424B3: Prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b)(3)
Published on May 10, 2007
PROSPECTUS
BALL
CORPORATION
Dividend
Reinvestment and Voluntary Stock Purchase Plan for Shareholders
2,000,000
Shares of Common Stock Without par value
THESE
SECURITIES HAVE NOT BEEN APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED BY THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE
COMMISSION NOR HAS THE COMMISSION PASSED UPON THE ACCURACY OR ADEQUACY OF THIS
PROSPECTUS. ANY REPRESENTATION TO THE CONTRARY IS A CRIMINAL
OFFENSE.
The
Dividend Reinvestment and Voluntary Stock Purchase Plan for Shareholders (the
“Plan”) of Ball Corporation provides a simple and convenient method for the
Shareholders of the Company’s Common Stock to purchase shares of the Company’s
Common Stock without payment of a brokerage commission or service
charge.
Participants
in the Plan may have cash dividends on their shares of Common Stock
automatically reinvested and, if they choose, invest by making optional cash
payments of not less than $25 per payment nor more than a total of $2,000 per
month.
The
purchase price of the shares of Common Stock purchased by reinvestment of cash
dividends and by investment of optional cash payments will be 95 percent and
100
percent, respectively, of the average of the high and low sale prices of the
Company’s Common Stock (as published in The
Wall Street Journal
report of the New York Stock Exchange - Composite Transactions, corrected for
any reporting errors) for the Investment Date, or, if the Common Stock is not
traded on the Investment Date, the last trading day preceding the Investment
Date on which the Common Stock is traded.
This
Prospectus relates to 2,000,000 authorized and unissued shares of the Company’s
Common Stock registered for purchase under the Plan. The shares reserved for
the
Plan and held under the Plan shall be subject to adjustment through declaration
of stock dividends and through recapitalization resulting in stock split-ups,
combinations or exchanges or otherwise. It is suggested that this Prospectus
be
retained for future reference.
No
person is authorized to give any information or to make any representations
other than those contained in this Prospectus in connection with the offer
contained in this Prospectus, and, if given or made, such information must
not
be relied upon as having been authorized by the Company. Neither the delivery
of
this Prospectus nor any sale made hereunder shall, under any circumstances,
create any implication that there has been no change in the affairs of the
Company since the date thereof.
The
date of this prospectus is May 10,
2007
THE
COMPANY
Ball
Corporation, an Indiana corporation (the “Company”), has its principal executive
offices at 10 Longs Peak Drive, Broomfield, Colorado 80021 (telephone number
(303) 469-3131).
DESCRIPTION
OF THE PLAN
The
following is a question and answer statement of the provisions of the Dividend
Reinvestment and Voluntary Stock Purchase Plan for Shareholders of the Company.
Questions and Answers 1 through 25 both explain and constitute the Plan, which
was adopted by the Board of Directors on October, 1977, as amended and renamed
by action of the Board of Directors, acting by and through its Executive
Committee, on August 27, 1979, as amended on January 27, 1982, and on January
27, 1992.
PURPOSE
1. What
is the purpose of the Plan?
The
purpose of the Plan is to provide participants with a simple and convenient
method of investing cash dividends and optional cash payments in shares of
Common Stock of the Company, without payment of any brokerage commission or
service charge. Since such shares of Common Stock will be purchased from the
Company, the Company will receive additional funds needed for the repayment
of
debt, for working capital, and for other corporate purposes.
ADVANTAGES
2. What
are the features of the Plan?
As
a participant in the Plan, (a) you may purchase shares of Common Stock at a
5discount from the market price by reinvesting cash dividends, as paid from
time
to time, on all of the shares of Common Stock registered in your name, or (b)
you may purchase shares of Common Stock by making optional cash payments of
not
less than $25 per payment up to a maximum of $2,000 per month, or (c) you may
do
both. You do not pay any brokerage commission or service charge for your
purchases under the Plan. Full investment of funds is possible under the Plan
because the Plan permits fractions of shares, as well as full shares, to be
credited to your account. You can avoid the inconvenience and expense of
safekeeping certificates for shares credited to your account under the Plan.
A
statement of account will be mailed to you after each purchase to provide
simplified record keeping.
ADMINISTRATION
3. Who
administers the Plan for participants?
Computershare
Trust Company, N.A. (the “Agent”) administers the Plan for the Company, keeps
records, sends statements of account to participants and performs other duties
relating to the Plan.
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ELIGIBILITY
4. Who
is eligible to participate?
