-----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, OTBUvEy0qkiyM4YoE/7T24E6RjUeeGYxUHFN8deM2iwkd13xNgTnTYS3cxuiSU7E b6kw/r1xZ7cq1uidRxFTAw== 0000732812-98-000236.txt : 19980212 0000732812-98-000236.hdr.sgml : 19980212 ACCESSION NUMBER: 0000732812-98-000236 CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE: SC 13G PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT: 1 FILED AS OF DATE: 19980211 SROS: NONE GROUP MEMBERS: CAPITAL GROUP COMPANIES INC ET AL GROUP MEMBERS: CAPITAL GUARDIAN TRUST COMPANY SUBJECT COMPANY: COMPANY DATA: COMPANY CONFORMED NAME: TOPPS CO INC CENTRAL INDEX KEY: 0000812076 STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION: COMMERCIAL PRINTING [2750] IRS NUMBER: 112849283 STATE OF INCORPORATION: DE FISCAL YEAR END: 0228 FILING VALUES: FORM TYPE: SC 13G SEC ACT: SEC FILE NUMBER: 005-38528 FILM NUMBER: 98531225 BUSINESS ADDRESS: STREET 1: ONE WHITEHALL STREET CITY: NEW YORK STATE: NY ZIP: 10004-2109 BUSINESS PHONE: 2123760300 MAIL ADDRESS: STREET 1: ONE WHITEHALL ST STREET 2: ONE WHITEHALL ST CITY: NEW YORK STATE: NY ZIP: 10004 FILED BY: COMPANY DATA: COMPANY CONFORMED NAME: CAPITAL GROUP COMPANIES INC ET AL CENTRAL INDEX KEY: 0000732812 STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION: UNKNOWN SIC - 0000 [0000] STATE OF INCORPORATION: CA FISCAL YEAR END: 1231 FILING VALUES: FORM TYPE: SC 13G BUSINESS ADDRESS: STREET 1: 333 SO HOPE ST 52ND FL CITY: LOS ANGELES STATE: CA ZIP: 90071 BUSINESS PHONE: 2134869426 FORMER COMPANY: FORMER CONFORMED NAME: CAPITAL GROUP COMPANIES INC DATE OF NAME CHANGE: 19941104 FORMER COMPANY: FORMER CONFORMED NAME: CAPITAL GROUP INC DATE OF NAME CHANGE: 19930818 SC 13G 1 SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20594 SCHEDULE 13G Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (Amendment No. 4 )* The Topps Company, Inc. (Name of Issuer) Common Stock (Title of Class of Securities) 890786106 (CUSIP Number) Check the following box if a fee is being paid with this statement [ ]. (A fee is not required only if the filing person: (1) has a previous statement on file reporting beneficial ownership of more than five percent of the class of securities described in Item 1: and (2) has filed no amendment subsequent thereto reporting beneficial ownership of five percent or less of such class.) (See Rule 13d-7). *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 the disclosures provided in a prior cover page. The information required in the remainder of this cover page shall not be deemed to be "filed" for the purpose 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). 1 NAME OF REPORTING PERSON S.S. OR I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON The Capital Group Companies, Inc. 86-0206507 2 CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP* (a) (b) 3 SEC USE ONLY 4 CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION Delaware 5 SOLE VOTING POWER 5,085,300 6 SHARED VOTING POWER NUMBER OF SHARES NONE BENEFICIALL Y OWNED BY 7 SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER EACH REPORTING 6,165,300 PERSON WITH 8 SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER NONE 9 AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON 6,165,300 Beneficial ownership disclaimed pursuant to Rule 13d-4 10 CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES* 11 PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW 9 13.3% 12 TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON* HC * SEE INSTRUCTION BEFORE FILLING OUT! 1 NAME OF REPORTING PERSON S.S. OR I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON Capital Guardian Trust Company 95-2553868 2 CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP* (a) (b) 3 SEC USE ONLY 4 CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION California 5 SOLE VOTING POWER 4,838,200 6 SHARED VOTING POWER NUMBER OF SHARES NONE BENEFICIALL Y OWNED BY 7 SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER EACH REPORTING 5,918,200 PERSON WITH 8 SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER NONE 9 AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON 5,918,200 Beneficial ownership disclaimed pursuant to Rule 13d-4 10 CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES* 11 PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW 9 12.8% 12 TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON* BK * SEE INSTRUCTION BEFORE FILLING OUT! SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, DC 20549 Schedule 13G Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 Amendment No. 4 Item 1(a) Name of Issuer: The Topps Company, Inc. Item 1(b) Address of Issuer's Principal Executive Offices: One Whitehall Street New York, NY 10004 Item 2(a) Name of Person(s) Filing: The Capital Group Companies, Inc., Capital Guardian Trust Company Item 2(b) Address of Principal Business Office: 333 South Hope Street Los Angeles, CA 90071 Item 2(c) Citizenship: N/A Item 2(d) Title of Class of Securities: Common Stock Item 2(e) CUSIP Number: 890786106 Item 3 The person(s) filing is(are): (b) [X] Bank as defined in Section 3(a)(6) of the Act. (g) [X] Parent Holding Company in accordance