Edgar Filing: MERIT MEDICAL SYSTEMS INC

As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on July 6, 2006

UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM S-8

REGISTRATION STATEMENT
Under the
Securities Act of 1933

MERIT MEDICAL SYSTEMS, INC.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Utah	87-0447695
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)	(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)

1600 West Merit Parkway
South Jordan, Utah 84095
Telephone: (801) 253-1600
(Address of Principal Executive Offices,
including Zip Code)

Merit Medical Systems, Inc.
2006 Long-Term Incentive Plan
(Full title of the plan)

Kent W. Stanger
Chief Financial Officer
Merit Medical Systems, Inc.
1600 West Merit Parkway
South Jordan, Utah 84095
(801) 253-1600
(Name, address and telephone number, including area code, of
agent for service)

Copy to:

Brian G. Lloyd
Parr Waddoups Brown Gee & Loveless
185 South State Street, Suite 1300
Salt Lake City, Utah 84111
(801) 532-7840

CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

Title of Securities to be Registered	Amount to be Registered(1)	Proposed Maximum Offering Price per Share(2)		Proposed Maximum Aggregate Offering Price(2)		Amount of Registration Fee(2)
Common Shares, no par value	1,500,000	$	13.69	$	20,535,000	$	2,198

(1) This Registration Statement shall also cover any additional shares of common stock which become issuable under the Merit Medical Systems, Inc. 2006 Long-Term Incentive Plan by reason of any stock dividend, stock split, recapitalization or other similar transaction effected without the receipt of consideration which results in an increase in the number of outstanding shares of common stock of Merit Medical Systems, Inc.

(2) Calculated in accordance with Rules 457 (c) and (h) promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, based on a price of $13.69 per share, which is the average of the high and low price per share of common stock of Merit Medical Systems, Inc., as reported on the Nasdaq National Market on July 5, 2006.

PART I

INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE SECTION 10(a) PROSPECTUS

Item 1. Plan Information.

Information required by Item 1 to be contained in the Section 10(a) prospectus is omitted from this Registration Statement in accordance with Rule 428 adopted under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and the Note to Part I of Form S-8.

Item 2. Registrant Information and Employee Plan Annual Information.

Information required by Item 2 to be contained in the Section 10(a) prospectus is omitted from this Registration Statement in accordance with Rule 428 adopted under the Securities Act and the Note to Part I of Form S-8.

PART II

INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

Item 3. Incorporation of Documents by Reference.

The following documents filed by the Registrant with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) are hereby incorporated herein by reference:

(1) The Registrant’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2005;

(2) The Registrant’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2006;

(3) The Registrant’s Current Reports on Form 8-K filed on January 4, 2006, February 28, 2006, March 30, 2006, and April 27, 2006;

(4) The description of the Registrant’s common stock contained in the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form 8-A filed under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), including any amendment or report filed for the purpose of updating such description.

In addition, all documents subsequently filed by the Registrant pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act, prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment which indicates that all securities offered have been sold or which deregisters all securities then remaining unsold, shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement and to be a part hereof from the date of filing of such documents. Any statement contained in a document incorporated by reference herein shall be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes hereof to the extent that a statement contained herein (or in any other subsequently filed document which is also incorporated by reference herein) modifies or supersedes such statement. Any statement so modified or superseded shall not be deemed to constitute a part hereof except as so modified or superseded.

Item 4. Description of Securities.

Not applicable.

Item 5. Interests of Named Experts and Counsel.

Not applicable.

Item 6. Indemnification of Directors and Officers.

The Registrant is a Utah corporation. Section 16-10a-902 of the Utah Revised Business Corporation Act (the “Revised Act”) provides that a corporation may indemnify any individual who was, is, or is threatened to be made a

named defendant or respondent (a “Party”) in any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative and whether formal or informal (a “Proceeding”), because he or she is or was a director of the corporation or, while a director of the corporation, is or was serving at its request as a director, officer, partner, trustee, employee, fiduciary or agent of another corporation or other person or of an employee benefit plan (an “Indemnifiable Director”), against any obligation incurred with respect to a Proceeding, including any judgment, settlement, penalty, fine or reasonable expenses (including attorneys’ fees), incurred in the Proceeding if his or her conduct was in good faith, he or she reasonably believed that his or her conduct was in, or not opposed to, the best interests of the corporation, and, in the case of any criminal Proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe such conduct was unlawful; provided, however, that pursuant to Subsection 902(4): (i) indemnification under Section 902 in connection with a Proceeding by or in the right of the corporation is limited to payment of reasonable expenses (including attorneys’ fees) incurred in connection with the Proceeding and (ii) the corporation may not indemnify an Indemnifiable Director in connection with a Proceeding by or in the right of the corporation in which the Indemnifiable Director was adjudged liable to the corporation, or in connection with any other Proceeding charging that the Indemnifiable Director derived an improper personal benefit, whether or not involving action in his or her official capacity, in which Proceeding he or she was adjudged liable on the basis that he or she derived an improper personal benefit.

Section 16-10a-903 of the Revised Act provides that, unless limited by its articles of incorporation, a corporation shall indemnify an Indemnifiable Director who was successful, on the merits or otherwise, in the defense of any Proceeding, or in the defense of any claim, issue or matter in the Proceeding, to which he or she was a Party because he or she is or was an Indemnifiable Director of the corporation, against reasonable expenses (including attorneys’ fees) incurred in connection with the Proceeding or claim with respect to which he or she has been successful.

In addition to the indemnification provided by Sections 902 and 903, Section 16-10a-905 of the Revised Act provides that, unless otherwise limited by a corporation’s articles of incorporation, an Indemnifiable Director may apply for indemnification to the court conducting the Proceeding or to another court of competent jurisdiction.

