SEC Company Response from Johnson Controls International plc (JCI) (CIK 0000833444) (JCI) — Jan 23, 2007
Johnson Controls International plc (JCI) (CIK 0000833444)
Date: Jan. 23, 2007 · CIK: 0000833444 · Accession: 0001104659-07-003982
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CORRESP 1 filename1.htm January 23, 2007 Mr. Russell Mancuso U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission Division of Corporation Finance 100 F Street, N.E. Washington, D.C. 20549 Mail Stop 6010 Re: Tyco International Ltd. Preliminary Proxy Statement — File No. 011-13836 On behalf of Tyco International Ltd. (the “Company” or “Tyco”), we submit this letter in response to the written comments (the “Comment Letter”) from the Staff of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Staff”) to the Company of January 19, 2007 concerning the Company’s Preliminary Proxy Statement on Schedule 14A originally filed on January 12, 2007 (the “Proxy Statement”). The numbered paragraphs below restate the numbered paragraphs in the Comment Letter, and the discussion set out below each such paragraph is the Company’s response to the Staff’s comments. 1. We note that on January 19, 2007, you filed a definitive proxy statement relating to matters that the shareholders will consider on the same date and at the same location that shareholders will consider the matters that are the subject of this preliminary proxy statement. We also note that both sets of proxy materials refer to the same record date. Please: · Provide us with your analysis as to whether the two Schedule 14As that you have filed can appropriately be considered to relate to separate meetings under the laws of the jurisdiction in which you are incorporated and under Exchange Act Rule 14a-6; cite with specificity all authority on which you rely; Response: As a Bermuda Chartered Company, Tyco is governed by the Bermuda Companies Act of 1981 (as amended) (the “Companies Act”). §71(1) provides “[a] meeting of members of a company shall be convened at least once in every calendar year; this meeting shall be referred to as the annual general meeting.” In addition §71(2) provides “[t]he directors may, whenever they think fit, convene a general meeting; all meetings other than annual general meetings shall be called special general meetings.” In addition, Article 18 of the Company’s Amended and Restated Bye-Laws provides “[s]pecial general meetings of shareholders, for any purpose or purposes, may be called by the Board of Directors” … and “[a]t a special general meeting of the shareholders, only such business shall be conducted as shall be specified in the notice of the meeting (or any supplement thereto) given by of at the direction of the Board of Directors.” Accordingly, both the Companies Act and the Company’s Amended and Restated Bye-Laws provide the authority for convening both the annual general meeting of shareholders and the special general meeting of shareholders to consider such business as may be properly brought before the meeting. In addition, we know of no rule or decision, including Exchange Act Rule 14a-6, which would prohibit or otherwise limit the Company’s ability to hold two separate shareholder meetings on the same day. · Tell us whether you are sending separate proxy statements and proxy cards for the matters addressed in the separate Schedule 14As; Response: The Company will distribute separate proxy statements and proxy cards to shareholders for the matters addressed in the separate proxy statements on Schedule 14A. · Tell us whether the proxy materials in the separate Schedule 14As will be sent to shareholders in different envelopes. If you are using different envelopes, please tell us how you have ensured that both record holders and beneficial owners of your stock will receive the separate proxy material in separate envelopes; and Response: We are mailing proxy materials for each meeting in separate envelopes. For beneficial owners, the materials for the annual general meeting will be mailed in a blue shrink wrapped envelope that contains the annual meeting’s proxy statement and proxy card, along with the Company’s annual report on Form 10-K and report to shareholders. The materials for the special general meeting will be mailed in a white paper envelope that contains only the special meeting’s proxy statement and proxy card. Custom printing of the face of the white envelope states “Tyco Special Meeting Materials Enclosed”. For record owners, the materials for the annual general meeting will be mailed in a white envelope that contains the annual meeting’s proxy statement and proxy card, along with the Company’s annual report on Form 10-K and report to shareholders. Custom printing on the face of the white envelope states “IMPORTANT: Annual General Meeting Material Enclosed”. The materials for the special general meeting will be mailed in a white paper envelope that contains only the special meeting’s proxy statement and proxy card. Custom printing of the face of the white envelope states “IMPORTANT: Special General Meeting Material Enclosed”. Each beneficial owner and each record owner will receive both mailings directly from the print vendor or transfer agent. · Tell us how you have ensured that any use of separate proxy material will not be misleading to shareholders. 