- HALL Dashboard
- Financials
- Filings
-
Holdings
- Transcripts
- ETFs
- Insider
- Institutional
- Shorts
-
S-3/A Filing
Hallmark Financial Services (HALL) S-3/AShelf registration (amended)
Filed: 29 Jul 03, 12:00am
As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on July 28, 2003 Registration No. 333-104274 ================================================================================ SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 ------------------------- AMENDMENT NO.3 TO FORM S-3 REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933 ------------------------- HALLMARK FINANCIAL SERVICES, INC. (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter) Nevada 87-0447375 (State or other jurisdiction of (I.R.S. Employer incorporation or organization) Identification Number) 14651 Dallas Parkway Suite 900 Dallas, Texas 75254 (972) 404-1637 (Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of registrant's principal executive offices) ---------------------------- Mark E. Schwarz Chairman and CEO Hallmark Financial Services, Inc. 14651 Dallas Parkway Suite 900 Dallas, Texas 75254 (972) 404-1637 (Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service of process) Copies to: Steven Wolosky, Esq. Olshan Grundman Frome Rosenzweig & Wolosky LLP 505 Park Avenue New York, New York 10022 (212) 753-7200 ------------------------------ Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public: As soon as practicable 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. |_| 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, please check the following box. |X| 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. |_| If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. |_| If delivery of the prospectus is expected to be made pursuant to Rule 434, please check the following box. |_| CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE ====================================================================================== Proposed Maximum Aggregate Offering Amount Of Title of Shares to be Registered Price(1) Registration Fee - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Common Stock, par value $.03 per share, issuable upon exercise of nontransferable rights..................................... $10,000,000(2) $809.00(3) ======================================================================================= (1) Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee in accordance with Rule 457(o) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. (2) Represents the gross proceeds from the assumed exercise of all nontransferable rights issued. (3) Previously paid with the initial filing on April 2, 2003. The Registrant hereby amends this registration statement on such date or dates as may be necessary to delay its effective date until the Registrant shall file a further amendment which specifically states that this registration statement shall thereafter become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or until the registration statement shall become effective on such date as the Commission, acting pursuant to said Section 8(a), may determine. The information in this prospectus is not complete and may be changed. We may not sell these securities until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities and is not soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any state where the offer or sale is not permitted. SUBJECT TO COMPLETION, DATED JULY 28, 2003 PROSPECTUS Hallmark Financial Services, Inc. [________] Shares of Common Stock Our Board of Directors declared a dividend of rights to purchase our common stock to holders of record as of June 27, 2003. Through this prospectus, we are offering the shares of common stock that rights holders may purchase upon exercising such subscription rights. You received one right for each share of common stock you owned on the record date of June 27, 2003. Each right will entitle you to purchase _______ shares of our common stock at a subscription price of $______ per share. The rights are currently exercisable and will expire if they are not exercised by 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on ______________, 2003. We may extend the period for exercising the rights in our sole discretion. If you want to exercise your rights, you must submit your subscription documents to us before the expiration date. Rights that are not exercised by the expiration date will expire and will have no value. The proceeds from the exercise of rights will be used to repay an outstanding loan made to us by Newcastle Partners, L.P., our largest stockholder. Any remaining proceeds will be used for working capital and general corporate purposes. Mark E. Schwarz, our chairman and chief executive officer, is an affiliate of Newcastle. Shares of our common stock are traded on the American Stock Exchange Emerging Company Marketplace under the symbol "HAF. EC." On July 7, 2003, the last reported sales price for our common stock was $1.03 per share. AN INVESTMENT IN OUR COMMON STOCK IS VERY RISKY. YOU SHOULD CAREFULLY CONSIDER THE RISK FACTORS BEGINNING ON PAGE 6 OF THIS PROSPECTUS BEFORE EXERCISING YOUR SUBSCRIPTION RIGHTS. NEITHER THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION NOR ANY STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION HAS APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED OF THESE SECURITIES OR DETERMINED IF THIS PROSPECTUS IS TRUTHFUL OR COMPLETE. ANY REPRESENTATION TO THE CONTRARY IS A CRIMINAL OFFENSE. ----------------------- The date of this prospectus is ____________, 2003. TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ---- Questions and Answers about this Offering......................................1 Risk Factors...................................................................6 Our Company...................................................................12 Use of Proceeds...............................................................12 Capitalization................................................................13 Price Range of Common Stock...................................................13 The Offering..................................................................14 Material United States Federal Income Tax Consequences........................21 Plan of Distribution..........................................................22 Legal Matters.................................................................23 Experts.......................................................................23 Material Changes..............................................................23 Where You Can Find More Information...........................................24 Forward-Looking Statements....................................................24 i You should rely only on the information in this prospectus and the additional information described under the heading "Where You Can Find More Information." We have not authorized any other person to provide you with different information. If anyone provides you with different or inconsistent information, you should not rely on it. We are not making an offer to sell these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted. You should assume that the information in this prospectus and the additional information described under the heading "Where You Can Find More Information" were accurate on the date on the front cover of the prospectus only. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since that date. QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ABOUT THIS OFFERING This section highlights information contained elsewhere or incorporated by reference in this prospectus. This section does not contain all of the important information that you should consider before exercising your subscription rights and investing in our common stock. You should read this entire prospectus carefully. Q: WHAT ARE WE OFFERING IN THIS PROSPECTUS? A: Our Board of Directors has declared a dividend of nontransferable subscription rights to purchase shares of our common stock to each of our stockholders of record on June 27, 2003. Through this prospectus, we are offering the shares of common stock that holders of rights may purchase upon exercise of their rights. Q: WHO MAY PARTICIPATE IN THIS OFFERING? A: Only holders of record of our common stock as of June 27, 2003 are entitled to participate in this offering. Any attempt to participate in this offering by anyone that was not a holder of record of our common stock on such date will be null and void. Q: WHAT IS A SUBSCRIPTION RIGHT? A: Each subscription right is a right to purchase ____ shares of our common stock and carries with it a basic subscription privilege and an over-subscription privilege. Q: WHAT IS THE BASIC SUBSCRIPTION PRIVILEGE? A: The basic subscription privilege of each right entitles you to purchase _____ shares of our common stock at a subscription price of $_____ per share. You may exercise any number of your subscription rights, or you may choose not to exercise any subscription rights. We will not distribute any fractional shares or pay cash in place of fractional shares, but we will round down the aggregate number of shares you are entitled to receive to the nearest whole number. Q: WHAT IS THE OVER-SUBSCRIPTION PRIVILEGE? A: We do not expect that all of our stockholders will exercise all of their basic subscription rights. By extending over-subscription privileges to our stockholders, we are providing stockholders that exercise all of their basic subscription privileges with the opportunity to purchase those shares that are not purchased by other stockholders. The over-subscription privilege of each right entitles you, if you fully exercise your basic subscription privilege, to subscribe for additional shares of our common stock unclaimed by other holders of rights in this offering, at the same subscription price per share. If an insufficient number of shares is available to fully satisfy all over-subscription privilege requests, the available shares will be distributed proportionately among rights holders who exercised their over-subscription privilege based on the number of shares each rights holder subscribed for under the basic subscription privilege. The subscription agent will return any excess payments by mail without interest or deduction promptly after the expiration of the subscription period. Q: HOW LONG WILL THE SUBSCRIPTION PERIOD LAST? A: You will be able to exercise your subscription rights only during a limited period. If you do not exercise your subscription rights before 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on _____________, 2003, your subscription rights will expire. We may, in our sole discretion, decide to extend this offering until some later time. If we extend the expiration date, we will 1 give oral or written notice to the subscription agent on or before such expiration date, followed by a press release no later than 9:00 a.m., New York City time, on the next business day after the previously scheduled expiration date. Q: AM I REQUIRED TO SUBSCRIBE IN THIS OFFERING? A: No. Q: WHAT HAPPENS IF I CHOOSE NOT TO EXERCISE MY SUBSCRIPTION RIGHTS? A: You will retain your current number of shares of common stock even if you do not exercise your subscription rights. If you choose not to exercise your subscription rights, then the percentage of our common stock that you own may decrease. The magnitude of the reduction of your percentage ownership will depend upon the extent to which you and the other stockholders exercise your rights. Q: HOW DO I EXERCISE MY SUBSCRIPTION RIGHTS? A: You may exercise your subscription rights by properly completing and signing your subscription certificate, and delivering it and the rights certificate, with full payment of the subscription price for the shares you are subscribing (including any amounts in respect of the over-subscription privilege), to the subscription agent on or prior to the expiration date. If you use the mail, we recommend that you use insured, registered mail, return receipt requested. If you cannot deliver your rights certificate to the subscription agent on time, you may follow the guaranteed delivery procedures described under "The Offering - Guaranteed Delivery Procedures." Q: WHAT SHOULD I DO IF I WANT TO EXERCISE MY SUBSCRIPTION RIGHTS BUT MY SHARES ARE HELD IN THE NAME OF MY BROKER, CUSTODIAN BANK OR OTHER NOMINEE? A: If you hold shares of our common stock through a broker, custodian bank or other nominee, we will ask your broker, custodian bank or other nominee to notify you of this offering. If you wish to exercise your subscription rights, you will need to have your broker, custodian bank or other nominee act for you. To indicate your decision, you should complete and return to your broker, custodian bank or other nominee the form entitled "Beneficial Owner Election Form." You should receive this form from your broker, custodian bank or other nominee with the other offering materials. You should contact your broker, custodian bank or other nominee if you believe you are entitled to participate in this offering but you have not received this form. Q: WHAT SHOULD I DO IF I WANT TO EXERCISE MY SUBSCRIPTION RIGHTS AND I AM A STOCKHOLDER IN A FOREIGN COUNTRY OR IN THE ARMED SERVICES? A: The subscription agent will mail subscription certificates to you if you are a rights holder whose address is outside the United States or if you have an Army Post Office or a Fleet Post Office address. To exercise your rights, you must notify the subscription agent on or prior to 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on ____________, 2003, and take all other steps which are necessary to exercise your rights, on or prior to that time. If you do not follow these procedures prior to the expiration date, your rights will expire. Q: WILL I BE CHARGED A SALES COMMISSION OR A FEE BY HALLMARK FINANCIAL SERVICES IF I EXERCISE MY SUBSCRIPTION RIGHTS? A: No. We will not charge a brokerage commission or a fee to rights holders for exercising their subscription rights. However, if you exercise your subscription rights through a broker or nominee, you will be responsible for any fees charged by your broker or nominee. Q: WHAT ARE THE UNITED STATES FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSEQUENCES OF EXERCISING MY SUBSCRIPTION RIGHTS AS A HOLDER OF COMMON STOCK? A: A holder of common stock generally will not recognize income or loss for federal income tax purposes in connection with the receipt or exercise of subscription rights. We urge you to consult your own tax advisor with respect to the particular tax consequences of this offering to you. See "Material United States Federal Income Tax Consequences." 