-----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, WRrWAO52klFObqNwZc8vQu8KVNIHE/QP7fXa7D66EHjekTLoCnL7J7ej66vipX7r AMCb3YnqeSiZQyKw9rhutQ== /in/edgar/work/0000892712-00-000140/0000892712-00-000140.txt : 20001005 0000892712-00-000140.hdr.sgml : 20001005 ACCESSION NUMBER: 0000892712-00-000140 CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE: SC 14D9 PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT: 2 FILED AS OF DATE: 20001004 SUBJECT COMPANY: COMPANY DATA: COMPANY CONFORMED NAME: RAINFOREST CAFE INC CENTRAL INDEX KEY: 0000924919 STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION: [5812 ] IRS NUMBER: 411779527 STATE OF INCORPORATION: MN FISCAL YEAR END: 0103 FILING VALUES: FORM TYPE: SC 14D9 SEC ACT: SEC FILE NUMBER: 005-48211 FILM NUMBER: 734404 BUSINESS ADDRESS: STREET 1: 720 S FIFTH ST CITY: HOPKINS STATE: MN ZIP: 55343 BUSINESS PHONE: 6129455400 MAIL ADDRESS: STREET 1: 720 SOUTH FIFTH STREET CITY: HOPKINS STATE: MN ZIP: 55343 FILED BY: COMPANY DATA: COMPANY CONFORMED NAME: STATE OF WISCONSIN INVESTMENT BOARD CENTRAL INDEX KEY: 0000854157 STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION: [0000 ] IRS NUMBER: 396006423 STATE OF INCORPORATION: WI FISCAL YEAR END: 0630 FILING VALUES: FORM TYPE: SC 14D9 BUSINESS ADDRESS: STREET 1: 121 EAST WILSON STREET CITY: MADISON STATE: WI ZIP: 53707 BUSINESS PHONE: 6082662381 MAIL ADDRESS: STREET 1: P.O. BOX 7842 STREET 2: 121 EAST WILSON STREET CITY: MADISON STATE: WI ZIP: 53707 SC 14D9 1 0001.txt SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 Schedule 14D-9 Solicitation/Recommendation Statement under Section 14(d)(4) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (Amendment No. ___________) Rainforest Cafe, Inc. (Name of Subject Company) State of Wisconsin Investment Board (Names of Persons Filing Statement) Common Stock, No Par Value (Title of Class of Securities) 75086K104 (CUSIP Number of Class of Securities) Cynthia L. Richson State of Wisconsin Investment Board 121 East Wilson Street Madison, Wisconsin 53703 (608) 267-0882 (Name, address and telephone numbers of person authorized to receive notice and communications on behalf of the persons filing statement) With copies to: Scott A. Moehrke Godfrey & Kahn, S.C. 780 North Water Street Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202 (414) 273-3500 Check the box if the filing relates solely to preliminary communications made before the commencement of a tender offer. ITEM 1. SUBJECT COMPANY INFORMATION. The name of the subject company is Rainforest Cafe, Inc., a Minnesota corporation ("Rainforest"). The address of the principal executive offices of Rainforest is 720 South Fifth Street, Hopkins, Minnesota 55343. The telephone number of Rainforest at its principal executive offices is 612-945-5400. The title of the class of equity securities to which this Solicitation/Recommendation Statement on Schedule 14D-9 (this "Statement") relates is the Common Stock, no par value, of Rainforest and associated preferred share purchase rights issued pursuant to the Rights Agreement by and between Rainforest and Norwest Bank Minnesota, N.A., dated as of May 23, 2000, as amended by Amendment No. 1 to Rights Agreement, dated as of September 26, 2000 (Common Stock together with such associated rights are referred to as the "Shares"). As of September 26, 2000, there were 22,812,470 Shares issued and outstanding according to the Schedule 14D-9 filed by Rainforest on September 29, 2000. ITEM 2. IDENTITY AND BACKGROUND OF FILING PERSON. The filing person is State of Wisconsin Investment Board ("SWIB"). SWIB's address is 121 East Wilson Street, Madison, Wisconsin 53702 and its telephone number is 608-266-2381. This Statement relates to the tender offer by LSR Acquisition Corp., a Delaware corporation ("Purchaser"), and a wholly owned subsidiary of Landry's Seafood Restaurants, Inc., a Delaware corporation ("Landry's") to purchase all outstanding Shares at the purchase price of $3.25 per Share (the "Offer Price"), net to the tendering stockholder in cash, without interest, upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in Purchaser's Offer to Purchase, dated September 29, 2000, and in the related Letter of Transmittal (which, as they may be amended from time to time, constitute the "Offer"), each of which is being mailed to stockholders of Rainforest and is filed as an exhibit to the Tender Offer Statement on Schedule TO of Purchaser filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") on September 29, 2000. The Offer is being made pursuant to an Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of September 26, 2000 (the "Merger Agreement"), by and among Rainforest, Landry's and the Purchaser. The principal offices of Purchaser and Landry's are located at 1400 Post Oak Boulevard, Suite 1010, Houston, Texas 77056. ITEM 3. PAST CONTACTS, TRANSACTIONS, NEGOTIATIONS AND AGREEMENTS. Not Applicable. ITEM 4. THE SOLICITATION OR RECOMMENDATION. (a) Solicitation or