Item 1.01 Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement" -->
Item 1.01 Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement
Item 3.03 Material Modification to Rights of Security Holders
On October 30, 2009, American Axle & Manufacturing Holdings, Inc. (the Company)
entered into an Amended and Restated Rights Agreement between the Company
and Computershare Trust Company, N.A., as rights agent (the Rights Agreement), in order
to preserve the long-term value and availability of the Companys net operating loss carryforwards
and related tax benefits.
The Rights Agreement, as amended, reduces the beneficial ownership
threshold at which a person or group becomes an Acquiring Person under the Rights Agreement from
15% of the Companys then-outstanding shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share
(Common Stock), to 4.99% of the Companys then-outstanding shares of Common Stock. The
Rights Agreement also, among other things, expands the scope of the definition of Acquiring Person to include persons
or groups that would be considered 5-percent shareholders under Section 382 of the Internal
Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and the related treasury regulations promulgated thereunder.
Additionally, the Rights Agreement exempts stockholders who currently beneficially own 5% or more
of the Companys outstanding shares of Common Stock so long as their ownership continuously equals
or exceeds 5% and provided that they do not acquire an additional 0.5% or more of the Companys
outstanding shares of Common Stock.
The Rights Agreement will automatically expire on September 15, 2013. In addition, beginning
in 2011, the Companys board of directors will review the Rights Agreement annually in the first
fiscal quarter to determine whether any of its provisions are, or the Rights Agreement itself is,
no longer in the best interests of the Company, its stockholders and any other relevant
constituencies.
The Rights Agreement is attached as Exhibit 4.1 and is incorporated herein by
reference. The foregoing description of the Rights Agreement does not purport to be complete and
is qualified in its entirety by reference to Exhibit 4.1.
Item 5.03 Amendments to Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws; Change in Fiscal Year.
On October 29, 2009, the Board of Directors adopted the following amendment to the By-laws of
American Axle & Manufacturing Holdings, Inc. (the Company):
Section 11(A)(2). A stockholder proposing business or nominating persons for election to the
Board of Directors at an annual meeting of stockholders must include the following additional
information in its advance notice to the Company: (1) any warrants, options or other derivative
instruments relating to the Companys stock that are held by such stockholder, (2) any agreements
such stockholder has with respect to the business proposal, (3) a statement that the stockholder
is the holder of record of stock of the Company entitled to vote at the meeting and intends to
appear in person or by proxy at the meeting, and (4) whether such stockholder is part of a group
that intends to deliver a proxy statement or solicit proxies.
The foregoing description is qualified in its entirety by reference to revised Section
11(A)(2) of the By-laws which is filed as Exhibit 3.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K.
Item 8.01 Other Events
On October 30, 2009, the Company issued a press release announcing the Rights Agreement. The
press release is attached as Exhibit 99.1 and is incorporated by reference herein.
Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits
Exhibit 3.1
|
Amended Section 11(A)(2) to the By-laws | |
Exhibit 4.1
|
Amended and Restated Rights Agreement, dated as of October 30, 2009, between American Axle & Manufacturing Holdings, Inc. and Computershare Trust Company, N.A., as Rights Agent | |
Exhibit 99.1
|
Press Release dated October 30, 2009 |
SIGNATURE
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, thereto duly authorized.
| American Axle & Manufacturing Holdings, Inc. | ||||||
| By | /s/ Michael K. Simonte | |||||
| Title: Executive Vice President Finance & CFO | ||||||
Date: October 30, 2009
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EXHIBIT INDEX
| Exhibit | ||
| No. | Description | |
3.1
|
Amended Section 11(A)(2) to the By-laws | |
4.1
|
Amended and Restated Rights Agreement, dated as of October 30, 2009, between American Axle & Manufacturing Holdings, Inc. and Computershare Trust Company, N.A., as Rights Agent | |
99.1
|
Press Release dated October 30, 2009 |
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