2 Q: HOW MANY SHARES MAY I PURCHASE? A: You will receive one nontransferable subscription right for each share of common stock that you owned at the close of business on June 27, 2003, the record date. Each right contains the basic subscription privilege and the over-subscription privilege. Each basic subscription privilege entitles you to purchase _____ shares of our common stock for $___ per share. Fractional shares will be eliminated by rounding down the aggregate number of shares you are entitled to receive to the nearest whole number. See "The Offering - Subscription Privileges - Basic Subscription Privilege." The over-subscription privilege entitles you to subscribe for additional shares of our common stock at the same subscription price per share on a pro-rata basis to the number of shares you purchased under your basic subscription privilege, provided you fully exercise your basic subscription privilege. "Pro-rata" means in proportion to the number of shares of our common stock that you and the other rights holders electing to exercise their over-subscription privileges have purchased by exercising the basic subscription privileges on their holdings of common stock. See "The Offering - Subscription Privileges - Over-Subscription Privilege." Q: WHEN WILL I RECEIVE CERTIFICATES FOR THE SHARES PURCHASED IN THIS OFFERING? A: We will issue certificates representing shares purchased in this offering to you or to the Depository Trust Company on your behalf, as the case may be, as soon as practicable after the expiration of the subscription period and after all pro rata allocations and adjustments have been completed. We will not be able to calculate the number of shares to be issued to each exercising holder until 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the third business day after the expiration date, which is the latest time by which subscription rights certificates may be delivered to the subscription agent under the guaranteed delivery procedures described under "The Offering - Guaranteed Delivery Procedures." Q: IF THIS OFFERING IS NOT COMPLETED, WILL MY SUBSCRIPTION PAYMENT BE REFUNDED TO ME? A: Yes. The subscription agent will hold all funds it receives in escrow until completion of this offering. If this offering is not completed, the subscription agent will return promptly, without interest, all subscription payments. Q: HOW WAS THE SUBSCRIPTION PRICE ESTABLISHED? A: The subscription price was established by our board of directors based on the recommendation of a special committee of directors, excluding those directors affiliated with Newcastle who did not participate (in their capacity as directors) in the discussion, consideration or voting with respect to these matters. These factors included the historic and then current market price of our common stock, our business prospects, our recent and anticipated operating results, general conditions in the securities markets, our need for capital, alternatives available to us for raising capital, the amount of proceeds desired, the pricing of similar transactions, the liquidity of our common stock, and the level of risk to our investors. Q: ARE THERE RISKS IN EXERCISING MY SUBSCRIPTION RIGHTS? A: Yes. The exercise of your rights involves risks. Exercising your rights means buying additional shares of our common stock and should be considered as carefully as you would consider any other equity investment in our company. Among other things, you should carefully consider the risks described under the heading "Risk Factors," beginning on page 6. Q: AFTER I EXERCISE MY SUBSCRIPTION RIGHTS, CAN I CHANGE MY MIND AND CANCEL MY PURCHASE? A: No. Once you send in your subscription certificate and payment you cannot revoke the exercise of your subscription rights, even if you later learn information about us that you consider to be unfavorable and even if the market price of our common stock is below the subscription price. You should not exercise your subscription rights unless you are certain that you wish to purchase additional shares of our common stock at the subscription price. See "The Offering - No Revocation." 3 Q: MAY I TRANSFER MY SUBSCRIPTION RIGHTS IF I DO NOT WANT TO PURCHASE ANY SHARES? A: No. Should you choose not to exercise your subscription rights, you may not sell, give away or otherwise transfer your rights. However, subscription rights will be transferable to affiliates of the recipient and by operation of law (for example, upon death of the recipient). Q: WHY IS HALLMARK FINANCIAL SERVICES ENGAGING IN THIS OFFERING? A: We are making this offering in order to raise $10.0 million in new capital to be used as follows: o to repay an $8.6 million loan, and accrued interest, made by Newcastle Partners, L.P. (referred to as Newcastle) to us during 2002, that is evidenced by promissory notes with an annual interest rate of 11.75% (referred to as the Newcastle Notes), and o as additional working capital for our business and general corporate purposes. Our board of directors believes that this offering will ultimately strengthen our financial condition through generating additional cash, reducing our indebtedness and increasing our stockholders' equity. We want to give you the opportunity to participate in this fund raising effort and to purchase additional shares of our common stock. For your information, Mark E. Schwarz, our Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, is the managing member of the general partner of the general partner of Newcastle. Q: WHAT IS THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS' RECOMMENDATION REGARDING THIS OFFERING? A: Our board of directors is not making any recommendation as to whether you should exercise your subscription rights. You are urged to make your decision based on your own assessment of this offering and our company. Q: HOW MANY SHARES OF OUR COMMON STOCK WILL BE OUTSTANDING AFTER THIS OFFERING? A: As of July 7, 2003, we had 11,318,245 shares of common stock issued and outstanding. We expect to issue up to ________ shares in this offering. After this offering, we anticipate that we will have ________ shares of common stock outstanding. Depending on the number of subscriptions we receive from stockholders, this offering could result in a change in control of Hallmark Financial Services because of the over subscription privilege held by Newcastle. See "Risk Factors" beginning on page 6. Q: WILL THE NEW SHARES BE INITIALLY LISTED ON THE AMERICAN STOCK EXCHANGE EMERGING COMPANY MARKETPLACE AND TREATED LIKE OTHER SHARES? A: Yes. Our common stock is traded on the American Stock Exchange Emerging Company Marketplace under the symbol "HAF.EC." We expect that the shares of common stock issued in this offering will also be listed on the AMEX Emerging Company Marketplace under the same symbol. Q: HOW WILL THIS OFFERING AFFECT NEWCASTLE'S OWNERSHIP OF OUR COMMON STOCK? A: Newcastle beneficially owns 5,334,001 shares of our common stock (including currently exercisable options to purchase 50,000 shares of common stock), representing approximately 42.3% of our outstanding common stock and of the voting power of our outstanding voting securities. If no holders of subscription rights other than Newcastle exercise their rights in this offering, Newcastle may, as a result of its over-subscription privilege, own approximately _____ shares, representing ____% of our outstanding common stock and of the voting power of our outstanding voting securities. If all rights holders exercise their basic subscription privileges in full, then Newcastle will continue to beneficially own approximately 42.3% of our common stock and of the voting power of our outstanding voting securities. 4 Q: CAN THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS WITHDRAW THIS OFFERING? A: Yes. Our board of directors may decide to withdraw this offering at any time for any reason. If we withdraw this offering, any money received from subscribing stockholders will be refunded promptly, without interest. See "The Offering - Withdrawal and Amendment." Q: WHAT SHOULD I DO IF I HAVE OTHER QUESTIONS OR NEED ASSISTANCE? A: If you have questions or need assistance, please contact Timothy A. Bienek, our President and Chief Operating Officer, or Securities Transfer Corporation, the subscription agent for this offering, at the following addresses and telephone numbers: Timothy A. Bienek Hallmark Financial Services, Inc. 777 Main Street, Suite 1000 Fort Worth, Texas 76102 (817) 348-1600 or The Subscription Agent: Securities Transfer Corporation 2591 Dallas Parkway, Suite 102 Frisco, Texas 75034 (469) 633-0101 For a more complete description of this offering, see "The Offering" beginning on page 14. 5 RISK FACTORS THE EXERCISE OF YOUR SUBSCRIPTION RIGHTS FOR SHARES OF OUR COMMON STOCK INVOLVES A HIGH DEGREE OF RISK. YOU SHOULD CAREFULLY CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING FACTORS AND OTHER INFORMATION PRESENTED OR INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE IN THIS PROSPECTUS BEFORE DECIDING TO INVEST IN OUR COMMON STOCK. IF WE DO NOT SUCCESSFULLY ADDRESS ANY ONE OR MORE OF THE RISKS DESCRIBED BELOW, THERE COULD BE A MATERIAL ADVERSE EFFECT ON OUR FINANCIAL CONDITION, OPERATING RESULTS AND BUSINESS. WE CANNOT ASSURE YOU THAT WE WILL SUCCESSFULLY ADDRESS THESE RISKS. RISKS RELATING TO OUR BUSINESS: OUR RESULTS MAY FLUCTUATE AS A RESULT OF CYCLICAL CHANGES IN THE PROPERTY-CASUALTY INSURANCE INDUSTRY. All of our revenue is attributable to property-casualty insurance, which as an industry is cyclical in nature and has historically been characterized by soft markets followed by hard markets. A soft market is a period of relatively high levels of price competition, less restrictive underwriting standards and generally low premium rates. A hard market is a period of capital shortages resulting in lack of insurance availability, relatively low levels of competition, more selective underwriting of risks and relatively high premium rates. The industry is currently experiencing a hard market, with premium rates increasing and more selective underwriting of risks occurring. OUR INDUSTRY IS VERY COMPETITIVE, WHICH MAY UNFAVORABLY IMPACT OUR RESULTS OF OPERATIONS. The property-casualty insurance industry, our sole source of revenue, is highly competitive and, except for regulatory considerations, there are very few barriers to entry. As of July 11, 2002, A.M. Best Company, Inc. reported that there were 2,874 property-casualty insurance companies and 1,829 property-casualty insurance groups operating in the United States. In the personal lines markets we compete with large national insurance companies such as Allstate, State Farm, and Progressive, as well as a large number of regional insurance companies and managing general agents. In the commercial lines markets we compete with large national carriers such as Hartford, Zurich and Safeco, as well as a number of regional insurance companies and managing general agents. Our competition includes entities which have, or are affiliated with, entities that have greater financial and other resources than we have. ESTIMATING RESERVES IS INHERENTLY UNCERTAIN AND IF OUR LOSS RESERVES ARE NOT ADEQUATE, IT WILL HAVE AN UNFAVORABLE IMPACT ON OUR RESULTS. We maintain loss reserves to cover estimated liability for unpaid losses and loss adjustment expenses, including legal and other fees as well as a portion of general expenses, for reported and unreported claims incurred as of the end of each accounting period. Reserves represent management's estimates of what the ultimate settlement and administration of claims will cost. These estimates, which generally involve actuarial projections, are based on management's assessment of facts and circumstances then known, as well as estimates of future trends in claim severity, frequency, judicial theories of liability, and other factors. These variables are affected by both internal and external events, such as changes in claim handling procedures, inflation, judicial trends and legislative changes. Many of these items are not directly quantifiable in advance. Additionally, there may be a significant reporting lag between the occurrence of an event and the time it is reported to us. The inherent uncertainties of estimating reserves are greater for certain types of liabilities, particularly those in which the various considerations affecting the type of claim are subject to change and in which long periods of time may elapse before a definitive determination of liability is made. Reserve estimates are continually refined in a regular and ongoing process as experience develops and further claims are reported and settled. Adjustments to reserves are reflected in the results of the periods in which such estimates are changed. Because settling reserves is inherently uncertain, there can be no assurance that the current reserves will prove adequate. During 2002 and 2001, loss and loss adjustment expense reserves were increased $177,000 and $522,000 for prior accident years, respectively. The increases represented, as compared to beginning of year loss and loss adjustment expense reserves, a 2.2% increase in 2002 and 7.0% increase in 2001. We have established our loss and loss adjustment expense reserves at a level slightly above the mid-point of the range established by our actuaries. 