-----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, VtIncNlPoJiJpIdX1iifgbBqCW2WL6fdmQCOncm/aeHN0AF0AkahapeQucMaiy1J 07PZLl+6VeiP/sgfwzfYGQ== 0000950123-99-010845.txt : 19991210 0000950123-99-010845.hdr.sgml : 19991210 ACCESSION NUMBER: 0000950123-99-010845 CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE: SC 13D/A PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT: 1 FILED AS OF DATE: 19991209 GROUP MEMBERS: BRIAN SHERMAN GROUP MEMBERS: EQUITILINK LTD GROUP MEMBERS: EQUITILINK U.S.A., INC GROUP MEMBERS: LAURENCE FREEDMAN SUBJECT COMPANY: COMPANY DATA: COMPANY CONFORMED NAME: FIRST AUSTRALIA FUND INC CENTRAL INDEX KEY: 0000779336 STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION: UNKNOWN SIC - 0000 [0000] IRS NUMBER: 133304681 STATE OF INCORPORATION: MD FISCAL YEAR END: 1031 FILING VALUES: FORM TYPE: SC 13D/A SEC ACT: SEC FILE NUMBER: 005-55117 FILM NUMBER: 99771172 BUSINESS ADDRESS: STREET 1: 100 MUDBERRY STREET CITY: NEW YORK STATE: NJ ZIP: 07102-4077 BUSINESS PHONE: 2122141250 MAIL ADDRESS: STREET 1: 100 MUDBERRY STREET CITY: NEWARK STATE: NJ ZIP: 07102-4077 FILED BY: COMPANY DATA: COMPANY CONFORMED NAME: EQUITILINK LTD CENTRAL INDEX KEY: 0001083114 STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION: [] FILING VALUES: FORM TYPE: SC 13D/A BUSINESS ADDRESS: STREET 1: 190 GEORGE STREET LEVEL 3 STREET 2: SYDNEY NSW 2000 AUSTRALIA BUSINESS PHONE: 01161299502888 MAIL ADDRESS: STREET 1: 190 GEORGE STREET LEVEL 3 STREET 2: SYDNEY NWS 2000 AUSTRALIA SC 13D/A 1 AMENDMENT #6 TO SCHEDULE 13D 1 UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549 SCHEDULE 13D Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (Amendment No. 6)* The First Australia Fund, Inc. - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (Name of Issuer) Common Stock ($.01 par value) - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (Title of Class of Securities) 318652104 - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (CUSIP Number) Meredith M. Brown, Esq. Debevoise & Plimpton 875 Third Avenue New York, NY 10022 - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (Name, Address and Telephone Number of Person Authorized to Receive Notices and Communications) December 7, 1999 - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (Date of Event which Requires Filing of this Statement) If the filing person has previously filed a statement on Schedule 13G to report the acquisition that is the subject of this Schedule 13D, and is filing this schedule because of Section 240.13d-1(e), (f) or (g), check the following box []. Note: Schedules filed in paper format shall include a signed original and five copies of the Schedule, including all exhibits. See Section 240.13d-7(b) for other parties to whom copies are to be sent. * 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 purposes 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 other provisions of the Act (however, see the Notes). (Continued on the following pages) 2 Page 2 of 9 CUSIP No. 318652104 13D - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1 NAME OF REPORTING PERSON I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON Laurence Freedman I.R.S. No. - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2 CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP (a) [ ] (b) [ ] - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3 SEC USE ONLY - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 4 SOURCE OF FUNDS AF,PF - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 5 CHECK BOX IF DISCLOSURE OF LEGAL PROCEEDINGS IS REQUIRED PURSUANT TO ITEMS 2(d) OR 2(e) [ ] - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 6 CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION Australia - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 7 SOLE VOTING POWER None NUMBER OF -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SHARES 8 SHARED VOTING POWER BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH 2,575,962 REPORTING -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- PERSON 9 SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER WITH None -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10 SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER 2,575,962 - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 11 AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON 2,575,962 - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 12 CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (11) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES [ ] - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 13 PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (11) 15.0% - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 14 TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON IN - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2 (Continued on the following pages) 3 Page 3 of 9 CUSIP No. 318652104 13D - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1 NAME OF REPORTING PERSON I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON Brian Sherman I.R.S. No. - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2 CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP (a) [ ] (b) [ ] - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3 SEC USE ONLY - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 4 SOURCE OF FUNDS AF,PF - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 5 CHECK BOX IF DISCLOSURE OF LEGAL PROCEEDINGS IS REQUIRED PURSUANT TO ITEMS 2(d) OR 2(e) [ ] - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 6 CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION Australia - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 7 SOLE VOTING POWER NUMBER OF None SHARES -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- BENEFICIALLY 8 SHARED VOTING POWER OWNED BY EACH REPORTING 2,575,962 PERSON -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- WITH 9 SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER None -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10 SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER 2,575,962 - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 11 AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON 2,575,962 - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 12 CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (11) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES [ ] - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 13 PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (11) 15.0% - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 14 TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON IN - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3 (Continued on the following pages) 4 Page 4 of 9 CUSIP No. 318652104 13D - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1 NAME OF REPORTING PERSON I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON EquitiLink Limited I.R.S. No. - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2 CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP (a) [ ] (b) [ ] - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3 SEC USE ONLY - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 4 SOURCE OF FUNDS WC,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 New South Wales, Australia - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 7 SOLE VOTING POWER NUMBER OF None SHARES -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- BENEFICIALLY 8 SHARED VOTING POWER OWNED BY EACH REPORTING 898,450 PERSON -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- WITH 9 SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER None -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10 SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER 898,450 - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 11 AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON 898,450 - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 12 CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (11) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES [ ] - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 13 PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (11) 5.2% - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 14 TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON HC, CO - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4 5 Page 5 of 9 CUSIP No. 318652104 13D - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1 NAME OF REPORTING PERSON I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON EquitiLink U.S.A., Inc. I.R.S. No. 521635331 - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2 CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP (a) [ ] (b) [ ] - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3 SEC USE ONLY - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4 SOURCE OF FUNDS AF - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 NUMBER OF None SHARES --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- BENEFICIALLY 8 SHARED VOTING POWER OWNED BY EACH REPORTING 1,624,627 PERSON --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- WITH 9 SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER None --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10 SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER 1,624,627 - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11 AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON 1,624,627 - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12 CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (11) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES [ ] - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 13 PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (11) 9.5% - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 14 TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON CO - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5 6 Page 6 of 9 CUSIP No. 318652104 13D Statement on Schedule 13D This Amendment No. 6 amends and supplements Items 3 and 5 of the Schedule 13D of the Reporting Persons with respect to the shares of common stock, par value $.01 per share, of The First Australia Fund, Inc. (the "Fund") as originally filed on April 1, 1999 and as amended by Amendment No. 1 thereto filed on July 9, 1999, Amendment No. 2 thereto filed on August 27, 1999, Amendment No. 3 thereto filed on September 30, 1999, Amendment No. 4 thereto filed on October 21, 1999 and Amendment No. 5 thereto filed on November 4, 1999. Item 3 of the Schedule 13D, "Source and Amount of Funds or Other Consideration," is hereby amended to add the following information: The shares of Common Stock acquired by EquitiLink Limited and reported in this Amendment No. 6 were acquired for an aggregate purchase price of approximately $1.37 million, which was borrowed pursuant to a Loan Agreement, dated October 25, 1999, between EquitLink Limited and HSBC Bank Australia Limited (the "Loan Agreement"). Funds borrowed pursuant to the Loan Agreement bear interest at an adjustable rate currently equal to 6.39% per annum, after being adjusted down from 7.01% on November 20, 1999. A copy of the Loan Agreement is filed as Exhibit 5 hereto and is incorporated herein by reference. Item 5 of the Schedule 13D, "Interest in Securities of the Issuer," is hereby restated in its entirety as set forth below: Item 5. Interest in Securities of the Fund. (a) The Reporting Persons beneficially own an aggregate of 2,579,962 shares of Common Stock, constituting approximately 15.0% of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (computed on the basis of 17,189,998 shares of Common Stock outstanding as of April 30, 1999 as reported in the Fund's Semi-Annual Report to the SEC on Form N-30D for the six months ended April 30, 1999). In the aggregate, all persons named in Item 2 and Annex A to the Schedule 13D as originally filed on April 1, 1999, which is incorporated herein by reference, beneficially own 2,580,586 shares of Common Stock, which represents approximately 15.0% of the outstanding shares of Common Stock. (b) Each of Laurence Freedman, Brian Sherman and Richard Strickler owns 4,000, 4,000 and 624 shares of Common Stock, respectively, with sole voting and dispositive power for all such shares. Messrs. Freedman and Sherman each share voting and dispositive power 6 7 Page 7 of 9 CUSIP No. 318652104 13D with each of EquitiLink U.S.A., EIML and EquitiLink Limited, with respect to 1,624,627, 48,885 and 898,450 shares of Common Stock, respectively. (c) During the past sixty days (other than as reported in Amendments No. 4 and 5 to the Schedule 13D of the Reporting Persons filed on October 21, 1999 and November 4, 1999, respectively), EquitiLink Limited has purchased a total of 173,750 shares of Common Stock in open-market transactions on the American Stock Exchange, as set forth below:
Date Number of Shares Price per Share ---- ---------------- --------------- November 3 1999 40,000 $7.7656 November 8, 1999 12,500 $7.6275 November 9, 1999 1,800 $7.8125 November 10, 1999 2,000 $7.8125 November 15, 1999 41,900 $7.9655 November 16, 1999 1,700 $7.9375 November 17, 1999 16,600 $7.9375 November 18, 1999 2,300 $7.9375 November 19, 1999 1,100 $7.9375 November 22, 1999 10,200 $7.9877 November 24, 1999 2,350 $7.9375 November 30, 1999 10,000 $7.6875 December 1, 1999 7,400 $7.7483 December 2, 1999 2,000 $7.7483 December 3, 1999 8,100 $7.831 December 6, 1999 2,300 $7.750 December 7, 1999 11,500 $7.750
7 8 Page 8 of 9 CUSIP No. 318652104 13D (d) Not applicable. (e) Not applicable. 8 9 Page 9 of 9 CUSIP No. 318652104 13D SIGNATURE After reasonable inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and belief, I certify that the information set forth in this statement with respect to the undersigned is true, complete and correct. Date: December 8, 1999 Laurence Freedman /s/ Laurence Freedman ---------------------------------- Brian Sherman /s/ Brian Sherman ---------------------------------- EQUITILINK LIMITED By: /s/ Barry Sechos --------------------------- Name: Barry Sechos Title: Director EQUITILINK U.S.A., INC. By: /s/ Richard P. Strickler --------------------------- Name: Richard P. Strickler Title: Managing Director -----END PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----