-----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, L5dxqIGxrXEZwSHg/oq6L1vKnpB6aX2L0kh9jxIgtRo8s+Rf/AE4rZjU98nRlvVD BmAeNgQJJkYvdvjdYkdTLA== 0000950135-98-003702.txt : 19980609 0000950135-98-003702.hdr.sgml : 19980609 ACCESSION NUMBER: 0000950135-98-003702 CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE: SC 13D/A PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT: 1 FILED AS OF DATE: 19980608 SROS: NYSE GROUP MEMBERS: TBK PARTNERS, L.P. GROUP MEMBERS: TWEEDY BROWNE CO LLC GROUP MEMBERS: VANDERBILT PARTNERS, L.P. SUBJECT COMPANY: COMPANY DATA: COMPANY CONFORMED NAME: SYMS CORP CENTRAL INDEX KEY: 0000724742 STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION: RETAIL-FAMILY CLOTHING STORES [5651] IRS NUMBER: 222465228 STATE OF INCORPORATION: NJ FISCAL YEAR END: 0301 FILING VALUES: FORM TYPE: SC 13D/A SEC ACT: SEC FILE NUMBER: 005-39363 FILM NUMBER: 98643956 BUSINESS ADDRESS: STREET 1: SYMS WAY CITY: SECAUCUS STATE: NJ ZIP: 07094 BUSINESS PHONE: 2019029600 MAIL ADDRESS: STREET 1: SYMS WAY CITY: SECAUCUS STATE: NJ ZIP: 07094 FILED BY: COMPANY DATA: COMPANY CONFORMED NAME: TWEEDY BROWNE CO LLC CENTRAL INDEX KEY: 0000728086 STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION: [] IRS NUMBER: 133381587 STATE OF INCORPORATION: NY FISCAL YEAR END: 1231 FILING VALUES: FORM TYPE: SC 13D/A BUSINESS ADDRESS: STREET 1: 52 VANDERBILT AVE CITY: NEW YORK STATE: NY ZIP: 10017 BUSINESS PHONE: 2129160600 MAIL ADDRESS: STREET 1: 52 VANDERBILT AVENUE CITY: NEW YORK STATE: NY ZIP: 10017 SC 13D/A 1 SYMS CORPORATION 1 SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 SCHEDULE 13D (Amendment No. 4)* of Tweedy, Browne Company LLC SCHEDULE 13D (Amendment No. 4)* of TBK Partners, L.P. SCHEDULE 13D (Amendment No. 4)* of Vanderbilt Partners, L.P. Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 SYMS CORPORATION (Name of Issuer) Common Stock, Par Value $0.05 per Share (Title of Class of Securities) 871551107 (CUSIP Number) John D. Spears 52 Vanderbilt Avenue New York, New York 10017 (212) 916-0600 (Name, Address and Telephone Number of Persons Authorized to Receive Notices and Communications) JUNE 2, 1998 (Date of Event which Required Filing of this Statement) 2 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 [ ]. Check the following box if a fee is paid with the statement [ ]. (A fee is not required only if the reporting person: (1) has a previous statement on file reporting beneficial ownership of more than five percent of the class of securities described in Item 1; and (2) has filed no amendment subsequent thereto reporting beneficial ownership of five percent or less of such class.) (See Rule 13d-7.) * 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 the provisions of the Act (however, see the Notes). 3 SCHEDULE 13D CUSIP No. 871551107 Page __ of __ Pages - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 NAME OF REPORTING PERSON S.S. OR I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON Tweedy, Browne Company LLC. ("TBC") - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2 CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP* (a) / / (b) /X/ - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7 SOLE VOTING POWER TBC has sole voting power with respect to 954,363 shares held in certain TBC accounts (as hereinafter defined). Additionally, certain of the general partners of TBC may be deemed to have sole power to vote certain shares as more fully set forth herein. NUMBER OF ---------------------------------------------------------------- SHARES 8 SHARED VOTING POWER BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY 0 shares EACH ---------------------------------------------------------------- REPORTING 9 SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER 0 shares, except that certain PERSON of the general partners of TBC may be deemed to have WITH sole power to dispose of certain shares as more fully set forth herein. ---------------------------------------------------------------- 10 SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER 1,059,794 shares held in accounts of TBC (as hereinafter defined). - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11 AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON 1,059,794 shares - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12 CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (11) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES* /X/ - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 13 PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (11) 5.93% - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 14 TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON* BD, IA and OO - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- *SEE INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE FILLING OUT! 4 SCHEDULE 13D CUSIP No. 871551107 Page __ of __ Pages - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 NAME OF REPORTING PERSON S.S. OR I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON TBK Partners, L.P. ("TBK") - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2 CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP* (a) / / (b) /X/ - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3 SEC USE ONLY - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4 SOURCE OF FUNDS* WC and BK - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7 SOLE VOTING POWER 64,510 shares, except that the general partners in TBK, solely by reason of their positions as such, may be deemed to have shared power to vote these shares. NUMBER OF ---------------------------------------------------------------- SHARES 8 SHARED VOTING POWER BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY 0 shares EACH ---------------------------------------------------------------- REPORTING 9 SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER 64,510 shares, except that the PERSON general partners in TBK, solely