All
holders of record of shares of Common Stock of the Company are eligible to
participate in the Plan. Beneficial owners of shares of Common Stock whose
shares are registered in names other than their own (for instance, in the name
of a broker or bank nominee) must either become shareholders of record by having
shares transferred into their own names or have their broker or nominee act
for
them.
PARTICIPATION
BY SHAREHOLDERS
5. How
do shareholders participate?
A
holder of record of shares of Common Stock may join the Plan at any time by
going online to www.computershare.com
or by completing and signing a shareholder Enrollment
Form
and returning it to the Agent. If your shareholder Enrollment
Form
is received by the Agent ON OR BEFORE the record date for determining the
shareholders entitled to the next dividend, reinvestment of your dividends
will
commence with such dividend. The record dates for quarterly dividends
customarily payable in the middle of March, June, September and December are
normally on the first day of the month or in the early part of these months.
(Historically, the Company has paid dividends at these times, although there
can
be no assurance that this policy will continue.) If your shareholder
Enrollment
Form
is received AFTER the record date, reinvestment of your dividends will not
start
until payment of the next dividend declared after your shareholder
Enrollment Form
is received. For example, if the shareholder Enrollment
Form
is received by the Agent on or before the December dividend record date, the
December dividend will be reinvested. A shareholder Enrollment
Form
and a postage-paid return envelope may be obtained at any time by writing to
Computershare
Trust Company, N.A., Ball Corporation Dividend Reinvestment and Voluntary Stock
Purchase Plan for Shareholders, P.O. Box 43078,
Providence, Rhode Island 02940-3078,
by calling the Agent at 1-800-446-2617 or by going online to www.computershare.com.
6. What
are my options under the Plan?
You
may choose either or both of the following investment options:
(a) To
reinvest automatically cash dividends on all shares registered in your name
at
95of the current market price (see the answer to Question 11 for a description
of how this is computed); and/or
(b) To
invest by making optional cash payments of not less than $25 per payment in
any
amount up to a total maximum amount of $2,000 per month, whether or not your
dividends are being reinvested, at 100 percent of the current market price
as
defined in the Plan.
See
the answer to Question 10 as to the timing of purchases.
7. May
I change options under the Plan?
Yes.
You may change options at any time by going online at www.computershare.com,
by calling the Agent at 1-800-446-2617 or completing and signing a new
shareholder Enrollment
Form
and returning it to the Agent. The answer to Question 5 explains how to obtain
a
shareholder Enrollment
Form
2
and
return envelope. Any change of option concerning the reinvestment of dividends
must be received by the Agent on or before the record date for a dividend (see
Question) in order for the change to become effective with that
dividend.
REINVESTMENT
OF DIVIDENDS
8. How
are dividends reinvested?
If
your shareholder Enrollment
Form
is received by the Agent on or before the record date for determining the
holders of shares entitled to the next dividend, reinvestment of your dividends
will commence with such dividend. Your dividends will be used by the Agent
to
purchase full and/or fractional shares from the Company. The Agent will credit
the shares to the accounts of the individual participants. Shares held for
the
accounts of participants are registered in the name of the Agent’s
nominee.
OPTIONAL
CASH PAYMENTS
9. How
does the cash payment option work?
You
may invest in additional shares of Common Stock by making optional cash payments
of not less than $25 per payment. Optional payments may be made at irregular
intervals and the amount of each such payment may vary, but total payments
invested may not exceed $2,000 per month. Participants in the Plan have no
obligation to make any optional cash payments.
An
optional cash payment may be made by enclosing a check with the shareholder Enrollment
Form
when enrolling; or thereafter by forwarding a check to the Agent with a payment
form which will be attached to each statement of account. Checks must be made
payable to Computershare-Ball
Corporation, in United States dollars, drawn on a United States bank and sent
to
P.O. Box 6006,
Carol
Stream, Illinois 60197-6006.
No interest will be paid on optional cash payments. The Agent will not accept
cash, traveler’s checks, money orders or third party checks for optional cash
payments.
In
the event that any deposit is returned unpaid for any reason, the Agent will
consider the request for investment of such funds null and void and shall
immediately remove from your account shares, if any, purchased upon the prior
credit of such funds. The Agent shall thereupon be entitled to sell these shares
to satisfy any uncollected balance. If the net proceeds of the sale of such
shares are insufficient to satisfy the balance of such uncollected amount,
the
Agent shall be entitled to sell additional shares from your account to satisfy
the uncollected balance. A $25 fee will be charged for any optional cash payment
returned unpaid.
PURCHASES
10. When
will purchases of Common Stock be made?