with Section 240.13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(G). Item 4 Ownership The Capital Group Companies, Inc. is the parent holding company of a group of investment management companies that hold investment power and, in some cases, voting power over the securities reported in this Schedule 13G. The investment management companies, which include a "bank" as defined in Section 3(a)6 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "Act") and several investment advisers registered under Section 203 of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, provide investment advisory and management services for their respective clients which include registered investment companies and institutional accounts. The Capital Group Companies, Inc. does not have investment power or voting power over any of the securities reported herein; however, The Capital Group Companies, Inc. may be deemed to "beneficially own" such securities by virtue of Rule 13d-3 under the Act. Capital Guardian Trust Company, a bank as defined in Section 3(a)6 of the Act and a wholly owned subsidiary of The Capital Group Companies, Inc., is the beneficial owner of 5,918,200 shares or 12.8% of the 46,400,000 shares of Common Stock believed to be outstanding as a result of its serving as the investment manager of various institutional accounts. The remaining shares reported as being beneficially owned by The Capital Group Companies, Inc. are beneficially owned by other subsidiaries of The Capital Group Companies, Inc. listed under item 7, none of which by itself owns 5% or more of the outstanding securities. Item 5 Ownership of 5% or Less of a Class: [ ] Item 6 Ownership of More than 5% on Behalf of Another Person: N/A Item 7 Identification and Classification of the Subsidiary Which Acquired the Security Being Reported on By the Parent Holding Company 1. Capital Guardian Trust Company is a bank as defined in Section 3(a)(6) of the Act and a wholly owned subsidiary of The Capital Group Companies, Inc. 2. Capital International S.A. (CISA) does not fall within any of the categories described in Rule 13d-1-(b)(ii)(A-F) but its holdings of any reported securities come within the five percent limitation as set forth in a December 15, 1986 no- action letter from the Staff of the Securities and Exchange Commission to The Capital Group Companies, Inc. CISA is a wholly owned subsidiary of Capital Group International, Inc. which is a wholly owned subsidiary of The Capital Group Companies, Inc. Item 8 Identification and Classification of Members of the Group: N/A Item 9 Notice of Dissolution of the Group: N/A Item 10 Certification By signing below, I certify that, to the best of my knowledge and belief, the securities referred to above were acquired in the ordinary course of business and were not acquired for the purpose of and do not have the effect of changing or influencing the control of the issuer of such securities and were not acquired in connection with or as a participant in any transaction having such purpose or effect. Signature After reasonable inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and belief, I certify that the information set forth in this statement is true, complete and correct. Date: February 10, 1998 Signature: *Larry P. Clemmensen Name/Title: Larry P. Clemmensen, President The Capital Group Companies, Inc. Date: February 10, 1998 Signature: *David I. Fisher Name/Title: David I. Fisher, Vice Chairman Capital Guardian Trust Company *By James P. Ryan Attorney-in-fact Signed pursuant to a Power of Attorney dated December 4, 1997 included as an Exhibit to Schedule 13G filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission by The Capital Group Companies, Inc. on December 10, 1997 with respect to Viatel Inc. AGREEMENT Los Angeles, CA February 10, 1998 The Capital Group Companies, Inc. ("CGC") and Capital Guardian Trust Company ("CGTC") hereby agree to file a joint statement on Schedule 13G under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "Act") in connection with their beneficial ownership of Common Stock issued by The Topps Company, Inc. CGC and CGTC state that they are each entitled to individually use Schedule 13G pursuant to Rule 13d-1(c) of the Act. CGC and CGTC are each responsible for the timely filing of the statement and any amendments thereto, and for the completeness and accuracy of the information concerning each of them contained therein but are not responsible for the completeness or accuracy of the information concerning the others. THE CAPITAL GROUP COMPANIES, INC. BY: *Larry P. Clemmensen Larry P. Clemmensen, President The Capital Group Companies, Inc. CAPITAL GUARDIAN TRUST COMPANY BY: *David I. Fisher David I. Fisher, Vice Chairman Capital Guardian Trust Company *By James P. Ryan Attorney-in-fact Signed pursuant to a Power of Attorney dated December 4, 1997 included as an Exhibit to Schedule 13G filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission by The Capital Group Companies, Inc. on December 10, 1997 with respect to Viatel Inc. -----END PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----