def14a
SCHEDULE 14A INFORMATION
PROXY STATEMENT PURSUANT TO SECTION 14(a) OF THE
SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
(AMENDMENT NO.___)
Filed by the Registrant
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Filed by a Party other than the Registrant o
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Preliminary Proxy Statement |
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Definitive Proxy Statement |
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Confidential, for Use of the Commission Only (as permitted by Rule 14a-6(e)(2)) |
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Definitive Additional Materials |
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Soliciting Material Pursuant to §240.14a-12 |
READING INTERNATIONAL, INC.
(Name of Registrant as Specified In Its Charter)
(Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if other than the Registrant)
Payment of Filing Fee (Check the appropriate box):
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Fee not required. |
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Fee
computed on table below per Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i)(4) and 0-11. |
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Title of each class of securities to which transaction applies:
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Aggregate number of securities to which transaction applies:
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(3)
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Per unit price or other underlying value of transaction
computed pursuant to Exchange Act Rule 0-11 (set forth the
amount on which the filing fee is calculated and state how it
was determined):
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(4)
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Proposed maximum aggregate value of transaction:
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Total fee paid:
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Fee paid previously with preliminary materials. |
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Check box if any part of the fee is offset as provided by Exchange Act Rule 0-11(a)(2) and identify the
filing for which the offsetting fee was paid previously. Identify the previous filing by registration
statement number, or the Form or Schedule and the date of its filing. |
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(1)
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Amount Previously Paid:
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(2)
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Form, Schedule or Registration Statement No.:
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(3)
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Filing Party:
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(4)
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Date Filed:
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READING INTERNATIONAL, INC.
500 Citadel Drive, Suite 300
Commerce, California 90040
NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS
TO BE HELD ON THURSDAY, MAY 18, 2006
TO THE STOCKHOLDERS:
The 2006 Annual Meeting of Stockholders (the Annual
Meeting) of Reading International, Inc., a Nevada
corporation, will be held at the Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles
at Beverly Hills, 300 South Doheny Drive, Los Angeles,
California, 90048, on Thursday, May 18, 2006, at
11:00 a.m., local time, subject to adjournment or
postponement, for the following purposes:
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To elect eight directors to the Board of Directors to serve
until the 2007 Annual Meeting of Stockholders; and |
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To transact such other business as may properly come before the
meeting, or any adjournment or postponement thereof. |
A copy of our Annual Report on
Form 10-K for our
fiscal year ended December 31, 2005 is enclosed. Only
stockholders of record of our Class B Voting common stock,
$0.01 par value (Class B Voting Common
Stock), at the close of business on April 13, 2006
(the Record Date) will be entitled to notice of and
to vote at the meeting and any adjournment or postponement
thereof. Prior to the voting thereof, a proxy may be revoked by
the person executing such proxy by:
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filing with our Corporate Secretary or Assistant Corporate
Secretary, prior to the commencement of the Annual Meeting,
either a written notice of revocation or a duly executed proxy
bearing a later date; or |
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attending and voting in person at the Annual Meeting. |
Holders of record of our Class A Nonvoting Common
Stock, $0.01 par value (Class A Nonvoting
Common Stock), are being sent notices of the meeting and
copies of our Annual Report, and are invited to attend our
Annual Meeting, but will have no voting rights.
We will make available a list of the stockholders entitled to
vote at the Annual Meeting for examination at our principal
executive offices located at 500 Citadel Dr.,
Suite 300, Commerce, California 90040, at least ten days
prior to the date of the Annual Meeting.
If you are a holder of our Class B Voting Common Stock,
and therefore entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting, you will
have received a proxy card enclosed with this notice.
Whether or not you expect to attend the Annual Meeting in
person, please fill in, sign, date and complete the enclosed
proxy card and return it promptly in the accompanying postage
prepaid, pre-addressed envelope, to assure that your shares will
be represented.
By Order of the Board of Directors
James J. Cotter
Chairman
This proxy statement is first being mailed to stockholders on or
about April 28, 2006.
PLEASE SIGN AND DATE THE ENCLOSED PROXY CARD AND MAIL IT
PROMPTLY IN THE ENCLOSED RETURN ENVELOPE TO ENSURE THAT YOUR
VOTES ARE COUNTED.
READING INTERNATIONAL, INC.
500 Citadel Drive, Suite 300
Commerce, California 90040
(2l3) 235-2240
PROXY STATEMENT
Annual Meeting of Stockholders
Thursday, May 18, 2006
INTRODUCTION
This Proxy Statement is furnished in connection with the
solicitation by the Board of Directors of Reading International,
Inc. (RDI and collectively with its consolidated
subsidiaries and corporate predecessors, the
Company, Reading, and we,
us, or our), of proxies for use at our
upcoming Annual Meeting of Stockholders (the Annual
Meeting) to be held on Thursday, May 18, 2006, at
11:00 a.m., at the Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at
Beverly Hills, 300 South Doheny Drive, Los Angeles,
California, 90048, and at any adjournment or postponement
thereof. Please sign, date and return the enclosed proxy card in
order to ensure that your shares are represented at our meeting.
At our Annual Meeting, you will be asked to elect eight
directors to the Board of Directors to serve until the 2007
Annual Meeting of Stockholders.
As of the Record Date, Mr. James J. Cotter, our Chairman
and Chief Executive Officer, owned directly or indirectly,
1,161,388 shares of our Class B Voting Common Stock.
Mr. Cotters holdings represent more than 71% of the
outstanding voting power of our Company. Accordingly,
Mr. Cotter has the power, acting alone and without the
support or approval of any of our other stockholders, to elect
the individuals currently nominated for election to our Board of
Directors at our upcoming Annual Meeting and to defeat the
election of any other individuals who might be nominated.
Mr. Cotter has advised us that he intends to vote in favor
of each of our Boards nominees for election at that
meeting.
-1-
VOTING AND PROXIES
Am I eligible to vote?
If you owned shares of Class B Voting Common Stock on
April 13, 2006, you are eligible to vote, and you should
have received a proxy card enclosed with this notice. If you did
not receive a proxy card, please contact our Assistant
Secretary, Kathryn Smith, at
(213) 235-2236.
What if I have the Class A stock?
Holders of record of our Class A Nonvoting Common Stock are
being sent this Proxy Statement for their information and are
invited to attend our Annual Meeting, but will have no voting
rights.
How many votes do I have?
With respect to each matter to be considered at the Annual
Meeting, you will have one vote for each share of Class B
Voting Common Stock you owned on April 13, 2006. On that
date, there were a total of 1,495,490 shares of
Class B Voting Common Stock outstanding.
How do I vote in person?
You may vote your shares in person by attending the 2006 Annual
Meeting. If you are not the record holder of your shares, please
refer to the discussion following the questions What if I
am not the record holder of my shares?
How do I vote by proxy?
To vote by proxy, you should complete, sign and date the
enclosed proxy card and return it promptly in the enclosed
postage-paid envelope.
To be able to vote your shares in accordance with your
instructions at the Annual Meeting, we must receive your proxy
as soon as possible, but in any event, prior to the shares being
voted at the meeting. Shares represented by properly executed
proxies received by us will be voted at the Annual Meeting in
the manner specified therein or, if no instructions are marked
on the enclosed proxy card, will be voted FOR each
of the nominees for director. Although we do not know of any
other matter to be acted upon at the Annual Meeting, shares
represented by valid proxies will be voted in accordance with
the judgment of the individuals indicated on the proxy card with
respect to any other matters that may properly come before the
Annual Meeting.
If I plan to attend the Annual Meeting, should I still
submit a proxy?
Whether or not you plan to attend the Annual Meeting, we urge
you to submit a proxy. Execution of a proxy will not in any way
affect your right to attend the Annual Meeting and vote in
person.
What if I want to revoke my proxy?
You have the right to revoke your proxy at any time before it is
voted on your behalf by:
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filing with our Corporate Secretary, prior to the commencement
of the Annual Meeting, a duly executed instrument dated
subsequent to such proxy revoking the same; |
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submitting a duly executed proxy bearing a later date; or |
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attending the Annual Meeting and voting in person. |
What if I am not the record holder of my shares?
If your shares are held in the name of a brokerage firm, bank
nominee, or other institution, only it can give a proxy with
respect to your shares. You should receive a proxy card from
your bank or broker, which you must return in the envelope
provided in order to have your shares voted.
-2-
If you do not have record ownership of your shares and want to
vote in person at the 2006 Annual Meeting, you may obtain a
document called a legal proxy from the record holder
of your shares and bring it to the Annual Meeting in order to
vote in person.
Proxy Solicitation and Expenses
In addition to the solicitation by mail, our employees may
solicit proxies in person or by telephone but no additional
compensation will be paid to them for such services. We will
bear all costs of soliciting proxies on behalf of our Board of
Directors and will reimburse persons holding shares in their own
names or in the names of their nominees, but not owning such
shares beneficially, for the expenses of forwarding solicitation
materials to the beneficial owners.
The presence, in person or by proxy, of the holders of shares of
stock entitling them to cast a majority of the votes entitled to
be cast at our Annual Meeting will constitute a quorum.
Abstentions will be counted for purposes of determining the
presence of a quorum, as will broker non-votes, provided
authority is given to attend the meeting or to vote on any
matter to come before the meeting. Directors are elected by a
plurality vote, so abstentions and broker non-votes will not
affect the outcome of the election of directors.
-3-
ELECTION OF DIRECTORS
Beneficial Ownership of Securities
The following table sets forth the shares of common stock
beneficially owned as of the Record Date, for:
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each of the directors standing for election and nominees; |
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each person known to us to be the beneficial owner of more than
5% of the Common Stock; and |
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all directors and executive officers as a group. |
Except as noted, the indicated beneficial owner of the shares
has sole voting power and sole investment power.
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Amount and Nature of Beneficial Ownership(1) | |
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Class A Nonvoting | |
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Class B Voting | |
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Name and Address of |
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Percentage | |
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Percentage | |
Beneficial Owner |
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of Stock | |
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of Stock | |
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James J. Cotter (2)(3)
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5,006,785 |
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23 |
.9% |
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1,161,388 |
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71.1 |
% |
Eric Barr (2)(4)
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20,000 |
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* |
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James J. Cotter, Jr. (2)(3)(4)
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214,569 |
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1 |
.0% |
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Margaret Cotter (2)(3)(4)
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219,207 |
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.0% |
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35,100 |
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2.3 |
% |
William D. Gould (4)
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57,340 |
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Edward L. Kane (4)
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20,500 |
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100 |
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Gerard P. Laheney (2)(4)
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20,000 |
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Alfred Villaseñor, Jr. (2)(4)
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20,000 |
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* |
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Pacific Assets Management LLC/
JMG Triton Offshore Fund Ltd (5) |
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N/A |
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N/A |
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133,043 |
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8.9 |
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1999 Avenue of the Stars, #2530
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Los Angeles, CA 90067
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Lawndale Capital Management/
Diamond A Partners LP/
Andrew E. Shapiro (6) |
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N/A |
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N/A |
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132,380 |
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8.9 |
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591 Redwood Highway #2435
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Mill Valley, CA 94941
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Dimensional Fund Advisors (7)
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N/A |
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N/A |
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59,740 |
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4.0 |
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1299 Ocean Avenue,
11th Floor
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Santa Monica, CA 90401
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All Directors and Executive Officers as a Group (13 persons)
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6,084,250 |
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28 |
.5% |
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1,209,088 |
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71.9 |
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(1) |
Beneficial ownership is based on 20,918,505 shares of
Class A Nonvoting Common Stock and 1,495,490 shares of
Class B Voting Common Stock outstanding adjusted for
options potentially exercised as of the Record Date. Disclosure
as to Class A Nonvoting Common Stock ownership is made only
with respect to Directors and Executive Officers. |
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500 Citadel Drive, Suite 300, Commerce, California 90040. |
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Mr. Cotter owns directly or indirectly through wholly owned
entities, 3,441,003 shares of Class A Nonvoting Common
Stock (inclusive of 29,730 shares held in
Mr. Cotters profit sharing plan) and
1,023,888 shares of Class B Voting Common Stock.