by reason of their WITH positions as such, may be deemed to have shared power to vote these shares. ---------------------------------------------------------------- 10 SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER 0 shares - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11 AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON 64,510 shares - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12 CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (11) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES* / / - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 13 PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (11) 0.36% - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 14 TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON* PN - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- *SEE INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE FILLING OUT! 5 SCHEDULE 13D CUSIP No. 871551107 Page __ of __ Pages - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 NAME OF REPORTING PERSON S.S. OR I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON Vanderbilt Partners, L.P. ("Vanderbilt") - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2 CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP* (a) / / (b) /X/ - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3 SEC USE ONLY - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4 SOURCE OF FUNDS* WC and BK - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7 SOLE VOTING POWER 16,000 shares, except that the general partners in Vanderbilt, solely by reason of their positions as such, may be deemed to have shared power to vote these shares. NUMBER OF ---------------------------------------------------------------- SHARES 8 SHARED VOTING POWER BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY 0 shares EACH ---------------------------------------------------------------- REPORTING 9 SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER 16,000 shares, except that the PERSON general partners in Vanderbilt, solely by reason of WITH their positions as such, may be deemed to have shared power to vote these shares. ---------------------------------------------------------------- 10 SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER 0 shares - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11 AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON 16,000 shares - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12 CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (11) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES* / / - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 13 PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (11) 0.09% - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 14 TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON* PN - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- *SEE INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE FILLING OUT! 6 PRELIMINARY NOTE The persons filing this Amendment No. 4 are (i) Tweedy, Browne Company LLC ("TBC"), a Delaware limited liability company, (ii) TBK Partners, L.P. ("TBK"), a Delaware limited partnership and (iii) Vanderbilt Partners, L.P. ("Vanderbilt"), a Delaware limited partnership. This Amendment No. 4 amends a Statement on Schedule 13D filed by TBC, TBK and Vanderbilt dated August 26, 1994 (the "Statement"). The filing of this Amendment No. 4 should not be deemed an admission that TBC, TBK and Vanderbilt comprise a group within the meaning of Section 13(d) (3) of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Act"). Tweedy, Browne Company L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (the "Partnership") and its general partners entered into a definitive agreement, pursuant to which the Partnership converted to Tweedy, Browne Company LLC (the "Company"), a Delaware limited liability company, and AMG/TBC Holdings, Inc. (Holdings"), a Delaware corporation and wholly owned subsidiary of Affiliated Managers Group, Inc. (a Boston-based holding company, the business address of which is Two International Place, Boston, Massachussets 02110), acquired a majority interest in the Company on October 9, 1997. This Amendment No.4 relates to the Common Stock, $0.05 par value (the "Common Stock"), of Syms Corporation (the "Company"), which, to the best knowledge of the persons filing this Amendment No. 4, is a company organized under the laws of Delaware, with its principal executive offices at Syms Way, Secaucus, New Jersey 07094. This Amendment No. 4 contains information regarding shares of Common Stock that may be deemed to be beneficially owned by TBC. Such shares are held in the accounts of various customers of TBC, with respect to which it has obtained sole or shared voting power. Other than as set forth below, to the best knowledge of TBC, TBK and Vanderbilt, there has been no material change in the information set forth in response to Items 1,2,3,4,6 and 7 of the Statement, as amended. Accordingly, those Items are omitted from this Amendment No. 4. ITEM 5. INTEREST IN SECURITIES OF THE ISSUER (a) As of the date hereof, TBC may be deemed to be the beneficial owner of an aggregate of 1,059,794 shares of Common Stock, which constitutes approximately 5.93% of the 17,869,090 shares of Common Stock which TBC believes to be the total number of shares of Common Stock outstanding. The TBC Shares are held in the TBC Accounts. Also included in the TBC shares are 495 shares of Common Stock held in a TBC Account for a charitable foundation of which Christopher H. Browne is a trustee. Mr. Browne is a member of TBC and a general partner of TBK and Vanderbilt. As of the date hereof, TBK beneficially owns directly 64,510 shares of Common Stock, which constitutes approximately 0.36% of the 17,869,090 shares of Common Stock which TBK believes to be the total number of shares of Common Stock outstanding. As of the date hereof, Vanderbilt beneficially owns directly 16,000 shares of Common Stock, which constitutes approximately 0.09% of the 17,869,090 shares of Common Stock which Vanderbilt believes to be the total number of shares of Common Stock outstanding. 