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 16, 2007
CBOT HOLDINGS, INC.
(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)
| Delaware | 001-32650 | 36-4468986 | ||
| (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization) |
(Commission File Number) | (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.) |
141 West Jackson Blvd.
Chicago, Illinois 60604
(Address, including zip code, of principal executive offices)
Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (312) 435-3500
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:
| x | Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425) |
| ¨ | Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12) |
| ¨ | Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b)) |
| ¨ | Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c)) |
Item 5.02 Departure of Directors or Principal Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Principal Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers.
On January 16, 2007, the Compensation Committee of the Registrant’s Board of Directors adopted an amendment to the Retention Policy previously disclosed in the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on October 23, 2006. Under the Retention Policy, employees that do not continue with the surviving entity after the merger of the Registrant and Chicago Mercantile Exchange Holdings Inc. (the “Merger”) that do not have individual contractual severance arrangements with the Registrant will be entitled to receive certain severance benefits. In the case of executive officers without individual contractual severance arrangements with the Registrant, severance benefits will consist of: (i) 12 weeks of base pay, plus 2 weeks of base pay for each full year of service, up to a maximum of 52 weeks; (ii) 4 months of employer paid COBRA coverage for medical and dental insurance; and (iii) outplacement services.
The amendment adopted on January 16, 2007 provides that employees that do not have individual contractual severance arrangements with the Registrant will be entitled to the severance benefits set forth in the Retention Policy if (1) the employee is terminated as a result of the Merger within two years after the closing date of the Merger or (2) the employee’s base salary is reduced within two years after the closing date of the Merger and the employee elects to terminate their employment within 10 days after the effective date of the salary reduction.
Important Merger Information
In connection with the proposed merger of CBOT Holdings, Inc. (“CBOT”) and the Chicago Mercantile Exchange Holdings Inc. (“CME”), the parties have filed relevant materials with the Securities Exchange Commission (“SEC”), including a joint proxy statement/prospectus regarding the proposed transaction. INVESTORS ARE URGED TO READ THE JOINT PROXY STATEMENT/PROSPECTUS REGARDING THE PROPOSED TRANSACTION, BECAUSE IT CONTAINS IMPORTANT INFORMATION. Investors are able to obtain a free copy of the joint proxy statement/prospectus, as well as other filings containing information about CBOT and CME without charge, at the SEC’s website (http://www.sec.gov). Copies of the joint proxy statement/prospectus can also be obtained, when available, without charge by directing a request to CBOT Holdings, Inc., Attention: Investor Relations, at 141 West Jackson, Chicago, Illinois 60604 or calling (312) 435-3500.
CBOT, CME and their respective directors and executive officers and other members of management and employees may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from CBOT shareholders in respect of the proposed transaction. Information regarding CBOT directors and executive officers is available in CBOT’s proxy statement for its 2006 annual meeting of stockholders, dated March 29, 2006. Additional information regarding the interests of such potential participants is included in the joint proxy statement/prospectus and the other relevant documents filed with the SEC. This document shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities, nor shall there be any sale of securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. No offering of securities shall be made except by means of a prospectus meeting the requirements of Section 10 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements in this document and its attachments may contain forward-looking information regarding CBOT, CME and the combined company after the completion of the transactions that are intended to be covered by the safe harbor for “forward-looking statements” provided by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements include, but are not limited to, the benefits of the business combination transaction involving CBOT and CME including future financial and operating results, the combined company’s plans, objectives, expectations and intentions and other statements that are not historical facts. Such statements are based upon the current beliefs and expectations of the management of CBOT and CME and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ from those set forth in the forward-looking statements.
The following factors, among others, could cause actual results to differ from those set forth in the forward-looking statements: the ability to obtain governmental approvals of the transaction on the proposed terms and schedule; the failure of CBOT shareholders or CME shareholders to approve the transaction; the risk that the businesses will not be integrated successfully; the risk that the cost savings and any other synergies from the transaction may not be fully realized or may take longer to realize than expected; disruption from the transaction making it more difficult to maintain relationships with customers, employees or suppliers; competition and its effect on pricing, spending, third-party relationships and revenues; social and political conditions such as war, political unrest or terrorism; general economic conditions and normal business uncertainty. Additional risks and factors are identified in CBOT’s filings with the SEC, including its Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2005 which is available on CBOT’s website at http://www.cbot.com.
You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this document. Except for any obligation to disclose material information under the Federal securities laws, CBOT undertakes no obligation to release publicly any revisions to any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this document.
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 thereunto duly authorized.
| CBOT HOLDINGS, INC. | ||||
| Date: January 22, 2007 | By: | /s/ Kevin J.P. O’Hara | ||
| Name: | Kevin J.P. O’Hara | |||
| Title: | Chief Administrative Officer and | |||
| Chief Strategy Officer | ||||