|
UNITED STATES |
OMB APPROVAL |
|
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION |
OMB Number: 3235-0059 |
|
Washington, D.C. 20549 |
Expires: January 31, 2008 |
|
SCHEDULE 14A |
Estimated average burden hours per response... 14 |
Proxy
Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of
the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 (Amendment No. )
Filed by the Registrant x | |
Filed by a Party other than the Registrant o | |
Check the appropriate box: | |
o | Preliminary Proxy Statement |
o | Confidential, for Use of the Commission Only (as permitted by Rule 14a-6(e)(2)) |
x | Definitive Proxy Statement |
o | Definitive Additional Materials |
o | Soliciting Material Pursuant to Rule §240.14a-12 |
Payment of Filing Fee (Check the appropriate box):
x | No fee required. | |
o | Fee computed on table below per Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i)(1) and 0-11. | |
1. | Title of each class of securities to which transaction applies: | |
|
||
2. | Aggregate number of securities to which transaction applies: | |
|
||
3. | 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): | |
|
||
4. | Proposed maximum aggregate value of transaction: | |
|
||
5. | Total fee paid: | |
|
||
SEC 1913 (04-05) Persons who are to respond to the collection of information contained in this form are not required to respond unless the form displays a currently valid OMB control number. |
||
o | Fee paid previously with preliminary materials. | |
o | 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. | |
1. | Amount Previously Paid: | |
2. | Form, Schedule or Registration Statement No.: | |
3. | Filing Party: | |
4. | Date Filed: | |
1. |
To elect directors of Value Line, Inc.; and |
2. |
To transact such other business as may properly come before the meeting. |
Name and Address of Beneficial Owner |
Number of Shares Beneficially Owned |
Percentage of Shares Beneficially Owned(1) |
||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Arnold Bernhard
& Co., Inc.(1) 220 East 42nd Street New York, NY 10017 |
8,633,733 | 86.5 | % |
(1) |
Jean Bernhard Buttner, Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company, owns all of the outstanding voting stock of Arnold Bernhard & Co., Inc. |
Name and Address of Beneficial Owner |
Number of Shares Beneficially Owned |
Percentage of Shares Beneficially Owned(1) |
||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Jean Bernhard
Buttner |
100 | (1) | * | |||||||
Edgar A.
Buttner |
100 | * | ||||||||
Janet Eakman
|
100 | * | ||||||||
Herbert Pardes
|
100 | * | ||||||||
Marion
Ruth |
200 | * | ||||||||
Edward J.
Shanahan |
100 | * | ||||||||
Mitchell E.
Appel |
200 | * | ||||||||
David T.
Henigson |
150 | * | ||||||||
Howard A.
Brecher |
200 | * | ||||||||
Stephen R.
Anastasio |
100 | * | ||||||||
All directors
and executive officers as a group (10 persons) |
1,350 | (1) | * |
* |
Less than one percent |
(1) |
Excludes 8,633,733 shares (86.5% of the outstanding shares) owned by Arnold Bernhard & Co., Inc. |
Nominee, Age as of August 1, 2008 and Principal
Occupation |
Director Since |
|||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Jean Bernhard
Buttner* (73). Chairman of the Board, President, and Chief Executive and Operating Officer of the Company and Arnold Bernhard & Co., Inc.; Chairman
of the Board and President of each of the Value Line Funds until June 2008. Trustee, Choate Rosemary Hall since 2004. Mrs. Buttner is the mother of Dr.
Edgar A. Buttner and Mrs. Janet Eakman. |
1982 | |||||
Dr. Edgar A.
Buttner (45). Instructor and Researcher, McLean Hospital, since 2002; Postdoctoral Fellow, Research Associate, Harvard University, 20032007;
Postdoctoral Fellow, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 19972001; MD and PhD, Columbia University; Director of Arnold Bernhard & Co.,
Inc. Dr. Buttner is the son of Jean Bernhard Buttner. |
2003 | |||||
Howard A.