Mr. Cotter has currently exercisable stock options to
acquire 137,500 shares of Class B Voting Common Stock.
Mr. Cotter is also considered the beneficial owner of
1,565,782 shares of Class A Nonvoting Common Stock
owned by Hecco Ventures, a general partnership (HV).
Mr. Cotter has voting and investment power with respect to
these shares and is the general partner of James J. Cotter Ltd.,
the general partner of HV. Mr. James J. |
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Cotter, Jr. and Ms. Margaret Cotter are
Mr. Cotters son and daughter, and they serve on the
Board of Directors. Each has options to acquire
20,000 shares of Class A Nonvoting Common Stock which
they received at the time they became board members.
Additionally, Mr. James J. Cotter Jr. owns
194,569 shares of Class A Nonvoting Common Stock and
Ms. Margaret Cotter currently owns 199,207 shares of
Class A Nonvoting Common Stock and holds exercisable
options to acquire 35,100 shares of Class B Voting
Common Stock. Ms. Ellen Cotter is the daughter of
Mr. Cotter, the sister of Mr. Cotter, Jr., and
Ms. Margaret Cotter. Ms. Ellen Cotter is the Chief
Operating Officer of our domestic cinemas. She owns
194,569 shares of Class A Nonvoting Common Stock and
currently holds exercisable options to acquire
75,000 shares of Class A Nonvoting Common Stock and
12,500 shares of Class B Voting Common Stock.
Mr. James J. Cotter, Jr., Ms. Ellen Cotter, and
Ms. Margaret Cotter are the sole limited partners of the
James J. Cotter Ltd. |
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Includes 20,000 shares of Class A Nonvoting Common
Stock for each of the directors which may be acquired through
the exercise of currently exercisable stock options. |
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(5) |
Based on
Schedule 13-G
filed March 24, 2005 for Class B Voting Common Stock.
Pacific Asset Management LLC (Pacific) does not hold
the securities as part of a group. However, Pacific serves as
the investment manager to the direct beneficial owner, JMG
Triton Offshore Fund, Ltd. and has the power to determine
whether or when the securities will be sold. |
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(6) |
Based on
Schedule 13-D
filed August 15, 2005 for Class B Voting Common Stock,
which includes shares which are owned of record by Diamond A
Partners, L.P. (DAP) and by Diamond A Investors L.P.
(DAI) over which Lawndale Capital Management, Inc.
(LCM) and Mr. Andrew E. Shapiro have shared
voting and dispositive power. According to filings with the SEC,
Lawndale Capital Management, Inc. is the investment advisor to
DAP and DAI, which are investment limited partnerships and
Mr. Shapiro is the sole manager of LCM. |
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(7) |
Based on
Schedule 13-G
filed February 6, 2004. |
Nominees for Election
Eight directors are to be elected at our Annual Meeting to serve
until the next annual meeting of stockholders to be held in 2007
or until their successors are elected and qualified. Unless
otherwise instructed, the proxy holders will vote the proxies
received by us for the election of the nominees below, all of
whom are currently our directors. The eight nominees for
election to the Board of Directors who receive the greatest
number of votes cast for the election of directors by the shares
present and entitled to vote will be elected directors. If any
nominee becomes unavailable for any reason, it is intended that
the proxies will be voted for a substitute nominee designated by
the Board of Directors. We have no reason to believe the
nominees named will be unable to serve if elected.
The names of the nominees for director, together with certain
information regarding them, are as follows:
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Name |
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Age |
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Position |
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James J. Cotter
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68 |
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Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer (1) |
Eric Barr
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59 |
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Director (2) |
James J. Cotter, Jr.
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36 |
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Director |
Margaret Cotter
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38 |
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Director |
William D. Gould
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67 |
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Director (3) |
Edward L. Kane
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68 |
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Director (2) |
Gerard P. Laheney
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68 |
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Director (1)(2)(3) |
Alfred Villaseñor, Jr.
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76 |
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Director (1)(3) |
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(1) |
Member of the Executive Committee. |
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(2) |
Member of the Audit and Conflicts Committee. |
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Member of the Compensation and Stock Option Committee. |
-5-
Mr. James J. Cotter has been our Chairman of the Board and
Chief Executive Officer for more than the past five years.
Mr. Cotter is the General Partner of James J. Cotter, Ltd.,
a general partner in Hecco Ventures which is involved in
investment activities, including being a major stockholder in
our Company. He is also a 50% owner of Sutton Hill Associates, a
general partnership engaged in cinema-related activities,
primarily with Reading International.
Mr. Eric Barr has been a director of our Company since
March 21, 2002. Mr. Barr is a resident of Brighton,
Victoria in Australia, with extensive knowledge of the
Australian business community. Prior to his appointment,
Mr. Barr retired in June 2001 from his position as audit
partner with PricewaterhouseCoopers LLC in Australia, after
having been with that firm for 36 years. Mr. Barr
serves as the Chairman of our Audit and Conflicts Committee.
Mr. James J. Cotter, Jr. has been a director of our
Company since March 21, 2002. He has been Chief Executive
Officer of Cecelia Packing Corporation (citrus packing and
marketing) since July 2004. Mr. Cotter, Jr. served as
a director to Cecelia Packing Corporation from February 1996 to
September 1997 and as a director of Gish Biomedical from
September 1999 to March 2002. He was an attorney in the law firm
of Winston & Strawn, specializing in corporate law,
from September 1997 to May 2004. Mr. Cotter, Jr. is
the son of James J. Cotter and the brother of Margaret Cotter
and Ellen Cotter. Mr. Cotter, Jr. is a limited partner
in James J. Cotter Ltd, which is a general partner of Hecco
Ventures and a beneficiary of the family trust that owns a 99%
membership interest in Cotter Associates, LLC.
Ms. Margaret Cotter has been a director of our Company
since September 27, 2002, and was a director of Craig
Corporation (CRG) from 1998 to September 26,
2002, when she joined our Board of Directors. Ms. Cotter is
also the owner and President of Off Broadway Investments, LLC, a
company that provides live theatre management services to our
live theaters. Pursuant to that management arrangement,
Ms. Cotter also serves as the President of Liberty
Theaters, the subsidiary through which we own our live theaters.
Ms. Cotter is also a theatrical producer who has produced
shows in Chicago and New York. Ms. Cotter served as the
Vice President of Union Square Management, Inc. (live theatre
management) from 1998 to 2000. Ms. Cotter is an officer of
the League of Off-Broadway Theaters and Producers and is a
member of the New York State Bar. From February 1994 until
September 1997, Ms. Cotter was an Assistant District
Attorney for Kings County in Brooklyn, New York.
Ms. Cotter graduated from Georgetown University Law Center
in 1993. She is the daughter of Mr. James J. Cotter and the
sister of Mr. James J. Cotter, Jr. and Ms. Ellen
Cotter. Ms. Cotter is a limited partner in James J. Cotter
Ltd., which is a general partner of HV and is a beneficiary of
the family trust that owns a 99% membership interest in Cotter
Associates, LLC.
Mr. William D. Gould has been a director of our Company
since October 15, 2004 and has been a member of the law
firm of Troy & Gould since 1986. Previously, he was a
partner of the law firm of OMelveny & Myers.
Mr. Gould was a director of CRG from 1985 until its
consolidation with Reading Entertainment, Inc. (REI)
and Citadel Holding Corporation (CHC) on
December 31, 2001. Following the consolidation, CHC was
renamed Reading International, Inc. We have from time to time
retained Troy & Gould for legal advice.
Mr. Edward L. Kane has been a director of our Company since
October 15, 2004. Mr. Kane has been President of High
Avenue Consulting, a healthcare consulting firm, since May 2000.
Mr. Kane is also Chairman of Kane/ Miller Book Publishers,
Inc., a publisher of childrens picture books, a position
he has held since January 2001. Mr. Kane was President of
Reading Company, the predecessor of REI, from December 1991 to
January 1993, serving as a director of REI until December 1999,
and President of CRG from January 1988 to January 1993, serving
as a director of CRG until 1996. From 1985 to 1991,
Mr. Kane served as a Director of CHC, also serving as
President from 1987 to 1988.
Mr. Gerard P. Laheney has been a director of our Company
since September 27, 2002, and was a director of CRG from
1990 to September 26, 2002, when he joined our Board of
Directors. Mr. Laheney served as a director of Reading
Company, the predecessor of REI, between November 1993 and June
1996. Mr. Laheney has been President of Aegis Investment
Management Company, an investment advisory firm specializing in
global investment portfolio management, since August 1993.
Mr. Laheney was a Vice President of Dean Witter Reynolds
from April 1990 to December 1993.
-6-
Mr. Alfred Villaseñor, Jr. has been a director of
our Company since 1987. He has also served as a director for
Fidelity Federal Savings and Loan. Mr. Villaseñor is
the President and owner of Unisure Insurance Services,
Incorporated, a corporation that has specialized in life,
business and group health insurance for over 35 years.
Mr. Villaseñor is a director of the John Gogian Family
Foundation and a director of Richstone Centers, a non-profit
organization.
Attendance at Board and Committee Meetings
During the year ended December 31, 2005, the Board of
Directors held 4 Board meetings. Each director attended at least
75% of the aggregate of the meetings of the Board of Directors
and the meetings of all committees on which he or she served,
during the period such individual served. The Audit and
Conflicts Committee held 7 meetings in 2005. The Stock Options
and Compensation Committee had 3 meetings during 2005. We do not
have a standing nominating committee. Our Board Committees are
discussed in greater detail under the caption Board
Committees, below.
Section 16(a) Beneficial Ownership Reporting
Compliance
Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act requires our officers and
directors and persons who own more than 10% of our Common Stock
to file reports of ownership and changes in ownership with the
SEC. The SEC rules also require such reporting persons to
furnish us with a copy of all Section 16(a) forms they file.
