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OMB APPROVAL |
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OMB Number:
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3235-0059 |
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Expires:
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January 31, 2008 |
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Estimated average burden hours per
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14 |
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
SCHEDULE 14A
Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 (Amendment No. )
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Filed by the Registrant
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Filed by a Party other than the Registrant
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Check the appropriate box: |
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o Preliminary Proxy Statement |
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Confidential, for Use of the Commission Only (as permitted by
Rule 14a-6(e)(2)) |
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o Definitive Proxy Statement |
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þ Definitive Additional Materials |
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Soliciting Material Pursuant to §240.14a-12 |
H&R BLOCK, INC.
(Name
of Registrant as Specified In Its Charter)
(Name
of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if other than the
Registrant)
Payment of Filing Fee (Check the appropriate box):
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þ No fee required. |
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Fee computed on table below per Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i)(1) and
0-11. |
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1) Title of each class of securities to which transaction applies: |
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2) Aggregate number of securities to which transaction applies: |
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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): |
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4) Proposed maximum aggregate value of transaction: |
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o Fee paid previously with preliminary materials. |
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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. |
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1) Amount Previously Paid: |
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2) Form, Schedule or Registration Statement No.: |
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SEC 1913 (02-02) |
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. |
July 31, 2007
Dear Fellow Shareholder:
Your companys Annual Meeting of Shareholders is scheduled for September 6, 2007. At the
meeting, three of our independent directors are standing for re-election Donna R. Ecton, Louis
W. Smith and Rayford Wilkins, Jr. We urge you to vote FOR these highly qualified, dedicated
individuals TODAY by telephone, Internet or by signing, dating and returning the WHITE proxy
card TODAY in the postage-paid envelope.
We Have An Outstanding Brand and Industry Leadership Position.
We Are On Track To Grow Shareholder Value.
This is an important time in H&R Blocks history. Your Board and management team are
implementing the right strategy to further enhance our brand and to bolster our strong industry
leadership position. We have taken important steps to focus on our core tax, accounting and
related financial services businesses.
Our Tax Services business experienced strong growth in new clients and revenues this year,
significantly aided by the successful debut of H&R Block Bank. We believe the Bank will continue
to complement our tax business and in particular allow us to retain and attract early season filers
who are critical to our overall success and value creation. (A thorough discussion of the Bank and
its important contribution to our growth is presented in the enclosed Annual Report.)
Important Steps Have Been Taken To Create Value.
H&R Blocks Board and management team are intensely focused on continuing the growth and
momentum in our core businesses. In addition to the very successful launch of our Bank, we have
taken other key actions in the past year:
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We agreed to sell Option One Mortgage Corp. and have closed H&R Block Mortgage
Corp. because these operations were not aligned with our strategic focus or return
expectations. |
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We exited selected operations within our core accounting business, RSM
McGladrey, that didnt support its profitability or competitive advantage. |
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We continue to examine the strategic importance of all of our businesses and their
contribution to overall value. |
We Expect Improved Financial Results And
Increased Shareholder Value In Fiscal Year 2008.
We expect another year of strong growth in Tax Services, fueled by H&R Block Bank.
Expected profits from these and other core businesses will allow H&R Block to rebuild capital and
enable share repurchases and further dividend increases.
Dont Let Breeden Partners Disrupt Our Momentum.
It is unfortunate that a dissident hedge fund, Breeden Partners, has chosen to launch a
distracting proxy contest. Breeden Partners owns less than 2% of our shares and has been a
shareholder for less than a year yet seeks to replace more than 25% of your Board with its own
handpicked slate.
In our view, Breeden Partners has put forth no new ideas to improve shareholder value. In
fact, many of Breeden Partners proposed changes are identical to actions that your company
announced and began implementing before Breeden Partners acquired a single share. We believe that
Breeden Partners is advocating a sale or disposition of the Bank. Such an action would deprive H&R
Blocks shareholders of the Banks significant potential and would threaten the enhancement of
shareholder value.
Ask yourself whether Breeden Partners nominees who have no new ideas other than the
ill-advised sale of the Bank are the right individuals to represent your best interests.
Protect Your Investment Vote The WHITE Proxy Card Today.
Your Board is committed to protecting and enhancing the value of your investment in H&R
Block. We are confident that the continued implementation of our strategic plan is the best
approach to creating value for all H&R Block shareholders. Please use the enclosed WHITE proxy
card to vote FOR your Boards nominees TODAYby telephone, by Internet, or by signing, dating
and returning the WHITE proxy card.
Thank you for your continued support.
On Behalf of the Board of Directors,
Mark Ernst
Chairman, President and CEO
Your Vote Is Important, No Matter How Many Or How Few Shares You Own.
If you have questions about how to vote your shares, or need additional assistance, please
contact the firm assisting us in the solicitation of proxies:
INNISFREE M&A INCORPORATED
Shareholders call Toll-Free: (877) 456-3463
Banks and Brokers Call Collect: (212) 750-5833
Forward Looking Statements
This letter may contain forward-looking statements, which are any statements that are not
historical facts. These forward-looking statements are based upon the current expectations of the
company and there can be no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Because
forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties and speak only as of the date on which
they are made, the companys actual results could differ materially from these statements. These
risks and uncertainties relate to, among other things, the companys pending sale of Option One
Mortgage Corp; competitive factors; regulatory capital requirements; the companys effective income
tax rate; litigation; and changes in market, economic, political or regulatory conditions.
Information concerning these risks and uncertainties is contained in Item 1-A of the companys 2007
annual report on Form 10-K and in other filings by the company with the Securities and Exchange
Commission.