Brecher* (54). Chief Legal Officer, Vice President and Secretary of the Company; Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, General Counsel and Director of
Arnold Bernhard & Co., Inc.; Vice President and Secretary of each of the Value Line Funds since June 2008. |
1992 | |||||
Janet Eakman
(48). Private Investor. MBA, Harvard University Graduate School of Business Administration; BA Princeton University. Director of Arnold Bernhard &
Co., Inc. Mrs. Eakman is a daughter of Jean Bernhard Buttner. |
2007 | |||||
David T.
Henigson* (50). Vice President of the Company; Chief Compliance Officer, Vice President and Secretary of each of the Value Line Funds and Chief
Compliance Officer of the Company until June 2008; Vice President and Director of Arnold Bernhard & Co., Inc. |
1992 | |||||
Dr. Herbert
Pardes (74). President and CEO of New York-Presbyterian Hospital. |
2000 | |||||
Marion N. Ruth
(73). President, Ruth Realty (real estate broker). Director or Trustee of each of the Value Line Funds until 2005; Director of Value Line, Inc.,
20002004. |
2005 | |||||
Edward J.
Shanahan (65). President and Headmaster, Choate Rosemary Hall; Director and Chairman, Foundation for Greater Opportunity (independent educational
foundation). |
2004 |
* |
Member of the Executive Committee. |
Annual Compensation |
||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Name and Principal Position |
Fiscal Year |
Salary ($) |
Bonus ($) |
All Other Compensation (a) ($) |
Total ($) |
|||||||||||||||||
Jean B.
Buttner |
2008 |
935,632 | | 22,933 | 958,565 | |||||||||||||||||
Chairman of
the Board and |
2007 |
935,632 | | 21,648 | 957,280 | |||||||||||||||||
Chief
Executive Officer |
2006 |
931,045 | | 19,880 | 950,925 | |||||||||||||||||
Mitchell E.
Appel |
2008 |
81,402 | 63,750 | 10,118 | 155,270 | |||||||||||||||||
Chief
Financial Officer(b) |
2007 |
135,000 | 55,000 | 16,200 | 206,200 | |||||||||||||||||
2006 |
123,750 | 25,000 | 14,231 | 162,981 | ||||||||||||||||||
David T.
Henigson |
2008 |
382,500 | 173,599 | 27,968 | 584,067 | |||||||||||||||||
Vice
President |
2007 |
382,500 | 112,500 | 26,400 | 521,400 | |||||||||||||||||
2006 |
380,363 | | 24,150 | 404,513 | ||||||||||||||||||
Howard A.
Brecher |
2008 |
63,836 | 438,437 | 7,935 | 510,208 | |||||||||||||||||
Vice
President |
2007 |
59,625 | 400,000 | 7,155 | 466,780 | |||||||||||||||||
2006 |
50,750 | 400,000 | 5,836 | 456,586 | ||||||||||||||||||
Stephen R.
