORK 10153 (212) 310-8000 NOVEMBER 27, 1996 (DATE OF EVENT WHICH REQUIRES FILING OF THIS STATEMENT) ================================================================================ TENDER OFFER This Amendment No. 2 to the statement on Schedule 14D-1 and Schedule 13D (the "Statement") is filed by Omega Acquisition Corporation, a Delaware corporation ("Purchaser"), and J. C. Penney Company, Inc., a Delaware corporation ("Parent") and the owner of all of the outstanding capital stock of Purchaser, in connection with the offer by Purchaser to purchase 35,252,986 shares of common stock, $.01 par value per Share (the "Shares"), of Eckerd Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), or such other number of shares representing 50.1% of the Company's outstanding common stock on the date of purchase, at $35.00 per Share, net to the seller in cash, without interest thereon, on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the Offer to Purchase dated November 7, 1996 (the "Offer to Purchase"), and in the related Letter of Transmittal and any amendments or supplements thereto. ITEM 10. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Item 10(e) is hereby amended and supplemented as follows: On November 8, two actions purporting to be class actions on behalf of Stockholders were filed in the Delaware Court of Chancery. The actions are similar to those actions referred to in Section 15 of the Offer to Purchase and the information contained in Section 15 of the Offer to Purchase is incorporated herein by reference. The information set forth in the Introduction of the Offer to Purchase and incorporated by reference into Item 10(f) of the Statement is hereby supplemented by adding the following at the end of the second paragraph of the Introduction: The value of the Stock Merger Consideration to be received in the event the Forward Merger is effected will depend upon the market value of Parent Common Stock at the Effective Time. As a result, if the Forward Merger is effected, the value of the Stock Merger Consideration could be more or less than the value of the Offer Price and the Cash Merger Consideration. Subclause (i) of the fifth paragraph of Section 1 entitled "Terms of the Offer" of the Offer to Purchase and incorporated by reference into Item 10(f) of the Statement is hereby amended in its entirety as follows: (i) delay acceptance for payment of, or payment for, any Shares, regardless of whether the Shares were theretofore accepted for payment, or to terminate the Offer and not accept for payment or pay for any Shares not theretofore accepted for payment or paid for, upon the occurrence of any of the conditions specified in Section 14 below prior to the Expiration Date or, in the case of the conditions set forth in Clauses (A) and (B) of Section 14, prior to the acceptance for payment, by giving oral or written notice of such delay in payment or termination to the Depositary, and Subclause (ii) of the first paragraph of Section 2 entitled "Acceptance for Payment and Payment for Shares" of the Offer to Purchase and incorporated by reference into Item 10(f) of the Statement is hereby amended in its entirety as follows: (ii) the satisfaction or waiver of the conditions to the Offer set forth in Clauses (A) and (B) of Section 14. Sublcause (3) of the first paragraph of Section 14 entitled "Certain Conditions of the Offer" of the Offer to Purchase and incorporated by reference into Item 10(f) of the Statement is hereby amended in its entirety as follows: (3) at any time before the Expiration Date or, in the case of Clauses (A) and (B) of Section 14 below, before acceptance for payment of, or payment for, Shares, any of the following events shall occur or be deemed to have occured: ITEM 11. MATERIAL TO BE FILED AS EXHIBITS (a)(1) Offer to Purchase, dated November 7, 1996* (a)(2) Letter of Transmittal* (a)(3) Notice of Guaranteed Delivery* (a)(4) Letter to Brokers, Dealers, Commercial Banks, Trust Companies and Other Nominees.* (a)(5) Letter to Clients for use by Brokers, Dealers, Commercial Banks, Trust Companies and Other Nominees.* - -------- *Previously Filed 2 (a)(6) Guidelines for Certification of Taxpayer Identification Number on Substitute Form W-9.* (a)(7) Form of Summary Advertisement, dated November 7, 1996.* (a)(8) Text of Press Release, dated November 3, 1996, issued by Parent.* (a)(9) Text of Press Release, dated November 22, 1996, issued by Parent.* (b)(1) Commitment Letter from Credit Suisse, dated October 31, 1996.* (c)(1) Amended and Restated Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of November 2, 1996, among Parent, Purchaser and the Company.* (c)(2) Amended and Restated Stock Option Agreement, dated as of November 2, 1996, by and between the Company and Parent.* (c)(3) Amendment No. 1, dated as of November 2, 1996, to the Employment Agreement dated as of February 4, 1996, by and between the Company and Francis A. Newman.