SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
SCHEDULE 13D
Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934*
Seitel, Inc.
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(Name of Issuer)
Common Stock, par value $.01 per share
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(Title of Class of Securities)
816074405
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(CUSIP Number of Class of Securities)
Daniel S. Loeb
Third Point Management Company L.L.C.
360 Madison Avenue, 24th Floor
New York, NY 10017
(212) 224-7400
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(Name, Address and Telephone Number of Person
Authorized to Receive Notices and Communications)
Copies to:
Daniel Schloendorn, Esq.
Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP
787 Seventh Avenue
New York, NY 10019-6099
(212) 728-8000
October 6, 2004
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(Date of Event which Requires
Filing of this Schedule)
If the filing person has previously filed a statement on Schedule 13G to report
the acquisition which is the subject of this Schedule 13D, and is filing this
schedule because of ss.ss. 240.13d-1(e), 240.13d-1(f) or 240.13d-1(g), check the
following box: [ ]
NOTE: Schedules filed in paper format shall include a signed original and five
copies of the schedule, including all exhibits. See Rule 240.13d-7 for other
parties to whom copies are to be sent.
* The remainder of this cover page shall be filled out for a reporting person's
initial filing on this form with respect to the subject class of securities, and
for any subsequent amendment containing information which would alter
disclosures provided in a prior cover page.
The information required on the remainder of this cover page shall not be deemed
to be "filed" for the purpose of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934 ("Act") or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section of the Act
but shall be subject to all other provisions of the Act (however, see the
Notes).
SCHEDULE 13D
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CUSIP No. 816074405 Page 2 of 10 Pages
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1 NAME OF REPORTING PERSON
I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NOS. OF ABOVE PERSONS (ENTITIES ONLY)
Daniel S. Loeb
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2 CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP (a) [ ]
(b) [X]
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3 SEC USE ONLY
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4 SOURCE OF FUNDS*
AF
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5 CHECK BOX IF DISCLOSURE OF LEGAL PROCEEDING IS REQUIRED PURSUANT
TO ITEMS 2(d) or 2(e) [ ]
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6 CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION
United States
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7 SOLE VOTING POWER
49
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NUMBER OF 8 SHARED VOTING POWER
SHARES
BENEFICIALLY 8,100,000
OWNED BY --------- ------------------------------------------------
EACH 9 SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
REPORTING
PERSON WITH 49
--------- ------------------------------------------------
10 SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
8,100,000
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11 AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH PERSON
8,100,049
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12 CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (11) EXCLUDES CERTAIN
SHARES* [ ]
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13 PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (11)
5.4%
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14 TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON*
IN
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SCHEDULE 13D
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CUSIP No. 816074405 Page 3 of 10 Pages
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1 NAME OF REPORTING PERSON
I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NOS. OF ABOVE PERSONS (ENTITIES ONLY)
Third Point Management Company L.L.C. I.D. #13-3922602
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2 CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP (a) [ ]
(b) [X]
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3 SEC USE ONLY
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4 SOURCE OF FUNDS*
AF
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5 CHECK BOX IF DISCLOSURE OF LEGAL PROCEEDING IS REQUIRED PURSUANT
TO ITEMS 2(d) or 2(e) [ ]
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6 CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION
Delaware
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7 SOLE VOTING POWER
0
--------- ------------------------------------------------
NUMBER OF 8 SHARED VOTING POWER
SHARES
BENEFICIALLY 8,100,000
OWNED BY --------- ------------------------------------------------
EACH 9 SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
REPORTING
PERSON WITH 0
--------- ------------------------------------------------
10 SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
8,100,000
----------- --------------------------------------------------------------------
11 AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH PERSON
8,100,049
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12 CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (11) EXCLUDES CERTAIN
SHARES* [ ]
----------- --------------------------------------------------------------------
13 PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (11)
5.4%
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14 TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON*
OO
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This Schedule 13D is being filed on behalf of Third Point Management
Company L.L.C., a Delaware limited liability company (the "Management Company"),
and Daniel S. Loeb, an individual ("Mr. Loeb" and, together with the Management
Company, the "Reporting Persons"). This Schedule 13D relates to the Common
Stock, par value $.01 per share, of Seitel, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the
"Company"). Unless the context otherwise requires, references herein to the
"Common Stock" are to such Common Stock. This Schedule 13D is being filed to
report that the beneficial ownership of the Reporting Persons is in excess of 5%
of the total outstanding Common Stock. The Management Company is the investment
manager or adviser to a variety of hedge funds and managed accounts (such funds
and accounts, collectively, the "Funds"). Mr. Loeb is the managing member of the
Management Company. The Funds directly own the Common Stock to which this
Schedule 13D relates, and the Reporting Persons may be deemed to have beneficial
ownership over such Common Stock, by virtue of the authority granted to the
Management Company by the Funds to vote and to dispose of the securities held by
the Funds.