Anastasio |
2008 |
117,458 | 72,322 | 14,600 | 204,380 | |||||||||||||||||
Treasurer |
2007 |
115,000 | 65,600 | 13,800 | 194,400 | |||||||||||||||||
2006 |
113,256 | 45,600 | 13,024 | 171,880 |
(a) |
Employees of the Company are members of the Profit Sharing and Savings Plan (the Plan). The Plan provides for a discretionary annual contribution out of net operating income which is (subject to legal limitations) proportionate to the salaries of eligible employees. The Companys contribution expense was $1,292,000 for the year ended April 30, 2008. Each employees interest in the Plan is invested in such proportions as the employee may elect in shares of one or more of the mutual funds which are available for investment by plan participants, for which a subsidiary of the Company acts as investment adviser. Distributions under the Plan vest in accordance with a schedule based upon the employees length of service and are payable upon request at the time of the employees retirement, death, total disability, or termination of employment. |
(b) |
Mr. Appel became an employee on June 1, 2005, and served as chief financial officer from September 2005 to November 2007 and since April 2008. |
2008 |
2007 |
|||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Audit fees
|
$ | 150,255 | $ | 146,450 | ||||||
Audit-related
fees |
12,775 | 16,810 | ||||||||
Tax fees
|
93,047 | 146,105 | ||||||||
All other
fees |
0 | 0 |
(a) |
Base salaries and bonuses should be maintained at levels consistent with competitive market compensation; and |
(b) |
A portion of the executive compensation should reflect the performance of the Company and the individual. |
BKF Capital
Group, Inc. Calamos Asset Management, Inc. Cohen & Steers, Inc. Courier Corp. |
Federated Investors John Wiley & Sons Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia |
Resource America, Inc. The Street.com, Inc. Waddell & Reed |
1. |
The Audit Committee shall be directly responsible for the appointment, compensation, retention and oversight of the work of any independent auditor engaged (including resolution of disagreements between management and the auditor regarding financial reporting) for the purpose of preparing or issuing an audit report or performing other audit, review or attest services for the Company, and the independent auditor shall report directly to the Audit Committee. |
2. |
Procedures for the receipt, retention, and treatment of complaints regarding accounting, internal accounting controls, or auditing matters have been established as follows: |
a. |
Anyone with concerns regarding questionable accounting or auditing matters or complaints regarding accounting, internal accounting controls or auditing matters may confidentially, and anonymously if they wish, submit such concerns or complaints to any of the Companys officers. All such concerns and complaints will be forwarded to the CEO. A record of all such complaints and concerns received will be provided to the Audit Committee each fiscal quarter by the Companys Legal Counsel or any of its officers. |
3. |
The Audit Committee shall have the authority to engage independent counsel and other advisers, as it determines necessary to carry out its duties. |
4. |
The Company shall provide for appropriate funding, as determined by the Audit Committee, in its capacity as a committee of the board of directors, for payment of: |
a. |
Compensation to any independent auditor engaged for the purpose of preparing or issuing an audit report or performing other audit, review or attest services for the Company; |
b. |
Compensation to any advisers employed by the Audit Committee under paragraph (3); and |
c. |
Ordinary administrative expenses of the Audit Committee that are necessary or appropriate in carrying out its duties. |
5. |
The Audit Committee shall pre-approve all audit and permitted non-audit services to be provided by the independent auditor. The Audit Committee may delegate authority to pre-approve all auditing and permitted non-audit services in accordance with pre-approval policies and procedures established by the Audit Committee, provided that the Audit Committee is informed of each service so approved at the next meeting of the Audit Committee. These pre-approval requirements are subject to the exception for the de minimus provision of services set forth in Securities and Exchange Commission Regulation S-X, Section 2.01(c)(7) (i)(C). |
6. |
The Audit Committee shall meet with the independent auditor prior to the audit to review the planning and staffing of the audit and approve the proposed fee for the audit. |
7. |
The Audit Committee shall receive written periodic reports from the independent auditor delineating all relationships between the independent auditor and the Company. This report shall be consistent with Independence Standards Board Standard No. 1 regarding the auditors independence. The Audit Committee shall actively engage in dialogue with the independent auditor with respect to any disclosed relationships or services that may impact the objectivity and independence of the auditor, and if determined by the Audit Committee, recommend that the Board take appropriate action to insure the independence of the auditor. |