Recommendation. SWIB is advising holders of the Shares to reject the Offer and/or to hold off tending Shares initially. SWIB has published a press release recommending that stockholders reject the Offer as inadequate. SWIB has also sent a letter to the Rainforest Board of Directors requesting a variety of actions and expressing its views with respect to the Offer. SWIB may send communications to other stockholders recommending against tendering in the Offer. (b) Reasons. SWIB believes that Rainforest is worth substantially more than the Offer Price. SWIB and other shareholders defeated an offer by Landry's to purchase Rainforest in April 2000 at a valuation of approximately $5.23 per share. Despite shareholder rejection of the earlier offer, Rainforest pursued this second transaction with Landry's at a significantly lower price. SWIB believes that by continuing to pursue a sale of Rainforest to Landry's, the Rainforest Board of Directors has not upheld its fiduciary duties to shareholders. Moreover, the Rainforest Rights Agreement and the Merger Agreement allow Landry's to proceed with the Offer but prohibit SWIB and other shareholders from taking collective action which SWIB believes may benefit Rainforest shareholders. (c) Intent to Tender. SWIB does not intend to tender any of the Shares it owns of record or beneficially to the Purchaser. ITEM 5. PERSONS/ASSETS, RETAINED, EMPLOYED, COMPENSATED OR USED. Not Applicable. ITEM 6. INTEREST IN SECURITIES OF THE SUBJECT COMPANY. Securities Transactions during Past 60 Days. (1) 1. SWIB 2. August 1, 2000 3. 2,500 shares 4. $2.25 per share 5. Normal buy on Nasdaq brokered through Instinet (2) 1. SWIB 2. August 1, 2000 3. 15,000 shares 4. $2.25 per share 5. Normal buy on Nasdaq brokered through Herzog (3) 1. SWIB 2. August 3, 2000 3. 125,000 shares 4. $2.1875 per share 5. Normal buy on Nasdaq brokered through Spear Leads (4) 1. SWIB 2. August 14, 2000 3. 20,000 shares 4. $2.00 per share 5. Normal buy on Nasdaq brokered through Knight Inc. (5) 1. SWIB 2. September 29, 2000 3. 105,000 shares 4. $3.0548 per share 5. Normal buy on Nasdaq brokered through Instinet (6) 1. SWIB 2. September 29, 2000 3. 95,000 shares 4. $3.0625 per share 5. Normal buy on Nasdaq brokered through Knight Inc. ITEM 7. PURPOSES OF THE TRANSACTION AND PLANS OR PROPOSALS. Not Applicable. ITEM 8. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. Not Applicable. ITEM 9. EXHIBITS. The following exhibits are filed with this Statement: Exhibit No. Description a.1 Press Release dated September 26, 2000 (incorporated by reference to SWIB's Preliminary Schedule 14D-9 filed with the SEC on October 2, 2000) a.2 Press Release dated October 3, 2000 SIGNATURE After reasonable inquiry and to the best of its knowledge and belief, the undersigned certifies that the information set forth in this statement is true, complete and correct. STATE OF WISCONSIN INVESTMENT BOARD By: /s/ Joseph E. Gorman --------------------------- Name: Joseph E. Gorman Title: Chief Investment Officer- Equities Dated: October 3, 2000 EX-99.A.2 2 0002.txt STATE OF WISCONSIN INVESTMENT BOARD For Immediate Release Telephone: 608-266-2381 Contact: John Nelson at 608-266-7232 SWIB CALLS FOR RAINFOREST CAFE BOARD TO REDEEM POISON PILL Madison, Wisc. (October 3, 2000) - The State of Wisconsin Investment Board (SWIB) today called for Rainforest Cafe to redeem or amend its poison pill to permit SWIB and other existing shareholders to take collective action. "SWIB is considering several specific steps to increase value for Rainforest shareholders. However, we are concerned that terms of the Landry's Seafood Restaurant merger agreement and Rainforest's existing poison pill might be interpreted to effectively preclude current shareholders from collectively taking such action," said John Nelson, SWIB's Small Company Stock Portfolio Investment Director. "SWIB still thinks the company is worth substantially more than the $3.25 per share offered by Landry's," added Nelson. "The offer is open through October 27, 2000, so I hope other shareholders will wait to see what happens before then and will not tender their shares now." Nelson said, "We were shocked to read that Rainforest's President was pursuing this second Landry's transaction in June, only two months after the shareholders had rejected a higher offer from Landry's," referring to disclosures made in the Landry's tender offer documents filed this week. "It looks as though the Rainforest board is more interested in selling the company to Landry's than in discharging its fiduciary responsibilities to shareholders or in finding a new CEO who is willing to take action to maximize the value of this company for its current shareholders." SWIB is the investment manager for the Wisconsin Retirement System (WRS). With over $64 billion in assets and 463,000 participants, the WRS is the ninth largest public pension fund in the U.S. --end-- -----END PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----