Optional
cash payments received by the Agent two
business days
BEFORE the 15th
day of any month will be applied by the Agent to the purchase of additional
shares of Common Stock from the Company on, or shortly after, the 15th
day of the month during which cash payments have been received by the Agent.
Optional cash payments received by the Agent AFTER two
business days
3
prior
to
the 15th
day of any month will be held for investment on the 15th
day of the next month unless the Agent is specifically requested in writing
to
return the payment to the shareholder.
Cash
dividends on shares registered in the names of participants and designated
for
reinvestment, and cash dividends on shares held by the Agent in Plan accounts
will be applied by the Agent on the Investment Date to the purchase of
additional shares of Common Stock. The “Investment Date” is the dividend payable
date, when, as and if declared by Ball Corporation. Historically, the Company
has paid dividends in March, June, September and December, although there can
be
no assurance that this policy will continue.
11. What
will be the price of shares purchased under the Plan?
The
purchase price of the shares of Common Stock purchased by reinvestment of cash
dividends and investment of optional cash payments will be 95 percent and 100
percent, respectively, of the average of the high and low sale prices of the
Company’s Common Stock (as published in The
Wall Street Journal
report of the New York Stock Exchange - Composite Transactions, corrected for
any reporting errors) for the Investment Date, or, if the Common Stock is not
traded on the Investment Date, for the last trading day preceding the Investment
Date on which the Common Stock is traded.
12. How
will the number of shares purchased for a participant be
determined?
The
number of shares that will be purchased for you on any Investment Date will
depend on the amount of your dividend, the amount of any optional cash payments
and the applicable purchase price of the Common Stock. Your account will be
credited with the number of shares, both full and fractional, that results
from
dividing the amounts of your dividends and optional payments to be invested
by
the applicable purchase price.
COSTS
13. Are
there any charges to me for my purchases under the Plan?
No.
There are no brokerage fees for purchases because shares are purchased directly
from the Company. All costs of administration of the Plan will be paid by the
Company. However, if you request the Agent to sell your shares in the event
of
your withdrawal from the Plan, the Agent will deduct any brokerage commission
and transfer tax incurred (see Question 19).
DIVIDENDS
14. Will
dividends be paid on shares held in my Plan account?
Yes.
Cash dividends on full shares, and any fraction of a share, credited to your
account are automatically reinvested in additional shares and credited to your
account.
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REPORTS
TO PARTICIPANTS
15. What
kind of reports will be sent to me?
Following
each purchase of shares for your account, the Agent will mail to you a statement
showing amounts invested, purchase price, the number of shares purchased, the
fair market value of the shares purchased and other similar information for
the
year-to-date. These statements are your record of the costs of your purchases
and should be retained for income tax and other purposes. In addition, you
will
receive copies of the same communications sent to all other holders of shares
of
Common Stock, including the Company’s quarterly reports and annual report to
shareholders, a notice of the annual meeting and proxy statement and Internal
Revenue Service information for reporting dividend income received. You may
also
view year-to-date transaction activity in your account under the Plan for the
current year, as well as activity in prior years, by accessing your account
at
www.computershare.com.
CERTIFICATES
FOR SHARES
16. Will
I receive certificates for shares of Common Stock purchased under the
Plan?
Shares
of Common Stock purchased by the Agent for your account will be registered
in
the name of the Agent’s nominee and certificates for such shares will not be
issued to you until requested by you. The total number of shares credited to
your account will be shown on each statement of account. This custodial service
protects you against the risk of loss, theft or destruction of stock
certificates.
Certificates
for any number of whole shares credited to your account will be issued to you
at
any time upon telephonic,
internet or
written request to the Agent. Any remaining full shares and fraction of a share
will continue to be credited to your account. Certificates for fractions of
shares will not be issued under any circumstances.
17. May
shares held in my Plan account be pledged?
No. If you wish to pledge shares credited to your Plan account, you must request
certificates for such shares.
18. In
whose name will certificates be registered when issued?
When
issued to you upon your request, certificates for shares will be registered
in
the name in which your Plan account is maintained. Generally, this will be
the
name or names in which your certificates are registered at the time you enroll
in the Plan.
WITHDRAWAL
FROM THE PLAN
19. How
do I withdraw from the Plan?
You
may withdraw from the Plan at any time by accessing your account at
www.computershare.com,
by calling the Agent at 1-800-446-2617 or by sending a written notice that
5
you
wish to withdraw to Computershare
Trust Company, N.A., Ball Corporation Dividend Reinvestment and Voluntary Stock
Purchase Plan for Shareholders, P.O. Box 43078,
Providence, Rhode Island 02940-3078.