Based solely on a review of the copies of the forms which we
have received and written representations from certain reporting
persons, during 2005, the following Section 16(a) filings
were filed late:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Filer |
|
Form |
|
Date of Earliest Transaction |
|
Date Filed |
|
Ellen M. Cotter
|
|
5 |
|
12/25/2004 |
|
2/15/2005 |
Margaret Cotter
|
|
5 |
|
4/16/2003 |
|
2/15/2005 |
James J. Cotter, Jr.
|
|
5 |
|
12/25/2004 |
|
2/15/2005 |
Pacific Assets Management
LLC1
|
|
4 |
|
3/24/2005 |
|
4/29/2005 |
|
|
1 |
Filers of this report were Pacific Assets Management LLC, JMG
Triton Offshore Fund Ltd, Pacific Capital Management Inc,
Jonathan M. Glaser, Roger Richter, and Daniel Albert David. |
Indemnity Agreements
In 1990, our Board authorized us to enter into indemnity
agreements with our then current directors and officers. Since
that time, we have typically entered into indemnity agreements
with our directors and senior officers. In 2001, our
stockholders approved a new form of indemnity agreement, which
has been used since that date to memorialize our indemnity
obligations. Under these agreements, we, generally speaking,
have agreed to indemnify our directors and various of our senior
officers against all expenses, liabilities and losses incurred
in connection with any threatened, pending or contemplated
action, suit or proceeding, whether civil or criminal,
administrative or investigative, to which any such director or
officer is a party or is threatened to be made a party, in any
manner, based upon, arising from, relating to or by reason of
the fact that such individual is, was, shall be or has been a
director, officer employee, agent or fiduciary of our Company.
Each of our current directors and senior officers, as well as
certain of the directors and senior officers of our
subsidiaries, currently has the benefit of such indemnity
agreements.
Compensation of Directors
Directors who are not one of our officers or employees receive
an annual retainer of $25,000 for their services including
attendance at meetings and service on Board committees. Only the
Chairman of our Audit and Conflicts Committee receives
additional compensation for his services. The Chairman of our
Audit and Conflicts Committee received an annual retainer of
$27,000. Prior to becoming a salaried employee of our Company,
on January 1, 2005, the Chairman of the Board received
$195,000 annually, which was included as part of his $545,000
total annual compensation. In addition, upon joining the Board,
directors who are not one
-7-
of our officers or employees receive 20,000 immediately vested
options to purchase shares of our Class A Nonvoting Common
Stock at an exercise price equal to the market price of the
stock at the time of grant. Ms. Margaret Cotter has agreed
to serve as one of our directors without any additional
consideration other than her stock options.
Board Committees and Corporate Governance
Our Board of Directors has standing Executive, Audit and
Conflicts, and Compensation and Stock Options Committees. These
committees are discussed in greater detail below. Our Board of
Directors does not have a nominating committee. Typically,
nominations are suggested to our Board of Directors by our
Chairman and controlling stockholder, Mr. James J. Cotter.
Since Mr. Cotter owns a majority of our Class B Voting
Common Stock, our Board of Directors has determined that our
Company satisfies the criteria for a Controlled
Company under Section 801 of Part 8 of the
American Stock Exchange Company Guide. After reviewing the
benefits and detriments of taking advantage of the exceptions to
the Corporate Governance Rules set forth in Part 8, the
Board of Directors in 2004 unanimously determined to take
advantage of all of the exceptions from Part 8 afforded to
us as a Controlled Company under Section 801.
Among the exceptions afforded to Controlled Companies is an
exception from the requirement that we have an independent
nominating committee or independent nominating process. It was
noted by our Directors that the use of an independent nominating
committee or independent nominating process would be of limited
utility, in light of the fact that any nominee would need to be
acceptable to Mr. James J. Cotter as our controlling
stockholder and in light of the fact that under our governing
documents and applicable Nevada Law, Mr. Cotter, acting in
his capacity as a stockholder, can unilaterally nominate and
elect candidates to our Board of Directors at our annual meeting
or any other meeting where our directors are to be elected.
Mr. Cotter has advised our directors that he prefers to be
actively involved in the identification and selection of Board
nominees, and the he believes that it would be in the best
interests of our Company and stockholders if we continued to
treat the nomination process in the same way as in prior periods.
Our Board of Directors does not have a formal written policy
with respect to the consideration of director candidates
recommended by our stockholders since, in the view of our Board,
there has been no compelling reason to put any formal policy in
place. No stockholder has, in more than the past ten years, made
any proposal or recommendation to the Board as to potential
nominees, nor has Mr. Cotter ever proposed, in the time he
has been our principal or controlling stockholder, any nominee
that our remaining directors have found to be unacceptable.
Furthermore, neither our governing documents nor applicable
Nevada law place any restriction on the nomination of candidates
for election to our Board of Directors directly by our
stockholders. Accordingly, our Directors are currently of the
view that in light of (i) the fact that we are a
Controlled Company under applicable American Stock
Exchange criteria and exempted from the American Stock Exchange
requirements for an independent nominating process, and
(ii) the fact that neither our governing documents nor
Nevada law place any limitation upon the direct nomination of
director candidates by our stockholders, that the current system
suitably addresses the needs of our Company and our stockholders
and that little if anything would be gained by adopting a formal
policy with respect to such matters at this time.
Our Board of Directors will, as it has traditionally advised our
stockholders in our proxy materials each year, consider
nominations from our stockholders, provided written notice is
delivered to our Secretary at our principal executive offices
not less than 120 days prior to the first anniversary of
the immediately preceding annual meeting of our stockholders at
which directors are elected, or such earlier date as may be
reasonable in the event that our annual stockholders meeting is
moved forward. Such written notice must set forth the name, age,
address and principal occupation or employment of such nominee,
the number of shares of our common stock beneficially owned by
such nominee and such other information as is required by the
proxy rules of the SEC with respect to a nominee of our Board of
Directors.
Alternatively, under our governing documents and applicable
Nevada Law, nominations may be made directly by stockholders
from the floor of any meeting at which directors are to be
elected. See also, the material set forth below under the
caption Stockholder Proposals and Director
Nominations.
-8-
Our directors have not adopted any formal criteria with respect
to the qualifications required to be a director or the
particular skills that should be represented on our Board of
Directors, other than the need to have at least one Director and
member of our Audit and Compensation Committee who qualifies as
an audit committee financial expert, and has not
historically retained any third party to identify or evaluate or
to assist in identifying or evaluating potential nominees.
All of the current nominees were recommended to the Board by
Mr. Cotter. No other recommendations were received by us
with respect to possible nominees to our Board of Directors.
Executive Committee
We have a standing Executive Committee comprised of
Messrs. Cotter, Laheney and Villaseñor that is
authorized, to the fullest extent permitted by Nevada law, to
take action on matters between meetings of the full Board of
Directors. In recent years, this committee has not been used,
and with the exception of matters delegated to the Audit and
Conflicts Committee or the Compensation and Stock Options
Committee, all matters requiring Board approval have been
considered by the entire Board of Directors.
Audit and Conflicts Committee; Audit Committee
Report
Our Board of Directors maintains a standing Audit and Conflicts
Committee, referred to herein as the Audit Committee. The Audit
Committee operates under a Charter adopted by the Board of
Directors, a copy of which is on file with the Securities and
Exchange Commission. Our Board of Directors has determined that
the Audit Committee is comprised entirely of independent
directors, (as independence is defined in Sections 121(A)
and 803 of the American Stock Exchange Company Guide), and that
Mr. Barr, the Chairman of our Audit Committee, is qualified
as an Audit Committee Financial Expert. With respect to our
fiscal year ended December 31, 2005, our Audit and
Conflicts Committee comprised of Directors Barr, Kane and
Laheney.
Set forth below is the Audit Committee Report.
The following is the report of the Reading International, Inc.
(the Company, Reading, and
we, us, or our) Audit
Committee with respect to our audited financial statements for
the fiscal year ended December 31, 2005.
The purpose of the Audit Committee is to assist the Board in its
general oversight of our financial reporting, internal controls
and audit functions. The Audit Committee Charter describes in
greater detail the full responsibilities of the Committee. The
Audit Committee is comprised solely of independent directors as
defined by the listing standards of National Association of
Securities Dealers, Inc.
The Audit Committee has reviewed and discussed the consolidated
financial statements with management and Deloitte &
Touche, LLP, our independent auditors. Management is responsible
for the preparation, presentation and integrity of our financial
statements; accounting and financial reporting principles;
establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures
(as defined in Exchange Act
Rule 13a-15(e));
establishing and maintaining internal control over financial
reporting (as defined in Exchange Act
Rule 13a-15(f));
evaluating the effectiveness of disclosure controls and
procedures; evaluating the effectiveness of internal control
over financial reporting; and evaluating any change in internal
control over financial reporting that has materially affected,
or is reasonably likely to materially affect, internal control
over financial reporting. Deloitte & Touche, LLP is
responsible for performing an independent audit of the
consolidated financial statements and expressing an opinion on
the conformity of those financial statements with accounting
principles generally accepted in the United States of America,
as well as expressing an opinion on (i) managements
assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over
financial reporting and (ii) the effectiveness of internal
control over financial reporting.
-9-
During the course of fiscal 2005, we continued our compliance
work to document, test and evaluate our Companys system of
internal control over financial reporting in accordance with
Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and related
regulations. At the conclusion of the process, management
provided the Committee with and the Committee reviewed a report
on the effectiveness of our internal controls over financial
reporting. The Committee also reviewed the report of management
contained in our Annual Report on
Form 10-K for the
fiscal year ended December 31, 2005 filed with the SEC, as
well as Deloitte & Touche, LLPs Report of
Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm included in our
Annual Report on
Form 10-K related
to its audit of (i) the consolidated financial statements
and financial statement schedule, (ii) managements
assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over
financial reporting and (iii) the effectiveness of internal
control over financial reporting. The Committee continues to
oversee our efforts related to our internal control over
financial reporting and preparations for the evaluation in
fiscal 2006.
The Audit Committee has discussed with Deloitte &
Touche, LLP the matters required to be discussed by Statement on
Auditing Standards No. 61, as amended, Communication
with Audit Committees and PCAOB Auditing Standard
No. 2, An Audit of Internal Control Over Financial
Reporting Performed in Conjunction with an Audit of Financial
Statements. In addition, Deloitte & Touche, LLP
has provided the Audit Committee with the written disclosures
and the letter required by the Independence Standards Board
Standard No. 1, as amended, Independence Discussions
with Audit Committees, and the Audit Committee has
discussed with Deloitte & Touche, LLP their firms
independence.
Based on their review of the consolidated financial statements
and discussions with and representations from management and
Deloitte & Touche, LLP referred to above, the Audit
Committee recommended to the Board of Directors that the audited
financial statements be included in our Annual Report on
Form 10-K for
fiscal year 2005, for filing with the Securities and Exchange
Commission.
Eric Barr, Chairman
Edward L. Kane
Gerard P. Laheney
Compensation and Stock Options Committee
The Board of Directors of our Company has a standing
Compensation and Stock Options Committee, which we refer to as
our Compensation Committee, comprised of two or more of our
independent directors. The current Compensation Committee
members are Alfred Villaseñor, Jr., William D. Gould
and Gerard P. Laheney. Mr. Villaseñor serves as
Chairman of the Compensation Committee.