7 Each of TBC, TBK and Vanderbilt disclaims that it is the beneficial owner of any of the shares of Common Stock held in the TBC Accounts. The aggregate number of shares of Common Stock with respect to which TBC, TBK and Vanderbilt could be deemed to be the beneficial owner as of the date hereof, is 1,140,304 shares, which constitutes approximately 6.39% of the 17,869,090 shares of Common Stock, which the filing persons believe to be the total number of shares of Common Stock outstanding, but nothing contained herein shall be construed as an admission that TBC is the beneficial owner of any of the TBC Shares. The aggregate number of shares and percentage of Common Stock with respect to which each of the Members may be deemed to be the beneficial owner by reason of his being a member of TBC and a general partner of TBK and Vanderbilt, respectively, is 1,140,304 shares, which constitutes approximately 6.39% of the 17,869,090 shares of Common Stock outstanding. The aggregate number of shares and percentage of Common Stock with respect to which Thomas P. Knapp may be deemed to be a beneficial owner by reason of his being a general partner of TBK is 64,510 shares of Common Stock which constitutes approximately 0.36% of the 17,869,090 shares of Common Stock outstanding. However, nothing contained herein shall be construed as an admission that any of the General Partners or Thomas P. Knapp is the beneficial owner of any shares of Common Stock, except as set forth herein as expressly and admittedly being beneficially owned by a particular General Partner or Thomas P. Knapp. Each of TBC, TBK and Vanderbilt disclaims beneficial ownership of Common Stock held by the other. Except as described herein, to the best knowledge of TBC, TBK and Vanderbilt, no person who may be deemed to comprise a group with any of TBC, TBK, Vanderbilt, or any other person named in Item 2 of the Statement, beneficially owns any shares of Common Stock. (b) TBC has investment discretion with respect to 1,059,794 shares of Common Stock held by the TBC Accounts and has sole power to dispose or direct the disposition of all of such shares. Of these shares of Common Stock, TBC has sole power to vote or to direct the voting of 954,363 shares of Common Stock held in certain TBC Accounts. Each of the General Partners of TBC, solely by reason of their positions as such, may be deemed to have (i) shared power to dispose of or to direct the disposition of all of the shares of Common Stock held in the TBC Accounts; and (ii) shared power to vote or direct the vote of 954,363 shares of Common Stock held in certain TBC Accounts. TBK has the sole power to vote or direct the voting of and dispose or direct the disposition of the TBK Shares. Each of the General Partners and Thomas P. Knapp, solely by reason of their positions as general partners, may be deemed to have shared power to vote or direct the vote of and to dispose or direct the disposition of the TBK Shares. Vanderbilt has the sole power to vote or direct the voting of and dispose or direct the disposition of the Vanderbilt Shares. Each of the General Partners of Vanderbilt, solely by reason of their positions as such, may be deemed to have shared power to vote or direct the vote of and to dispose or direct the disposition of the Vanderbilt Shares. 8 (c) No transactions in Common Stock were effected by TBK and Vanderbilt during the sixty-day period ended as of the date hereof. During the sixty-day period ended as of the date hereof, transactions in Common Stock effected by TBC are set forth below:
REPORTING NO. OF SHARES PRICE PERSON DATE SOLD PER SHARE TBC Accounts 04/03/98 595 $ 14 3/8 04/13/98 100 $ 14 15/16 04/20/98 6,200 $ 14.0005 04/21/98 4,050 $ 14 04/23/98 1,435 $ 14 1/16 05/04/98 400 $ 15.3437 05/05/98 510 $ 15 7/16 05/06/98 520 $ 15.7764 05/07/98 60 $ 15 5/8 05/08/98 600 $ 15 5/8 05/11/98 19,675 $ 15.6154 05/19/98 1,325 $ 15 5/16 05/27/98 5,000 $ 15.10 05/29/98 1,030 $ 14 15/16 06/01/98 1,995 $ 14 13/16 06/02/98 800 $ 14.8593
(d) To the best knowledge of TBC, each of the persons maintaining an account with TBC has the right to receive or the power to direct the receipt of dividends from, or the proceeds from the sale of, the shares of Common Stock held in said person's TBC Account. To the best knowledge of TBK, no person other than TBK has the right to receive or the power to direct the receipt of dividends from, or the proceeds from the sale of, the TBK Shares, except that the General Partners and Thomas P. Knapp may be deemed to have such rights and powers solely by reason of being general partners in TBK. To the best knowledge of Vanderbilt, no person other than Vanderbilt has the right to receive or the power to direct the receipt of dividends from, or the proceeds from the sale of, the Vanderbilt Shares, except that the General Partners in Vanderbilt may be deemed to have such rights and powers solely by reason of being general partners in Vanderbilt. (e) Not applicable. 9 SIGNATURE Each of Tweedy, Browne Company LLC., TBK Partners, L.P. and Vanderbilt Partners, L.P., after reasonable inquiry and to the best of its knowledge and belief, hereby certifies that the information set forth in this Statement is true, complete and correct. TWEEDY, BROWNE COMPANY LLC By /s/ Christopher H. Browne _________________________________ Christopher H. Browne Member TBK PARTNERS, L.P. By /s/ Christopher H. Browne _________________________________ Christopher H. Browne General Partner VANDERBILT PARTNERS, L.P. By /s/ Christopher H. Browne _________________________________ Christopher H. Browne General Partner Dated: June 4, 1998 -----END PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----