When you withdraw from the Plan, or upon termination of the Plan by the Company,
certificates for whole shares credited to your account under the Plan will
be
issued to you and you will receive a cash payment for any fraction of a share
(see Question 20) and for any optional cash payments that you have made which
have not yet been used to purchase Common Stock.
Upon
withdrawal from the Plan, you may, if you desire, also request that all of
the
shares credited to your Plan account be sold by the Agent. If such sale is
requested, the sale of all whole shares in your Plan account will be made for
your account by the Agent as
soon as practicable, and in no event later than five
business days of the Agent’s receipt of the request. You will receive from the
Agent a check for the proceeds of the sale minus any brokerage commission,
if
the services of a broker are used, and any transfer fees incurred. You will
also
receive a cash payment for any fraction of a share (see Question 20) and for
any
optional cash payments that you have made which have not yet been used to
purchase Common Stock. In
the event you have been reinvesting your dividends and your notice of withdrawal
is received by the Agent AFTER a record date for a dividend payment, the Agent,
in its sole discretion, may either distribute that dividend in cash or reinvest
it in shares on your behalf. In the event the dividend is reinvested, the Agent
will process your withdrawal from the Plan as soon as practicable, but in no
event later than five business days after the purchase is
completed.
20. What
happens to my fractional share when I withdraw from the
Plan?
When
you withdraw from the Plan, a cash adjustment representing the proceeds from
the
sale of any fractional share then credited to your account, less any brokerage
commission, if the services of a broker are used, and any transfer tax incurred,
will be mailed directly to you.
OTHER
INFORMATION
21. What
happens if I sell or transfer shares registered in my
name?
To
sell shares in your dividend reinvestment account, you may either use the form
which is part of your account statement, telephone Computershare
Trust Company, N.A. at 1-800-446-2617 or access your account at www.computershare.com.
All sale requests having an anticipated market value of $100,000 or more are
expected to be submitted in written form. In addition, all sale requests within
thirty days of an address change are expected to be submitted in written form.
If
you sell or transfer a portion of the shares of Common Stock registered in
your
name, then the dividends on shares remaining in your name and in your account
will continue to be reinvested until you notify the Agent that you wish to
withdraw from the Plan.
If
you dispose of all shares of Common Stock registered in your name, the dividends
on the shares credited to your Plan account will continue to be reinvested
until
you notify the Agent that you wish to withdraw from the Plan.
6
22. What
happens if the Company issues a stock dividend or declares a stock
split?
Any
shares distributed by the Company as a stock dividend on shares (including
fractional shares) credited to your account under the Plan, or upon any split
of
such shares, will be credited to your account. Stock dividends or splits
distributed on all other shares held by you and registered in your own name
will
be mailed directly to you.
23. Can
I vote shares in my Plan account at meetings of
shareholders?
Yes.
You will receive a proxy card for the total number of whole shares held-both
the
shares registered in your name and those credited to your Plan account. The
total number of whole shares held may also be voted by telephone or via the
Internet. Fractional shares held in Plan accounts will not be
voted.
24. What
is the responsibility of the Company and the Agent under the
Plan?
Neither
the Company nor the Agent, in administering the Plan, will accept liability
for
any act done in good faith or for any good-faith omission to act, including,
without limitation, any claim or liability arising out of failure to terminate
a
participant’s account upon such participant’s death prior to receipt by the
Agent of notice in writing of such death,
for purchases or sales and profits reflected in your Plan account or the dates
of purchases or sales of your Plan shares or for any fluctuation in the market
value after your purchase or sale of shares.
NEITHER
THE COMPANY NOR THE AGENT CAN ASSURE YOU OF A PROFIT OR PROTECT YOU AGAINST
A
LOSS ON SHARES PURCHASED UNDER THE PLAN.
25. May
the Plan be changed or discontinued?
The
Company reserves the right to modify, suspend or terminate the Plan at any
time.
Any such modification, suspension or termination will not affect previously
executed transactions. The Company also reserves the right to adopt, and from
time to time change, such administrative rules and regulations (not inconsistent
in substance with the basic provisions of the Plan as then in effect) as it
deems desirable or appropriate for the administration of the Plan. The Agent
reserves the right to resign at any time upon reasonable written notice to
the
Company.
USE
OF PROCEEDS
The
Company has no basis for estimating precisely either the number of shares of
Common Stock that ultimately may be sold pursuant to the Plan, or the prices
at
which such shares will be sold. However, the Company proposes to use the net
proceeds from the sale of shares of Common Stock pursuant to the Plan, when
and
as received, to repay debt of the Company, for working capital and for other
corporate purposes.