* (d) None. (e) Not applicable. (f) None. (g)(1) Complaint filed in Ziff v. Eckerd Corporation and J.C. Penney Company, Inc. in the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware in and for New Castle County on November 4, 1996.* (g)(2) Complaint filed in Morse v. Eckerd Corporation and J.C. Penney Company, Inc. in the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware in and for New Castle County on November 4, 1996.* (g)(3) Complaint filed in Lubin v. Eckerd Corporation and J.C. Penney Company, Inc. in the Court of Chancery of the - -------- *Previously Filed 3 State of Delaware in and for New Castle County on November 4, 1996.* (g)(4) Complaint filed in DeFreitas v. Eckerd Corporation and J.C. Penney Company, Inc. in the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware in and for New Castle County on November 8, 1996. (g)(5) Complaint filed in McCall v. Eckerd Corporation in the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware in and for New Castle County on November 8, 1996. 4 SIGNATURES After due inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and belief, I certify that the information set forth in this statement is true, complete and correct. Dated: November 27, 1996 J.C. PENNEY COMPANY, INC. By: /s/ Charles R. Lotter ------------------------- Name: Charles R. Lotter Title: Executive Vice President, Secretary and General Counsel OMEGA ACQUISITION CORPORATION By: /s/ Donald A. McKay -------------------------- Name: Donald A. McKay Title: President 5 EXHIBIT INDEX Exhibit Description Page (a)(1) Offer to Purchase, dated November 7, 1996................. * (a)(2) Letter of Transmittal..................................... * (a)(3) Notice of Guaranteed Delivery............................. * (a)(4) Letter to Brokers, Dealers, Commercial Banks, Trust Companies and Other Nominees........................ * (a)(5) Letter to Clients for use by Brokers, Dealers, Commercial Banks, Trust Companies and Other Nominees.................................................. * (a)(6) Guidelines for Certification of Taxpayer Identification Number on Substitute Form W-9.............. * (a)(7) Form of Summary Advertisement, dated November 7, 1996...................................................... * (a)(8) Text of Press Release, dated November 3, 1996, issued by Parent.......................................... * (a)(9) Text of Press Release, dated November 22, 1996, issued by Parent.......................................... * (b)(1) Commitment Letter from Credit Suisse, dated October 31, 1996.......................................... * (c)(1) Amended and Restated Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of November 2, 1996, among Parent, Purchaser and the Company......................... * (c)(2) Amended and Restated Stock Option Agreement, dated as of November 2, 1996, by and between the Company and Parent........................................ * (c)(3) Amendment No. 1, dated as of November 2, 1996, to the Employment Agreement dated as of February 4, 1996, by and between the Company and Francis A. Newman................................................. * (d) None...................................................... (e) Not applicable............................................ (f) None...................................................... 6 (g)(1) Complaint filed in Ziff v. Eckerd Corporation and J.C. Penney Company, Inc. in the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware in and for New Castle County on November 4, 1996......................... * (g)(2) Complaint filed in Morse v. Eckerd Corporation and J.C. Penney Company, Inc. in the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware in and for New Castle County on November 4, 1996......................... * (g)(3) Complaint filed in Lubin v. Eckerd Corporation and J.C. Penney Company, Inc. in the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware in and for New Castle County on November 4, 1996......................... * (g)(4) Complaint filed in DeFreitas v. Eckerd Corporation and J.C. Penney Company, Inc. in the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware in and for New Castle County on November 8, 1996. (g)(5) Complaint filed in McCall v. Eckerd Corporation in the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware in and for New Castle County on November 8, 1996. 7 EX-99.(G)(4) 2 COMPLAINT Exhibit (g)(4) IN THE COURT CHANCERY OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE IN AND FOR NEW CASTLE COUNTY - ----------------------------------------------------------------------------x JENNIFER DeFREITAS, ) ) Plaintiff, ) ) C.A. No. 15322 NC - against - ) ) CLASS ACTION FRANCIS A. NEWMAN, STEWART TURLEY, ) COMPLAINT --------- J. T. DOLUISIO, D. F. DUNN, ) A. J. FITZGIBBONS, III, L. W. LEHR, ) A. P. MICHAS, J. W. BOYLE, ) R. S. SIDHU, MARGARET H. JORDAN, ) ECKERD CORPORATION and J. C. ) PENNEY COMPANY, INC., ) ) Defendants. ) ) - ----------------------------------------------------------------------------x Plaintiff, by her attorneys, alleges upon personal knowledge as to her own acts and upon information and belief as