-----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, GyRwxoZUSVLc436RnIXgPK/TLB+P9AGBjL2DMr9Z/lkmXUmCaDkPhT+D9lt1nSRb CuBkwTtKKi+P269JBcG/GQ== 0001013594-98-000040.txt : 19980617 0001013594-98-000040.hdr.sgml : 19980617 ACCESSION NUMBER: 0001013594-98-000040 CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE: SC 13D/A PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT: 1 FILED AS OF DATE: 19980616 SROS: NYSE SUBJECT COMPANY: COMPANY DATA: COMPANY CONFORMED NAME: AVATEX CORP CENTRAL INDEX KEY: 0000716644 STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION: WHOLESALE-DRUGS PROPRIETARIES & DRUGGISTS' SUNDRIES [5122] IRS NUMBER: 251425889 STATE OF INCORPORATION: DE FISCAL YEAR END: 0331 FILING VALUES: FORM TYPE: SC 13D/A SEC ACT: SEC FILE NUMBER: 005-34791 FILM NUMBER: 98648696 BUSINESS ADDRESS: STREET 1: 5910 NORTH CENTRAL EXPRESSWAY STREET 2: SUITE 1780 CITY: DALLAS STATE: TX ZIP: 75206 BUSINESS PHONE: (214) 365-7450 MAIL ADDRESS: STREET 1: 5910 NORTH CENTRAL EXPRESSWAY STREET 2: SUITE 1780 CITY: DALLAS STATE: TX ZIP: 75206 FORMER COMPANY: FORMER CONFORMED NAME: FOXMEYER HEALTH CORP DATE OF NAME CHANGE: 19941014 FORMER COMPANY: FORMER CONFORMED NAME: NATIONAL INTERGROUP INC DATE OF NAME CHANGE: 19920703 FILED BY: COMPANY DATA: COMPANY CONFORMED NAME: ELLIOTT ASSOCIATES LP CENTRAL INDEX KEY: 0000904495 STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION: UNKNOWN SIC - 0000 [0000] IRS NUMBER: 222140975 STATE OF INCORPORATION: DE FISCAL YEAR END: 1231 FILING VALUES: FORM TYPE: SC 13D/A BUSINESS ADDRESS: STREET 1: 712 FIFTH AVENUE CITY: NEW YORK STATE: NY ZIP: 10019 BUSINESS PHONE: 2125062999 MAIL ADDRESS: STREET 1: ELLIOTT ASSOCIATES LP STREET 2: 712 5TH AVE CITY: NEW YORK STATE: NY ZIP: 10019 SC 13D/A 1 OMB APPROVAL OMB Number: 3235-0145 Expires: October 31, 1997 Estimated average burden hours per form14.90 UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 SCHEDULE 13D (RULE 13d - 101) Information to be included in statements filed pursuant to 13d-1(a) and amendments thereto filed pursuant to 13d-2(a) (Amendment No. 3 )* Avatex Corporation (Name of Issuer) Common Stock, par value $5.00 (Title of Class of Securities) 05349F105 (CUSIP Number) Martin D. Sklar, Esq., Kleinberg, Kaplan, Wolff & Cohen, P.C., 551 Fifth Avenue, 18th Floor, New York, New York 10176, Tel: (212) 986-6000 (Name, Address and Telephone Number of Person Authorized to Receive Notices and Communications) June 8, 1998 (Date of Event which Requires Filing of this Statement) If the filing person has previously filed a statement on Schedule 13G to report the acquisition which is the subject of this Schedule 13D, and is filing this schedule because of Rule 13d-1(b)(3) or (4), check the following box . Note: Six copies of this statement, including all exhibits, should be filed with the Commission. See Rule 13d-1(a) for other parties to whom copies are to be sent. *The remainder of this cover page shall be filled out for a reporting person's initial filing on this form with respect to the subject class of securities, and for any subsequent amendment containing information which would alter disclosures provided in a prior cover page. The information required on the remainder of this cover page shall not be deemed to be "filed" for the purpose of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 ("Act") or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section of the Act but shall be subject to all other provisions of the Act (however, see the Notes). (Continued on the Following Pages) (Page 1 of 6 Pages) 1 NAME OF REPORTING PERSONS I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NOS. OF ABOVE PERSONS (ENTITIES ONLY) Elliott Associates, L.P., a Delaware Limited Partnership 2 CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP* (a) (b) 3 SEC USE ONLY 4 SOURCE OF FUNDS* 00 5 CHECK BOX IF DISCLOSURE OF LEGAL PROCEEDINGS IS REQUIRED PURSUANT TO ITEMS 2(d) or 2(e) 6 CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION Delaware NUMBER OF SHARES BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON WITH 7 SOLE VOTING POWER 633,951 8 SHARED VOTING POWER 0 9 SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER 633,951 10 SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER 0 11 AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON 633,951 12 CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (11) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES* 13 PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (11) 4.52% 14 TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON* PN *SEE INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE FILLING OUT! INCLUDE BOTH SIDES OF THE COVER PAGE, RESPONSES TO ITEMS 1-7 (INCLUDING EXHIBITS) OF THE SCHEDULE, AND THE SIGNATURE ATTESTATION. 1 NAME OF REPORTING PERSONS I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NOS. OF ABOVE PERSONS (ENTITIES ONLY) Westgate International, L.P., a Cayman Islands Limited Partnership 2 CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP* (a) (b) 3 SEC USE ONLY 4 SOURCE OF FUNDS* 00 5 CHECK BOX IF DISCLOSURE OF LEGAL PROCEEDINGS IS REQUIRED PURSUANT TO ITEMS 2(d) or 2(e) 6 CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION Cayman Islands, British West Indies NUMBER OF SHARES BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON WITH 7 SOLE VOTING POWER 0 8 SHARED VOTING POWER 416,300 9 SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER 0 10 SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER 416,300 11 AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON 416,300 12 CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (11) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES* 13 PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (11) 2.97% 14 TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON* PN *SEE INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE FILLING OUT! INCLUDE BOTH SIDES OF THE COVER PAGE, RESPONSES TO ITEMS 1-7 (INCLUDING EXHIBITS) OF THE SCHEDULE, AND THE SIGNATURE ATTESTATION. 