6 OUR RESULTS MAY BE UNFAVORABLY IMPACTED IF WE ARE UNABLE TO OBTAIN ADEQUATE REINSURANCE. If we are unable to obtain adequate reinsurance protection for the risks we have underwritten, we will either be exposed to greater losses from these risks or we will reduce the level of business that we underwrite, which will reduce our revenue. The amount, availability and cost of reinsurance are subject to prevailing market conditions beyond our control, and may affect our ability to write additional premiums as well as our profitability. We currently reinsure 55% of our Texas non-standard auto business to Dorinco Re, our sole reinsurer. Dorinco Re has been a reinsurer of ours since July 1, 1996. The current contract with Dorinco renews annually and if the contract is not renewed, we will be required to enter into a reinsurance agreement with another reinsurance company or reduce the level of business that we underwrite. We cannot be certain the we would be able to enter into a contract with another reinsurance company, or that such contract would have the same terms and conditions as the contract with Dorinco Re. IF THE COMPANIES THAT PROVIDE OUR REINSURANCE DO NOT PAY ALL OF OUR CLAIMS, WE COULD INCUR SEVERE LOSSES. We purchase reinsurance by transferring, or ceding, part of the risk we have assumed to a reinsurance company in exchange for part of the premium we receive in connection with the risk. Although reinsurance makes the reinsurer liable to us to the extent the risk is transferred or ceded to the reinsurer, it does not relieve us, the reinsured, of our liability to our policyholders. Accordingly, we bear credit risk with respect to our reinsurers. We cannot assure that our reinsurers will pay all of our reinsurance claims, or that they will pay our claims on a timely basis. CATASTROPHIC LOSSES MAY ADVERSELY AFFECT OUR RESULTS OF OPERATIONS, LIQUIDITY AND FINANCIAL CONDITION. Property-casualty insurance companies are subject to claims arising out of catastrophes that may have a significant affect on their results of operations, liquidity and financial condition. Catastrophes can be caused by various events, including hurricanes, windstorms, earthquakes, hail storms, explosions, severe winter weather and fires and may include man-made events, such as the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center. The incidence, frequency, and severity of catastrophes are inherently unpredictable. The extent of losses from a catastrophe is a function of both the total amount of insured exposure in the area affected by the event and the severity of the event. OUR RESULTS MAY BE UNFAVORABLY IMPACTED IF WE LOSE OUR GENERAL AGENCY APPOINTMENT IN OUR COMMERCIAL LINES GROUP OPERATIONS. In our Commercial Lines Group Operations we are appointed as a general agent by Clarendon National Insurance Company, which is our sole general agency appointment. The general agency agreement with Clarendon began in August 2000 and is continuous until cancelled. Under the terms of the agreement, Clarendon is required to provide at least 180 days notice prior to canceling the contract. If the agreement is canceled, we will be required to enter into a general agency agreement with a different insurance company. We cannot be certain that we would be able to enter into such an agreement or that the terms of such agreement would be on the same terms and conditions as the agreement with Clarendon. WE ARE SUBJECT TO COMPREHENSIVE REGULATION, AND OUR RESULTS MAY BE UNFAVORABLY IMPACTED BY THESE REGULATIONS. We are subject to comprehensive governmental regulation and supervision. Most insurance regulations are designed to protect the interests of policyholders rather than of the of the stockholders and other investors of the insurance companies. These regulations, generally administered by the department of insurance in each state in which we do business, relate to, among other things; o Approval of policy forms and rates, o Standards of solvency, including risk based capital measurements (which are a measure developed by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners and used by the state insurance regulators to identify insurance companies that potentially are inadequately capitalized), o Licensing of insurers and their agents, o Restrictions on the nature, quality and concentration of investments, o Restrictions on the ability of our insurance company subsidiaries to pay dividends, 7 o Restrictions on transactions between the insurance company subsidiaries and their affiliates, o Requiring certain methods of accounting, o Periodic examinations of operations and finances, o Prescribing the form and content of records of financial condition to be filed, and o Requiring reserves for unearned premium, losses and other purposes. State insurance departments also conduct periodic examinations of the affairs of insurance companies and require filing of annual and other reports relating to the financial condition of insurance companies, holding company issues and other matters. Our business depends on compliance with applicable laws and regulations and our ability to maintain valid licenses and approvals for our operations. Regulatory authorities may deny or revoke licenses for various reasons, including violations of regulations. Changes in the level of regulation of the insurance industry or changes in laws or regulations themselves or interpretations by regulatory authorities, could have a material adverse affect on our operations. During 2002, and for the three months ended March 31, 2003, approximately 56% and 54%, respectively, of our written premium was in the State of Texas. During such periods, approximately 71% and 73%, respectively, of the written premium in the State of Texas was in the non-standard personal automobile line of business. On June 10, 2003, the Governor of Texas signed legislation Senate Bill 14, which has been described as comprehensive insurance reform effecting homeowners and personal automobile business. With respect to personal automobile insurance, the most significant provisions provide for additional rate regulation and limitations on the use of credit scoring. With the new law, broadened rulemaking authority has been given to the Commissioner of Insurance. The Company currently writes all of its Texas personal automobile business pursuant to a fronting arrangement with a Texas County Mutual Insurance Company. Although the new reforms are significant, the primary rating regulation provisions do not apply directly to the Company due to an exemption that applies to certain County Mutual Insurance Companies. Additionally, the Company does not currently use credit or insurance scoring models. Although we currently do not believe the changes outlined in Senate Bill 14 have a material adverse affect on our operations, the Commissioner has been given broad rulemaking authority and we cannot determine the ultimate outcome and the impact it will have on our business until certain rules are developed by the Commissioner. Any rule changes that would affect our ability to charge adequate rates for the non-standard automobile line of business in the State of Texas would have a material adverse effect on our operations. STATE STATUTES LIMIT THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT OF DIVIDENDS THAT OUR SUBSIDIARIES MAY PAY US, THEREBY LIMITING OUR FUNDS TO PAY EXPENSES AND DIVIDENDS. We are a holding company and a legal entity separate and distinct from our insurance company subsidiaries and our non-insurance company subsidiaries. As a holding company without significant operations of our own, our principal sources of funds are dividends and other sources of funds from our subsidiaries. State insurance laws limit the ability of our insurance company subsidiaries to pay dividends and require the insurance companies to maintain specified levels of statutory capital and surplus. These restrictions affect the ability of the insurance company subsidiaries to pay dividends and use their capital in other ways. Our rights to participate in any distribution of assets of the insurance company subsidiaries are subject to prior claims of policyholders and creditors (except to the extent that our rights, if any, as a creditor are recognized). Consequently, our ability to pay debts, expenses and cash dividends to our stockholders may be limited. The maximum dividend that can be paid by American Hallmark Insurance Company of Texas, without prior regulatory approval, is limited to the greater of 10% of policyholders' surplus as of the preceding calendar year end or the statutory net income of the preceding calendar year. The maximum dividend payout, which may be made without prior regulatory approval, is $839,380 during 2003. The maximum dividend that can be paid by Phoenix Indemnity Insurance Company, without prior regulatory approval, is limited to the lesser of 10% of policyholders' surplus as of the preceding calendar year end or net investment income for the preceding calendar year. The maximum dividend payout, which may be made without prior regulatory approval, is $601,688 during 2003. As of March 31, 2003, there was $302,907 in cash at the holding company level. The operating cash requirements of the holding company, including all current debt obligations of the holding company (with the exception of the Newcastle Notes) are anticipated to be adequately funded from dividends from the 8 insurance subsidiaries, management fees from the insurance subsidiaries and payments under tax sharing agreements with subsidiaries. In the event this offering did not raise sufficient cash to repay the Newcastle Notes, there would be insufficient cash at the holding company to repay the Newcastle Notes. OUR INSURANCE COMPANY SUBSIDIARIES ARE SUBJECT TO MINIMUM CAPITAL AND SURPLUS REQUIREMENTS. FAILURE TO MEET THESE REQUIREMENTS COULD SUBJECT US TO REGULATORY ACTION. Our insurance company subsidiaries are subject to minimum capital and surplus requirements imposed under the laws of Texas and Arizona. Any failure by one of the insurance company subsidiaries to meet minimum capital and surplus requirements imposed by applicable state law will subject it to corrective action, including requiring adoption of a comprehensive financial plan, examination and the issuance of a corrective order by the applicable state insurance department, revocation of its license to sell insurance products or placing the subsidiary under state regulatory control. Any new minimum capital and surplus requirements adopted in the future may require us to increase the capital and surplus of our insurance company subsidiaries which we may not be able to do. As of March 31, 2003, American Hallmark Insurance Company of Texas and Phoenix Indemnity Insurance Company had statutory capital and surplus that exceeded the minimum policyholders' surplus required by state regulators by 322% and 587%, respectively. THE LOSS OF KEY EXECUTIVES COULD DISRUPT OUR BUSINESS. Our success will depend in part upon the continued service of our Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Mark E. Schwarz and our President and Chief Operating Officer, Timothy A. Bienek. Messrs. Schwarz and Bienek do not have employment agreements with us. We do not have key person insurance on the lives of Messrs. Schwarz and Bienek. Our success will also depend on our ability to attract and retain additional executives and personnel. The loss of key personnel could cause disruption in our business. ADVERSE SECURITIES MARKET CONDITIONS CAN HAVE A SIGNIFICANT AND NEGATIVE IMPACT ON OUR INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO. Our results of operations depend in part on the performance of our invested assets. As of March 31, 2003, 69% of our investment portfolio was invested in fixed maturity securities. Certain risks are inherent in connection with fixed maturity securities including loss upon default and price volatility in reaction to changes in interest rates and general market factors. In general, the fair market value of a portfolio of fixed income securities increases or decreases inversely with changes in the market interest rates, while net investment income realized from future investments in fixed income securities increases or decreases along with interest rates. In addition, some of our fixed income securities have call or prepayment options. This could subject us to reinvestment risk should interest rates fall or issuers call their securities and we reinvest proceeds at lower interest rates. We attempt to mitigate this risk by investing in securities with varied maturity dates, so that only a portion of the portfolio will mature at any point in time. Furthermore, actual net investment income and/or cash flows from investments that carry prepayment risk (such as mortgage-back and other asset-backed securities) may differ from those anticipated at the time of investment as a result of interest rate fluctuations. An investment has prepayment risk when there is a risk that the timing of cash flows that result from the repayment of principal might occur earlier than anticipated because of declining interest rates or later than anticipated because of rising interest rates. The fair value of our fixed income securities as of March 31, 2003 was $16.0 million. If market interest rates were to change 1%, (e.g. from 5% to 6%), the fair value of our fixed income securities would change approximately $0.6 million as of March 31, 2003. The change in fair value was determined using duration modeling assuming no prepayments. Historically, the impact of market fluctuations has only slightly affected our financial statements since we used an investment strategy classified as "held to maturity." In 2003, we changed the classification of our investment portfolio to "available for sale." A classification of "available