United
States
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): February
7, 2008
Clarus
Corporation
(Exact
name of registrant as specified in its charter)
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Delaware
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0-24277
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58-1972600
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(State
or other jurisdiction
of
incorporation)
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(Commission
File Number)
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(IRS
Employer Identification
Number)
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One
Landmark Square, 22nd
Floor, Stamford Connecticut
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06901
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(Address
of principal executive offices)
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(Zip
Code)
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Registrant’s
telephone number, including area code: (203)
428-2000
N/A
(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:
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o
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Written
communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17
CFR
230.425)
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Soliciting
material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR
240.14a-12)
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Pre-commencement
communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17
CFR
240.14d-2(b))
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Pre-commencement
communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17
CFR
240.13e-4(c))
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Item
1.01. Entry
into a Material Definitive Agreement.
See
the
description set forth in Item 3.03 of this Current Report on Form 8-K which
is
incorporated herein by reference.
Item 3.03. Material
Modification to Rights of Security Holders.
On
February 7, 2008, the Board of Directors of Clarus Corporation (“Clarus” or the
“Company”) approved a Rights Agreement (the “Rights Agreement”) that provides
for the terms of a rights plan including a dividend distribution of one
preferred share purchase right (a “Right”) for each outstanding share of the
Company’s common stock, par value $0.0001 (the “Common Stock”). The dividend is
payable to Clarus’ stockholders of record as of the close of business on
February 12, 2008 (the “Record Date”). The parties to the Rights Agreement are
Clarus and American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, as rights
agent.
The
Company’s Board of Directors (the “Board”) adopted the Rights Agreement to
protect the Company’s ability to carry forward its net operating losses (the
“NOLs”), which the Company believes are a substantial asset. The Rights
Agreement is designed to assist in limiting the number of 5% or more owners
and
thus reduce the risk of a possible “change of ownership” under Section 382 of
the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 as amended (the “Code”). Any such “change of
ownership” under these rules would limit or eliminate the ability of the Company
to use its existing NOLs for federal income tax purposes. However, there is
no
guaranty that the objective of preserving the value of the NOLs will be
achieved.
The
Rights Agreement imposes a significant penalty upon any person or group that
acquires 4.9% or more (but less than 50%) of Clarus’ then-outstanding Common
Stock without the prior approval of Clarus’ Board. Stockholders who own 4.9% or
more of Clarus’ then-outstanding Common Stock as of the close of business on the
Record Date, will not trigger the Rights Agreement so long as they do not
increase their ownership of the Company’s Common Stock. Moreover, Clarus’ Board
may exempt any person or group that owns 4.9% or more. A person or group that
acquires a percentage of Clarus’s Common Stock in excess of the applicable
threshold but less than 50% of Clarus then-outstanding Common Stock is called
an
“Acquiring Person.” Any rights held by an Acquiring Person are void and may not
be exercised.
Clarus’
Board authorized the issuance of one Right per each share of Clarus’ Common
Stock outstanding on the Record Date. If the Rights become exercisable, each
Right would allow its holder to purchase from Clarus one one-hundredth of a
share of Clarus’ Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock, par value
$0.0001 (the “Preferred Stock”), for a purchase price of $12.00. Each fractional
share of Preferred Stock would give the stockholder approximately the same
dividend, voting and liquidation rights as one share of Clarus’ Common Stock.
Prior to exercise, however, a Right will not give its holder any dividend,
voting or liquidation rights.
The
Rights will not be exercisable until 10 days after a public announcement by
Clarus that a person or group has become an Acquiring Person. Until the date
that the Rights become exercisable (the “Distribution Date”), Clarus’ Common
Stock certificates will evidence the Rights and will contain a notation to
that
effect. Any transfer of shares of Common Stock prior to the Distribution Date
will constitute a transfer of the associated Rights. After the Distribution
Date, the Rights will be separated from the Common Stock and be evidenced by
a
rights certificate, which Clarus will mail to all holders of the rights that
are
not void.
If
a
person or group becomes an Acquiring Person after the Distribution Date or
already is an Acquiring Person and acquires more shares after the Distribution
Date, all holders of Rights, except the Acquiring Person, may exercise their
rights to purchase shares of Clarus’ Common Stock with a market value of two
times the purchase price (or other securities or assets as determined by Clarus’
Board of Directors) upon payment of the purchase price (a “Flip-In Event”).