The Compensation Committee evaluates and makes recommendations
to the full Board of Directors regarding the compensation of our
Chief Executive Officer, James J. Cotter, and that of any Cotter
family members and generally oversees our executive compensation
programs. Set forth below is the Compensation Committees
Report on Executive Compensation for 2005. The following
Report does not constitute soliciting material and should not be
considered or deemed filed, or incorporated by reference into
any filing, by the Company with the Securities and Exchange
Commission, except to the extent the Company specifically
incorporates the Report by reference.
Report on Executive Compensation
Policy
Our Companys executive compensation policies and programs
are designed to attract and retain talented executives and to
give them an appropriate incentive to achieve the Companys
business objectives that the Board of Directors believes will
enhance stockholder value. In general, the Compensation
Committee does not measure annual cash compensation, including
salaries and bonuses, against any peer group of companies.
Generally speaking, our Companys compensation policies
also are not related specifically to the Companys
performance. As described below, our Companys performance
is just one factor considered by the Compensation Committee and
our Board of Directors in awarding discretionary compensation.
-10-
Base
Annual Salaries
Except for Mr. Cotter and Mr. Matyczynski, the
Companys Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial
Officer, respectively, none of the Companys executive
officers has an employment agreement with the Company. Except
for Mr. Cotter, each of the executive officers receives a
base annual salary that was originally established by
negotiation between the Company and the particular executive
when he or she joined the Company. These base salaries are
adjusted periodically based upon the recommendations of
Mr. Cotter and other senior management and other factors,
including competitive factors. Effective July 16, 2005, the
base salary of Mr. Matyczynski was increased from $215,000
to $240,000. Mr. Cotters base salary is discussed
below in this report.
Cash
Bonuses
We supplement the base salaries of Mr. Cotter and the
Companys other executive officers with periodic
discretionary cash bonuses in recognition of individual
performance and predicated on, among other things, the overall
financial performance of the Company. These bonuses are made in
recognition of individual contributions and are determined based
upon such factors as the level of the executives
responsibilities, the efficiency and effectiveness with which he
or she oversees the matters under his or her supervision and the
degree to which the officer has contributed to the
accomplishment of major tasks that advance the Companys
goals. No particular weighting is given by the Compensation
Committee to individual performance versus the achievement of
the Companys objectives. Ms. Ellen Cotter, our Chief
Operating Officer of our domestic cinema operations, was awarded
a $30,000 cash bonus relating to the 2005 domestic cinemas
performance. As of the date of this Report, no determination has
been made whether to award any further discretionary bonuses to
executives for 2005.
Stock-Based Awards
Historically, we have also relied upon periodic stock option
grants to link the executives long-term compensation to
appreciation in stockholder value over time. In connection with
the change in financial accounting rules requiring the expensing
of stock options, commencing in 2005 with the recommended award
to Mr. Cotter discussed below, we determined to utilize
awards of restricted stock in lieu of stock options where
appropriate, because of the relative advantages to the recipient
of restricted stock as compared to stock options and the
elimination of the prior beneficial accounting treatment
accorded to stock options. We may nonetheless continue to grant
stock options from time to time. For 2005, we made no restricted
stock grants or awards of stock options to any executive
officers other than as described below with respect to
Mr. Cotter. The Compensation Committee does not employ any
particular executive stock ownership guidelines.
Additional compensation in excess of base salary, whether in the
form of cash bonuses or stock awards, is awarded entirely on a
discretionary basis when the individual is deemed to have
contributed to the Company beyond the level reflected in the
individuals base salary.
Except in the case of Mr. Cotter and members of his family,
compensation decisions historically have been made by
Mr. Cotter, as Chief Executive Officer, subject to the
supervision of the Compensation Committee and the full Board of
Directors. Grants of stock options and awards of restricted
stock other than to Mr. Cotter and his family members,
typically are suggested by Mr. Cotter for the consideration
and approval by the Compensation Committee or the Compensation
Committees recommendation to the full Board of Directors.
All decisions regarding Mr. Cotters compensation and
all compensation paid to members of his family are made by the
full Board of Directors upon the advice of the Compensation
Committee.
Some of our Companys named executive officers other than
Mr. Cotter, have formal or informal understandings with our
Company under which they may be entitled to severance payments
(typically, six months base salary) under certain circumstances
in the event of termination of their employment. While no
formal, written agreement exists, Mr. Tompkins, the
Executive Vice President, Director-Business Affairs and Chief
Legal Officer of the Company, is entitled to two years
base salary (less $80,000) in the event of a change of control
of our Company.
-11-
Chief Executive Officers Compensation
Prior to 2005, Mr. Cotter served as Chief Executive Officer
of the Company in accordance with a long-standing consulting
arrangement between him and Craig Corporation, which was
consolidated with our Company in 2001, pursuant to which our
Company paid Mr. Cotter total cash compensation of $545,000
for 2004, which was unchanged from 2003.
The base-level cash compensation paid by the Company to
Mr. Cotter (taking into account amounts previously paid to
him by Reading Entertainment, Inc. and Craig Corporation prior
to their consolidation with the Company in 2001), had not been
increased for more than ten years prior to 2005. In 2005, the
Company retained Towers Perrin, executive compensation
consultants, to perform an analysis of chief executive
compensation among a peer group of companies. In consultation
with the Companys executives, including Mr. Cotter,
Towers Perrin identified a peer group of companies in the real
estate investment trust and cinema exhibition industries, the
two principal lines of business of the Company. The Compensation
Committees review of Mr. Cotters compensation
in light of this peer group indicated that Mr. Cotter was
under-compensated in relation to his peers during at least the
four years 2000 through 2004, based upon the Compensation
Committees judgment that Mr. Cotters total
annual compensation should fall within the
66th percentile
among the peer group. Based upon this finding, the Compensation
Committee recommended to the full Board of Directors that the
Company award Mr. Cotter a one-time bonus of
$1.1 million. The Board of Directors authorized this award
to Mr. Cotter in August 2005, subject to the mutual
agreement of Mr. Cotter and the Compensation Committee on
the form of the award. Mr. Cotter and the Company are
currently in continuing discussions as to the form of this
award, stock-based versus cash, but to date no agreement has
been reached in this regard. Subject to reaching an agreement on
the form of the award, this award is expected to be made in 2006.
The Compensation Committee also recommended to the
Companys Board of Directors that Mr. Cotter be
employed by the Company as the Chairman and Chief Executive
Officer for a base salary of $500,000 per year for each of
2005 and 2006, which has been approved by the Board and accepted
by Mr. Cotter. The Compensation Committee also recommended
that Mr. Cotter receive an annual cash bonus of $250,000
during each of 2005 and 2006 if specific goals are achieved with
respect to certain Company projects in which Mr. Cotter is
involved on a hands-on basis. The specific projects were agreed
upon between the Compensation Committee and Mr. Cotter in
consultation with other senior management of the Company and
Towers Perrin. On April 6, 2006, based upon the
confirmation that most, but not all, of the goals were achieved,
Mr. Cotter was awarded a $230,000 cash bonus for 2005. The
Compensation Committee further recommended Mr. Cotter for
an award of $250,000 of restricted shares of Class A
Nonvoting Common Stock of the Company as of the end of each of
2005 and 2006 so long as he is then still serving as Chairman
and Chief Executive Officer. Each annual award of restricted
shares is to vest in two annual installments of 50% each on the
first and second anniversaries of the award date and will be
subject to forfeiture by Mr. Cotter unless he remains
employed as Chief Executive Officer of the Company through such
dates.
The Company has entered into an employment contract with
Mr. Cotter for 2005 and 2006 that incorporates the final
compensation arrangements approved by the Board of Directors as
described above. Mr. Cotter is not entitled to any change
of control, retirement, severance or deferred compensation
benefits or any other employee benefits not shared by employees,
generally, other than as described in this Report.
Mr. Cotter is entitled to be reimbursed for
out-of-pocket business
expenses incurred by him on the same basis as other Company
employees, and our Company also pays the cost of leasing,
insurance and certain other costs of an automobile for
Mr. Cotters business and occasional personal use.
Mr. Cotter, who has a home in Laguna Beach, California, is
also permitted to make use of a Los Angeles condominium owned by
the Company when he is in Los Angeles, which is typically from
Monday through Thursday of most work weeks when he is not
traveling on Company business. This personal benefit is valued
based upon the ratable cost to our Company of renting the same
condominium. Also, when on business in New York City,
Mr. Cotter typically stays in an apartment he owns there,
and is reimbursed by the Company for each nights stay for
the approximate cost of a comparable hotel. For income tax
purposes, these personal benefits for 2005 were valued at a
total of approximately $19,000. Mr. Cotter receives no
other perks from the Company.
-12-
Mr. Cotter does not currently participate in any of the
Companys health or medical programs, although the Company
is paying for the cost of COBRA coverage for Mr. Cotter
relating to his prior employment by Pacific Theaters. The
Compensation Committee is considering the adoption of a
retirement plan for Mr. Cotter to be implemented commencing
in 2006.
Mr. Cotter was granted options to acquire
975,000 shares of Class A Nonvoting Common Stock on
July 11, 2002. On April 24, 2003, Mr. Cotter
surrendered 50,000 of these options previously granted to him,
so that they could be awarded to other officers of our Company.
In July 2005, Mr. Cotter exercised these options and we
issued 925,000 shares of Class A Nonvoting Common
Stock at an exercise price of $3.80 per share to him.
Pursuant to the terms of the stock option award, Mr. Cotter
paid the exercise price by surrendering 486,842 shares of
Class A Nonvoting Common Stock to us as treasury stock,
resulting in a net increase in the number of shares of
Class A Nonvoting Common Stock outstanding of
438,158 shares.
Stock
Option Grants and Restricted Stock Awards
Except as described above in this Report, no stock options or
other stock-based compensation was awarded to Mr. Cotter
for 2005.
Section 162(m)
Subject to an exception for performance-based
compensation, Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue
Code generally prohibits corporations from deducting for federal
income tax purposes annual compensation paid to any senior
executive officer to the extent that such annual compensation
exceeds $1 million. This law may affect the deductibility
of Mr. Cotters total compensation for 2006 in light
of the expected one-time award of $1.1 million of monetary
or stock-based compensation to Mr. Cotter. The Compensation
Committee and the Board of Directors consider the limits on
deductibility under Section 162(m) in establishing
executive compensation, but retain the discretion to authorize
the payment of compensation that exceeds the limit on
deductibility under this Section.
Conclusion
In the Compensation Committees view, the total
compensation of Mr. Cotter and other named executive
officers, in the aggregate, is reasonable and not excessive. The
Compensation Committees view is based upon, among other
considerations, the CEO competitive peer group analysis
performed by Towers Perrin.
Alfred Villaseñor, Jr.
William D. Gould
Gerard P. Laheney
Vote Required; Recommendation of the Board
The eight nominees receiving the greatest number of votes cast
at the Annual Meeting will be elected to the Board of Directors.
Mr. Cotter has advised us that he intends to vote the
1,023,888 shares of Class B Voting Common Stock under
his direct or indirect ownership in favor of each of our
nominees. Since this represents more than 66% of the outstanding
Class B Voting Common Stock, if Mr. Cotter votes these
shares as he has advised, then the nominees will be elected
whether or not they receive the votes of any other holders of
our voting stock.