for sale" means that changes in the fair market value of our securities are reflected in our other comprehensive income section of stockholders' equity. Fluctuations in the fair market value of fixed income securities may greatly reduce the value of our investment portfolio and, as a result, our financial condition may suffer. In addition to the general risks described above, although we maintain an investment grade portfolio (fixed income securities - 71% U. S. government or U.S. government agencies, 16% municipals and 13% other), our fixed income securities are also subject to credit risk. If any of the issuers of our fixed income securities suffer financial set backs, the ratings on the fixed income securities could fall (with a concurrent fall in market value) and, in a worst case scenario, the issuer could default on its obligations. Because of the 9 change in classification of investments to available for sale, future changes in the fair market value of our securities will be reflected in other comprehensive income. Similar treatment is not available for liabilities. Therefore, interest rate fluctuations could adversely affect our shareholders' equity, total comprehensive income and/or our cash flows. SINCE WE ARE RELIANT ON INDEPENDENT AGENTS TO MARKET OUR PRODUCTS, THEIR FAILURE TO DO SO WOULD HAVE A MATERIAL ADVERSE EFFECT ON OUR RESULTS OF OPERATIONS. We principally market our insurance programs through independent insurance agents. As a result, our business depends in part on the marketing efforts of these agents and on our ability to offer insurance products and services that meet the requirements of the agents and customers of these agents. The agents, however, are not obligated to sell or promote our products and many sell or promote competitors' insurance products in addition to our products. The failure or inability of insurance agents to market our insurance products successfully could have a material adverse impact on our business, financial condition and results of operations. During 2002, our top 10 agency groups produced approximately 15% of our total written premium and no individual agent or group produced more than 3.5% of our total written premium. MARK E. SCHWARZ, OUR CHAIRMAN AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, THROUGH HIS AFFILIATION WITH NEWCASTLE PARTNERS, L.P., HAS THE ABILITY TO EXERT SIGNIFICANT INFLUENCE OVER OUR OPERATIONS AND MAY HAVE INTERESTS THAT DIFFER FROM THOSE OF OUR OTHER STOCKHOLDERS. Newcastle Partners, L.P. beneficially owns approximately 42.3% (including outstanding options) of our common stock prior to this offering. If no stockholders other than Newcastle exercise their subscription rights, Newcastle will purchase all of the shares in this offering, thereby increasing its ownership to approximately __%. Mark E. Schwarz, has sole investment and voting control over the shares beneficially owned by Newcastle and thus has the ability to exert significant influence over our policies and affairs, including the election of our board of directors and the approval of any action requiring stockholder vote, such as amendments to our Articles of Incorporation or Regulations and approving mergers or sales of substantially all of our assets. The interests of Mark E. Schwarz and Newcastle may differ from the interests of our other stockholders in some respects and Mark E. Schwarz and Newcastle may take action adverse to our other stockholders. RISKS RELATING TO THIS OFFERING: THE SUBSCRIPTION PRICE PER SHARE IS NOT AN INDICATION OF OUR VALUE AND YOU MAY NOT BE ABLE TO SELL SHARES PURCHASED UPON THE EXERCISE OF YOUR SUBSCRIPTION RIGHTS AT A PRICE EQUAL TO OR GREATER THAN THE SUBSCRIPTION PRICE. The subscription price per share does not necessarily bear any relationship to the book value of our assets, operations, cash flows, earnings, financial condition or any other established criteria for value. As a result, you should not consider the subscription price as an indication of the current value of our company or our common stock. We cannot assure you that you will be able to sell shares purchased in this offering at a price equal to or greater than the subscription price. [IF PRICED AT A DISCOUNT] THIS OFFERING MAY CAUSE THE PRICE OF OUR COMMON STOCK TO DECREASE IMMEDIATELY, AND THIS DECREASE MAY CONTINUE. The subscription price per share equals ___% of the current market price of our common stock determined by averaging the closing price of our common stock on the AMEX for the ten preceding trading days ending on _______, 2003. This discount, along with the number of shares we propose to issue and ultimately will issue if this offering is completed, may result in an immediate decrease in the market value of our common stock. This decrease may continue after the completion of this offering. AS A HOLDER OF COMMON STOCK, YOU MAY SUFFER SIGNIFICANT DILUTION OF YOUR PERCENTAGE OWNERSHIP OF OUR COMMON STOCK. If you do not exercise your subscription rights and shares are purchased by other stockholders in this offering, your proportionate voting and ownership interest will be reduced and the percentage that your original shares represent of our expanded equity after exercise of the subscription rights will be diluted. For example, if you own 200,000 shares of our common stock before this offering, or approximately 1.8% of our outstanding common stock, and you exercise none of your subscription rights while all other subscription rights are exercised by other stockholders, then your percentage ownership would be 10 reduced to approximately ___%. The magnitude of the reduction of your percentage ownership will depend upon the extent to which you exercise your subscription rights. ONCE YOU EXERCISE YOUR SUBSCRIPTION RIGHTS, YOU MAY NOT REVOKE SUCH EXERCISE EVEN IF THERE IS A DECLINE IN OUR COMMON STOCK PRICE. The public trading market price of our common stock may decline after you elect to exercise your subscription rights. If that occurs, you may have committed to buy shares of common stock at a price above the prevailing market price and you will have an immediate unrealized loss. Moreover, we cannot assure you that following the exercise of subscription rights you will be able to sell your shares of common stock at a price equal to or greater than the subscription price. YOU MAY NOT REVOKE THE EXERCISE OF YOUR RIGHTS EVEN IF WE DECIDE TO EXTEND THE EXPIRATION DATE OF THE SUBSCRIPTION PERIOD. We may, in our sole discretion, extend the expiration date of the subscription period. During any potential extension of time, our common stock price may decline below the subscription price and result in a loss on your investment upon the exercise of rights to acquire shares of our common stock. If the expiration date is extended after you send in your subscription forms and payment, you still may not revoke or change your exercise of rights. YOU WILL NOT RECEIVE INTEREST ON SUBSCRIPTION FUNDS RETURNED TO YOU. If we cancel this offering, neither we nor the subscription agent will have any obligation with respect to the subscription rights except to return, without interest, any subscription payments to you. THE SUBSCRIPTION RIGHTS ARE NOT TRANSFERABLE AND THERE IS NO MARKET FOR THE SUBSCRIPTION RIGHTS. You may not sell, give away or otherwise transfer your subscription rights. The subscription rights are only transferable to your affiliates and by operation of law. Because the subscription rights are non-transferable, there is no market or other means for you to directly realize any value associated with the subscription rights. You must exercise the subscription rights and acquire additional shares of our common stock to realize any value. BECAUSE WE MAY TERMINATE THIS OFFERING, YOUR PARTICIPATION IN THE OFFERING IS NOT ASSURED. Once you exercise your subscription rights, you may not revoke the exercise for any reason unless we amend this offering. If we decide to terminate the offering, we will not have any obligation with respect to the subscription rights except to return any subscription payments, without interest. YOU NEED TO ACT PROMPTLY AND FOLLOW SUBSCRIPTION INSTRUCTIONS, OTHERWISE YOUR SUBSCRIPTION MAY BE REJECTED. Stockholders who desire to purchase shares in this offering must act promptly to ensure that all required forms and payments are actually received by the subscription agent prior to 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the expiration date. If you fail to complete and sign the required subscription forms, send an incorrect payment amount, or otherwise fail to follow the subscription procedures that apply to your desired transaction, the subscription agent may, depending on the circumstances, reject your subscription or accept it to the extent of the payment received. Neither we nor our subscription agent undertakes to contact you concerning, or attempt to correct, an incomplete or incorrect subscription form or payment. We have the sole discretion to determine whether a subscription exercise properly follows the subscription procedures. MOST, IF NOT ALL, OF THE PROCEEDS OF THIS OFFERING WILL BE USED TO REPAY A LOAN TO AN AFFILIATE AND THEREFOR WILL NOT BE AVAILABLE FOR WORKING CAPITAL OR OTHER GENERAL CORPORATE PURPOSES. The proceeds from this offering will be used to repay the $8.6 million bridge loan from Newcastle, our largest stockholder, plus accrued interest on such loan. Therefore, most, if not all, of the proceeds of this offering will not be available to us for working capital or other general corporate purposes. Mark E. Schwarz, our Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, is the managing member of the general partners of the general partner of Newcastle. 11 RISKS RELATING TO OUR COMMON STOCK: OUR COMMON STOCK IS VOLATILE AND THE VALUE OF ANY INVESTMENT IN OUR COMMON STOCK MAY FLUCTUATE. The market price for our common stock has been, and is likely to continue to be, highly volatile. The market for our common stock is subject to fluctuations as a result of a variety of factors, including factors beyond our control. These include: o current expectations of our future revenue and earnings growth rates; o changes in market valuations of similar companies; o conditions or trends in the industry; o general market and economic conditions; and o other events or factors that are unforeseen. Our common stock has traded on the American Stock Exchange's Emerging Marketplace under the symbol "HAF.EC" since January 6, 1994. During the past two years, the price per share of our common stock has ranged from a low of $0.30 to a high of $1.05. See "Price Range of Common Stock." SINCE WE DO NOT INTEND TO PAY DIVIDENDS ON SHARES OF OUR COMMON STOCK IN THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE, AN INVESTOR WILL ONLY SEE A RETURN ON HIS INVESTMENT IF THE VALUE OF THE SHARES APPRECIATES. We currently expect to retain our future earnings, if any, to reduce debt and for use in the operation of our business. We do not anticipate paying any cash dividends on shares of our common stock in the foreseeable future. Therefore, an investor will only see a return on his investment if the value of the shares appreciates. OUR COMPANY We engage in the sale of property and casualty insurance products. Our business involves (i) marketing, underwriting and premium financing of non-standard personal automobile insurance primarily in Texas, Arizona and New Mexico, (ii) commercial insurance in Texas, New Mexico, Idaho, Oregon and Washington, (iii) third party claims administration and (iv) other insurance related services. Our principal executive offices are located at 777 Main Street, Suite 1000, Fort Worth, Texas 76102, and our telephone number is (817) 348-1600. USE OF PROCEEDS The gross proceeds from the exercise of the subscription rights in this offering will be approximately $10.0 million. We will use the proceeds of this offering to fully repay $8.6 million in loans, plus accrued interest on such loans, made to us by Newcastle. On November 1, 2002, Newcastle Partners, L.P. provided an interim financing facility to us, whereby we could borrow up to $9 million. On November 1, 2002, we borrowed $6.5 million to purchase, at a discount, a $14.85 million promissory note in default, payable by Millers American Group, Inc. ("Millers"). In addition, on December 3, 2002, we borrowed an additional $2.1 million from Newcastle Partners to purchase the Commercial Lines Group from Millers Insurance Company ("MIC"). The purchase of the note receivable was determined by arm's-length negotiations between us and the seller of the note. The purchased note is guaranteed by Trilogy Holdings, Inc. ("Trilogy"), a wholly-owned intermediate holding company subsidiary of Millers, and is secured by all of the issued and outstanding common stock of Millers Insurance Company ("MIC"), a Texas based property and casualty insurance carrier, and Phoenix Indemnity Insurance Company ("Phoenix"), an Arizona based property and casualty insurance carrier, each of which is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Trilogy. Our primary purpose for acquiring the note receivable was to exchange a portion of the note receivable for 100% of the outstanding common stock of Phoenix. Effective January 1, 2003, we exchanged $7 million of the note receivable for 100% of the outstanding common stock of Phoenix. As of December 31, 2002 the book value of Phoenix was approximately $15.6 million. The acquisition allowed us to expand our current property and casualty operations 12 into additional states outside our traditional Texas base. The remaining $7.85 million principal balance of the note receivable exceeded our basis in such note, and therefore could not be carried on our balance sheet. We also do not have any unpaid or accrued interest on such note reflected on our balance sheet. We do not expect to collect any additional amounts on the note receivable due to the fact that Millers is a holding company, which no longer has any ongoing operations. Millers' principal operating subsidiaries were Phoenix and MIC. MIC was placed in receivership by the Texas Department of Insurance in February 2003. At this time, Millers has no known operations or material assets of any kind. The interim financing facility provides for fixed interest rate of 11.75%. The unpaid principal balance and accrued and unpaid interest is due and payable at any time after September 30, 2003. Mark E. Schwarz, our Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, is the managing member of Newcastle Capital Group, L.L.C., which is the general partner of Newcastle Capital Management, L.P., which in turn is the general partner of Newcastle Partners, L.P. We intend to use the remaining net proceeds, if any, as additional working capital for our business and for other general corporate purposes. CAPITALIZATION The following table sets forth our summary capitalization as of March 31, 2003 on an historical basis and should be read in conjunction with our financial statements and notes thereto incorporated by reference into this prospectus. The table also includes our capitalization on a pro forma basis assuming the completion of this offering and the use of the net proceeds for the repayment of the Newcastle Notes, but prior to the use of the remaining proceeds. See "Use of Proceeds." Actual Pro Forma ------ --------- (in thousands) (in thousands) Total debt (excluding advances for financed premiums) Short-term debt ......................................................... 