As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 28, 2011

Registration No. 333-      

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

 

 

 

 

Form S-3

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

UNDER

THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

 

 

 

 

The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

 

Copies To:

 

Carey S. Roberts, Esq.
Covington & Burling LLP
The New York Times Building
620 Eighth Avenue
New York, NY 10018
(212) 841-1000

 

Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public:  From time to time after the effective date of this registration statement.

 

If the only securities being registered on this form are being offered pursuant to dividend or interest reinvestment plans, please check the following box.  o

 

If any of the securities being registered on this form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, other than securities offered only in connection with dividend or interest reinvestment plans, check the following box.  þ

 

If this form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering.  o

 

If this form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, please check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering.  o

 

If this form is a registration statement pursuant to General Instruction I.D. or a post-effective amendment thereto that shall become effective upon filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 462(e) under the Securities Act, check the following box. þ

 

If this form is a post-effective amendment to a registration statement filed pursuant to General Instruction I.D. filed to register additional securities or additional classes of securities pursuant to Rule 413(b) under the Securities Act, check the following box.  o

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer” and “smaller reporting company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. (Check one):

 

 

CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

 

 

 

PROSPECTUS

 

 

The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company

 

Preferred Stock

 

Common Stock

 

We may offer and sell from time to time, in one or more offerings, preferred stock, common stock or any combination of these securities at prices and on terms determined at the time of any such offering. The preferred stock may be convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for common stock, preferred stock or other securities. Our common stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange and trades under the symbol “GT.” We may offer and sell these securities to or through one or more underwriters, dealers and agents, or directly to purchasers, on a continuous or delayed basis.

 

Each time any of these securities are sold, we will provide one or more supplements to this prospectus that will contain additional information about the specific offering and the terms of the securities being offered. The supplements may also add, update or change information contained in this prospectus. You should carefully read this prospectus and any accompanying prospectus supplement before you invest in any of our securities.

 

Investing in our securities involves risks. See “Risk Factors” on page 5 of this prospectus.

 

Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or passed upon the adequacy or accuracy of this prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

 

This prospectus may not be used to sell securities unless accompanied by a prospectus supplement.

 

This prospectus is dated March 28, 2011

You should rely only on the information contained in or incorporated by reference into this prospectus, any accompanying prospectus supplement or any other offering material filed or provided by us. We have not authorized anyone to provide you with information that is different. We are not making an offer to sell these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted. You should not assume that the information contained in this prospectus, any accompanying prospectus supplement or any other offering material is accurate as of any date other than the date on the front of such document. Any information incorporated by reference into this prospectus, any accompanying prospectus supplement or any other offering material is accurate only as of the date of the document incorporated by reference. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since that date.

 

 

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

 

This prospectus is part of a registration statement that we filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or the SEC, utilizing a “shelf” registration process, which allows us to offer and sell, from time to time, our securities in one or more offerings.

 

Each time we offer to sell our securities pursuant to this prospectus, we will provide a prospectus supplement that will contain more specific information about the offering. The prospectus supplement may also add, update or change information contained in this prospectus. In addition, as we describe in the section entitled “Where you can find more information,” we have filed and plan to continue to file other documents with the SEC that contain information about us and the business conducted by us. Before you decide whether to invest in our securities, you should read this prospectus, the accompanying prospectus supplement and the information that we file with the SEC.

 

In this prospectus, “Goodyear,” “we,” “our,” and “us” refer to The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company and its consolidated subsidiaries, except as otherwise indicated or as the context otherwise requires. The phrase “this prospectus” refers to this prospectus and any applicable prospectus supplement, unless the context otherwise requires.