THE BOARD RECOMMENDS A VOTE FOR EACH OF THE NOMINEES.
-13-
EXECUTIVE OFFICERS AND EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION
Management of Our Company
Executive Officers
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Name |
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Age |
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Title |
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Ellen M. Cotter
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40 |
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Chief Operating Officer Domestic Cinemas |
Brett Marsh
|
|
58 |
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Vice President Real Estate |
Andrzej Matyczynski
|
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53 |
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Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer |
Wayne Smith
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48 |
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Executive Director Australia and New Zealand |
Robert F. Smerling
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71 |
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President Domestic Cinemas |
S. Craig Tompkins
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55 |
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Executive Vice President, Director Business Affairs,
Chief Legal Officer and Secretary |
Ms. Ellen Cotter joined us in March 1998 and is the Chief
Operating Officer of our domestic cinema operations.
Ms. Cotter is a graduate of Smith College and holds a Juris
Doctorate from Georgetown Law School. Prior to her involvement
with our Company, Ms. Cotter spent four years in private
practice as a corporate attorney with the law firm of
White & Case in Manhattan. Ms. Cotter is the
daughter of James J. Cotter and the sister of James J.
Cotter, Jr. and Margaret Cotter, each of whom are directors
of our Company. Ms. Cotter is a limited partner in James J.
Cotter Ltd., which is a general partner of Hecco Ventures and is
a beneficiary of the family trust that owns a 99% membership
interest in Cotter Associates, LLC.
Mr. Marsh has been with our Company since 1993 and is
responsible for our real estate activities. Prior to joining us,
Mr. Marsh was the Senior Vice President of Burton Property
Trust, Inc., the U.S. real estate subsidiary of the Burton
Group PLC. In this position, Mr. Marsh was responsible for
the real estate portfolio of that company.
Mr. Matyczynski was named Chief Financial Officer and
Treasurer of our Company and CRG and the Chief Administrative
Officer of REI on November 18, 1999. Mr. Matyczynski
was named the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of REI
effective June 2, 2000. Prior to joining us,
Mr. Matyczynski held various positions over a twenty-year
period with Beckman Coulter in the U.S. and Europe. Beckman
Coulter is a leading provider of instrument systems and related
products that automate laboratory processes. His last position
at Beckman Coulter was that of Worldwide Director of Financial
Reporting and Accounting, as well as serving as a director for
certain Beckman Coulter subsidiaries.
Mr. Smith joined us in April 2004 as Executive Director of
Australia and New Zealand. He is effectively the senior
executive officer responsible for our operations in that
geographic area. Mr. Smith brings to Reading 20 years
of experience in cinema operations and property management
gained at Hoyts Cinema Limited, his last position there being
General Manager Property.
Mr. Smerling was appointed President of Citadel Cinemas,
Inc. effective September 1, 2000 following our acquisition
of the City Cinemas. Mr. Smerling also served as the
President and a director of REI. Mr. Smerling has served as
the senior executive officer responsible for our various
domestic and Puerto Rican exhibition subsidiaries since 1994.
Prior to joining us, Mr. Smerling was the President of
Loews Theater Management Corporation from May 1990 until
November 1993. Mr. Smerling also served as President and
Chief Executive Officer of City Cinemas Corporation, a motion
picture exhibitor located in New York City, from November 1993
to September 2000.
Mr. Tompkins is our Executive Vice President,
Director Business Affairs, Chief Legal Officer and
Corporate Secretary. Mr. Tompkins was a member of our Board
of Directors from 1993 to September 26, 2002, resigning
immediately prior to the election of Mr. Gerard P. Laheney
and Ms. Margaret Cotter in order to allow for a board
comprised of a majority of independent directors. For more than
the past five years, Mr. Tompkins has been the President
and a Director of CRG, the Vice Chairman of the Board of
Directors of REI and the Executive Vice President of our
Company. Prior to joining Reading, Mr. Tompkins was a
partner in the law firm of Gibson Dunn & Crutcher.
Mr. Tompkins is also a Director and the Chairman of the
-14-
Strategic Planning Committee for G&L Realty Corp (a New York
Stock Exchange listed real estate investment trust, specializing
in the development and ownership of health care properties), a
Managing Director of G&L Senior Care Properties LLC (a
private company specializing in the development, ownership and
operation of skilled nursing facilities). Mr. Tompkins was
a director of Fidelity Federal Bank, FSB (Fidelity),
where he served on the Audit and Compensation Committees, from
April 2000 until the sale of that institution effective
December 31, 2001.
Summary Compensation Table
The names of our executive officers are as listed below in the
summary compensation table that sets forth the compensation paid
by Reading for the years ended December 31, 2005, 2004 and
2003.
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Long Term | |
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|
|
|
Annual Compensation | |
|
Compensation | |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
Securities | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Other | |
|
Underlying | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Annual | |
|
Stock | |
|
All Other | |
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| |
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| |
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| |
|
Compensation | |
|
Options | |
|
Compensation | |
Name and Principal Position |
|
Year | |
|
Salary | |
|
Bonus | |
|
(1) | |
|
Granted | |
|
(7) | |
James J. Cotter (2)
|
|
|
2005 |
|
|
$ |
500,000 |
|
|
$ |
1,100,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Chairman of the Board,
|
|
|
2004 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
545,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
President and Chief
|
|
|
2003 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
545,000 |
|
|
|
925,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Executive Officer
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Brett Marsh (3)
|
|
|
2005 |
|
|
$ |
180,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
5,400 |
|
|
Vice President Real Estate
|
|
|
2004 |
|
|
$ |
180,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
6,300 |
|
|
|
|
2003 |
|
|
$ |
180,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Andrzej Matyczynski (3)
|
|
|
2005 |
|
|
$ |
224,000 |
|
|
$ |
50,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
6,150 |
|
|
Chief Financial Officer and
|
|
|
2004 |
|
|
$ |
201,000 |
|
|
$ |
50,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
7,000 |
|
|
|
Treasurer
|
|
|
2003 |
|
|
$ |
189,000 |
|
|
$ |
35,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Robert F. Smerling (4)
|
|
|
2005 |
|
|
$ |
350,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
1,500 |
|
|
President Domestic Cinema
|
|
|
2004 |
|
|
$ |
350,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
25,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Operations
|
|
|
2003 |
|
|
$ |
350,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Wayne Smith (5)
|
|
|
2005 |
|
|
$ |
176,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
38,000 |
|
|
Executive Director
|
|
|
2004 |
|
|
$ |
175,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
27,600 |
|
|
|
Australia and New Zealand
|
|
|
2003 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
S. Craig Tompkins (6)
|
|
|
2005 |
|
|
$ |
410,500 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
6,150 |
|
|
Executive Vice President,
|
|
|
2004 |
|
|
$ |
410,500 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
7,500 |
|
|
|
Director Business Affairs,
|
|
|
2003 |
|
|
$ |
410,500 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
41,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Chief Legal Officer and
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Secretary
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1) |
Excludes other compensation if the aggregate amount is less than
$50,000, or 10% of salary plus bonus, whichever is less. |
|
|
(2) |
As of January 1, 2005, Mr. Cotter was hired as one of
our employees with the title of Chairman and Chief Executive
Officer with an annual salary of $500,000 per year and an
annual performance bonus of up to $250,000 in cash and $250,000
of stock based compensation. Additionally, as discussed in last
years Proxy Statement in the Compensation Committee
Report, the boards Compensation Committee determined in
March 2005 that Mr. Cotter is entitled to a
$1.1 million bonus of stock based compensation for services
performed in prior years. Previously, in fiscal years 2004 and
2003, we paid Mr. Cotter a directors fees of $195,000
and an annual consulting fee of $350,000. We own a condominium
in a high-rise building located in West Hollywood, California,
which is used as an executive office, and which is personally
used by Mr. Cotter. Our incremental cost for
Mr. Cotters personal use of these facilities does not
exceed $50,000 or 10% of his current salary or his previous
annual consulting fees and as such, the cost has not been
included as compensation in the table, but is included in his
yearly reported compensation on IRS Form 1099, or Form W2
since January 1, 2005. Mr. Cotter was granted options
to acquire 975,000 shares of |
-15-
|
|
|
|
|
Class A Nonvoting Common Stock on July 11, 2002. On
April 24, 2003, Mr. Cotter surrendered 50,000 of these
options previously granted to him, so that they could be awarded
to other officers of our Company. In July 2005, Mr. Cotter
exercised these options and we issued 925,000 shares of
Class A Nonvoting Common Stock at an exercise price of
$3.80 per share to him. Pursuant to the terms of the stock
option award, Mr. Cotter paid the exercise price by
surrendering 486,842 shares of Class A Nonvoting
Common Stock to us as treasury stock, resulting in a net
increase in the number of shares of Class A Nonvoting
Common Stock outstanding of 438,158 shares. |
|
|
(3) |
Pursuant to his employment agreement, Mr. Matyczynski is
entitled to a severance payment equal to six months salary
in the event his employment is involuntarily terminated. In
addition, he is entitled to other annual compensation of $12,000
and is eligible for a discretionary bonus of up to 25% of his
base salary. Upon joining our Company in 1999,
Mr. Matyczynski was granted a loan for $33,000, which was
forgiven ratably over three years. |
|
|
(4) |
Under the terms of his employment, Mr. Smerling is entitled
to a severance payment of $175,000 in the event his employment
is involuntarily terminated. In 2003, Mr. Smerling was
granted options to acquire 25,000 shares of Class A
Nonvoting Common Stock. These options vest in equal amounts over
four years except for 18,750 which vested immediately at the
time of grant. In 2005, Mr. Smerling exercised
18,750 options at $4.01 per share acquired. |
|
|
(5) |
Under the terms of his employment, Mr. Smith is entitled to
a severance payment equivalent to six months of salary in the
event his employment is involuntarily terminated. Mr. Smith
joined our Company in April 2004; therefore he received no
compensation from us for 2003. |
|
|
(6) |
While no formal written agreement exists as to the terms of
Mr. Tompkins employment, Mr. Tompkins is
entitled to receive his annual base salary for a period of one
year (less $40,000) in the event that his employment is
involuntarily terminated and no change of control has occurred.
Mr. Tompkins is entitled to a severance payment equal to
two years base salary (less $80,000) in the event of a change of
control. In April 2003, Mr. Tompkins was granted options to
acquire 41,000 shares of Class A Nonvoting Common
Stock. These options vest in equal amounts over four years
except for the 10,250 shares that vested immediately at the
time of grant. As of December 31, 2005, Mr. Tompkins
has a vested interest in his CRG pension plan of $174,000, which
amount accrues interest at 30 day LIBOR. |
|
|
(7) |
All other compensation is primarily comprised of the
employers match of our 401(k) plan. |
Option/ SAR Grants In Last Fiscal Year
During 2005, our Board of Directors did not grant any options to
any of our directors or executive officers.