8,600 0 Long-term debt .......................................................... 1,565 1,565 Total debt ......................................................... $ 10,165 $ 1,565 Stockholders' equity: Common stock, $.03 par value, authorized 100,000,000 shares, issued 11,855,610 ........................................................ $ 356 $_____ Capital in excess of par value .................................... 10,725 _____ Retained earnings ................................................. 7,067 7,067 Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) ............................................................ (127) (127) Treasury stock, 806,477 shares, at cost ........................... (892) (892) Total stockholders' equity .................................. 17,129 _____ Total capitalization .................................................... $ 27,294 $_____ 13 PRICE RANGE OF COMMON STOCK Our common stock has traded on the American Stock Exchange Emerging Company Marketplace under the symbol "HAF.EC" since January 6, 1994. On July 7, 2003, the closing price of our common stock was $1.03 per share. The following table shows the common stock's high and low sales prices on the AMEX for the periods indicated. Period High Sale Low Sale 2001: ----- First Quarter $ 0.69 $ 0.50 Second Quarter 0.65 0.50 Third Quarter 0.61 0.43 Fourth Quarter 0.60 0.40 2002: ----- First Quarter $ 0.60 $ 0.40 Second Quarter 0.60 0.40 Third Quarter 0.54 0.35 Fourth Quarter 0.70 0.30 2003: ----- First Quarter $ 0.75 $ 0.50 Second Quarter 0.95 0.65 Third Quarter (through July 7) 1.05 0.87 On July 7, 2003 there were approximately 160 record holders and approximately 560 beneficial stockholders of our common stock. We have never paid dividends on our common stock and we intend to continue this policy for the foreseeable future in order to retain earnings for development of our business. THE OFFERING Our Board of Directors has proposed that we attempt to raise equity capital through this offering to all of our stockholders and to use the proceeds from the subscription of such rights to repay the Newcastle Notes. Any remaining proceeds would be used for working capital purposes. The Board declared a dividend of rights to purchase our common stock to holders of record as of June 27, 2003. Through this prospectus, we are offering the shares of common stock that rights holders may purchase upon exercising such subscription rights. REASONS FOR THIS OFFERING In approving this offering, our Board of Directors carefully considered our need for additional capital and several alternative capital raising methods, including a credit facility and a private placement of equity securities. The Board also considered the potential change in control by Newcastle and the potential dilution of the ownership percentage of our current common stockholders caused by this offering. While the ownership percentage of our current common stockholders may decrease, the Board considered that the magnitude of this dilution would be subject to, and dependent upon, the decision of each common stockholder whether to exercise their subscription rights for additional shares of our common stock in this offering. After weighing the factors discussed above and the effect of this offering of generating $10.0 million (less expenses related to the offering) in additional capital for us, the board of directors believes that this offering is the best alternative for capital raising and is in the best interests of our company and our stockholders. As described in "Use of Proceeds," the proceeds of this offering are intended to be used to repay the Newcastle Notes and any remaining amounts will be used for additional working capital for our business and other general corporate purposes. 14 Our Board of Directors believes that this offering will ultimately strengthen our financial condition through generating additional cash, reducing our indebtedness, and increasing our stockholders' equity. See "Use of Proceeds" and "Capitalization". However, our board of directors is not making any recommendation as to whether you should exercise your subscription rights. SUBSCRIPTION RIGHTS BASIC SUBSCRIPTION PRIVILEGE. We distributed to the holders of record of our common stock, at the close of business on June 27, 2003, at no charge, one nontransferable subscription right for each share of our common stock they own. The subscription rights will be evidenced by rights certificates. Each subscription right will entitle the holder to purchase _______ shares of our common stock. You are not required to exercise any or all of your subscription rights. If, pursuant to your exercise of your subscription rights, the number of shares of common stock you are entitled to receive would result in your receipt of fractional shares, the aggregate number of shares issued to you will be rounded down to the nearest whole number. You will not receive cash in lieu of fractional shares. OVER-SUBSCRIPTION PRIVILEGE. Subject to the allocation described below, each subscription right also grants each subscription rights holder an over-subscription privilege to purchase additional shares of our common stock that are not purchased by other rights holders pursuant to the other rights holders' basic subscription privileges. You are entitled to exercise your over-subscription privilege only if you exercise your basic subscription privilege in full. If you wish to exercise your over-subscription privilege, you should indicate the number of additional shares that you would like to purchase in the space provided on your subscription certificate. When you send in your subscription certificate, you must also send the full purchase price for the number of additional shares that you have requested to purchase (in addition to the payment due for shares purchased through your basic subscription privilege). If the number of shares remaining after the exercise of all basic subscription privileges is not sufficient to satisfy all requests for shares pursuant to over-subscription privileges, you will be allocated additional shares pro-rata (subject to elimination of fractional shares), based on the number of shares you purchased through the basic subscription privilege in proportion to the total number of shares that you and other over-subscribing stockholders purchased through the basic subscription privilege. However, if your pro-rata allocation exceeds the number of shares you requested on your subscription certificate, then you will receive only the number of shares that you requested, and the remaining shares from your pro-rata allocation will be divided among other rights holders exercising their over-subscription privileges. As soon as practicable after the expiration date, Securities Transfer Corporation, acting as our subscription agent, will determine the number of shares of common stock that you may purchase pursuant to the over-subscription privilege. You will receive certificates representing these shares as soon as practicable after the expiration date and after all pro-rations and adjustments have been effected. If you request and pay for more shares than are allocated to you, we will refund that overpayment, without interest. In connection with the exercise of the over-subscription privilege, banks, brokers and other nominee holders of subscription rights who act on behalf of beneficial owners will be required to certify to us and to the subscription agent as to the aggregate number of subscription rights that have been exercised, and the number of shares of common stock that are being requested through the over-subscription privilege, by each beneficial owner on whose behalf the nominee holder is acting. SUBSCRIPTION PRICE The subscription price for a subscription right is $_____ per share. The per share price equals ___% of the current market price of our common stock determined by averaging the closing price of our common stock on the AMEX for the ten preceding trading days ending on ______, 2003. The subscription price does not necessarily bear any relationship to our past or expected future results of operations, cash flows, current financial condition, or any other established criteria for value. No change will be made to the cash subscription price by reason of changes in the trading price of our common stock prior to the closing of this offering. 15 DETERMINATION OF SUBSCRIPTION PRICE Our board of directors set all of the terms and conditions of this offering, including the subscription price, which was based on the recommendation of a special committee of directors, excluding those directors affiliated with Newcastle who did not participate (in their capacity as directors) in the discussion, consideration or voting with respect to these matters. In establishing the subscription price, our board of directors considered the following factors: o strategic alternatives for capital raising, o the market price of our common stock, o the pricing of similar transactions, o the amount of proceeds desired, o our business prospects, o our recent and anticipated operating results, and o general conditions in the securities markets. We determined the ___% [premium][discount] to our current market price after taking into account the preceding factors. We did not seek or obtain any opinion of financial advisors or investment bankers in establishing the subscription price for the offering. You should not consider the subscription price as an indication of the value of our company or our common stock. We cannot assure you that you will be able to sell shares purchased during this offering at a price equal to or greater than the subscription price. On July 7, 2003, the closing sale price of our common stock was $1.03 per share. EXPIRATION DATE, EXTENSIONS AND TERMINATION You may exercise your subscription right at any time before 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on ______, 2003, the expiration date for this offering. However, we may extend the offering period for exercising your subscription rights from time to time in our sole discretion. If you do not exercise your subscription rights before the expiration date, your unexercised subscription rights will be null and void. We will not be obligated to honor your exercise of subscription rights if the subscription agent receives the documents relating to your exercise after the expiration date, regardless of when you transmitted the documents, unless you have timely transmitted the documents under the guaranteed delivery procedures described below. We have the sole discretion to extend the expiration date from time to time by giving oral or written notice to the subscription agent on or before the scheduled expiration date. If we elect to extend the expiration of this offering, we will issue a press release announcing the extension no later than 9:00 a.m., New York City time, on the next business day after the most recently announced expiration date. WITHDRAWAL AND AMENDMENT We reserve the right to withdraw or terminate this offering at any time for any reason. In the event that this offering is withdrawn or terminated, all funds received from subscriptions by stockholders will be returned. Interest will not be payable on any returned funds. We reserve the right to amend the terms of this offering. If we make an amendment that we consider significant, we will: o mail notice of the amendment to all stockholders of record as of the record date; o extend the expiration date by at least 10 days; and o offer all subscribers no less than 10 days to revoke any subscription already submitted. The extension of the expiration date will not, in and of itself, be treated as a significant amendment for these purposes. 