- Filing of certain prospectuses and communications in connection with business combination transactions (425)
September 13 2010 - 8:17AM
Edgar (US Regulatory)
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 8-K
CURRENT
REPORT
Pursuant
to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Date
of report (Date of earliest event reported):
September 13,
2010
Aon Corporation
(Exact
Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)
Delaware
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1-7933
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36-3051915
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(State
or Other Jurisdiction
of Incorporation)
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(Commission
File Number)
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(IRS
Employer
Identification No.)
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200 East Randolph Street, Chicago, Illinois
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)
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60601
(Zip Code)
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Registrants
telephone number, including area code:
(312)
381-1000
Not Applicable
(Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)
Check the appropriate box
below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the
filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (
see
General Instruction A.2. below):
x
Written communications
pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)
o
Soliciting material pursuant
to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)
o
Pre-commencement
communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17
CFR 240.14d-2(b))
o
Pre-commencement
communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17
CFR 240.13e-4(c))
Item 8.01. Other Events.
As previously disclosed, on July 11,
2010, Aon Corporation, a Delaware corporation (Aon), entered into an
Agreement and Plan of Merger (the Merger Agreement) with Hewitt Associates, Inc.,
a Delaware corporation (Hewitt), Alps Merger Corp., a Delaware corporation
and wholly owned subsidiary of Aon, and Alps Merger LLC, a Delaware limited
liability company and wholly owned subsidiary of Aon (the Merger).
In connection with the
Merger, Aon and Russell P. Fradin, Hewitts current Chief Executive Officer,
have agreed to the key financial terms of an employment agreement to be entered
into that, when completed, will be contingent and will only become effective
upon consummation of the Merger (the Closing). The principal financial terms of the
employment agreement are set forth in a Summary of Key Financial Terms of
Employment by and between Aon and Mr. Fradin, dated September 13, 2010 (the Term Sheet). Mr. Fradin will serve as Chairman and Chief
Executive Officer of Aon Hewitt LLC reporting to Greg Case, Chief Executive
Officer of Aon. The term of the
employment agreement will be for five years from closing of the Merger. Mr. Fradins annual base salary will be
$1,000,000 and his target bonus amount will equal 150% of base salary (with a
maximum of 450%), which 150% will be the guaranteed minimum for the period
beginning at Closing and ending December 31, 2011. Mr. Fradin will also be awarded (1)
upon the Closing, approximately $2,000,000 in Aon restricted stock units, which
will vest over five years, (2) in March 2011, approximately
$2,000,000 in performance shares under the Aon Leadership Performance Program,
which will vest in March 2014, at an amount between 0-200% based on Aon
performance from 2011 through 2013, and (3) in March 2011,
approximately $2,000,000 in performance shares under a separate performance
plan for Aon Hewitt to be established after the Closing. Mr. Fradin will also be eligible for
benefits customarily available to Aons U.S.-based executives. The Term Sheet also contemplates reaching agreement
on restrictive covenants and termination severance provisions.
Mr. Fradin has agreed
to convert approximately $5,000,000 otherwise payable to him upon his departure
from Hewitt (or its successor) in a change-in-control transaction pursuant to
Hewitts Amended and Restated Change-in-Control Executive Severance Plan into
Aon restricted stock units, all of which will be distributed upon Mr. Fradins
termination of employment with Aon. In
addition, Mr. Fradin has agreed to retain at least until the end of 2011
(or earlier termination of employment) shares of Aon common stock or securities
exercisable for Aon common stock with an aggregate value (using Black-Scholes
methodology with regard to valuing stock options) of approximately $5,000,000,
which include approximately 230,000 options to purchase Hewitt common stock
that at Closing will automatically vest and become exercisable for Aon common
stock and restricted shares of Hewitt common stock valued at approximately
$500,000 that will vest at Closing, and future equity grants (net of any taxes
and exercise prices that are paid) until departure from Aon.
The foregoing summary of the
Term Sheet is qualified in its entirety by the terms and conditions of the Term
Sheet, which is filed as Exhibit 99.1 to this report and is incorporated
in this report by reference.
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On September 13, 2010,
Aon issued a press release regarding its agreement with Mr. Fradin. A copy of the press release is attached
hereto as Exhibit 99.2 and is incorporated in this report by reference.
Item 9.01.
Financial Statements and Exhibits.
(a)-(c)
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Not applicable.