to all other matters, as follows: NATURE OF THE ACTION 1. Plaintiff brings this action individually and as a class action on behalf of all persons, other than defendants, who own the securities of Eckerd Corporation ("Eckerd" or the "Company") and who are similarly situated, for injunctive relief and other appropriate relief. Plaintiff seeks injunctive relief, inter alia, to enjoin consummation of a proposed transaction (the "Proposed Transaction") announced by the Company and J. C. Penney Company, Inc. ("Penney") on November 4, 1996, pursuant to which Penney will tender $35.00 cash per share for 50.1% of Eckerd's common stock and 0.6604 of a share in Penney's stock for each remaining share of Eckerd not purchased in the tender offer. The Proposed Transaction and the acts of the individual defendants, who constitute Eckerd's Board of Directors, as more particularly alleged herein, constitute a breach of their fiduciary duties to plaintiff and the class and a violation of applicable legal standards governing their decisions. 2. The Proposed Transaction represents a classic front-end loaded, two-tier coercive takeover designed to stampede Eckerd's shareholders into tendering their shares to Penney, thereby inhibiting competing bids for Eckerd which would maximize value for Eckerd's shareholders. 3. The director defendants' approval of the Proposed Transaction has been given in breach of their fiduciary duties owed to Eckerd's stockholders to take all necessary steps to ensure that the stockholders will receive the maximum value realizable for their shares in any acquisition of the Company, including the implementation of a bidding mechanism to foster a fair auction of the Company to the highest bidder or the exploration of strategic alternatives which will return greater or equivalent value to plaintiff and the class. PARTIES 4. Plaintiff is and has been the owner of shares of Eckerd common stock at all times material hereto. 5. Defendant Eckerd is a corporation duly organized and existing under the laws of the State of Delaware, with its principal offices located at 8333 Bryan Dairy Road, Largo, Florida 34647. As of June 1, 1996, the Company had approximately 70 million shares of common stock outstanding. Eckerd's principal business is the operation of a chain of 1,704 retail drug stores in 13 states. 6. Defendant Francis A. Newman ("Newman"), at all times material hereto, has been the Chief Executive Officer, President, and a director of Eckerd. 7. Defendant Stewart Turley ("Turley"), at all times material hereto, has been the Chairman of the Board of Eckerd. 8. Defendants J. T. Doluisio, D. F. Dunn, A. J. Fitzgibbons, III, L. W. Lehr, A. P. Michas, J. W. Boyle, R. S. Sidhu and Margaret H. Jordan are directors of Eckerd. 9. The defendants named in paragraphs 6 through 8 above are hereinafter referred to as the "Individual Defendants". 10. The Individual Defendants, by reason of their corporate directorships and/or executive positions, are fiduciaries to and for the Company's shareholders and owe them the highest obligations of loyalty, care and candor. CLASS ACTION ALLEGATIONS 11. Plaintiff brings this action individually and as a class action, on behalf of all stockholders of the Company (except the defendants herein and any person, firm, trust, corporation, or other entity related to or affiliated with any of the defendants) and their successors in interest, who are or will be threatened with injury arising from defendants' actions as more fully described herein (the "Class"). 12. This action is properly maintainable as a class action because: (a) The Class is so numerous that joinder of all members is impracticable. There are hundreds of shareholders who hold the approximately 70 million shares of Eckerd common stock outstanding. (b) There are questions of law and fact common to the Class including, inter alia, the following: (1) whether the Proposed Transaction is grossly unfair to the public stockholders of Eckerd; (2) whether the Individual Defendants have wrongfully failed to maximize shareholder value through an adequate auction or market check process; (3) whether the Individual Defendants wrongfully failed to maximize shareholder value by failing to consider fully and carefully other third-party offers; and (4) whether plaintiff and the other members of the Class would be irreparably damaged were the Proposed Transaction consummated. (c) Plaintiff is a member of the Class and is committed to prosecuting this action. Plaintiff has retained competent counsel experienced in litigation of this nature. The claims of plaintiff are typical of the claims of other members of the Class, and plaintiff has the same interests as the other members of the Class. Plaintiff does not have interests antagonistic to or in conflict with those she seeks to represent. Plaintiff is an adequate representative of the Class. SUBSTANTIVE ALLEGATIONS 13. On November 4, 1996, The New York Times reported that Eckerd and Penney had signed a definitive agreement whereby Penney would acquire all the outstanding shares of Eckerd. 