 

We are subject to the information reporting requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and, accordingly, we file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. Our SEC filings are available at the SEC’s website (http://www.sec.gov) or through our website (http://www.goodyear.com). We have not incorporated by reference into this prospectus the information included on or linked from our website, and you should not consider it part of this prospectus. You may also read and copy any document we file with the SEC at its Public Reference Room at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549. You may also obtain copies of the documents at prescribed rates from the Public Reference Room of the SEC. You may call the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330 for further information on the operation of the Public Reference Room. Our SEC filings are also available at the offices of the New York Stock Exchange, 20 Broad Street, New York, NY 10005.

 

The SEC allows us to “incorporate by reference” documents that we file with the SEC into this prospectus, which means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to those documents. The information incorporated by reference into this prospectus is considered part of this prospectus. Any statement in this prospectus or incorporated by reference into this prospectus shall be automatically modified or superseded for purposes of this prospectus to the extent that a statement contained herein or in a subsequently filed document that is incorporated by reference into this prospectus modifies or supersedes such prior statement. Any statement so modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this prospectus.

 

We incorporate by reference the following documents that have been filed with the SEC (other than any portion of such filings that are furnished under applicable SEC rules rather than filed):

 

 

All documents and reports that we file with the SEC (other than any portion of such filings that are furnished under applicable SEC rules rather than filed) under Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, from the date of this prospectus until the termination of the offering of all securities under this prospectus shall be deemed to be incorporated into this prospectus by reference. The information contained on our website (http://www.goodyear.com) is not incorporated into this prospectus.

 

You may request a copy of any documents incorporated by reference herein at no cost by writing or telephoning us at:

 

The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
1144 East Market Street
Akron, Ohio 44316-0001
Attention: Investor Relations
Telephone number: 330-796-3751

 

Exhibits to the filings will not be sent, however, unless those exhibits have specifically been incorporated by reference into this prospectus.

 

Certain information set forth herein or incorporated by reference herein may constitute forward-looking statements regarding events and trends that may affect our future operating results and financial position. The words “estimate,” “expect,” “intend” and “project,” as well as other words or expressions of similar meaning, are intended to identify forward-looking statements. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this prospectus or, in the case of information incorporated by reference herein, as of the date of the document in which such information appears. Such statements are based on current expectations and assumptions, are inherently uncertain, are subject to risks and should be viewed with caution. Actual results and experience may differ materially from the forward-looking statements as a result of many factors, including:

 

 

 

It is not possible to foresee or identify all such factors. We will not revise or update any forward-looking statement or disclose any facts, events or circumstances that occur after the date hereof that may affect the accuracy of any forward-looking statement.

 

We are one of the world’s leading manufacturers of tires, engaging in operations in most regions of the world. For the year ended December 31, 2010, our net sales were $18.8 billion and Goodyear’s net loss was $216 million. Together with our U.S. and international subsidiaries and joint ventures, we develop, manufacture, market and distribute tires for most applications. We also manufacture and market rubber-related chemicals for various applications. We are one of the world’s largest operators of commercial truck service and tire retreading centers. In addition, we operate approximately 1,500 tire and auto service center outlets where we offer our products for retail sale and provide automotive repair and other services. We manufacture our products in 56 manufacturing facilities in 22 countries, including the United States, and we have marketing operations in almost every country around the world. As of December 31, 2010, we employed approximately 72,000 full-time and temporary associates worldwide.

 

We are an Ohio corporation, organized in 1898. Our principal executive offices are located at 1144 East Market Street, Akron, Ohio 44316-0001. Our telephone number is (330) 796-2121.

 

Investing in our securities involves risk. You should carefully consider the specific risks discussed or incorporated by reference into this prospectus or the applicable prospectus supplement, together with all the other information contained in the prospectus supplement or contained in or incorporated by reference into this prospectus. You should carefully consider, among other things, the matters discussed under “Risk Factors” included in the applicable prospectus supplement, in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2010 and in other documents that we subsequently file with the Securities and Exchange Commission, all of which are incorporated by reference into this prospectus, and which may be amended, supplemented or superseded from time to time by other reports we file with the SEC in the future.