16 METHOD OF SUBSCRIPTION - EXERCISE OF SUBSCRIPTION RIGHTS You may exercise your subscription rights by delivering the following to the subscription agent, at or prior to 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on ______________, 2003, the date on which the rights expire: o your properly completed and executed rights certificate with any required signature guarantees or other supplemental documentation; and o your full subscription price payment for each share subscribed for under your basic subscription privilege and your over-subscription privilege. You should read and follow the instructions accompanying the rights certificate carefully. SIGNATURE GUARANTEE MAY BE REQUIRED Your signature on each rights certificate must be guaranteed by an eligible institution such as a member firm of a registered national securities exchange or a member of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc., or from a commercial bank or trust company having an office or correspondent in the United States, subject to standards and procedures adopted by the subscription agent, unless: o your rights certificate provides that shares are to be delivered to you as record holder of those subscription rights; or o you are an eligible institution. DELIVERY OF SUBSCRIPTION MATERIALS AND PAYMENT You should deliver your rights certificate and payment of the subscription price or, if applicable, notice of guaranteed delivery, to the subscription agent by mail, by hand or by overnight courier to: Securities Transfer Corporation, 2591 Dallas Parkway, Suite 102, Frisco, Texas 75034. The subscription agent's telephone number is (469) 633-0101. You are responsible for the method of delivery of your rights certificate(s) with your subscription price payment to the subscription agent. If you send your rights certificate(s) and subscription price payment by mail, we recommend that you send them by registered mail, properly insured, with return receipt requested. You should allow a sufficient number of days to ensure delivery to the subscription agent prior to the time this offering expires. Do not send your rights certificate(s) and subscription price payment to us. Your delivery to an address other than the address set forth above will not constitute valid delivery. METHOD OF PAYMENT Your payment of the subscription price must be made in U.S. dollars for the full number of shares of common stock you are subscribing (or over-subscribing) for by either: o check or bank draft (cashier's check) drawn upon a U.S. bank or money order payable to the subscription agent; or o wire transfer of immediately available funds, to the subscription account maintained by the subscription agent at Wells Fargo Bank Texas, N.A., ABA # 111900659, Account # 9278791711, Account Name: Securities Transfer Corporation Trust Account for Hallmark Financial. RECEIPT OF PAYMENT Your payment will be considered received by the subscription agent only upon: o receipt and clearance of any uncertified check, o receipt by the subscription agent of any certified check or bank draft drawn upon a United States bank, any money order or any funds transferred by wire transfers, or o receipt of good funds in the subscription agent's account designated above. Please note that funds paid by uncertified personal check may take at least five business days to clear. Accordingly, if you wish to pay by means of an uncertified personal check, we urge you to make payment sufficiently in 17 advance of the expiration date to ensure that the subscription agent receives cleared funds before that date. We also urge you to consider payment by means of a certified or cashier's check or money order. CALCULATION OF SUBSCRIPTION RIGHTS EXERCISED If you do not indicate the number of subscription rights being exercised, or do not forward full payment of the total subscription price for the number of subscription rights that you indicate are being exercised, then you will be deemed to have exercised your basic subscription privilege with respect to the maximum number of rights that may be exercised with the aggregate subscription price payment you delivered to the subscription agent. YOUR FUNDS WILL BE HELD BY THE SUBSCRIPTION AGENT UNTIL SHARES OF COMMON STOCK ARE ISSUED The subscription agent will hold your payment of the subscription price payment in a segregated account with other payments received from other rights holders until we issue your shares to you. If this offering is not completed, or we do not apply your full subscription price payment to your purchase of shares of our common stock, the subscription agent will return promptly, without interest, all excess subscription payments. NO REVOCATION Once you have exercised your subscription privileges, you may not revoke your exercise. Subscription rights not exercised prior to the expiration date of this offering will expire. NON-TRANSFERABILITY OF THE SUBSCRIPTION RIGHTS Except in the limited circumstances described below, only you may exercise the basic subscription privilege and the over-subscription privilege. You may not sell, give away or otherwise transfer the basic subscription privilege or the over-subscription privilege. Notwithstanding the foregoing, you may transfer your rights to any affiliate of yours and your rights also may be transferred by operation of law; for example a transfer of rights to the estate of the recipient upon the death of the recipient would be permitted. As used in this paragraph, an affiliate of yours shall mean any person (for this purpose, a person includes a partnership, corporation or other legal entity such as a trust or estate) which controls, is controlled by or is under common control with you. If the rights are transferred as permitted, evidence satisfactory to us that the transfer was proper must be received by us prior to the expiration date of this offering. ISSUANCE OF STOCK CERTIFICATES Stock certificates for shares purchased in this offering will be issued as soon as practicable after the expiration date. Our subscription agent will deliver subscription payments to us only after consummation of this offering and the issuance of stock certificates to our stockholders that exercised rights. Unless you instruct otherwise in your subscription certificate form, shares purchased by the exercise of subscription rights will be registered in the name of the person exercising the rights. GUARANTEED DELIVERY PROCEDURES If you wish to exercise your subscription rights, but you do not have sufficient time to deliver the rights certificate evidencing your rights to the subscription agent on or before the time your subscription rights expire, you may exercise your subscription rights by the following guaranteed delivery procedures: o deliver your subscription price payment in full for each share you subscribed for under your subscription privileges in the manner set forth in "- Method of Payment" to the subscription agent on or prior to the expiration date; o deliver the form entitled "Notice of Guaranteed Delivery," substantially in the form provided with the "Instructions as to Use of Rights Certificates" distributed with your rights certificates, at or prior to the expiration date; and o deliver the properly completed rights certificate evidencing your rights being exercised and the related nominee holder certification, if applicable, with any required signatures guaranteed, to the subscription agent within three business days following the date of your Notice of Guaranteed Delivery. Your Notice of Guaranteed Delivery must be delivered in substantially the same form provided with the Instructions as to Use of Rights Certificates, which will be distributed to you with your rights certificate. 18 Your Notice of Guaranteed Delivery must come from an eligible institution, or other eligible guarantee institutions which are members of, or participants in, a signature guarantee program acceptable to the subscription agent. In your Notice of Guaranteed Delivery, you must state: o your name; o the number of subscription rights represented by your rights certificates and the number of shares of our common stock you are subscribing (and over-subscribing) for; and o your guarantee that you will deliver to the subscription agent any rights certificates evidencing the subscription rights you are exercising within three business days following the date the subscription agent receives your Notice of Guaranteed Delivery. You may deliver your Notice of Guaranteed Delivery to the subscription agent in the same manner as your rights certificates at the address set forth above under " - Delivery of Subscription Materials and Payment." Alternatively, you may transmit your Notice of Guaranteed Delivery to the subscription agent by facsimile transmission (Facsimile No.: (469) 633-0088). To confirm facsimile deliveries, you may call (469) 633-0101. Please call Timothy A. Bienek , our President and Chief Operating Officer, at (817) 348-1600, to request any additional copies of the form of Notice of Guaranteed Delivery you may need. DETERMINATIONS REGARDING THE EXERCISE OF YOUR SUBSCRIPTION RIGHTS We will decide all questions concerning the timeliness, validity, form and eligibility of your exercise of your subscription rights and our determinations will be final and binding. We, in our sole discretion, may waive any defect or irregularity, or permit a defect or irregularity to be corrected within such time as we may determine. We may reject the exercise of any of your subscription rights because of any defect or irregularity. We will not receive or accept any subscription until all irregularities have been waived by us or cured by you within such time as we decide, in our sole discretion. Neither we nor the subscription agent will be under any duty to notify you of any defect or irregularity in connection with your submission of rights certificates and we will not be liable for failure to notify you of any defect or irregularity. We reserve the right to reject your exercise of subscription rights if your exercise is not in accordance with the terms of this offering or in proper form. We will also not accept your exercise of rights if our issuance of shares of our common stock to you could be deemed unlawful under applicable law or is materially burdensome to us. If you are given notice of a defect in your subscription, you will have five business days after the giving of notice to correct it. You will not, however, be allowed to cure any defect later than 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on _______, 2003. We will not consider an exercise to be made until all defects have been cured or waived. NOTICE TO BANKERS, TRUSTEES OR OTHER DEPOSITARIES If you are a broker, a trustee or a depositary for securities who holds shares of our common stock for the account of others at the close of business on the record date, you should notify the respective beneficial owners of such shares of this offering as soon as possible to find out their intentions with respect to exercising their subscription rights. You should obtain instructions from the beneficial owners with respect to the subscription rights, as set forth in the instructions we have provided to you for your distribution to beneficial owners. If the beneficial owner so instructs, you should complete the appropriate rights certificates and submit them to the subscription agent with the proper payment. If you hold shares of our common stock for the accounts of more than one beneficial owner, you may exercise the number of subscription rights to which all such beneficial owners in the aggregate otherwise would have been entitled had they been direct record holders of our common stock on the record date, provided that you, as a nominee record holder, make a proper showing to the subscription agent by submitting the form entitled "Nominee Holder Certification" which we will provide to you with your offering materials. 19 NOTICE TO BENEFICIAL OWNERS If you are a beneficial owner of shares of our common stock or will receive your subscription rights through a broker, custodian bank or other nominee, we will ask your broker, custodian bank or other nominee to notify you of this offering. If you wish to exercise your subscription rights, you will need to have your broker, custodian bank or other nominee act for you. If you hold certificates of our common stock directly and would prefer to have your broker, custodian bank or other nominee exercise your subscription rights, you should contact your nominee and request it to effect the transaction for you. To indicate your decision with respect to your subscription rights, you should complete and return to your broker, custodian bank or other nominee the form entitled "Beneficial Owner Election Form." You should receive this form from your broker, custodian bank or other nominee with the other offering materials. If you wish to obtain a separate rights certificate, you should contact the nominee as soon as possible and request that a separate rights certificate be issued to you. SHARES OF COMMON STOCK OUTSTANDING AFTER THIS OFFERING Upon the issuance of the shares of common stock offered in this offering, _________ shares of common stock will be issued and outstanding. This would represent an approximate ___% increase in the number of outstanding shares of common stock. EFFECTS OF OFFERING ON OUR STOCK OPTION PLANS AND OTHER PLANS As of July 7, 2003, there were outstanding options to purchase 1,478,500 shares of our common stock issued or committed to be issued pursuant to stock options granted by us. None of the outstanding options have anti-dilution or other provisions for adjustment to exercise price or number of shares which will be automatically triggered by this offering. Each outstanding and unexercised option will remain unchanged and will be exercisable for the same number of shares of common stock and at the same exercise price as before this offering. RELATIONSHIP WITH NEWCASTLE On November 1, 2002, Newcastle Partners, L.P. provided an interim financing facility to us, whereby we could borrow up to $9 million. On November 1, 2002, we borrowed $6.5 million to purchase, at a discount, a $14.85 million promissory note in default, payable by Millers American Group, Inc. ("Millers"). In addition, on December 3, 2002, we borrowed an additional $2.1 million from Newcastle Partners to purchase the Commercial Lines Group from Millers Insurance Company ("MIC"). The purchase of the note receivable was determined by arm's-length negotiations between us and the seller of the note. The purchased note is guaranteed by Trilogy Holdings, Inc. ("Trilogy"), a wholly-owned intermediate holding company subsidiary of Millers, and is secured by all of the issued and outstanding common stock of Millers Insurance Company ("MIC"), a Texas based property and casualty insurance carrier, and Phoenix Indemnity Insurance Company ("Phoenix"), an Arizona based property and casualty insurance carrier, each of which is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Trilogy. Our primary purpose for acquiring the note receivable was to exchange a portion of the note receivable for 100% of the outstanding common stock of Phoenix. Effective January 1, 2003, we exchanged $7 million of the note receivable for 100% of the outstanding common stock of Phoenix. As of December 31, 2002 the book value of Phoenix was approximately $15.6 million. The acquisition allowed us to expand our current property and casualty operations into additional states outside our traditional Texas base. The remaining $7.85 million principal balance of the note receivable exceeded our basis in such note, and therefore could not be carried on our balance sheet. We also do not have any unpaid or accrued interest on such note reflected on our balance sheet. We do not expect to collect any additional amounts on the note receivable due to the fact that Millers is a holding company, which no longer has any ongoing operations. Millers' principal operating subsidiaries were Phoenix and MIC. MIC was placed in receivership by the Texas Department of Insurance in February 2003. At this time, Millers has no known operations or material assets of any kind. The interim financing facility provides for fixed interest rate of 11.75%. The unpaid principal balance and accrued and unpaid interest is due and payable at any time after September 30, 2003. 