Section 16-10a-904 of the Revised Act provides that a corporation may pay for or reimburse the reasonable expenses (including attorneys’ fees) incurred by an Indemnifiable Director who is a Party to a Proceeding in advance of the final disposition of the Proceeding upon the satisfaction of certain conditions.

Section 16-10a-907 of the Revised Act provides that, unless a corporation’s articles of incorporation provide otherwise, (i) an officer of the corporation is entitled to mandatory indemnification under Section 903 and is entitled to apply for court-ordered indemnification under Section 905, in each case to the same extent as an Indemnifiable Director, (ii) the corporation may indemnify and advance expenses to an officer, employee, fiduciary or agent of the corporation to the same extent as an Indemnifiable Director, and (iii) a corporation may also indemnify and advance expenses to an officer, employee, fiduciary or agent who is not an Indemnifiable Director to a greater extent than the right of indemnification granted to an Indemnifiable Director, if not inconsistent with public policy, and if provided for by its articles of incorporation, bylaws, general or specific action of its board of directors or contract.

The Registrant’s Bylaws provide that the Registrant shall, to the fullest extent permitted, and in the manner required by the law of the State of Utah, indemnify an individual made, or threatened to be made a party to a proceeding because he is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the Registrant or of another enterprise at the request of the Registrant.

The Registrant’s Articles of Incorporation, as amended and restated, provide that to the fullest extent permitted by the Revised Act or any other applicable law as now in effect or as it may hereafter be amended, a director of the Registrant shall not be personally liable to the Registrant or its Shareholders for monetary damages for any action taken or any failure to take any action, as a director. The extent to which the Revised Act permits director liability to be eliminated is governed by Section 16-10a-841 of the Revised Act, which provides that the liability of a director may not be eliminated or limited for (i) the amount of financial benefit received by a director to which he is not entitled; (ii) an intentional infliction of harm on the corporation or its shareholders; (iii) a violation of Section 16-10a-842 of the Revised Act which prohibits unlawful distributions by a corporation to its shareholders; or (iv) an intentional violation of criminal law. Indemnification may be granted pursuant to any other agreement, bylaw, or vote of shareholders or directors. In addition to the foregoing, the Registrant maintains insurance from commercial carriers against certain liabilities which may be incurred by its directors and officers.

Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions or otherwise, the Registrant has been informed that in the opinion of the SEC such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act, and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the Registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

The rights of indemnification described above are not exclusive of any other rights of indemnification to which the persons indemnified may be entitled under any bylaw, agreement, vote of stockholders or directors or otherwise. In addition to the foregoing, the Registrant maintains insurance through a commercial carrier against certain liabilities which may be incurred by its directors and officers.

The foregoing description is necessarily general and does not describe all details regarding the indemnification of officers, directors or controlling persons of the Registrant.

Item 7. Exemption from Registration Claimed.

Not applicable.

Item 8. Exhibits.

Exhibit Number		Description
4.1		Merit Medical Systems, Inc. 2006 Long-Term Incentive Purchase Plan.*

5.1		Opinion of Parr Waddoups Brown Gee & Loveless as to the legality of the securities being registered.*

23.1		Consent of Deloitte & Touche LLP*

23.2		Consent of Parr Waddoups Brown Gee & Loveless (included in Item 5.1 above).

24.1		Power of Attorney (included on signature page of this Registration Statement).

*Filed herewith

Item 9. Undertakings.

A. The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes:

(1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement:

(i) To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”);

(ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of this Registration Statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in this Registration Statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than 20 percent change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in the effective registration statement; and

(iii) To include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in this Registration Statement or any material change to such information in this Registration Statement;

provided, however, that paragraphs (1)(i) and (1)(ii) above do not apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in periodic reports filed by the Registrant pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act that are incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement.

(2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

(3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering.

B. The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the Registrant’s annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefits plan’s annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act) that is incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

C. Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the Registrant has been advised that, in the opinion of the Commission, such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the Registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in Salt Lake City, State of Utah, on July 6, 2006.

	MERIT MEDICAL SYSTEMS, INC.

	/s/ Fred P. Lampropoulos
	Fred P. Lampropoulos Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer

POWER OF ATTORNEY

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this registration statement has been signed by the following persons on behalf of the Registrant in the capacities indicated. Each person whose signature to this registration statement appears below hereby constitutes and appoints Fred P. Lampropoulos, and each of them, as his true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent, with full power of substitution, to sign on his behalf individually and in the capacity stated below and to perform any acts necessary to be done in order to file (i) any and all amendments and post-effective amendments to this registration statement, and any and all exhibits, instruments or documents filed as part of or in connection with this registration statement or the amendments thereto and (ii) a registration statement and any and all amendments thereto, relating to the offering covered hereby filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, and each of the undersigned does hereby ratify and confirm all that said attorney-in-fact and agent, or his substitutes, shall do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

Signature	Title	Date

/s/ Fred P. Lampropoulos	President, Chief Executive Officer and Director (Principal Executive Officer)	July 6, 2006
Fred P. Lampropoulos

/s/ Kent W. Stanger	Secretary-Treasurer, Chief Financial Officer and Director (Principal Financial Officer and Principal Accounting Officer)	July 6, 2006
Kent W. Stanger

/s/ Rex C. Bean	Director	July 6, 2006
Rex C. Bean

/s/ Richard W. Edelman	Director	July 6, 2006
Richard W. Edelman

/s/ James J. Ellis	Director	July 6, 2006
James J. Ellis

/s/ Michael E. Stillabower, M.D.	Director	July 6, 2006
Michael E. Stillabower, M.D.

/s/ Franklin J. Miller, M.D.	Director	July 6, 2006
Franklin J. Miller, M.D.