 

Unless otherwise indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, we expect to use the net proceeds from any sale of securities offered by this prospectus for general corporate purposes. General corporate purposes may include:

 

 

Our management will retain broad discretion in the allocation of the net proceeds from the sale of our securities.

 

 

 

 

A description of any preferred stock and common stock that may be offered and sold under this prospectus will be set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement relating to those securities.

 

We may sell our securities offered by this prospectus:

 

 

Any underwriters or agents will be identified and their discounts, commissions and other items constituting underwriters’ compensation will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement.

 

We (directly or through agents) may sell, and the underwriters may resell, the securities in one or more transactions, including negotiated transactions, at a fixed public offering price or prices, which may be changed, at market prices prevailing at the time of sale, at prices related to prevailing market prices or at negotiated prices.

 

In connection with the sale of our securities, the underwriters or agents may receive compensation from us or from purchasers of the securities for whom they may act as agents. The underwriters may sell securities to or through dealers, who may also receive compensation from purchasers of the securities for whom they may act as agents. Compensation may be in the form of discounts, concessions or commissions. Underwriters, dealers and agents that participate in the distribution of the securities may be underwriters as defined in the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and any discounts or commissions received by them from us and any profit on the resale of the securities by them may be treated as underwriting discounts and commissions under the Securities Act.

 

We may indemnify the underwriters and agents against certain civil liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act, or contribute to payments they may be required to make in respect of such liabilities.

 

Underwriters, dealers and agents may engage in transactions with, or perform services for, us or our affiliates in the ordinary course of their businesses.

 

If so indicated in the prospectus supplement relating to a particular offering of securities, we will authorize underwriters, dealers or agents to solicit offers by certain institutions to purchase the securities from us under delayed delivery contracts providing for payment and delivery at a future date. These contracts will be subject only to those conditions set forth in the prospectus supplement, and the prospectus supplement will set forth the commission payable for solicitation of these contracts.

 

In connection with particular offerings of securities, and if stated in the applicable prospectus supplements, the validity of the securities being offered by this prospectus will be passed upon for us by David L. Bialosky, Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary of the Company. Mr. Bialosky is paid a salary by us, is a participant in our Management Incentive Plan, Executive Performance Plan and equity compensation plans, and owns and has options to purchase shares of our common stock. In connection with particular offerings of securities, and if stated in the applicable prospectus supplements, certain legal matters with respect to such offerings will be passed upon for us by Covington & Burling LLP, New York, New York. Any underwriter, dealer or agent will be advised about other issues relating to any offering by its own legal counsel named in the applicable prospectus supplement.

 

The consolidated financial statements as of December 31, 2010 and 2009 and for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2010 and management’s assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2010 (which is included in Management’s Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting) incorporated into this prospectus by reference to the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2010, have been so incorporated in reliance on the report of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, given on the authority of said firm as experts in accounting and auditing.

PART II

 

INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS

 

 

The following table sets forth the expenses payable by us in connection with the sale of the securities being registered hereby. All of the amounts shown are estimates.

 

 

 

 

 

The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company

 

The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company is an Ohio corporation. Section 1701.13(E) of the Ohio Revised Code gives a corporation incorporated under the laws of Ohio authority to indemnify or agree to indemnify its directors and officers against certain liabilities they may incur in such capacities in connection with criminal or civil suits or proceedings, other than an action brought by or in the right of the corporation, provided that the director or officer acted in good faith and in a manner that the person reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, the person had no reasonable cause to believe his or her conduct was unlawful. In the case of an action or suit by or in the right of the corporation, the corporation may indemnify or agree to indemnify its directors and officers against certain liabilities they may incur in such capacities, provided that the director or officer acted in good faith and in a manner that the person reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation, except that an indemnification shall not be made in respect of any claim, issue, or matter as to which (a) the person is adjudged to be liable for negligence or misconduct in the performance of their duty to the corporation unless and only to the extent that the court of common pleas or the court in which the action or suit was brought determines, upon application, that, despite the adjudication of liability but in view of all the circumstances of the case, the person is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnification for expenses that the court considers proper or (b) any action or suit in which the only liability asserted against a director is pursuant to Section 1701.95 of the Ohio Revised Code.