20 Mark E. Schwarz, our Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, is the managing member of Newcastle Capital Group, L.L.C., which is the general partner of Newcastle Capital Management, L.P., which in turn is the general partner of Newcastle Partners, L.P. Newcastle Partners, L.P. also currently owns 5,334,001 shares of our common stock (including currently exercisable options to purchase 50,000 shares of common stock), which is equal to approximately 42.3% of our outstanding shares of common stock. Mark E. Schwarz is deemed to beneficially own all of the shares owned by Newcastle due to his affiliation therewith. Newcastle has been offered its pro rata portion of the subscription rights (including over-subscription privilege). If our other stockholders purchase all of the shares offered to them for sale, Newcastle will purchase its pro rata amount and would continue to beneficially own approximately 42.3% of our common stock outstanding. If no stockholders other than Newcastle exercise their subscription rights, Newcastle will purchase up to __________ shares in the offering. In that case, Newcastle's ownership interest could be approximately __%, and the aggregate ownership interest of the other outstanding stockholders could decrease to approximately __%. Even if some stockholders other than Newcastle exercise their rights, Newcastle could still obtain a majority ownership interest pursuant to its subscription rights. As a result, Newcastle may have the voting power to control the election of our board of directors and the approval of other matters presented for consideration by the stockholders, which could include mergers, acquisitions, amendments to our charter and various corporate governance actions. SUBSCRIPTION AGENT We have appointed Securities Transfers Corporation as subscription agent for this offering. We will pay the fees and certain expenses of the subscription agent, which we estimate will total approximately $5,000. Under certain circumstances, we may indemnify the subscription agent from certain liabilities that may arise in connection with this offering. FEES AND EXPENSES Other than for fees charged by the information agent and the subscription agent, you are responsible for paying any other commissions, fees, taxes or other expenses incurred in connection with the exercise of the subscription rights. Neither us, the information agent nor the subscription agent will pay such expenses. OTHER MATTERS We are not making this offering in any state or other jurisdiction in which it is unlawful to do so, nor are we selling or accepting any offers to purchase any shares of our common stock from rights holders who are residents of those states or other jurisdictions. We may delay the commencement of this offering in those states or other jurisdictions, or change the terms of this offering, in order to comply with the securities law requirements of those states or other jurisdictions. We may decline to make modifications to the terms of this offering requested by those states or other jurisdictions, in which case, if you are a resident in those states or jurisdictions, you will not be eligible to participate in this offering. We will not be required to issue to you shares of common stock pursuant to this offering if, in our opinion, you would be required to obtain prior clearance or approval from any state or federal regulatory authority to own or control such shares if, at the time the subscription rights expire, you have not obtained such clearance or approval. NO BOARD RECOMMENDATION An investment in shares of our common stock must be made according to each investor's evaluation of its own best interests. Accordingly, our board of directors makes no recommendation to rights holders regarding whether they should exercise their subscription rights. IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT EXERCISING RIGHTS If you have questions or need assistance concerning the procedure for exercising subscription rights, or if you would like additional copies of this prospectus, the Instructions as to Use of Rights Certificates or the Notice of Guaranteed Delivery, you should contact Timothy A. Bienek, our President and Chief Operating Officer, or the subscription agent at the following addresses and telephone numbers: 21 Timothy A. Bienek Hallmark Financial Services, Inc. 777 Main Street, Suite 1000 Fort Worth, Texas 76201 Telephone: (817) 348-1600 or The Subscription Agent: Securities Transfer Corporation 2591 Dallas Parkway, Suite 102 Frisco, Texas 75034 Telephone: (469) 633-0101 MATERIAL UNITED STATES FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSEQUENCES The following discussion is a summary of the material U.S. federal income tax consequences of (i) the dividend by us of subscription rights to holders of common stock that hold such stock as a capital asset for federal income tax purposes, and (ii) the exercise of such rights. This discussion is based on laws, regulations, rulings and decisions in effect on the date of this prospectus, all of which are subject to change (possibly with retroactive effect) and to differing interpretations. This discussion applies only to holders that are U.S. persons, which is defined as a citizen or resident of the United States, a domestic partnership, a domestic corporation, any estate (other than a foreign estate), and any trust so long as a court within the United States is able to exercise primary supervision over the administration of the trust and one or more U.S. persons have the authority to control all substantial decisions of the trust. Generally, for federal income tax purposes an estate is classified as a "foreign estate" based on the location of the estate assets, the country of the estate's domiciliary administration, and the nationality and residency of the domiciliary's personal representative. This discussion does not address all aspects of federal income taxation that may be relevant to holders in light of their particular circumstances or to holders who may be subject to special tax treatment under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, including holders of options or warrants, holders who are dealers in securities or foreign currency, foreign persons (defined as all persons other than U.S. persons), insurance companies, tax-exempt organizations, banks, financial institutions, broker-dealers, holders who hold common stock as part of a hedge, straddle, conversion or other risk reduction transaction, or who acquired common stock pursuant to the exercise of compensatory stock options or warrants or otherwise as compensation. We have not sought, and will not seek, an opinion of counsel or a ruling from the Internal Revenue Service regarding the federal income tax consequences of the distribution of the rights or the related share issuance. The following summary does not address the tax consequences of the distribution of the rights or the related share issuance under foreign, state, or local tax laws. ACCORDINGLY, EACH HOLDER OF COMMON STOCK SHOULD CONSULT ITS OWN TAX ADVISOR WITH RESPECT TO THE PARTICULAR TAX CONSEQUENCES OF THE DISTRIBUTION OF THE RIGHTS OR THE RELATED SHARE ISSUANCE TO SUCH HOLDER. The federal income tax consequences for a holder of common stock on the receipt of subscription rights and the exercise of such rights are as follows: o A holder will not recognize taxable income for federal income tax purposes in connection with the receipt of subscription rights. o Except as provided in the following sentence, the tax basis of the subscription rights received by a holder will be zero. If either (i) the fair market value of the subscription rights on the date such subscription rights are distributed is equal to at least 15% of the fair market value on such date of the common stock with respect to which the subscription rights are received or (ii) the holder irrevocably elects, by attaching a statement to its federal income tax return for the taxable year in which the subscription rights are received, to allocate part of the tax basis of such common stock to the subscription 22 rights, then upon exercise of the subscription rights, the holder's tax basis in the common stock will be allocated between the common stock and the subscription rights in proportion to their respective fair market values on the date the subscription rights are distributed. A holder's holding period for the subscription rights received will include the holder's holding period for the common stock with respect to which the subscription rights were received. We believe that the fair market value of the subscription rights will not exceed 15% of the fair market value of the common stock to which the subscription rights relate. o A holder that allows the subscription rights received to expire will not recognize any gain or loss, and the tax basis of the common stock owned by such holder with respect to which such subscription rights were distributed will be equal to the tax basis of such common stock immediately before the receipt of the subscription rights. o A holder will not recognize any gain or loss upon the exercise of the subscription rights. o The tax basis of the common stock acquired through exercise of the subscription rights will equal the sum of the subscription price for the common stock and the holder's tax basis, if any, in the subscription rights as described above. o The holding period for the common stock acquired through exercise of the subscription rights will begin on the date the subscription rights are exercised. PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION We are offering the shares of our common stock underlying the rights directly to you. We have not employed any brokers, dealers or underwriters in connection with the solicitation or exercise of subscription rights in this offering and no commissions, fees or discounts will be paid in connection with this offering. Securities Transfer Corporation is acting as our subscription agent to effect the exercise of the rights and the issuance of the underlying shares of common stock. Therefore, we anticipate that our officers' and employees' role will be limited to: o Responding to inquiries of potential purchasers, provided the response is limited to information contained in the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part; and o Ministerial and clerical work involved in effecting transactions pertaining to the sale of the common stock underlying the rights. We intend to distribute and deliver this prospectus by hand or by mail only, and not by electronic delivery. Also, we intend to use printed prospectuses only, and not any other forms of prospectus. We have distributed to the holders of record of our common stock, at the close of business on June 27, 2003, at no charge, one nontransferable subscription right for each share of our common stock they own. Each subscription right is a right to purchase ____ shares of our common stock and carries with it a basic subscription privilege and an over-subscription privilege. The basic subscription privilege of each right entitles you to purchase _____ shares of our common stock at a subscription price of $_____ per share. You may exercise any number of your subscription rights, or you may choose not to exercise any subscription rights. We will not distribute any fractional shares or pay cash in lieu of fractional shares, but will round down the aggregate number of shares you are entitled to receive to the nearest whole number. We do not expect that all of our stockholders will exercise all of their basic subscription privileges. By extending over-subscription privileges to our stockholders, we are providing stockholders that exercise all of their basic subscription privileges with the opportunity to purchase those shares that are not purchased by other stockholders. If you wish to exercise your over-subscription privilege, you should indicate the number of additional shares that you would like to purchase in the space provided on your subscription certificate. When you send in your subscription certificate, you must also send the full purchase price for the number of additional shares that you have requested to purchase (in addition to the payment due for shares