Item 1. Security and Issuer.
This statement on Schedule 13D relates to the Common Stock of the Company,
and is being filed pursuant to Rules 13d-1 and 13d-5 under the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"). The address of the
principal executive offices of the Company is 10811 S. Westview Circle, Houston,
Texas, 77043.
Item 2. Identity and Background.
(a) This statement is filed by the Reporting Persons. Daniel S. Loeb is the
managing member of the Management Company and controls the Management Company's
business activities. The Management Company is organized as a limited liability
company under the laws of the State of Delaware.
(b) The address of the principal business and principal office of the
Management Company and Mr. Loeb is 360 Madison Avenue, 24th Floor, New York, NY
10017.
(c) The principal business of the Management Company is to serve as
investment manager or adviser to the Funds. The principal business of Mr. Loeb
is to act as the managing member of the Management Company.
(d) None of the Reporting Persons, nor, to the best of their knowledge, any
of their directors, executive officers, general partners or members has, during
the last five years, been convicted in a criminal proceeding (excluding traffic
violations or similar misdemeanors).
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(e) None of the Reporting Persons, nor, to the best of their knowledge, any
of their directors, executive officers, general partners or members has, during
the last five years, been a party to a civil proceeding of a judicial or
administrative body of competent jurisdiction and as a result of such proceeding
was or is subject to a judgment, decree or final order enjoining future
violations of, or prohibiting or mandating activities subject to, federal or
state securities laws or finding any violation with respect to such laws.
(f) Mr. Loeb is a United States citizen.
Item 3. Source and Amount of Funds or Other Consideration.
The Funds expended an aggregate of approximately $7,729,766.85 of their own
investment capital to acquire the 8,100,000 shares of Common Stock currently
held by them (the "Shares"). In the case of the Funds, the Shares were acquired
through open market purchases.
The Funds effect purchases of securities primarily through margin accounts
maintained for them with Bear, Stearns Securities Corp. (the "Prime Broker")
which may extend margin credit to the Funds as and when required to open or
carry positions in the margin accounts, subject to applicable Federal margin
regulations, stock exchange rules and the firm's credit policies. In such
instances, the positions held in the margin accounts are pledged as collateral
security for the repayment of debit balances in the accounts. Mr. Loeb purchased
the securities directly held by him with his own funds.
Item 4. Purpose of Transaction.
The purpose of the acquisition of the Shares by the Funds is for
investment.
The Reporting Persons may cause the Funds to make further acquisitions of
shares of Common Stock from time to time or to dispose of any or all of the
shares of Common Stock held by the Funds at any time.
Mr. Loeb may further acquire shares of Common Stock from time to time or
dispose of any or all of the shares of Common Stock held by him at any time.
6
The Reporting Persons are engaged in the investment business. In pursuing
this business, the Reporting Persons analyze the operations, capital structure
and markets of companies, including the Company, on a continuous basis through
analysis of documentation and discussions with knowledgeable industry and market
observers and with representatives of such companies (often at the invitation of
management). From time to time, one or more of the Reporting Persons may hold
discussions with third parties or with management of such companies in which the
Reporting Person may suggest or take a position with respect to potential
changes in the operations, management or capital structure of such companies as
a means of enhancing shareholder value. Such suggestions or positions may relate
to one or more of the transactions specified in clauses (a) through (j) of Item
4 of Schedule 13D of the Exchange Act, including, without limitation, such
matters as disposing of or selling all or a portion of the company or acquiring
another company or business, changing operating or marketing strategies,
adopting or not adopting certain types of anti-takeover measures and
restructuring the company's capitalization or dividend policy.