2 Response: In addition to the distinguishing features discussed above, each meeting’s proxy cards are color coded. The annual general meeting proxy card is white and the special general meeting proxy card is blue. Each mailing will contain a letter from the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer that notifies shareholders that the mailing contains the respective annual meeting or special meeting proxy statement and proxy card, advises shareholders that the mailing contains a corresponding white or blue proxy card for either the annual general meeting or the special general meeting and tells shareholders that they will be receiving a second mailing with the proxy statement and proxy card. Each letter from the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer states “[s]hareholders must vote both the White and Blue proxy cards in order to cast their votes at both the Annual General Meeting and the Special General Meeting.” (emphasis in original). Copies of the shareholder correspondence are attached for your review as Exhibit A. · Also, please disclose: The existence of the separate meetings on the same date; The reasons for having separate meetings; The existence of a separate proxy statement and proxy card addressing other issues that shareholders will consider on the same date; The need for shareholders to return separate proxy cards to vote on all issues that you are submitting to shareholders on the same date; and Whether shareholders can return the separate proxy card in one envelope. Response: We acknowledge the Staff’s comment and will include the following additional disclosure in our amended filing in the section titled “Question and Answers about Voting Your Common Shares: Q: Is another separate meeting of shareholders taking place on March 8, 2007? A: Yes. The Company’s Annual General Meeting of Shareholders takes place on March 8, 2007, starting at 9:00 a.m., Atlantic Time, at the Fairmont Hamilton Princess Hotel. The Special General Meeting to consider the proposal in this proxy statement will begin at 10:30 a.m., following the conclusion of the Annual General Meeting of Shareholders. Q: Why are you having a separate meeting to consider this proposal? A: The Board of Directors determined holding a separate Special General Meeting was appropriate to consider the proposal to authorize a reverse stock split and consequential 3 amendment to the Company’s Bye-Laws. By convening a Special General Meeting upon the conclusion of the Annual General Meeting, shareholders will be able to focus their discussion of the proposal in a forum that is dedicated to considering this proposal, without the interruption of other business of the Annual General Meeting. Q: Is there a separate proxy statement and proxy card that addresses issues the shareholders will consider at the Annual General Meeting of Shareholders? A: Yes. You should have already received a mailing containing a copy of the proxy statement and proxy card, along with the Company’s annual report on Form 10-K, which contains the proposals for shareholder consideration at the Annual General Meeting . Q: Do I have to return both the white proxy card for the Annual General Meeting and the blue proxy card for the Special General Meeting in order for my shares to be voted at both meetings? A: Yes. Shareholders must vote both the white proxy card for the Annual General Meeting, along with the blue proxy card accompanying the Special General Meeting proxy statement in order to cast their votes at both the Annual General Meeting and the Special General Meeting Q: Can I mail both proxy cards back in the same envelope? A: Yes, but for ease of administering the vote tally, we ask that you return each proxy card in the envelope supplied with the respective Annual General Meeting proxy statement or Special General Meeting proxy statement. 2. Please tell us why your proxy statement does not include the information required by Item 403 of Regulation S-K. Refer to Item 6(d) of Schedule 14A. Response: We acknowledge the Staff’s comment and will include the following information required by Item 403 of Regulation S-K in our amended filing: SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT The following table sets forth the number of shares of common stock beneficially owned as of October 2, 2006, by each current director, nominee for director, executive officer named in the Summary Compensation Table under “Executive Officer Compensation” below and the directors and executive officers of the Company as a group. 