FEDERAL
INCOME TAX CONSEQUENCES
Under
Internal Revenue Service rulings in connection with similar plans, the full
fair
market value of the shares purchased with reinvested dividends is taxable as
dividend income to the participant. This means that in addition to the
reinvested dividends being taxable, the 5 percent discount allowed on the
purchase of shares with reinvested dividends under the Plan is also taxable
as
dividend income to the participant in the year the shares are purchased. Your
statements of
7
account
will show the fair market value of the Common Stock purchased with reinvested
dividends, and a statement mailed to you at year-end will show total dividend
income and the additional income which, under the above rulings, is deemed
to
result from the 5 percent discount.
Federal
law may require that income tax be withheld from the payment of dividends.
The
Agent shall apply to the purchase of shares of Common Stock on behalf of each
participant an amount equal to the dividends payable to such participant less
the amount of tax required to be withheld.
You
will not realize any taxable income on the purchase of shares under the optional
cash payment plan.
You
will not realize any taxable income when you receive certificates for whole
shares credited to your account, either upon your request for such certificates
or upon withdrawal from or termination of the Plan.
You
may realize a gain or loss when shares are sold or exchanged, whether such
sale
or exchange is pursuant to your request to withdraw from the Plan or takes
place
after withdrawal from or termination of the Plan. You may also realize a gain
or
loss if you withdraw from the Plan and receive a cash payment for a fraction
of
a share credited to your account. The amount of such gain or loss will be the
difference between the amount you receive for the shares or fraction of a share
and the tax basis thereof, as the tax basis is defined below for tax
purposes.
In
accordance with the rulings referred to above, your tax basis of shares acquired
under the Plan by reinvestment of dividends will be equal to the fair market
value of the shares on the dividend payment dates (Investment Dates under the
Plan) as of which the shares were purchased for your Plan account. The tax
basis
of shares purchased at fair market value with an optional cash payment will
be
the amount of such optional cash payment.
The
holding period of shares of Common Stock acquired under the Plan, whether
purchased with dividends or optional cash payments, will begin on the day
following the date as of which the shares were purchased for your
account.
In
the case of foreign participants who elect to have their dividends reinvested
and whose dividends are subject to United States income tax withholding, an
amount equal to the dividends payable to such participants, less the amount
of
tax required to be withheld, will be applied by the Agent to the purchase of
shares of Common Stock.
For
further information as to the tax consequences of participation in the Plan,
you
should consult your own tax advisor.
INCORPORATION
OF DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE
The
following documents have been filed by the Company with the Securities and
Exchange Commission and are incorporated herein by reference:
(1) The
Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December31,
2006.
8
(2) The
Company’s Notice of the 2007
Annual Meeting of Shareholders and Proxy Statement dated March 19,
2007,
issued in connection with the Annual Meeting of Shareholders held on April
25,
2007.
(3) The
description of the common stock contained in the Company’s Prospectus dated May,
1979 (Registration No. 33-21506) and the restated Rights Agreement dated July
26,
2006,
and as registered
pursuant
to Form 8 dated August,
2006.
All
documents filed pursuant to Section 13 or 14 of the Securities Exchange Act
of
1934 after the date of this Prospectus and prior to the termination of this
offering shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference in this Prospectus
and
to be part hereof from the date of filing of such documents.
ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION
Reports,
proxy statements and other information filed by the Company can be inspected
and
copied at the public reference facilities of the Securities and Exchange
Commission, 450 Fifth Street, N.W., Washington, District of Columbia 20549.
Such
material can also be inspected at the New York Stock Exchange, 20 Broad Street,
New York, New York 10005 and
The Chicago Stock Exchange, 440LaSalle Street, Chicago, Illinois 60605. Copies
can be obtained from the Securities and Exchange Commission at prescribed rates.
Requests should be directed to the Commission’s Public Reference Section,
450Street, N.W., Washington, District of Columbia 20549.
LEGAL
OPINIONS
The
validity of the Common Stock offered hereby will be passed upon for the Company
by Robert W. McClelland, Associate General Counsel of the Company. Mr.is paid
a
salary by the Company and participates in the various employee benefit plans
offered by the Company.
FINANCIAL
STATEMENTS
The
financial statements of the Company included in the Annual Report on Form 10-K
for the fiscal year ended December 31,
2006,
are
incorporated herein by reference in reliance upon the report therein of
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, independent accountants, and upon authority of
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP as experts in accounting and auditing.
9
Revised
5-10-07
002C560320