Except as set forth above, the Reporting Persons do not have any present
plans or proposals that relate to or would result in any of the actions required
to be described in Item 4 of Schedule 13D. Each of the Reporting Persons may, at
any time, review or reconsider its position with respect to the Company and
formulate plans or proposals with respect to any of such matters, but has no
present intention of doing so.
Item 5. Interest in Securities of the Issuer.
(a) As of the date of this Schedule 13D, the Management Company
beneficially owns 8,100,000 shares of Common Stock. As of August 12, 2004, these
shares represented 5.4% of the total 150,414,143 shares of Common Stock
outstanding as reported in the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the
fiscal quarter ended June 30, 2004. The percentages used herein and in the rest
of this statement are calculated based upon this number of outstanding shares.
As of the date of this Schedule 13D, Mr. Loeb directly beneficially owns 49
Shares and indirectly beneficially owns 8,100,000 shares of Common Stock, for a
total of 8,100,049 shares, which represents 5.4% of the total outstanding
shares.
(b) The Management Company and Mr. Loeb share voting and dispositive power
over the 8,100,000 shares of Common Stock held by the Funds. Mr. Loeb has sole
voting and dispositive power over the 49 shares of Common Stock he holds
directly.
(c) Schedule A hereto sets forth certain information with respect to
transactions by the Funds, at the direction of the
7
Reporting Persons, in the shares of Common Stock since August 19, 2004, the date
of the most recent filing on Schedule 13D.
All of the transactions set forth herein, except as may be otherwise
indicated, were effected in open market purchases through the Prime Broker.
Except as set forth above, since August 19, 2004 there were no transactions
in the Common Stock effected by the Reporting Persons, nor, to the best of their
knowledge, any of their directors, executive officers, general partners or
members.
(d) Other than the Funds which directly hold the shares of Common Stock
reported herein, and except as set forth in this Item 5, no person is known to
have the right to receive or the power to direct the receipt of dividends from,
or the proceeds from the sale of, such shares.
Item 6. Contracts, Arrangements, Understandings or Relationships With Respect to
Securities of the Issuer.
Pursuant to Rule 13d-1(k) promulgated under the Exchange Act, the Reporting
Persons have entered into an agreement with respect to the joint filing of this
statement, and any amendment or amendments hereto.
By virtue of the relationships among the Reporting Persons and the Funds,
as described in Item 2, the Reporting Persons and the Funds may be deemed to be
a "group" under the Federal securities laws. Except as otherwise set forth in
this Schedule 13D, each Reporting Person expressly disclaims beneficial
ownership of any of the shares of Common Stock beneficially owned by any other
Reporting Person or the Funds and the filing of this Statement shall not be
construed as an admission, for the purposes of Sections 13(d) and 13(g) or under
any provision of the Exchange Act or the rules promulgated thereunder or for any
other purpose, that any Reporting Person is a beneficial owner of any such
shares.
Except as set forth herein, there are no contracts, arrangements,
understandings or relationships among the persons named in Item 2 or between
such persons and any other person with respect to any securities of the Company.
Item 7. Material to be Filed as Exhibits.
1. Joint Filing Agreement, dated as of October 13, 2004, by and between the
Reporting Persons.
[THE REMAINDER OF THIS PAGE LEFT INTENTIONALLY BLANK.]
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Schedule A
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(Transactions by the Funds in Common Stock
since the most recent filing on Schedule 13D)
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Date Transaction Shares Price Per Share
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10/06/04 BUY 1,240,000 0.75320
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SIGNATURES
After reasonable inquiry and to the best of our knowledge and belief, the
undersigned certify that the information set forth in this statement is true,
complete and correct.
Dated: October 13, 2004
THIRD POINT MANAGEMENT
COMPANY L.L.C.
By: /s/ Daniel S. Loeb
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Name: Daniel S. Loeb
Title: Managing Member
/s/ Daniel S. Loeb
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Daniel S. Loeb
[SIGNATURE PAGE TO SCHEDULE 13D
WITH RESPECT TO SEITEL, INC.]