 

The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company has adopted provisions in its Code of Regulations that provide that it shall indemnify its directors and officers against any and all liability and reasonable expense that may be incurred by a director or officer in connection with or resulting from any claim, action, suit or proceeding in which the person may become involved by reason of his or her being or having been a director or officer of the Company, or by reason of any past or future action taken or not taken in his or her capacity as such director or officer, provided such person acted in good faith, in what he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company, and, in addition, in any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe that his or her conduct was unlawful.

 

The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company maintains and pays the premiums on contracts insuring the Company and its subsidiaries (with certain exclusions) against any liability to directors and officers they may incur under the above provisions for indemnification and insuring each director and officer of the Company and its subsidiaries

(with certain exclusions) against liability and expense, including legal fees, which he or she may incur by reason of his or her relationship to the Company even if the Company does not have the obligation or right to indemnify such director or officer against such liability or expense.

 

 

A list of exhibits filed herewith is contained in the exhibit index that immediately precedes such exhibits and is incorporated herein by reference.

 

 

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;

 

(ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the 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 the 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 Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act of 1933 if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than a 20% 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 the registration statement or any material change to such information in the registration statement;

 

provided, however, that paragraphs (1)(i), (1)(ii) and (1)(iii) do not apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in reports filed with or furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission by the registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are incorporated by reference in the registration statement or contained in a form of prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) that is part of the registration statement.

 

(2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, 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.

 

(4) That, for the purpose of determining liability under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser:

 

(i) Each prospectus filed by the registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(3) shall be deemed to be part of the registration statement as of the date the filed prospectus was deemed part of and included in the registration statement; and

 

(ii) Each prospectus required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424(b)(2), (b)(5) or (b)(7) as part of a registration statement in reliance on Rule 430B relating to an offering made pursuant to Rule 415(a)(1)(i), (vii) or (x) for the purpose of providing the information required by Section 10(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 shall be deemed to be part of and included in the registration statement as of the earlier of the date such form of prospectus is first used after effectiveness or the date of the first contract of sale of securities in the offering described in the prospectus. As provided in Rule 430B, for liability purposes of the issuer

and any person that is at that date an underwriter, such date shall be deemed to be a new effective date of the registration statement relating to the securities in the registration statement to which that prospectus relates, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof. Provided, however, that no statement made in a registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement or made in a document incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference into the registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement will, as to a purchaser with a time of contract of sale prior to such effective date, supersede or modify any statement that was made in the registration statement or prospectus that was part of the registration statement or made in any such document immediately prior to such effective date.

 

(5) That, for the purpose of determining liability of the registrant under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser in the initial distribution of the securities, the undersigned registrant undertakes that in a primary offering of securities of the undersigned registrant pursuant to this registration statement, regardless of the underwriting method used to sell the securities to the purchaser, if the securities are offered or sold to such purchaser by means of any of the following communications, the undersigned registrant will be a seller to the purchaser and will be considered to offer or sell such securities to such purchaser:

 

(i) Any preliminary prospectus or prospectus of the undersigned registrant relating to the offering required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424;

 

(ii) Any free writing prospectus relating to the offering prepared by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant or used or referred to by the undersigned registrant;

 

(iii) The portion of any other free writing prospectus relating to the offering containing material information about the undersigned registrant or its securities provided by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant; and

 

(iv) Any other communication that is an offer in the offering made by the undersigned registrant to the purchaser.

 

(6) That, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the registrant’s annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan’s annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) that is incorporated by reference in the 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.

 

Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 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 Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the 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 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-3 and has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Akron, State of Ohio, on March 28, 2011.

 

The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company

 

Name:     Darren R. Wells

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this registration statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

 

Exhibit Index