-16-
Aggregated Option/ SAR Granted or Exercised In Last Fiscal
Year and Fiscal Year-End
Option/
SAR Values
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Class A Nonvoting Common Stock |
|
|
|
Number of Securities |
|
Value of Unexercised |
|
|
Shares |
|
|
|
Underlying Unexercised |
|
In-the-Money Options at |
|
|
Acquired on |
|
Value Realized |
|
Options at FY-End |
|
FY-End($)(1) |
Name |
|
Exercise(#) |
|
($) |
|
Exercisable/Unexercisable |
|
Exercisable/Unexercisable |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Eric Barr
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
20,000/ |
|
|
|
$105,800/$ |
|
James J. Cotter, Jr.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
20,000/ |
|
|
|
$105,800/$ |
|
Margaret Cotter
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
20,000/ |
|
|
|
$80,800/$ |
|
William D. Gould
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
20,000/ |
|
|
|
$/$ |
|
Edward L. Kane
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
20,000/ |
|
|
|
$/$ |
|
Gerard P. Laheney
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
20,000/ |
|
|
|
$80,800/$ |
|
Alfred Villaseñor
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
20,000/ |
|
|
|
$100,600/$ |
|
Ellen Cotter
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
56,250/18,750 |
|
|
|
$212,625/$70,875 |
|
Brett Marsh
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
43,750/3,000 |
|
|
|
$123,330/$11,970 |
|
Andrzej Matyczynski
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
93,100/7,000 |
|
|
|
$356,049/$27,930 |
|
Robert F. Smerling
|
|
|
18,750 |
|
|
|
$70,649 |
|
|
|
43,750/6,250 |
|
|
|
$/$ |
|
S. Craig Tompkins
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
95,750/10,250 |
|
|
|
$317,435/$38,745 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Class B Voting Common Stock |
|
|
|
Number of Securities |
|
Value of Unexercised |
|
|
Shares |
|
|
|
Underlying Unexercised |
|
In-the-Money Options at |
|
|
Acquired on |
|
Value Realized |
|
Options at FY-End |
|
FY-End($)(2) |
Name |
|
Exercise(#) |
|
($) |
|
Exercisable/Unexercisable |
|
Exercisable/Unexercisable |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
James J. Cotter
|
|
|
696,080 |
|
|
$ |
689,119 |
(2) |
|
|
137,500/ |
|
|
|
$/$ |
|
Margaret Cotter
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
35,100/ |
|
|
|
$/$ |
|
Ellen Cotter
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
12,500/ |
|
|
|
$/$ |
|
|
|
|
(1) |
Calculated based on closing price of $7.79 as of
December 30, 2005 for Class A Nonvoting Common Stock. |
(2) |
Calculated based on closing price of $7.70 as of
December 29, 2005 for Class B Voting Common Stock. |
Securities Authorized for Issuance Under Equity Compensation
Plans
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Number of securities | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
remaining available for | |
|
|
Number of securities to be | |
|
Weighted-average | |
|
future issuance under | |
|
|
issued upon exercise of | |
|
exercise price of | |
|
equity compensation plans | |
|
|
outstanding options, | |
|
outstanding options, | |
|
(excluding securities | |
|
|
warrants and rights | |
|
warrants and rights | |
|
reflected in column (a)) | |
|
|
(a) | |
|
(b) | |
|
(c) | |
Plan Category |
|
Class A | |
|
Class B | |
|
Class A | |
|
Class B | |
|
Class A | |
|
Class B | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
Equity compensation plans approved by security holders |
|
|
521,100 |
|
|
|
185,100 |
|
|
$ |
5.00 |
|
|
$ |
9.90 |
|
|
|
643,800 (1 |
) |
|
|
643,800 (1) |
|
|
|
(1) |
The aggregate total number of shares of Class A Nonvoting
Common Stock and Class B Voting Common Stock authorized for
issuance under the our 1999 Stock Option Plan is 1,350,000. The |
-17-
|
|
|
presentation above reflects the fact that the options may be
issued to acquire either Class A or Class B shares, up
to an aggregate of 1,350,000 of both classes of stock, and the
outstanding options cover, in aggregate, 706,200. |
Mr. Cotter was granted options to acquire
975,000 shares of Class A Nonvoting Common Stock on
July 11, 2002. On April 24, 2003, Mr. Cotter
surrendered 50,000 of these options previously granted to him,
so that they could be awarded to other officers of our Company.
In July 2005, Mr. Cotter exercised these options and we
issued 925,000 shares of Class A Nonvoting Common
Stock at an exercise price of $3.80 per share to him.
Pursuant to the terms of the stock option award, Mr. Cotter
paid the exercise price by surrendering 486,842 shares of
Class A Nonvoting Common Stock to us as treasury stock,
resulting in a net increase in the number of shares of
Class A Nonvoting Common Stock outstanding of
438,158 shares.
Compensation Committee Interlocks and Insider
Participation
Messrs. Gould, Laheney, and Villaseñor serve on our
Compensation and Stock Options Committee. Mr. Cotter is our
controlling stockholder, and holds the power to elect directors
and to change the composition from time to time of the Board of
Directors. Accordingly, all members of the Compensation and
Stock Options Committee serve at the pleasure of
Mr. Cotter. Also, Mr. Gould is a partner in
Troy & Gould, a law firm which from time to time has
provided legal services to us. During 2005, we paid
Troy & Gould $10,000 in fees.
Certain Transactions and Related Party Transactions
The City Cinemas Transactions
In 2000, we entered into a transaction with Sutton Hill Capital
L.L.C. (SHC), a related party, designed to give us
(i) operating control, through an operating lease, of the 4
cinema City Cinemas theater chain in Manhattan, and
(ii) the right to enjoy any appreciation in the underlying
real estate assets, though a fixed price option to purchase
these cinemas on an all or nothing basis in 2010. Two of the
cinemas included in that chain the Murray Hill
Cinema and the Sutton Cinema have now been sold for
redevelopment, under terms that we believe preserve this basic
structure and which will, if we exercise our purchase option,
give us the future benefit of any appreciation realized in those
assets during the time they were under our operation and
control. In addition, this last year we acquired as a part of a
tax-deferred exchange pursuant to Section 1031 of the
Internal Revenue Code, (i) from a third party, the fee
interest underlying the third of the four cinemas (the
Cinemas 1, 2 & 3) and (ii) from SHC its
tenants interest in the ground lease underlying the
Cinemas 1, 2 & 3. Set out below is a more detailed
discussion of the City Cinemas Transaction, and the subsequent
modifications of that transaction to provide for the release of
the Murray Hill Cinema, the Sutton Cinema and the
Cinemas 1, 2 & 3 properties.
|
|
|
In July 2000, we acquired from SHC the Manhattan based City
Cinemas circuit in a transaction structured as a 10 year
operating lease (the City Cinemas Operating Lease)
with options either to extend the lease for an additional
10 year term or, alternatively, to purchase the
improvements and certain of the real estate assets underlying
that lease (the City Cinemas Purchase Option). We
paid an option fee of $5.0 million, which will be applied
against the purchase price if we elect to exercise the City
Cinemas Purchase Option. The aggregate exercise price of the
City Cinemas Purchase Option was originally $48.0 million,
and rent was calculated to provide an 8.25% yield to SHC
(subject to an annual modified cost of living adjustment) on the
difference between the exercise price and the $5.0 million
option fee. Incident to that transaction, we agreed to lend to
SHC (the City Cinemas Standby Credit Facility) up to
$28.0 million, beginning in July 2007, all due and payable
in December 2010 (the principal balance and accrued interest on
any such loan was likewise to be applied against the option
exercise price, in the event the option was exercised). The
interest rate on the City Cinemas Standby Credit Facility was
also fixed at 8.25%, subject to the same modified cost of living
adjustment used to calculate rent under the City Cinemas
Operating Lease. |
|
|
We have no legal obligation to exercise either the option to
extend the City Cinemas Operating Lease or the City Cinemas
Purchase Option. However, our recourse against SHC on the City
Cinemas |
-18-
|
|
|
Standby Credit Facility is limited to the assets of SHC which
consist of, generally speaking, only the assets subject to the
City Cinemas Purchase Option. In this annual report, we refer to
the transaction memorialized by the City Cinemas Operating
Lease, City Cinemas Purchase Option and City Cinemas Standby
Credit Agreement as the City Cinemas Transaction. Because the
City Cinemas Operating Lease is an operating lease and since the
City Cinemas Standby Credit Facility was, in our view,
adequately secured, no asset or liability was established on our
balance sheet at the time of the City Cinemas Transaction other
than the option fee, which has been deferred and is being
amortized over the 10 year period of the lease. |
|
|
SHC is indirectly owned by Messrs. James J. Cotter and
Michael Forman. Mr. Cotter is our Chairman, Chief Executive
Officer and controlling stockholder. Mr. Forman is a major
holder of our Class A Nonvoting Common Stock. As the
transaction was a related party transaction, it was reviewed and
approved by a committee of our Board of Directors comprised
entirely of independent directors. |
|
|
Since we entered into the City Cinemas Transaction, two of the
cinema properties involved in that transaction have been sold to
third parties for redevelopment: the Murray Hill Cinema and the
Sutton Cinema. These purchasers paid $10.0 million and
$18.0 million respectively for these two properties, which
included the cost of acquiring the fee interest in these
properties held by Nationwide Theatres (an affiliate of SHC),
the leasehold interest held by SHC, and our rights under the
City Cinemas Operating Lease and the City Cinemas Purchase
Option. Since we believed that a sale of these properties at
these prices was more beneficial to us than continuing to
operate them as cinemas, and since the original City Cinemas
Transaction did not contemplate a piece-meal release of
properties or give us the right to exercise our City Cinemas
Purchase Option either (i) on a piece-meal basis or
(ii) prior to July 2010, we worked with SHC to devise a
transaction that would allow us to dispose of our collective
interests in these properties while preserving the fundamental
benefits of the transaction for ourselves and SHC. Included
among the benefits to be preserved by SHC was the deferral of
any capital gains tax with respect to the transfer of the
remaining properties until 2010 and assurances that the various
properties involved in the City Cinemas Transaction would only
be acquired by us on an all or nothing basis.
Included among the benefits to be preserved for us was the right
to get the benefit of 100% of any appreciation in the properties
underlying the City Cinemas Operating Lease between the date of
that lease (July 2000) and the date any such properties were
sold, provided that we ultimately exercised our purchase rights
under the City Cinemas Purchase Option. |
|
|
As a result of these negotiations and the sale of these two
properties, our rent under the City Cinemas Operating Lease was
reduced by approximately $1.9 million per annum, the
exercise price of the City Cinemas Purchase Option was reduced
from $48.0 million to $33.0 million, and our funding
obligation under the City Cinemas Standby Line of Credit was
reduced from $28.0 million to $13.0 million. In
addition, we received in consideration of the release of our
interest in the Murray Hill Cinema a cash payment of $500,000.