After the Distribution Date, if a Flip-In Event has already occurred and Clarus
is acquired in a merger or similar transaction, all holders of the Rights except
the Acquiring Person may exercise their Rights upon payment of the purchase
price to purchase shares of the acquiring corporation with a market value of
two
times the purchase price of the Rights (a “Flip-Over Event”). Rights may be
exercised to purchase shares of Clarus Preferred Stock only after the occurrence
of the Distribution Date and prior to the occurrence of a Flip-In Event as
described above. A Distribution Date resulting from any occurrence described
above would necessarily follow the occurrence of a Flip-In Event, in which
case
the Rights could be exercised to purchase shares of Common Stock or other
securities as described above.
The
Rights will expire at such time the Company’s Board determines that the NOLs are
fully utilized or no longer available under Section 382 of the Code or the
Rights are earlier redeemed or exchanged by the Company. Clarus’ Board may
redeem all (but not less than all) of the Rights for a redemption price of
$0.0001 per Right at any time prior to the later of the Distribution Date and
the date of the first public announcement or disclosure by Clarus that a person
or group has become an Acquiring Person. Once the Rights are redeemed, the
right
to exercise the Rights will terminate, and the only right of the holders of
the
Rights will be to receive the redemption price. The redemption price will be
adjusted if Clarus declares a stock split or issues a stock dividend on its
Common Stock. After the later of the Distribution Date and the date of the
first
public announcement by Clarus that a person or group has become an Acquiring
Person, but before an Acquiring Person owns 50% or more of Clarus’ outstanding
Common Stock, Clarus’ Board may exchange each Right (other than the Rights that
have become void) for one share of Common Stock or an equivalent security.
Clarus’
Board may adjust the purchase price of the Preferred Stock, the number of shares
of the preferred shares issuable and the number of outstanding Rights to prevent
dilution that may occur as a result of certain events, including a stock
dividend, a stock split or a reclassification of the Preferred Stock or Common
Stock. No adjustments to the purchase price of less than 1% will be made.
Before
the time the Rights cease to be redeemable, Clarus’ Board may amend or
supplement the Rights Agreement without the consent of the holders of the
Rights, except that no amendment may decrease the redemption price below $0.0001
per right. At any time thereafter, Clarus’ Board may amend or supplement the
Rights Agreement only to cure an ambiguity, to alter time period provisions,
to
correct inconsistent provisions or to make any additional changes to the Rights
Agreement, but only to the extent that those changes do not impair or adversely
affect any Rights holder and do not result in the Rights becoming redeemable.
The
foregoing description of the Rights does not purport to be complete and is
qualified in its entirety by reference to the Rights Agreement, which is
attached hereto as Exhibit 4.2.
Item 5.03. Amendments
to Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws; Change in Fiscal Year.
Clarus
will file a Certificate of Designation (the “Certificate of Designation”) of
Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock with the Secretary of State of
the
State of Delaware. See the description in Item 3.03 of this Current Report
on Form 8-K for a more complete description of the rights and preferences of
the
Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock. A copy of the form of the
Certificate of Designation is attached as Exhibit 3.1 to this Current Report
on
Form 8-K and is incorporated herein by reference.
Item 9.01. Financial
Statements and Exhibits.
(d)
Exhibits
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Number
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Description
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3.1
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Form
of Certificate of Designation of Series A Junior Participating Preferred
Stock.
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4.1
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Form
of Rights Certificate.
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4.2
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Rights
Agreement, dated as of February 12, 2008, by and between Clarus
Corporation and American Stock Transfer & Trust
Company.
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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 hereunto
duly authorized.
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Dated:
February 12, 2008
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CLARUS
CORPORATION
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By:
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/s/
Philip A. Baratelli
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Name:
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Philip
A. Baratelli
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Title:
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Chief
Financial Officer
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Exhibit
Index
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Number
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Description
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3.1
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Form
of Certificate of Designation of Series A Junior Participating Preferred
Stock.
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4.1
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Form
of Rights Certificate.
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4.2
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Rights
Agreement, dated as of February 12, 2008, by and between Clarus
Corporation and American Stock Transfer & Trust
Company.
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