8. |
The Audit Committee shall receive the report of the independent auditor, prior to the filing of the independent auditors audit report with the Securities and Exchange Commission, with respect to: |
a. |
All critical accounting policies and practices to be used; |
b. |
All alternative treatments within generally accepted accounting principles for policies and practices related to material items that have been discussed with management of the Company, including: |
i. |
Ramifications of the use of such alternative disclosures and treatments; and |
ii. |
The treatment preferred by the independent auditor; and |
c. |
Other material written communications between the independent auditor and the management of the Company, such as any management letter or schedule of unadjusted differences. |
9. |
The Audit Committee shall receive any report by the Companys chief financial officer and/or chief executive officer concerning: |
a. |
any significant deficiencies or material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal control over financial reporting of the Company which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the Companys ability to record, process, summarize and report financial data; |
b. |
and any fraud regarding company business, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the Companys internal control over financial reporting. |
10. |
The Audit Committee shall discuss with the independent auditor the matters required to be discussed by Statement on Auditing Standards No. 61 relating to the conduct of the audit, including: |
a. |
Any difficulties encountered in the course of the audit work, including any restrictions on the scope of activities or access to required information; |
b. |
Significant financial reporting issues and judgments; and |
c. |
Any major changes to the Companys auditing and accounting principles and practices. |
11. |
Obtain from the independent auditor assurance that Section 10A of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 has not been implicated. |
12. |
Review the Companys annual audited financial statements and the report thereon with the independent auditor and management prior to the publication of such statements. |
13. |
Review periodically with management the Companys major financial risk exposures and the steps management has taken to monitor and control those exposures. |
14. |
Adopt the report (to be prepared by the Companys legal counsel) required by the rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission to be included in the Companys annual proxy statement, which shall include a statement of whether the Audit Committee recommends to the Board of Directors that the audited financial statements be included in the Companys annual report on Form 10-K. |
15. |
Review and reassess the adequacy of this Charter annually and submit it to the Board for approval. |
|
|
|
THIS PROXY WILL BE VOTED AS DIRECTED HEREIN BY THE UNDERSIGNED SHAREHOLDER. IF NO DIRECTION IS GIVEN, THIS PROXY WILL BE VOTED FOR THE ELECTION OF NOMINEES AS DIRECTORS. |
Please |
o |
|
SEE REVERSE SIDE |
|
|
|
|
|
|
1. ELECTION OF NOMINEES AS DIRECTORS: |
|
01 H.A. Brecher, 02 E.A. Buttner, 03 J.B. Buttner, 04 J. Eakman, 05 D.T. Henigson, 06 H. Pardes, 07 M.N. Ruth and 08 E. Shanahan |
|
||
FOR all nominees |
|
WITHHOLD |
|
|
|
o |
|
o |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Please sign exactly as your name appears to the left. When
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dated: ___________________________________, 2008 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
__________________________________________ |
|
|
|
Signature |
|
|
|
__________________________________________ |
|
|
|
Signature if owned jointly |
PLEASE MARK, SIGN, DATE, AND RETURN THE PROXY CARD PROMPTLY USING THE ENCLOSED ENVELOPE
|
Choose MLinkSM for fast, easy and secure 24/7 online access to your future proxy materials, investment plan statements, tax documents and more. Simply log on to Investor ServiceDirect® at www.bnymellon.com/shareowner/isd where step-by-step instructions will prompt you through enrollment. |
|
|
|
P |
VALUE LINE, INC. |
|
|
|
|
The undersigned hereby authorizes and directs Howard A. Brecher and Belinda Leung and each of them, with full power of substitution, to vote the stock of the undersigned at the Annual Meeting of Shareholders of VALUE LINE, INC. on August 21, 2008, or at any adjournments thereof as hereinafter specified and, in their discretion, to vote according to their best judgment upon such other matters as may properly come before the meeting or any adjournments thereof. |
|
|
|
||
|
|
|
|
||
|
|
|
(CONTINUED ON REVERSE SIDE) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Address Change/Comments (Mark the corresponding box on the reverse side) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
ADMISSION TICKET
VALUE LINE, INC.
Annual Meeting of Shareholders
August 21, 2008
10:30 a.m. Local Time
Ropes & Gray
1211 Avenue of the Americas
38th Floor
New York, NY 10036
If you attend the Annual Meeting of Shareholders,
please bring this Admission Ticket as well
as a form of government issued photo identification.
|
|
Non-Transferable |
Non-Transferable |