UNITED
STATES
SECURITIES
AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON,
D.C. 20549
_____
FORM
8-K
Current
Report
Pursuant
to Section 13 or 15(d)
of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Date of
Report (Date of earliest event reported): July 1, 2009
JAKKS
PACIFIC, INC.
(Exact
name of registrant as specified in its charter)
|
Delaware
(State
or other jurisdiction of incorporation)
|
0-28104
(Commission
File Number)
|
95-4527222
(I.R.S.
Employer
Identification
No.)
|
|
22619
Pacific Coast Highway
Malibu,
California
(Address
of principal
executive
offices)
|
90265
(Zip
Code)
|
Registrant's
telephone number, including area code: (310) 456-7799
Check the appropriate box below if the
Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of
the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instruction
A.2. below):
o Written communications
pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR
230.425)
o Soliciting material
pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR
240.14a-12)
o Pre-commencement
communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR
240.14d-2(b))
o Pre-commencement
communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR
240.13e-4(c))
JAKKS
PACIFIC, INC.
INDEX
TO FORM 8-K
FILED
WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
July
1, 2009
ITEMS IN FORM
8-K
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Page
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Facing
Page
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1
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Item
8.01 Other Events
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3
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Signatures
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4
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Exhibit
Index
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2
Item
8.01 Other Events
On July
1, 2009, we issued a press release announcing that we have notified World
Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. (“WWE”) that the joint venture between us and THQ
intended to exercise its option to renew the WWE videogame license, which would
otherwise expire on December 31, 2009, for an additional five (5) year term
ending December 31, 2014. THQ is disputing the validity of the
extension notice, and litigation and arbitration proceedings have ensued
regarding these matters. A copy of such release is annexed hereto as
an exhibit.
Item 9.01. Financial
Statements and Exhibits
(c) Exhibits
Exhibit Description
99.1 July 1, 2009 Press
Release
3
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SIGNATURES
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Pursuant
to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant
has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned
hereunto duly authorized.
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|
JAKKS
PACIFIC, INC.
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|||
|
Dated: July
1, 2009
|
By:
|
/s/ Joel M. Bennett | |
| Joel M. Bennett | |||
| Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer | |||
4
Exhibit Index
Exhibit Description
99.1 July 1, 2009 Press
Release
5
22619
Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu, CA 90265
T:
310-456-7799 F: 310-317-8527
CONTACTS:
|
Genna
Rosenberg
|
Joel
Bennett
|
|
JAKKS
Pacific, Inc.
|
JAKKS
Pacific, Inc.
|
|
310-455-6235
|
310-455-6210
|
JAKKS
Pacific® Gives Notice to Extend WWE Videogame License; THQ Disputes
Notice
MALIBU, Calif. – July 1, 2009 – JAKKS
Pacific, Inc. (NASDAQ: JAKK) announced that it has
notified World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. (“WWE”) that the joint venture
between THQ and JAKKS intended to exercise its option to renew the WWE videogame
license, which would otherwise expire on December 31, 2009, for an
additional five (5) year term ending December 31, 2014. Separately, THQ commenced a
lawsuit in California Superior Court, Los Angeles County, claiming it was not
ready to make a decision with respect to renewal of the WWE videogame license,
and seeking a declaratory judgment that (i) JAKKS was not authorized under the
parties’ joint venture agreement to unilaterally issue a renewal notice to WWE,
(ii) THQ has no obligation to consent to a renewal of the WWE license, and
(iii) the restrictive covenant in the joint venture agreement prohibiting THQ
from publishing any videogames based on wrestling during the term of the joint
venture agreement (expiring one year after termination of the WWE license) is
unenforceable under California law. JAKKS and THQ have also initiated
arbitration proceedings relating to these issues.
About JAKKS Pacific,
Inc.
JAKKS
Pacific, Inc. (NASDAQ: JAKK) is a leading designer and marketer of toys and
consumer products, with a wide range of products that feature some of the most
popular children’s toy licenses in the world. JAKKS’ diverse portfolio
includes Action Figures, Art Activity Kits, Stationery, Writing Instruments,
Performance Kites, Water Toys, Sports Activity Toys, Vehicles,
Infant/Pre-School, Plush, Construction Toys, Electronics, Dolls, Dress-Up, Role
Play, and Pet Toys and Accessories, sold under various proprietary brands
including JAKKS Pacific®, Play Along®, Flying Colors®, Creative Designs
International™, Road Champs®, Child Guidance®, Pentech®, Funnoodle®, Go Fly a
Kite®, Color Workshop®, JAKKS Pets™, EyeClops®, Plug It In & Play TV Games™,
Girl Gourmet™, Kids Only®, Tollytots® and Disguise. JAKKS is an award-winning
licensee of several hundred nationally and internationally known trademarks
including Disney, Nickelodeon, Warner Bros., World Wrestling Entertainment,
Ultimate Fighting Championship, Graco and Cabbage Patch Kids. JAKKS and THQ Inc.
participate in a Joint Venture that has worldwide rights to publish and market
World Wrestling Entertainment video games. For further information, visit www.jakks.com.
This press release may contain
forward-looking statements (within the meaning of the Private Securities
Litigation Reform Act of 1995) that are based on current expectations, estimates
and projections about JAKKS Pacific’s business based partly on assumptions made
by its management. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and
involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict.
Therefore, actual outcomes and results may differ materially from what is
expressed or forecasted in such statements due to numerous factors, including,
but not limited to, those described above, changes in demand for JAKKS’
products, product mix, the timing of customer orders and deliveries, the impact
of competitive products and pricing, and difficulties with integrating acquired
businesses. The forward-looking statements contained herein speak only as of the
date on which they are made, and JAKKS undertakes no obligation to update any of
them to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this
release.