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(d)
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Exhibits:
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99.1
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Summary of Key Financial
Arrangements between Aon Corporation and Russell P. Fradin, dated
September 13, 2010
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99.2
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Press release dated
September 13, 2010
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Safe Harbor Statement
This communication contains
certain statements related to future results, or states our intentions, beliefs
and expectations or predictions for the future which are forward-looking
statements as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform
Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks and
uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from either
historical or anticipated results depending on a variety of factors. Potential
factors that could impact results include: the possibility that the expected
efficiencies and cost savings from the proposed transaction will not be
realized, or will not be realized within the expected time period; the ability
to obtain governmental approvals of the merger on the proposed terms and
schedule contemplated by the parties; the failure of stockholders of Hewitt to
approve the proposal to adopt the merger agreement; the failure of the
stockholders of Aon to approve the proposal to approve the issuance of shares
of Aon common stock to Hewitt stockholders in the merger; the loss of key Aon
or Hewitt employees following the merger; the risk that the Aon and Hewitt
businesses will not be integrated successfully; disruption from the proposed
transaction making it more difficult to maintain business and operational
relationships with customers, partners and others; the possibility that the
proposed transaction does not close, including, but not limited to, due to the
failure to satisfy the closing conditions; general economic conditions in
different countries in which Aon and Hewitt do business around the world;
changes in global equity and fixed income markets that could affect the return
on invested assets; fluctuations in exchange and interest rates that could
impact revenue and expense; rating agency actions that could affect Aons
ability to borrow funds; changes in the funding status of Aons various defined
benefit pension plans and the impact of any increased pension funding resulting
from those changes; Aons ability to implement restructuring initiatives and
other initiatives intended to yield cost savings, and the ability to achieve
those cost savings; the impact on risk and insurance services commission
revenues of changes in the availability of, and the premium insurance carriers
charge for, insurance and reinsurance products, including the impact on premium
rates and market capacity attributable to catastrophic events; the outcome of
inquiries from regulators and investigations related to compliance with the
U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and non-U.S. anti-corruption laws; the
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impact of investigations
brought by U.S. state attorneys general, U.S. state insurance regulators, U.S.
federal prosecutors, U.S. federal regulators, and regulatory authorities in the
U.K. and other countries; the impact of class actions and individual lawsuits
including client class actions, securities class actions, derivative actions
and ERISA class actions; the cost of resolution of other contingent liabilities
and loss contingencies, including potential liabilities arising from error and
omissions claims against Aon or Hewitt; the extent to which Aon and Hewitt
retain existing clients and attract new businesses; the extent to which Aon and
Hewitt manage certain risks created in connection with the various services,
including fiduciary and advisory services, among others, that Aon and Hewitt
currently provide, or will provide in the future, to clients; the impact of,
and potential challenges in complying with, legislation and regulation in the
jurisdictions in which Aon and Hewitt operate, particularly given the global
scope of Aons and Hewitts businesses and the possibility of conflicting
regulatory requirements across jurisdictions in which Aon and Hewitt do
business; and the ability to realize the anticipated benefits to Aon of the
Benfield merger. Further information
concerning Aon, Hewitt, and their business, including factors that potentially
could materially affect Aons and Hewitts financial results, is contained in
Aons and Hewitts filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the SEC). See Aons and Hewitts Annual Reports on Form 10-K
and Annual Reports to Stockholders for the fiscal years ended December 31,
2009 and September 30, 2009, respectively, and other public filings with
the SEC for a further discussion of these and other risks and uncertainties
applicable to our businesses. Neither Aon nor Hewitt undertakes, and each of
them expressly disclaims, any duty to update any forward-looking statement
whether as a result of new information, future events or changes in their
respective expectations, except as required by law.
Additional Information
This communication does not
constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy our
securities or the solicitation of any vote or approval. This communication is being made in respect
of the proposed transaction involving Aon and Hewitt. In connection with the proposed merger, Aon
filed with the SEC a definitive joint proxy statement, which also constitutes a
prospectus of Aon. The joint proxy
statement/prospectus was mailed to Aon stockholders and Hewitt stockholders on
or about August 19, 2010. Before making any voting or investment decision,
investors and stockholders are urged to read carefully in their entirety the
definitive joint proxy statement/prospectus regarding the proposed transaction
and any other relevant documents filed by either Aon or Hewitt with the SEC
when they become available because they contain and will contain important
information about the proposed transaction. You may obtain copies of all documents filed
with the SEC regarding this transaction, free of charge, at the SECs website (
www.sec.gov
), by accessing Aons website
at
www.aon.com
under the heading Investor
Relations and then under the link SEC Filings and from Aon by directing a
request to Aon at Aon Corporation, 200 E. Randolph Street, Chicago, Illinois
60601, Attention: Investor Relations, and by accessing Hewitts website at
www.hewitt.com
under the heading Investor
Relations and then under the link Reports & SEC Filings and from
Hewitt by directing a request to Hewitt at Hewitt Associates, Inc., 100
Half Day Road, Lincolnshire, Illinois 60069, Attention: Investor
Relations.
Aon and Hewitt and their
respective directors and executive officers and certain other members of
management and employees may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation
of
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proxies in respect of the
proposed transaction. You can find information about Aons directors and
executive officers in its definitive proxy statement filed with the SEC on April 7,
2010. You can find information about Hewitts directors and executive officers
in its definitive proxy statement filed with the SEC on December 16, 2009.
Other information regarding the participants in the proxy solicitation and a
description of their direct and indirect interests, by security holdings or
otherwise, are contained in the definitive joint proxy statement/prospectus
filed by Aon with the SEC and will be contained in other relevant materials to
be filed by Aon or Hewitt with the SEC when they become available. You can
obtain free copies of these documents from Aon and Hewitt using the contact
information above.
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SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this
report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
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Aon
CORPORATION
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By:
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/s/ Jennifer L. Kraft
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Jennifer L. Kraft
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Vice
President and Secretary
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Date: September 13, 2010
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EXHIBIT INDEX
99.1
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Summary of Terms of
Employment by and between Aon Corporation and Russell P. Fradin, dated
September 13, 2010
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99.2
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Press release dated
September 13, 2010
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