14. Pursuant to the Proposed Transaction, stockholders of Eckerd will receive $35.00 per share in cash for approximately 37.1 million shares of Eckerd or 50.1 percent of the outstanding stock. Eckerd shareholders will receive 0.6604 of a share of Penney's stock for each remaining share of Eckerd stock not purchased in the tender offer. Eckerd also will repurchase up to 15 million of its shares prior to the stock swap. 15. Prior to signing the definitive agreement with Penney, Eckerd had been courted by Melville Corporation's CVS drug store chain ("CVS") for a possible business combination. The Individual Defendants failed to even negotiate with CVS because such a transaction would not permit Eckerd's management to remain in place and operate as a separate division. 16. The Individual Defendants, in their haste to protect their positions, have wrongfully, and in violation of their fiduciary obligations to maximize stockholder value, failed to ascertain Eckerd's true value through an open bidding process or at least a "market check" mechanism. The Individual Defendants have not adequately considered other potential purchasers of Eckerd, including CVS, in a manner designed to obtain the highest possible price for Eckerd's public stockholders. 17. The consideration to be paid to Eckerd's shareholders in the Proposed Transaction is grossly unfair, inadequate, and substantially below the fair or inherent value of the Company. The intrinsic value of the equity of Eckerd is materially greater than the merger consideration, taking into account Eckerd's asset value, its expected growth, and the strength of its business, combined with the Company's exceptional marketing clout in the domestic drug store market. Moreover, the Individual Defendants have agreed to a transaction which is inherently coercive and unfair in structure, with no mechanisms to protect Eckerd's public shareholders from declines in the price of Penney's stock which they will receive in the "back-end" merger. 18. The Proposed Transaction will deny Class members their right to share proportionately in the true value of Eckerd's valuable assets, profitable business, and future growth in profits and earnings. 19. Penney has knowingly aided and abetted the breaches of fiduciary duty committed by the Individual Defendants by, among other things, offering to reward certain of them by maintaining and enhancing their lucrative positions in the combined entity. Indeed, the Proposed Transaction could not take place without the knowing participation of Penney. 20. Unless enjoined by this Court, the Individual Defendants will continue to breach their fiduciary duties owed to plaintiff and the Class, aided and abetted by Penney, thereby denying the Class of its fair proportionate share of Eckerd's valuable assets and businesses and subjecting the Class to a coercive takeover of the Company, all to the irreparable harm of the Class. 21. Plaintiff and the Class have no adequate remedy of law. WHEREFORE, plaintiff prays for judgment and relief as follows: (a) declaring that this lawsuit is properly maintainable as a class action and certifying plaintiff as proper representative of the Class; (b) preliminarily and permanently enjoining defendants and their counsel, agents, employees, and all persons acting under, in concert with, or for them, from proceeding with or consummating the Proposed Transaction; (c) requiring the Individual Defendants to take all necessary steps to maximize value for Eckerd's shareholders; (d) in the event the Proposed Transaction is consummated before judgment, rescinding it and setting it aside or awarding the Class rescissory damages; (e) awarding compensatory damages to the Class; (f) awarding plaintiff and the Class their costs and disbursements and reasonable allowances for plaintiff's counsel and experts' fees and expenses; and (g) granting such other and further relief as may be just and proper. ROSENTHAL, MONHAIT, GROSS & GODDESS, P.A. By________________________________ Suite 1401, Mellon Bank Center 919 Market Street Wilmington, Delaware 19899-1070 (302) 656-4433 Attorneys for Plaintiff OF COUNSEL: LAW OFFICES OF CURTIS V. TRINKO, LLP 310 Madison Avenue, 14th Floor New York, New York 10017 (212) 490-9550 EX-99.(G)(5) 3 COMPLAINT Exhibit (g)(5) IN THE COURT CHANCERY OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE IN AND FOR NEW CASTLE COUNTY - ----------------------------------------------------------------------------x BRUCE McCALL, ) ) Plaintiff, ) ) C.A. No. 15317 NC - against - ) ) ECKERD CORP., STEWART TURLEY, ) FRANCIS A. NEWMAN, DR. JAMES T. ) DOLUISIO, RUPINDER S. SIDHU, ) ALBERT J. FITZGIBBONS, III, ) LEWIS W. LEHR, JOHN W. BOYLE, ) DONALD F. DUNN, and ) MARGARET H. JORDAN, ) ) Defendants. ) ) - -----------------------------------------------------------------------------x CLASS ACTION COMPLAINT Plaintiff, by his attorneys, alleges upon information and belief, except with respect to his ownership of common stock of Eckerd Corp. ("Eckerd"), as follows: 1. Plaintiff is the owner of shares of common stock of defendant Eckerd. 