Form 8-A

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

 

FORM 8-A

 

FOR REGISTRATION OF CERTAIN CLASSES OF SECURITIES

PURSUANT TO SECTION 12(b) OR (g) OF THE

SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

 

CNET Networks, Inc.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

 

Delaware   13-3696170
(State of incorporation or organization)   (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)

235 Second Street

San Francisco, California

   94105
(Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip Code)
If this form relates to the registration of a class of securities pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Exchange Act and is effective pursuant to General Instruction A.(c), please check the following box.  x   If this form relates to the registration of a class of securities pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Exchange Act and is effective pursuant to General Instruction A.(d), check the following box.  ¨

 

Securities Act registration statement file number to which this form relates: N/A

Securities to be registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

 

Title of Each Class

to be so Registered

  

Name of Each Exchange on Which

Each Class is to be Registered

Preferred Stock Purchase Rights   The Nasdaq Global Select Market

Securities to be registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act:

None

(Title of Class)

 

INFORMATION REQUIRED IN REGISTRATION STATEMENT

ITEM 1. DESCRIPTION OF REGISTRANT’S SECURITIES TO BE REGISTERED.

On January 11, 2008, the Board of Directors of CNET Networks, Inc. (the “Company”) declared a dividend of one preferred share purchase right (a “Right”) for each outstanding share of common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Common Shares”), of the Company. The dividend is payable on January 21, 2008 (the “Record Date”) to the stockholders of record on that date. Each Right entitles the registered holder to purchase from the Company one one-thousandth of a share of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock, par value $0.01 per share (the “Preferred Shares”), of the Company at a price of $35 per one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share (the “Purchase Price”), subject to adjustment. The description and terms of the Rights are set forth in a Rights Agreement (the “Rights Agreement”) between the Company and Computershare Trust Company, N.A. as Rights Agent (the “Rights Agent”).

Distribution Date; Exercisability

Initially, the Rights will be attached to all Common Share certificates and no separate Rights certificates will be issued. Separate certificates evidencing the Rights (“Right Certificates”) will be mailed to holders of record of the Common Shares as of the close of business on the earlier to occur of (i) the tenth business day following the public announcement that a person or group of affiliated or associated persons (an “Acquiring Person”) has acquired beneficial ownership of 15% or more of the outstanding Common Shares or (ii) the tenth business day (or such later day as the Board of Directors of the Company may determine prior to such time as any person becomes an Acquiring Person) following the commencement of, or announcement of an intention to make, a tender offer or exchange offer the consummation of which would result in the beneficial ownership by a person or group of 15% or more of the outstanding Common Shares (the earlier of such dates being the “Distribution Date”).

The Rights Agreement provides that, until the Distribution Date (or earlier redemption or expiration of the Rights), (i) the Rights will be transferred with and only with the Common Shares, (ii) new Common Share certificates issued after the Record Date upon transfer or new issuance of Common Shares will contain a notation incorporating the Rights Agreement by reference and (iii) the surrender for transfer of any certificates for Common Shares outstanding as of the Record Date will also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with the Common Shares represented by such certificate.

The Rights are not exercisable until the Distribution Date. The Rights will expire on January 11, 2018 (the “Expiration Date”), unless the Expiration Date is amended or unless the Rights are earlier redeemed or exchanged by the Company, in each case, as described below.

Flip-In

If a person or group becomes an Acquiring Person at any time after the date of the Rights Agreement (with certain limited exceptions), each holder of a Right will thereafter have the right to receive, upon exercise, Common Shares (or, in certain circumstances, Preferred Shares or other similar securities of the Company) having a value equal to two times the exercise price of the Right. Notwithstanding any of the foregoing, following the existence of an Acquiring Person, all Rights that are, or (under certain circumstances specified in the Rights Agreement) were, beneficially owned by any Acquiring Person will be null and void.