In consideration of the transfer of our interest in the Sutton
Cinema we received (i) a $13.0 million purchase money
promissory note (the Sutton Purchase Money Note) secured
by a first mortgage on the Sutton Cinema property (the
Sutton Purchase Money Mortgage), (ii) a right
to acquire up to a 25% interest in the special purpose entity
formed to redevelop the Sutton Cinema property for a prorated
capital contribution (the Sutton Reinvestment
Option) or to receive instead an in lieu fee of $650,000,
and (iii) the right to operate the Sutton Cinema until such
time as the Sutton Purchase Money Note was paid. The Sutton
Purchase Money Note was due and payable on October 21,
2005, and carried interest for the first year at 3.85%,
increasing in the second year to 8.25%. On September 14,
2004, the Sutton Purchase Money Note was prepaid in full and we
exercised our Sutton Reinvestment Option. |
|
|
In keeping with the all or nothing nature of our
rights under the City Cinemas Purchase Option, we agreed to use
the principal proceeds of the Sutton Purchase Money Promissory
Note to fund our remaining $13.0 million obligation under
the City Cinemas Standby Credit Facility. We have also agreed
that the principal amount of the City Cinemas Standby Credit
Facility will be forgiven if we do not exercise our purchase
rights under the City Cinemas Purchase Option. Accordingly, if we |
-19-
|
|
|
exercise our rights under the City Cinemas Purchase Option to
purchase the remaining City Cinemas assets, we will be acquiring
the remaining assets subject to the City Cinemas Operating Lease
for an additional cash payment of $15.0 million,
(offsetting against the current $33.0 million exercise
price, the previously paid $5.0 million deposit and the
$13.0 million principal amount of the City Cinemas Standby
Credit Facility) and will receive, in essence, the benefit of
100% of the appreciation in all of the properties initially
subject to the City Cinemas Operating Lease between July 2000,
and the date such properties were either disposed of or acquired
by us pursuant to the City Cinemas Purchase Option. If we do not
exercise our option to purchase, then the City Cinemas Credit
Facility will be forgiven, and we will not get the benefit of
such appreciation. Immediately following the sale of the Sutton
Cinema, the remaining properties consisted of (i) the
Village East Cinema, which is located at the corner of
2nd Avenue
and
11th Street
in Manhattan, on a 27 year land lease, and (ii) the
Cinemas 1, 2 & 3, which is located on
3rd Avenue
between
E. 59th
and E.
60th
Streets in Manhattan and which was likewise at that time on a
long term ground lease. |
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Since the Murray Hill Cinema sale transaction was structured as
a release of our leasehold interest in the Murray Hill Cinema,
we did not recognize any gain or loss for either book or tax
purposes, other than the $500,000 in lieu fee, which was
recognized as non-operating income. We likewise did not book any
gain or loss on the disposition of the Sutton Cinema for book
purposes. However, we did recognize gain in the amount of
approximately $13.0 million for state and federal tax
purposes, which gain was offset against net operating losses.
Notwithstanding this offset, we were still liable for
alternative minimum tax on the transaction. That alternative
minimum tax will, however, be offset against our future tax
liabilities. In the event that we decide not to exercise our
City Cinemas Purchase Option, we would at that time recognize a
$13.0 million loss for tax purposes. |
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Following the release of our leasehold interest in the Murray
Hill Cinema and disposition of the Sutton Cinema in 2003 we
decreased the value of the option fee in the City Cinemas
Purchase Option agreement by $890,000. In addition, in October
2003 we recorded our loan commitment under the City Cinemas
Standby Credit Facility as a payable in our long-term debt on
the Consolidated Balance Sheet. |
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In September 2004, simultaneous with the drawdown by SHC of the
remaining $13.0 million under the Standby Credit Facility,
SHC lent us $5.0 million. This amount was used principally
to fund our purchase of the 25% membership interest in limited
liability company that was developing the Sutton Cinema site,
and for working capital purposes. The loan bears interest
currently at 9.26%, payable monthly, with principal due and
payable on September 14, 2007. |
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On June 1, 2005, we acquired from a third party the fee
interest and the landlords interest in the ground lease
underlying our leasehold estate in the Cinemas 1,
2 & 3. In consideration of the fact that there was some
uncertainty as to whether the opportunity to acquire this fee
interest was an asset of SHC (as the tenant of the ground lease
estate and the owner of the improvements located upon the land)
or an asset of our Company, a compromise was reached whereby we
agreed to grant to SHC an option to acquire at
cost up to a 25% membership interest in the special
purpose entity that we formed to acquire the fee
interest Sutton Hill Properties, LLC. That agreement
has not yet been documented. |
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On September 19, 2005, we acquired from SHC its
tenants interest in the ground lease
underlying our leasehold estate in the Cinemas 1,
2 & 3. The purchase price of the tenants
interest was $9.0 million, and was paid in the form
of a 5-year unsecured
purchase money promissory note, bearing interest at 8.25%,
interest payable monthly with principal payable on
December 31, 2010 (the Purchase Money Promissory
Note). This interest is also held by Sutton Hill
Properties, LLC, the same special purpose entity that acquired
the fee interest in the property. Accordingly, SHCs option
to buy into Sutton Hill Properties, LLC, is, in essence, a right
to buy-back into both the fee interest acquired from the
unrelated third party and the leasehold interest acquired from
SHC. Following the purchase of the tenants
interest, we decreased the value of the option fee in the
City Cinemas Purchase Option agreement by $1.3 million. We
have not yet acquired the building and improve- |
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ments constituting the Cinemas 1, 2 & 3 from SHC.
However, Sutton Hill Properties, LLC, has an option to acquire
such improvements exercisable at any time in the event we
determine to redevelop the property, for $100,000. |
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As a result of the acquisition of SHCs tenants
interest in the ground lease, the City Cinemas Operating Lease
was amended to reduce the rent by an amount equal to the
interest payable under the Purchase Money Promissory Note, and
the exercise price on the City Cinemas Purchase Option was
likewise reduced by $9.0 million. Consequently, an exercise
of our option to purchase the Village East Cinema would require
a cash payment on our part of $6.0 million. |
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Each of the above modification transactions involved was
reviewed by a committee of the independent directors of the
Board of Directors. In each case, the independent directors of
the applicable committee have found the transaction to be fair
and in the best interests of our Company and our public
stockholders. |
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Reflecting the disposition of the Murray Hill Cinema and the
Sutton Cinema, the acquisition of the fee, the landlords
interest in the ground lease and the tenants interest in
the ground lease underlying the Cinemas 1,
2 & 3, and the amendments to date with respect to
the City Cinemas Transaction, which has reduced our rent expense
for this property to zero, our anticipated rental payments for
2006 under the City Cinemas Operating Lease will be
approximately $495,000. For the years ended December 31,
2005 and 2004, rent expense to SHC under the City Cinemas
Operating Lease was $1.0 million and $2.4 million,
respectively. We have funded our entire $13.0 million
obligation under the City Cinemas Standby Credit Facility. We
also have the option to purchase in July 2010 the remaining
assets under the City Cinemas Operating Agreement (SHCs
long term leasehold interests in the Village East Cinema and the
improvements comprising this cinema) for an additional payment
of $6.0 million. As separate matters, we currently owe SHC
$5.0 million (due September 14, 2007) with respect to
the borrowing used principally to finance the acquisition of our
interest in the limited liability company currently developing
the Sutton Cinema site and $9.0 million on the Purchase
Money Promissory Note (due December 31, 2010), for an
aggregate liability of $14.0 million. |
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Reflecting the release of the Murray Hill Cinema and the sale of
our interest in the Sutton Cinema, we expensed from the
$5.0 million option fee for book purposes $890,000 related
to such sales. In connection with the purchase of SHCs
interest in the Cinemas 1, 2 & 3 property, we
allocated $1.3 million of this option amount to the
purchase price of that interest. Accordingly, at the present
time, we carry only $441,000 of the original $5.0 million
option fee as a net asset on our balance sheet. |
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The option granted to SHC to buy up to a 25% interest in Sutton
Hill Properties, LLC has been valued at $1.0 million and is
reflected on our balance sheet as of December 31, 2005. |
Cinemas 1, 2 & 3 Land Acquisition. On
September 19, 2005, we acquired the tenants interest
in the ground lease estate that is currently between
(i) our fee ownership of the underlying land and
(ii) our current possessory interest as the tenant in the
building and improvements constituting the Cinemas 1,
2 & 3 in Manhattan. This tenants ground lease
interest was purchased from Sutton Hill Capital LLC
(SHC) for a $9.0 million promissory note,
bearing interest at a fixed rate of 8.25% and maturing on
December 31, 2010. As SHC is a related party to our
corporation, our Boards Audit and Conflicts Committee,
comprised entirely of outside independent directors, and
subsequently our entire Board of Directors unanimously approved
the purchase of the property. The Cinemas 1, 2 & 3
is located on 3rd Avenue between 59th and
60th Streets.
On June 1, 2005, we acquired for $12.6 million the fee
interest and the landlords ground lease interest
underlying our Cinemas 1, 2 & 3 property in
Manhattan. As part of the purchase of this ground lease
interest, we have agreed in principal, as a part of our
negotiations to acquire the land and the SHC interests in the
Cinemas 1, 2 & 3, to grant an option to
Sutton Hill Capital, LLC, a limited liability company
beneficially owned in equal 50/50 shares by
Messrs. James J. Cotter and Michael Forman to acquire, at
cost, up to a 25% non-managing membership interest in the
limited liability company that we formed to acquire these
interests.
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In relation to this option, we have recorded a $1.0 million
call option liability in our other liabilities at
December 31, 2005.
OBI Management Agreement. Our live theater operations are
managed by OBI Management, which is wholly owned by Margaret
Cotter, the daughter of James J. Cotter and one of our
directors, pursuant to a theater management agreement (the
Management Agreement).
The Management Agreement generally provides that we will pay OBI
Management a combination of fixed and incentive fees which
historically have equated to approximately 18% of the net cash
flow received by us from our live theaters in New York. Since
the fixed fees are applicable only during such periods as the
New York theaters are booked, OBI Management receives no
compensation with respect to a theater at any time when it is
not generating revenues for us. This arrangement provides an
incentive to OBI Management to keep the theaters booked with the
best available shows, and mitigates the negative cash flow that
would result from having an empty theater. In addition, OBI
Management manages our Royal George live theater complex in
Chicago on a fee basis based on theater cash flow. In 2005, OBI
Management earned $533,000 (including $74,000 for managing the
Royal George) which was 20.7% of net live theater cash flows for
the year. In 2004, OBI Management earned $419,000 (including
$35,000 for managing the Royal George) which was 17.2% of net
live theater cash flows for the year. In each year, we
reimbursed travel related expenses for OBI Management personnel
with respect to travel between New York City and Chicago in
connection with the management of the Royal George complex.
OBI Management operates from our offices in New York City on a
rent-free basis and we share the cost of one OBI Management
administrative employee located at those offices. Other than
these expenses and travel-related expenses for OBI Management
personnel to travel to Chicago as referred to above, OBI
Management is responsible for all of its costs and expenses
relating to the performance of its management functions. The
Management Agreement expired on December 31, 2005, but, as
per the agreement, the contract renews automatically for
successive one-year periods unless either party gives at least
six months prior notice of intention to allow the
Management Agreement to expire. We can terminate the Management
Agreement at any time for cause.