2. Eckerd, a Delaware corporation, is a retail drug store chain with its executive offices at 8333 Bryan Dairy Road, Largo, Florida 33777. As of June 1, l996, Eckerd had approximately 70 million shares of common stock outstanding held by approximately 965 shareholders of record. 3. Defendant Stewart Turley is Chairman of the Board of Directors of Eckerd. 4. Defendant Francis A. Newman is President and Chief Executive Officer and a Director of Eckerd. 5. Dr. James T. Doluisio, Rupinder S. Sidhu, Albert J. Fitzgibbons, III, Lewis W. Lehr, John W. Boyle, Donald F. Dunn, and Margaret H. Jordan are directors of Eckerd. 6. The foregoing Directors of Eckerd (collectively, the "Director Defendants"), owe fiduciary duties to Eckerd and its public shareholders. CLASS ACTION ALLEGATIONS 7. Plaintiff brings this action on his own behalf and as a class action on behalf of all shareholders of defendant Eckerd (except defendants herein and their affiliates) or their successors in interest, who have been or will be adversely affected by the conduct of defendants alleged herein. 8. This action is properly maintainable as a class action for the following reasons: (a) The class of shareholders for whose benefit this action is brought is so numerous that joinder of all class members is impracticable. As of June 1, 1996, there were approximately 70 million shares of defendant Eckerd common stock outstanding owned by over 900 shareholders scattered throughout the United States. (b) There are questions of law and fact which are common to members of the Class and which predominate over any questions affecting any individual members. The common questions include, inter alia, the following: i. Whether the Director Defendants have engaged in a proper process to ensure maximization of shareholder value; ii. Whether the Director Defendants have breached fiduciary duties owed by them to plaintiff and members of the Class, and/or have aided and abetted in such breaches; iii. Whether the Director Defendants have failed to conduct an adequate process to explore the viability and existence of alternatives in the sale of Eckerd at the highest available price with an appropriate premium; iv. Whether the structure of J.C. Penney's acquisition of control of Eckerd is wrongfully coercive; v. Whether plaintiff and the other members of the Class will be irreparably damaged by the conduct complained of herein; and vi. Whether defendants have breached or aided and abetted the breaches of the fiduciary and other common law duties owed by them to plaintiff and the other members of the Class. 9. Plaintiff is committed to prosecuting this action and has retained competent counsel experienced in litigation of this nature. The claims of plaintiff are typical of the claims of the other members of the Class and plaintiff has the same interest as the other members of the Class. Accordingly, plaintiff is an adequate representative of the Class and will fairly and adequately protect the interests of the Class. 10. Defendants have acted or refused to act on grounds generally applicable to the Class, thereby making appropriate injunctive relief with respect to the Class as a whole. 11. The prosecution of separate actions by individual members of the Class could create a risk of inconsistent or varying adjudications with respect to individual members of the Class which would establish incompatible standards of conduct for defendants or adjudications with respect to individual members of the Class which would as a practical matter be dispositive of the interests of the other members not parties to the adjudications. 12. Plaintiff anticipates that there will not be any difficulty in the management of this litigation. 13. For the reasons stated herein, a class action is superior to other available methods for the fair and efficient adjudication of this action. SUBSTANTIVE ALLEGATIONS 14. On November 4, 1996, it was announced that Eckerd and J.C. Penney Co. ("J.C. Penney") had entered into a definitive agreement for the sale of Eckerd to J.C. Penney pursuant to which J.C. Penney will acquire the common stock of Eckerd in a first step cash tender offer at $35.00 per share for 37.1 million or 50.1% of Eckerd shares, and a second step merger with the remaining Eckerd shares to be acquired in exchange for .6604 shares at J.C. Penney stock for each share of Eckerd stock (the "Transaction"). The Transaction, including the assumption of $760 million in Eckerd debt, has a total value of approximately $3.3 billion. 