4 Beneficial Owner Title Number of Common Shares Beneficially Owned (1) Dennis C. Blair Director 38,951 (3)(4) Edward D. Breen Chairman and Chief Executive Officer 8,995,995 (2)(3)(4) Christopher J. Coughlin Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer 351,668 (2)(4) Brian Duperreault Director 16,978 (3) Bruce S. Gordon Director 40,951 (3)(4) Juergen W. Gromer President — Tyco Electronics 2,768,397 (2)(4) Rajiv L. Gupta Director 14,815 (3)(5) John A. Krol Lead Director 52,861 (3)(4) Thomas J. Lynch Chief Executive Officer — Tyco Electronics 572,834 (2)(4) William B. Lytton Executive Vice President and General Counsel 1,238,621 (2)(3)(4) H. Carl McCall Director 38,951 (3)(4) Mackey J. McDonald Director 40,451 (3)(4) Brendan R. O’Neill Director 38,951 (3)(4) William S. Stavropoulos Nominee for Director Sandra S. Wijnberg Director 38,951 (3)(4) Jerome B. York Director 73,951 (3)(4) All current directors and executive officers as a group (24 persons) 21,286,663 (6) (1) The number shown reflects the number of common shares owned beneficially as of October 2, 2006, based on information furnished by the persons named, public filings and Tyco’s records. A person is deemed to be a beneficial owner of common shares if he or she, either alone or with others, has the power to vote or to dispose of those common shares. Except as otherwise indicated below and subject to applicable community property laws, each owner has sole voting and sole investment authority with respect to the shares listed. To the extent indicated in the notes below, common shares beneficially owned by a person include common shares of which the person has the right to acquire beneficial ownership within 60 days after October 2, 2006. All amounts shown are 1.01% of the outstanding common shares. There were 2,097,015,887 Tyco common shares outstanding as of October 2, 2006. (2) Includes shares of restricted common stock as follows: Mr. Breen, 620,000; Mr. Coughlin, 215,000; Mr. Lynch, 223,000; and Mr. Lytton, 164,000. Also includes 184,000 restricted stock units held by Dr. Gromer. (3) Includes vested DSUs as follows: Admiral Blair, 18,951; Mr. Breen, 1,191,585; Mr. Duperreault, 15,092; Mr. Gordon, 18,951; Mr. Gupta, 10,815; Mr. Krol, 18,951; Mr. Lytton, 154,620; Mr. McCall, 18,951; Mr. McDonald, 18,951; Dr. O’Neill, 18,951; Ms. Wijnberg, 18,951; and Mr. York, 18,951. Distribution of the DSUs will occur upon (i) the termination of the individual from the Company or the Company’s Board of Directors (other than for cause) or (ii) a change in control of the Company. Upon such termination or change in control, as the case may be, the Company will issue the number of Tyco common shares equal to the aggregate number of vested DSUs credited to the individual, including DSUs received through the accrual of dividend equivalents. (4) Includes the maximum number of shares these individuals can acquire beneficial ownership upon the exercise of stock options that are currently vested or will vest before December 1, 2006 as follows: 5 Admiral Blair, 20,000; Mr. Breen, 7,150,000; Mr. Coughlin, 116,668; Mr. Gordon, 20,000; Dr. Gromer, 2,365,309; Mr. Krol, 24,110; Mr. Lynch, 343,334; Mr. Lytton, 915,001; Mr. McCall, 20,000; Mr. McDonald, 20,000; Dr. O’Neill, 20,000; Ms. Wijnberg, 20,000; and Mr. York, 20,000. (5) Includes 4,000 shares owned by Mr. Gupta’s spouse. (6) Includes 9,700 shares held indirectly as to which voting and/or investment power is shared with or controlled by another person and as to which voting beneficial ownership is not disclaimed. The following table sets forth the information indicated for persons or groups known to the Company to be beneficial owners of more than 5% of the outstanding common shares. Name and Address of Beneficial Owner Number of Common Shares Beneficially Owned Percentage of Common Stock Outstanding on September 29, 2006 Davis Selected Advisers LP (1) 2949 East Elvira Road, Suite 101 Tucson, Arizona 85706 123,511,482 5.89% Capital Research and Management Company (2) 333 South Hope Street Los Angeles, CA 90071 209,517,980 10.3% (1) The amount shown for the number of common shares over which Davis Selected Advisers LP (“Davis”) exercised investment discretion and the following information was provided by Davis pursuant to a Form 13F dated November 30, 2006, for the quarter ended September 30, 2006. Separately, Davis reported the number of common shares beneficially owned as of December 31, 2005, on its Schedule 13G/A dated February 15, 2006, as 5,793,774 representing 5.06% of the Company’s common shares outstanding. Because the number of shares reported on the Schedule 13G/A does not represent the reported percentage of ownership in the Company’s common stock, the company has applied Regulation S-K Item 403, Instruction 3, in determining the number of common shares beneficially owned. (2) The amount shown for the number of common shares beneficially owned and the following information was provided by Capital Research and Management Company pursuant to a Schedule 13G/A dated February 10, 2006, indicating beneficial ownership as of January 31, 2006. Capital Research and Management Company is an investment advisor registered under Section 203 of the Investment Advisor Act of 1940 and has indicated that it has sole dispositive power with respect to the 209,517,980 common shares as a result of acting as an investment advisor to various investment companies. The amount indicated includes 3,908,480 common shares resulting from the assumed conversion of $85,000,000 principal amount of the Tyco International Group S.A. 3.125% Series B Senior Convertible Debentures due 2023 held by Capital Research and Management Company. 3. We note your disclosure that “[t]he Board of Directors believes that it is in the best interests of Tyco and [its] shareholders to reduce the number of issu