For example, at an exercise price of $35 per Right, each Right not owned by an Acquiring Person following an event set forth in the preceding paragraph would entitle its holder to purchase $70 worth of Common Shares (or other consideration, as noted above). Assuming a value of $17.50 per Common Share at such time, the holder of each valid Right would be entitled to purchase four Common Shares for $35.

Flip-Over

In the event that the Company is acquired in a merger or other business combination transaction or 50% or more of its consolidated assets or earning power are sold after a person or group has become an Acquiring Person, proper provision will be made so that each holder of a Right will thereafter have the right to receive, upon the exercise thereof at the then-current exercise price of the Right, that number of shares of common stock of the acquiring company, which at the time of such transaction will have a market

value of two times the exercise price of the Right.

Exchange

At any time after any person or group becomes an Acquiring Person and prior to the acquisition by such person or group of 50% or more of the outstanding Common Shares, the Board of Directors of the Company may exchange the Rights (other than Rights owned by such person or group which will have become void), in whole or in part, at an exchange ratio of one Common Share, or one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share (or of a share of a class or series of the Company’s preferred stock having equivalent rights, preferences and privileges), per Right (subject to adjustment).

Redemption

At any time prior to the Distribution Date, the Board of Directors of the Company may redeem the Rights, in whole but not in part, at a price of $0.01 per Right (the “Redemption Price”). The redemption of the Rights may be made effective at such time on such basis with such conditions as the Board of Directors, in its sole discretion, may establish. Immediately upon any redemption of the Rights, the right to exercise the Rights will terminate and the only right of the holders of Rights will be to receive the Redemption Price.

Amendment

The terms of the Rights may be amended by the Board of Directors of the Company without the consent of the holders of the Rights, except that from and after the Distribution Date no such amendment may adversely affect the interests of the holders of the Rights (other than the Acquiring Person).

Adjustment

The number of outstanding Rights and the number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share issuable upon exercise of each Right are subject to adjustment under certain circumstances.

Preferred Stock

Because of the nature of the Preferred Shares’ dividend, liquidation and voting rights, the value of the one one-thousandth interest in a Preferred Share purchasable upon exercise of each Right should approximate the value of one Common Share.

Rights of Holders

Until a Right is exercised, the holder thereof, as such, will have no rights as a stockholder of the Company, including, without limitation, the right to vote or to receive dividends.

Certain Anti-Takeover Effects

The Rights will not prevent a takeover of the Company. However, the Rights may cause substantial dilution to a person or group that acquires 15% or more of the outstanding Common Shares. The Rights however, should not interfere with any merger or other business combination approved by the Board of Directors of the Company.

 

Further Information

A copy of the Rights Agreement has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission as an Exhibit to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed on January 14, 2008. A copy of the Rights Agreement is available free of charge from the Company. This summary description of the Rights does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Rights Agreement, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.

ITEM 2. EXHIBITS.

The documents listed below are filed as exhibits to this Registration Statement:

 

Exhibit No.

   

Description

1    Rights Agreement, dated as of January 11, 2008, between CNET Networks, Inc. and Computershare Trust Company, N.A., as Rights Agent, which includes the Form of Certificate of Designations of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock as Exhibit A, the Form of Rights Certificate as Exhibit B, and the Summary of Rights as Exhibit C (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.2 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed on January 14, 2008).

 

SIGNATURE

Pursuant to the requirements of Section 12 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereto duly authorized.

 

CNET Networks, Inc.
By:  

/s/ Andy Sherman

Name:   Andy Sherman
Title:   Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary

Date: January 14, 2008

 

EXHIBIT INDEX

 

Exhibit No.

   

Description

1    Rights Agreement, dated as of January 11, 2008, between CNET Networks, Inc. and Computershare Trust Company, N.A., as Rights Agent, which includes the Form of Certificate of Designations of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock as Exhibit A, the Form of Rights Certificate as Exhibit B, and the Summary of Rights as Exhibit C (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.2 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed on January 14, 2008).