-----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, I2lg7jbQiRAppq4LblH5fJ6LYF9G7PqdxoriogLHF8I+vIOjdt1Pfrg4zWFsyEzj dOz3fv6CD3ZUFaJBkvpgmQ== 0000950152-06-000624.txt : 20060201 0000950152-06-000624.hdr.sgml : 20060201 20060201141002 ACCESSION NUMBER: 0000950152-06-000624 CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE: 8-K PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT: 2 CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT: 20060131 ITEM INFORMATION: Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement ITEM INFORMATION: Regulation FD Disclosure ITEM INFORMATION: Financial Statements and Exhibits FILED AS OF DATE: 20060201 DATE AS OF CHANGE: 20060201 FILER: COMPANY DATA: COMPANY CONFORMED NAME: AMERICAN GREETINGS CORP CENTRAL INDEX KEY: 0000005133 STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION: GREETING CARDS [2771] IRS NUMBER: 340065325 STATE OF INCORPORATION: OH FISCAL YEAR END: 0228 FILING VALUES: FORM TYPE: 8-K SEC ACT: 1934 Act SEC FILE NUMBER: 001-13859 FILM NUMBER: 06569029 BUSINESS ADDRESS: STREET 1: ONE AMERICAN ROAD CITY: CLEVELAND STATE: OH ZIP: 44144 BUSINESS PHONE: 2162527300 MAIL ADDRESS: STREET 1: ONE AMERICAN ROAD CITY: CLEVELAND STATE: OH ZIP: 44144 8-K 1 l18249ae8vk.htm AMERICAN GREETINGS CORPORATION 8-K American Greetings Corporation 8-K
 

 
 
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 31, 2006
American Greetings Corporation
 
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)
         
Ohio   1-13859   34-0065325
         
(State or other jurisdiction
of incorporation)
  (Commission File Number)   (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)
     
One American Road
Cleveland, Ohio
  44144
     
(Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip Code)
Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (216) 252-7300
 
(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:
o Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)
o Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)
o Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
o Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))
 
 

 


 

Item 1.01 Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement.
On January 31, 2006, American Greetings Corporation (“American Greetings”) entered into an amendment to its Credit Agreement dated May 11, 2004, among (i) American Greetings, (ii) National City Bank, as Global Agent and as Collateral Agent, and (iii) certain named financial institutions as lenders (the “Amendment”). The Amendment increases the maximum amount of American Greetings capital stock that American Greetings may repurchase by $200 million, thereby enabling American Greetings to implement its $200 million Class A Common Share repurchase program as described in the press release furnished under Item 7.01 of this Current Report on Form 8-K.
Item 7.01 Regulation FD Disclosure.
On February 1, 2006, American Greetings issued a press release reporting that it has completed its $200 million share repurchase program and announcing a second $200 million repurchase program. A copy of this press release is attached hereto as Exhibit 99(a).
The information in this Item 7.01 of this Current Report on Form 8-K (including the exhibit attached hereto) is being furnished under Item 7.01 and shall not be deemed “filed” for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), or otherwise subject to the liability of such section, or incorporated by reference in any filing under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Exchange Act, except as shall be expressly set forth by specific reference in such a filing.
Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.
c) Exhibits.
     Exhibit 99(a) — Press Release — Reporting Completion of $200 Million Share Repurchase Program and Announcing a Second $200 Million Repurchase Program.

 


 

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 hereto duly authorized.
           
    American Greetings Corporation
(Registrant)
 
       
 
       
 
  By:   /s/ Michael J. Merriman, Jr.
 
       
 
      Michael J. Merriman, Jr., Senior Vice
President and Chief
Financial Officer
Date: February 1, 2006

 

EX-99.A 2 l18249aexv99wa.htm EX-99(A) PRESS RELEASE Exhibit 99(A)
 

Exhibit 99(a)
AMERICAN GREETINGS COMPLETES
$200 MILLION SHARE REPURCHASE PROGRAM
AND
ANNOUNCES A SECOND $200 MILLION REPURCHASE PROGRAM
CLEVELAND (February 1, 2006) – American Greetings Corporation (NYSE: AM) today announced that it has completed a $200 million share repurchase program. The program, announced April 5, 2005, was set to expire at the end of April 2006. The Company purchased 8.2 million Class A common shares for $200 million during the fiscal year. Excluding commissions, the average price paid for the shares repurchased under the program was $24.38.
The Company announced that its Board of Directors has authorized a second program to purchase up to $200 million of Class A common shares. While there is no set expiration for the program, the Company anticipates the completion of the program by the end of the calendar year, if market conditions permit. These repurchases will be made through a 10b5-1 program in open market or privately negotiated transactions in compliance with the SEC’s Rule 10b-18, applicable legal requirements and other factors.
Management Comments
“As part of our strategic financial plan, we established a share repurchase program last April,” said Zev Weiss, Chief Executive Officer. Weiss added, ”We are pleased to have completed our program ahead of schedule. Given our prospects and the current market conditions, we believe that a new repurchase program is appropriate.”
About American Greetings Corporation
American Greetings Corporation (NYSE: AM) is one of the world’s largest manufacturers of social expression products. Along with greeting cards, its product lines include gift wrap, party goods, candles, stationery, calendars, educational products, ornaments and electronic greetings. Located in Cleveland, Ohio, American Greetings generates annual net sales of approximately $2 billion. For more information on the Company, visit http://corporate.americangreetings.com .
###
CONTACT:
Stephen J. Smith
VP, Treasurer and Investor Relations
American Greetings Corporation
216-252-4864
investor.relations@amgreetings.com

 


 

Certain statements in this release, including those under “Management Comments,” may constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Federal securities laws. These statements can be identified by the fact that they do not relate strictly to historic or current facts. They use such words as “anticipate,” “estimate,” “expect,” “project,” “intend,” “plan,” “believe,” and other words and terms of similar meaning in connection with any discussion of future operating or financial performance. These forward-looking statements are based on currently available information, but are subject to a variety of uncertainties, unknown risks and other factors concerning the Company’s operations and business environment, which are difficult to predict and may be beyond the control of the Company. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those suggested by these forward-looking statements, and that could adversely affect the Company’s future financial performance, include, but are not limited to, the following: retail bankruptcies, consolidations and acquisitions, including the possibility of resulting adverse changes to contract terms; successful integration of acquisitions; successful transition of management; a weak retail environment; consumer acceptance of products as priced and marketed; the impact of technology on core product sales; competitive terms of sale offered to customers; successfully implementing supply chain improvements and achieving projected cost savings from those improvements; increases in the cost of material, energy and other production costs; the Company’s ability to comply with its debt covenants; fluctuations in the value of currencies in major areas where the Company operates, including the U.S. Dollar, Euro, U.K. Pound Sterling, and Canadian Dollar; the timing and impact of investment in new retail or product strategies as well as new product introductions and achieving the desired benefits from those investments; escalation in the cost of providing employee health care; the ability of the Company to execute share repurchase programs or the ability to achieve the desired accretive effect from such repurchases; the timing and impact of any changes the Company may make to its capital structure and the outcome of any legal claims known or unknown. Risks pertaining specifically to AG Interactive include the viability of online advertising, subscriptions as revenue generators and the public’s acceptance of online greetings and other social expression products and the ability of the mobile division to compete effectively in the wireless content aggregation market.
In addition, this release contains time-sensitive information that reflects management’s best analysis as of the date of this release. American Greetings does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect future events, information or circumstances that arise after the date of this release. Further information concerning issues that could materially affect financial performance related to forward-looking statements can be found in the Company’s periodic filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

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