Prior to the time we acquired our New York theatres in 2000,
these theaters were managed by Union Square Management, Inc., a
company in which Ms. Cotter was employed, but which was
owned by parties unrelated to Mr. Cotter. OBI Management
took over management of the New York theaters live theaters
shortly before we acquired them, and from the time of that
transaction until March 13, 2003, OBI Management provided
such management services on an at will basis and on
generally the same terms, including terms related to
compensation, as such services had previously been provided by
Union Square Management, Inc. Accordingly, our Conflicts
Committee took into account the cost of this management
structure at the time it approved our acquisition of these
theaters.
The current Management Agreement was approved by the our Audit
and Conflicts Committee on March 13, 2003, and has been
applied retroactively to January 1, 2002. The Management
Agreement is substantially similar to the prior owners
arrangement with Union Square Management, Inc., except that:
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it has been expanded to include the management of the Royal
George Theater Complex on a flat-fee basis; |
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the cost of any new capital improvements to the New York
theaters will be amortized over the life of those improvement
consistent with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles for
purposes of calculating net cash flow from the theaters rather
than being expensed in the year incurred; and |
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in those cases where we assist in the financing of plays
appearing in our theaters, any profits and losses to us
resulting from such financing will be factored in by calculating
theater cash flow for purposes of determining OBI
Managements incentive compensation. |
Investment in Live Theater Production. During the second
quarter of 2002, we invested approximately $85,000 for a 25%
interest in I Love You, Youre Perfect, Now
Change, a production in our Royal George Theater. Sutton
Hill Capital, LLC, which is owned 50% by Mr. James J.
Cotter (the Chairman of the Board
-22-
and Chief Executive Officer of Reading), also made a 25%
investment in this production. This production has distributed
to us approximately $162,000 allowing us to fully recoup our
initial investment.
Certain Family Relationships
Mr. James J. Cotter, Sr., our controlling stockholder,
has advised the Board of Directors that he considers his
holdings in our Company to be long-term investments to be passed
to his heirs. The Directors believe that it is in the best
interests of our Company and our stockholders, for his heirs to
become experienced in our operations and affairs. Accordingly,
all of Mr. Cotters children are currently involved
with our Company.
Certain Miscellaneous Transactions
We have loaned Mr. Smerling $70,000 pursuant to a demand
loan. This loan antedates the effective date of the
Sarbanes-Oxley prohibition on loans to directors and officers.
Performance Graph
The information set forth below shall not be deemed incorporated
by reference by any general statement incorporating by reference
the Proxy Statement into any filing under the Securities Act of
1933 or under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, except to the
extent we incorporate this information by reference, and shall
not otherwise be deemed soliciting material or be deemed filed
under such Acts.
The following line graph compares the cumulative total
stockholder return on Reading International, Inc.s common
stock for the years ended December 31, 2001, 2002, 2003,
2004 and 2005 against the cumulative total return as calculated
by the Center for Research in Securities Prices
(CRSP) of the American Stock Exchange
(AMEX) and the motion picture theater operator group
and the real estate operator group.
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INDEPENDENT PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS
Our independent public accountants, Deloitte & Touche,
LLP, have audited our books for the fiscal year ended
December 31, 2005, and are expected to have a
representative present at the Annual Meeting who will have the
opportunity to make a statement if such representative desires
to do so and is expected to be available to respond to
appropriate questions.
Audit Fees
The aggregate fees we have incurred for Deloitte &
Touche, LLP for professional services rendered for the audit of
our financial statements, audit of internal controls related to
the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, and the reviews of the financial
statements included in our
Forms 10-Q for
2005 were approximately $836,000 and $630,000 for the years
ending December 31, 2005 and 2004, respectively.
Audit Related Fees
The aggregate fees we have incurred in each of 2005 and 2004 for
assurance and related services provided by Deloitte &
Touche, LLP that are reasonably related to the performance of
the audit or review of our financial statements and that are not
reported under the caption Audit Fees
immediately above were approximately $14,000 and $99,000 ,
respectively.
Tax Fees
The aggregate fees we have incurred in each of 2005 and 2004 for
products and services for tax compliance, tax advice, and tax
planning provided by Deloitte & Touche, LLP were
$155,000 and $128,000, respectively.
Financial Information Systems Design and Implementation
Fees
No fees were billed by Deloitte & Touche, LLP for 2005
or 2004 for financial information systems design and
implementation fees.
All Other Fees
The aggregate fees we have incurred for 2005 for services
provided by Deloitte & Touche, LLP other than as set
forth above were $19,000. For 2004, no other fees were billed by
Deloitte and Touche, LLP for services other than set forth above.
Compatibility of Fees with Independent Accountants
Independence
Our Audit Committee has determined that the provision of
services covered under the subheading All Other Fees
above is compatible with maintaining Deloitte & Touche,
LLPs independence. We have adopted policies and procedures
for the pre-approval of audit services and permitted non-audit
services during fiscal 2003.
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STOCKHOLDER COMMUNICATION
Annual Report
A copy of our Annual Report on
Form 10-K for its
fiscal year ended December 31, 2005 is being provided with
this Proxy Statement.
Stockholder Communications with Directors
It is the policy of our Board of Directors that any
communications sent to the attention of any one or more of our
directors care of our executive offices, or deposited in any of
the Suggestion Boxes maintained at our principal
administrative offices in Los Angeles, Manhattan and Melbourne,
Australia, will be promptly forwarded to such directors. Such
communications will not be opened or reviewed by any of our
officers or employees, or by any other director, unless they are
requested to do so by the addressee of any such communication.
Likewise, the content of any telephone messages left for any one
or more of our directors (including, any call-back number, if
any) will be promptly forwarded to that director.
Stockholder Proposals and Director Nominations
Any stockholder who, in accordance with and subject to the
provisions of the proxy rules of the SEC, wishes to submit a
proposal for inclusion in our proxy statement for our 2007
Annual Meeting of Stockholders, must deliver such proposal in
writing to the Secretary of the Company at the new address of
our Companys principal executive offices at 500 Citadel
Drive, Suite 300, City of Commerce, California 90040.
Unless we change the date of our annual meeting by more than
30 days, then such written proposal must be delivered to us
no later than January 18, 2007. If we are not notified of a
stockholder proposal by that date, the proxies that we hold may
confer discretionary authority to vote against such stockholder
proposal, even though such proposal is not discussed in our
proxy statement for that meeting.
Our Board of Directors will consider written nominations for
directors from stockholders. Nominations for the election of
directors made by our stockholders must be made by written
notice delivered to our Secretary at our principal executive
offices not less than 120 days prior to the first
anniversary of the immediately preceding annual meeting of our
stockholders at which directors are elected. Such written notice
must set forth the name, age, address and principal occupation
or employment of such nominee, the number of shares of our
Companys Common Stock beneficially owned by such nominee
and such other information as is required by the proxy rules of
the SEC with respect to a nominee of the Board of Directors.
Under our governing documents and applicable Nevada law, our
stockholders may also directly nominate candidate from the floor
at any meeting of our stockholders held at which directors are
to be elected.
Other Matters
We do not know of any other matters to be presented for
consideration other than the matters described in the Notice of
Annual Meeting, but if any matters are properly presented, it is
the intention of the persons named in the accompany proxy to
vote on such matters in accordance with their judgment.
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DELIVERY OF PROXY MATERIALS TO HOUSEHOLDS
As permitted by the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, only one
copy of the proxy materials are being delivered to our
stockholders residing at the same address, unless such
stockholders have notified us of their desire to receive
multiple copies of the proxy materials.
We will promptly deliver without charge, upon oral or written
request, a separate copy of the proxy materials to any
stockholder residing at an address to which only one copy was
mailed. Requests for additional copies should be directed to our
Corporate Secretary or Assistant Corporate Secretary by phone at
(213) 235-2236 or
by mail to Secretary, Reading International, Inc.,
500 Citadel Drive, Suite 300, City of Commerce,
California 90040.
Stockholders residing at the same address and currently
receiving only one copy of the proxy materials may contact the
Corporate Secretary or Assistant Corporate Secretary by phone at
(213) 235-2236 or
by mail to Secretary, Reading International, Inc.,
500 Citadel Drive, Suite 300, City of Commerce,
California 90040, to request multiple copies of the proxy
materials in the future.
By Order of the Board of Directors,
James J. Cotter, Chairman
Dated: April 28, 2006
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READING INTERNATIONAL, INC.
PROXY FOR THE ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS
TO BE HELD MAY 18, 2006
THIS PROXY IS SOLICITED ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
The undersigned hereby appoints James J. Cotter and S. Craig Tompkins, and each of them, the
attorneys, agents and proxies of the undersigned, with full powers of substitution to each, to
attend and act as proxy or proxies of the undersigned at the Annual Meeting of Shareholders of
Reading International, Inc. to be held at the Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills, 300
South Doheny Drive, Los Angeles, California, on Thursday, May 18, 2006 at 11:00 a.m., and at, and
with respect to, any and all adjournments or postponements thereof, and to vote as specified herein
the number of shares which the undersigned, if personally present, would be entitled to vote.
THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS A VOTE FOR THE ELECTION OF DIRECTORS NOMINATED BY THE BOARD OF
DIRECTORS. THE PROXY, WHEN PROPERLY EXECUTED, WILL BE VOTED AS DIRECTED. IF NO DIRECTION IS MADE,
IT WILL BE VOTED FOR THE ELECTION OF DIRECTORS NOMINATED BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
PLEASE SIGN AND DATE ON REVERSE SIDE
6 DETACH PROXY CARD HERE 6
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1. ELECTION OF DIRECTORS
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FOR all nominees listed
below (except
as indicated to the contrary below).
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WITHHOLD AUTHORITY to vote
for all nominees listed below
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EXCEPTIONS |
Director Nominees: James J. Cotter, Eric Barr, James J. Cotter, Jr., Margaret Cotter, William D.
Gould, Edward L. Kane, Gerard P. Laheney, and Alfred Villaseñor, Jr.
(INSTRUCTIONS: To withhold authority to vote for any individual nominee mark the Exceptions box
and write that nominees name on the space below.)
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OTHER BUSINESS. In their discretion, the proxies are authorized to vote upon such
other business as may properly come before the meeting and at, and with respect to, any and all
adjournments or postponements thereof. The Board of Directors at present knows of no other
business to be presented by or on behalf of the Company or the Board of Directors at the meeting. |
I (WE) WILL o WILL NOT o ATTEND THE MEETING IN PERSON.
The undersigned hereby ratifies and confirms all that the attorneys and
proxies, or any of
them, or their substitutes, shall lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof, and hereby
revokes any and all proxies heretofore given by the undersigned to vote at the meeting. The
undersigned acknowledges receipt of the Notice of Annual Meeting and the Proxy Statement
accompanying such notice.
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Dated:
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, 2006 |
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Signature
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Signature
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Please date this proxy card and sign above exactly as your name appears on this card.
Joint owners should each sign personally. Corporate proxies should be signed by an authorized
officer. Executors, administrators, trustee, etc., should give their full titles.
Please Detach Here
5 You Must Detach This Portion of the Proxy Card 5
Before Returning it in the Enclosed Envelope