15. The second step of the Transaction apparently does not include a collar even to protect the present inadequate value of the J.C. Penney stock proposed to be exchanged. While the tender offer is at $35 in cash per Eckerd share and based on the closing price of J.C. Penney stock on November 1, 1996, the second step also had an implied value of approximately $35 per share, J.C. Penney's stock fell on the announcement, closing at $51-1/8 per share on November 4. Thus, the implied value of the second step based on the November 4, 1996 closing price was $33.76 per Eckerd share. Although on November 7, l996, J.C. Penney stock closed at $53-l/8 per share, representing an implied value in the second step of approximately $35 per Eckerd share, there apparently is no price protection mechanism to insure the value of the back end. To the extent the value of the J.C. Penney stock to be issued in the second step is below the first step price, shareholders will be coerced into tendering their shares at $35 per share in the first step, thus markedly improving J.C. Penney's likelihood of consummating the Transaction. 16. By agreeing to the Transaction, the Director Defendants failed to take adequate steps to enhance Eckerd's value and/or attractiveness as a merger/acquisition candidate or effectively expose Eckerd to the marketplace in an effort to create an active and open auction for Eckerd. Instead, defendants have agreed to a sale of Eckerd to J.C. Penney pursuant to the terms of a two-tiered transaction which apparently has no price protection or "collar" to protect the value of the second step consideration. 17. While the Director Defendants should continue to seek out other possible purchasers of the assets of Eckerd or its stock in a manner designed to obtain the best transaction reasonably available for Eckerd's shareholders, should renegotiate with J.C. Penney at least to change the terms of the Transaction to all-cash or equivalent protected value on the back end, and/or should seek to enhance the value of Eckerd for all its current shareholders, they have instead wrongfully agreed to allow J.C. Penney to obtain the valuable assets of Eckerd at an inadequate price which disproportionately benefits J.C. Penney. 18. These tactics pursued by the Defendants are, and will continue to be, wrongful, unfair and harmful to Eckerd's public shareholders, and will deny members of the Class of an appropriate premium in the sale of Eckerd and the opportunity to share appropriately in the true value of Eckerd's assets, future earnings and businesses. 19. In contemplating, planning and/or effecting the foregoing, Defendants are not acting in good faith toward plaintiff and the Class, and Defendants have breached, and are breaching, their fiduciary duties to plaintiff and the Class. 20. Because the Director Defendants (and those acting in concert with them) dominate and control the business and corporate affairs of Eckerd and because they are in possession of private corporate information concerning Eckerd's businesses and future prospects, there exists an imbalance and disparity of knowledge and economic power between the defendants and the public shareholders of Eckerd. 21. By reason of the foregoing acts, practices and course of conduct, the Director Defendants have failed to exercise loyalty, good faith and due care toward Eckerd and its public shareholders. 22. As a result of the actions of the Defendants, plaintiff and the Class have been and will be damaged. 23. Unless enjoined by this Court, the Director Defendants will continue to breach fiduciary duties owed to plaintiff and the Class, all to the irreparable harm of the Class. 24. Plaintiff has no adequate remedy at law. WHEREFORE, plaintiff demands judgment as follows: A. Declaring that this action may be maintained as a class action; B. Declaring that the proposed Transaction is unfair, unjust and inequitable to plaintiff and the other members of the Class; C. Enjoining preliminarily and permanently the defendants from taking any steps necessary to accomplish or implement the proposed Transaction under its present terms, pending a proper process to maximize shareholder value including but not limited to renegotiation of the terms of any sale to J.C. Penney, and enjoining any improper device or transaction which will impede maximization of shareholder value; D. Requiring defendants to compensate plaintiff and the members of the Class for all losses and damages suffered and to be suffered by them as a result of the acts and transactions complained of herein, together with prejudgment and post-judgment interest; E. Awarding plaintiff the costs and disbursements of this action, including reasonable attorneys', accountants', and experts' fees; and F. Granting such other and further relief as may be just and proper. Dated: November 8, 1996 CHIMICLES, JACOBSEN & TIKELLIS -------------------------------------------- Pamela S. Tikellis James C. Strum Robert J. Kriner, Jr. One Rodney Square P.O. Box 1035 Wilmington, DE 19899 (302) 656-2500 OF COUNSEL: WOLF, HALDENSTEIN, ADLER, FREEMAN & HERZ, LLP Jeffrey G. Smith, Esquire 270 Madison Avenue New York, New York 10016 LAW OFFICES OF CHARLES J. PIVEN 111 S. Calvert Street Suite 2700 Baltimore, MD 212O2 GOODKIND LABATON RUDOFF & SUCHAROW, LLP 100 Park Avenue, 12th Floor New York, New York 10017 -----END PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----