1 NAME OF REPORTING PERSONS I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NOS. OF ABOVE PERSONS (ENTITIES ONLY) Martley International, Inc., a Delaware corporation 2 CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP* (a) (b) 3 SEC USE ONLY 4 SOURCE OF FUNDS* 00 5 CHECK BOX IF DISCLOSURE OF LEGAL PROCEEDINGS IS REQUIRED PURSUANT TO ITEMS 2(d) or 2(e) 6 CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION Delaware NUMBER OF SHARES BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON WITH 7 SOLE VOTING POWER 0 8 SHARED VOTING POWER 416,300 9 SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER 0 10 SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER 416,300 11 AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON 416,300 12 CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (11) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES* 13 PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (11) 2.97% 14 TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON* CO *SEE INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE FILLING OUT! INCLUDE BOTH SIDES OF THE COVER PAGE, RESPONSES TO ITEMS 1-7 (INCLUDING EXHIBITS) OF THE SCHEDULE, AND THE SIGNATURE ATTESTATION. This statement is filed pursuant to Rule 13d-2(a) with respect to the shares of common stock, par value $5.00 (the "Common Stock"), of Avatex Corporation (the "Issuer") beneficially owned by the Reporting Persons specified herein as of June 15, 1998. This statement amends and supplements the Schedule 13D dated April 9, 1998, as amended, filed by the Reporting Persons which, except as set forth herein, is hereby restated in its entirety. ITEM 4. Purpose of Transaction Each of Elliott and Westgate acquired the Common Stock beneficially owned by it in the ordinary course of its trade or business of purchasing, selling, trading and investing in securities. Martley has acted as investment manager with respect to Westgate's acquisition of beneficial ownership of Common Stock. Depending upon market conditions and other factors that it may deem material, each of Elliott and Westgate may purchase additional shares of Common Stock or related securities or may dispose of all or a portion of the Common Stock or related securities that it now beneficially owns or may hereafter acquire. On April 15, 1998, the Issuer failed to pay the quarterly dividends on its two series of preferred stock for the sixth consecutive quarter. On April 21, 1998, Vincent Intrieri, Ralph DellaCamera, Dan Gropper and Brian Miller (the "Preferred Directors"), each an employee of Stonington Management Corp., a Delaware corporation controlled by Singer, were elected to fill the resulting vacancies on the Issuer's Board of Directors, on Elliott's initiative, pursuant to the written consent of a majority of the holders of both series of the Issuer's preferred stock, including Elliott and Westgate. Elliott and Westgate are dissatisfied with the poor performance and high compensation of the Issuer's management and particularly its Co-Chief Executive Officers, Melvyn Estrin and Abbey Butler, and oppose the Issuer's announced proposal to merge (the "Merger Plan") the Issuer into a newly-created subsidiary ("Xetava") and to thereby exchange the outstanding preferred stock for common stock in the merged entity (without a vote of the preferred stockholders). Elliott and Westgate believe that (i) the Merger Plan is unfair in that the holders of the Issuer's preferred stock would receive substantially less than fair value, (ii) the Merger Plan improperly seeks to entrench management by, among other things, prohibiting the accumulation of in excess of 5% of the common stock by any individual or group, establishing a classified board and prohibiting shareholder action by written consent, and (iii) the Delaware Chancery Court's decision ruling a vote of the preferred stockholders is not required to effect the Merger Plan is incorrect. On April 23, 1998, Elliott brought an action in the Delaware Court of Chancery against the Issuer, Xetava, and each member of the Issuer's Board of Directors, including Messrs. Estrin and Butler, to enjoin the Merger Plan based upon the refusal to permit the holders of each series of the Issuer's preferred stock to vote on the Merger Plan, breach of fiduciary duty, and entrenchment. In addition, on April 23, 1998, the Preferred Directors brought an action in the Delaware Court of Chancery against the Issuer to establish their status as directors of the Issuer and to enforce their right as directors to examine the Issuer's books and records relating to (i) the Merger Plan, (ii) compensation paid by the Issuer and related companies to Messrs. Estrin and Butler, and (iii) the Issuer's failure to pay dividends on both series of its preferred stock for the past six quarters. Following the filing of the above described action, the Issuer agreed to recognize Messrs. Intrieri and Gropper as directors of the Issuer. In addition, on June 8, 1998 the Delaware Court of Chancery ruled that Messrs. DellaCamera and Miller had also been duly elected as directors of the Issuer. Elliott and Westgate intend to continue to actively oppose the Merger Plan and reserve the right to (i) engage in a proxy solicitation in opposition to the Merger Plan and/or to unseat one or more directors; and/or (ii) propose an alternate plan to restructure the Issuer. SIGNATURE After reasonable inquiry and to the best of its knowledge and belief, the undersigned each certifies that the information with respect to it set forth in this statement is true, complete, and correct. Dated: June 15, 1998 ELLIOTT ASSOCIATES, L.P. By:/s/ Paul E. Singer Paul E. Singer General Partner WESTGATE INTERNATIONAL, L.P. By: Martley International, Inc., as Investment Manager By:/s/ Paul E. Singer Paul E. Singer President MARTLEY INTERNATIONAL, INC. By:/s/ Paul E. Singer Paul E. Singer President -----END PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----