purchased through your basic subscription privilege). If the number of shares remaining after the exercise of all basic subscription privileges is not sufficient to satisfy all requests for shares pursuant to over-subscription privileges, you will be allocated additional shares pro-rata 23 (subject to elimination of fractional shares), based on the number of shares you purchased through the basic subscription privilege in proportion to the total number of shares that you and other over-subscribing stockholders purchased through the basic subscription privilege. However, if your pro-rata allocation exceeds the number of shares you requested on your subscription certificate, then you will receive only the number of shares that you requested, and the remaining shares from your pro-rata allocation will be divided among other rights holders exercising their over-subscription privileges. As soon as practicable after the expiration date, Securities Transfer Corporation, acting as our subscription agent, and we will determine the number of shares of common stock that you may purchase pursuant to the over-subscription privilege. You will receive certificates representing these shares as soon as practicable after the expiration date. If you request and pay for more shares than are allocated to you, we will refund that overpayment, without interest. In connection with the exercise of the over-subscription privilege, banks, brokers and other nominee holders of subscription rights who act on behalf of beneficial owners will be required to certify to us and to the subscription agent as to the aggregate number of subscription rights that have been exercised, and the number of shares of common stock that are being requested through the over-subscription privilege, by each beneficial owner on whose behalf the nominee holder is acting. We will pay Securities Transfer Corporation, the subscription agent, a fee of approximately $5,000 plus expenses, for its services in connection with this offering. We also have agreed to indemnify under certain circumstances the subscription agent from any liability it may incur in connection with this offering. We expect that shares of our common stock issued upon the exercise of subscription rights will be traded on the American Stock Exchange Emerging Company Marketplace under the symbol "HAF.EC," the same symbol our currently outstanding shares of common stock now trade. LEGAL MATTERS The validity of the shares of common stock offered hereby, and the description in this prospectus of the U.S. federal income tax consequences of this offering, will be passed upon for us by Olshan Grundman Frome Rosenzweig & Wolosky LLP, New York, New York. EXPERTS The consolidated financial statements of Hallmark Financial Services, Inc. at December 31, 2002 and 2001, and for the years then ended, appearing in our annual report on Form 10-KSB for the year ended December 31, 2002 have been audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, independent accountants, as set forth in their report thereon included therein. Such consolidated financial statements are incorporated herein by reference in reliance upon such report given on the authority of such firm as experts in accounting and auditing. MATERIAL CHANGES On May 30, 2003, Phoenix Indemnity Insurance Company (PIIC), a wholly owned subsidiary of ours, was served with a suit from the Superior Court of the State of Arizona in and for the County of Pima, alleging breach of contract and bad faith in connection with PIIC's denial of coverage in an automobile accident. The plaintiffs have filed an offer of judgment in the amount of $15 million. PIIC believes the suit is without merit and has filed an answer denying each and every allegation in the case. The suit is still in pre-trial discovery stage. Unless a favorable settlement can be reached, we intend to vigorously defend PIIC against all claims asserted by the plaintiffs in the case. WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION We are subject to the informational requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Accordingly, we file reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. You may read and copy any materials that we file with the SEC at the SEC's Public Reference Room at 450 Fifth Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20549 upon payment of the prescribed fees. You may obtain 24 information on the operation of the Public Reference Room by calling the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330. The SEC also maintains an Internet site that contains reports, proxy and information statements and other materials that are filed through the SEC's Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis, and Retrieval, or EDGAR, system. You can access this web site at http://www.sec.gov. Our common stock is listed on the American Stock Exchange Emerging Capital Markets. These reports, proxy statements and other information can also be read and copied at the offices of the American Stock Exchange at 86 Trinity Place, New York, New York 10006. The SEC allows us to "incorporate by reference" the information we file with the SEC. This permits us to disclose important information to you by referencing these filed documents. Any information referenced this way is considered part of this prospectus, and any information filed with the SEC after the date on the cover of this prospectus will automatically be deemed to update and supercede this information. We incorporate by reference the documents listed below and any future filings made by us with the SEC file number 0-16090 under Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, until all of the securities described in this prospectus are sold: o our annual report on Form 10-KSB for the year ended December 31, 2002, o our quarterly report on Form 10-QSB for the period ended March 31, 2003, o our current report on Form 8-K, filed on January 29, 2003, o our current report on Form 8-K/A, filed on February 14, 2003, o our current report on Form 8-K/A, filed on April 14, 2003, o our current report on Form 8-K/A, filed on May 13, 2003, o our current report of Form 8-K, filed on June 17, 2003, and o the description of our common stock contained in our resignation statement on Form 8-A filed with the SEC on July 8, 1992, including all amendments and reports filed for purposes of updating such description. This prospectus is part of a registration statement filed with the SEC. This prospectus does not contain all the information contained in the registration statement. The full registration statement can be obtained from the SEC. This prospectus contains a general description of our company and the securities being offered for sale. You should read this prospectus together with the additional information incorporated by reference. You can request a copy of any document incorporated by reference in this prospectus, at no cost, by writing or telephoning us at the following: Hallmark Financial Services, Inc. 777 Main Street, Suite 1000 Fort Worth, Texas 76201 Attention: Timothy A. Bienek, President and COO Telephone: (817) 348-1600 FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS We believe that certain statements contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and are considered prospective. The following statements are or may constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: o statements before, after or including the words "may," "will," "could," "should," "believe," "expect," "future," "potential," "anticipate," "intend," "plan," "estimate" or "continue" or the negative or other variations of these words, and o other statements about matters that are not historical facts. We may be unable to achieve the future results covered by the forward-looking statements. The statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the 25 future results that the statements express or imply. See "Risk Factors" on page 6. Please do not put undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this prospectus. 26 PART II INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS ITEM 14. OTHER EXPENSES OF ISSUANCE AND DISTRIBUTION. The following is an itemization of all expenses (subject to future contingencies) incurred or to be incurred by us in connection with the issuance and distribution of the securities being offered. All items below are estimates other than the Securities and Exchange Commission registration fee and the AMEX listing fee. Hallmark Financial Services, Inc. will pay all of such expenses. Securities and Exchange Commission registration fee $ 809.00 AMEX listing fee......................................... 22,500.00 Printing and engraving expenses.......................... 1,000.00 Accounting fees and expenses............................. 10,000.00 Legal fees and expenses.................................. 60,000.00 Subscription Agent fees and expenses..................... 5,000.00 Miscellaneous............................................ 691.00 ------------ Total........................................$100,000.00 ============ ITEM 15. INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS. The Nevada General Corporation Law ("NGCL") provides that a director or officer of a corporation will not be personally liable for monetary damages for breach of that individual's fiduciary duties as a director or officer except for liability for (1) any act or omission constituting a breach of fiduciary duties as a director or officer and when (2) breach of those duties involved intentional misconduct, fraud or a knowing violation of law. Under the NGCL, a corporation may indemnify directors and officers, as well as other employees and individuals, to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, except an action by or in the right of the corporation, by reason of the fact that he is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation. The termination of any action, suit or proceeding by judgment, order, settlement, conviction or upon a plea of nolo contendere or its equivalent, does not, of itself, create a presumption that the person did not act in good faith and in a manner which he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation, or that, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, he had reasonable cause to believe that his conduct was unlawful. The NGCL further provides that indemnification may not be made for any claim as to which such a person has been adjudged by a court of competent jurisdiction, after exhaustion of all appeals therefrom, to be liable to the corporation or for amounts paid in settlement to the corporation, unless and only to the extent that the court in which the action or suit was brought or other court of competent jurisdiction determines upon application that in view of all the circumstances of the case, the person is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for such expenses as the court deems proper. To the extent that a director, officer, employee or agent of a corporation has been successful II-1 on the merits or otherwise in defense of any action, suit or proceeding or in defense of any claim, issue or matter therein, the corporation shall indemnify him against expenses, including attorneys' fees, actually and reasonably incurred by him in connection with the defense. The NGCL provides that this is not exclusive of other rights to which those seeking indemnification may be entitled under any bylaw, agreement, vote of stockholders or disinterested directors or otherwise. The Registrant's articles of incorporation provide that the directors and officers will not be personally liable to the Registrant or its stockholders for monetary damages for breach of their fiduciary duty as a director or officer, except for liability of a director or officer for acts or omissions involving intentional misconduct, fraud or a knowing violation of law, or the payment of dividends in violation of the NGCL. The Registrant's bylaws provide that the Registrant is required to indemnify its directors and officers to the fullest extent permitted by law. The Registrant's bylaws also require the Registrant to advance expenses incurred by a director or officer in connection with the defense of any proceeding upon receipt of an undertaking by or on behalf of the director or officer to repay the amount if it is ultimately determined by a court of competent jurisdiction that he or she is not entitled to be indemnified by the Registrant. The Registrant's bylaws also permit the Registrant to purchase and maintain errors and omissions insurance on behalf of any director or officer for any liability arising out of his or her actions in a representative capacity. ITEM 16. EXHIBITS. Exhibit # Description - --------- ----------- 3.1 Articles of Incorporation of the Registrant, as amended (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3(a) to the Registrant's Annual Report on Form 10-KSB for the fiscal year ended December 31, 1993). 3.2 By-Laws of the Registrant, as amended (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3(b) to the Registrant's Annual Report on Form 10-KSB for the fiscal year ended December 31, 1993). 4.1 Specimen certificate for Common Stock, $.03 par value, of the Registrant (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4 to the Registrant's Annual Report on Form 10-KSB for the fiscal year ended December 31, 1991). 4.2* Form of Subscription Rights Certificate. 5.1** Opinion of Olshan Grundman Frome Rosenzweig & Wolosky LLP. 23.1** Consent of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP. 23.2** Consent of Deloitte & Touche LLP. 23.3** Consent of Olshan Grundman Frome Rosenzweig & Wolosky LLP (included in opinion filed as Exhibit 5.1). 24.1* Power of Attorney (included on signature page hereto). 99.1* Form of Instructions as to Use of Rights Certificates. 99.2* Form of Notice of Guaranteed Delivery for Rights Certificates. 99.3* Form of Letter to Security Holders Who Are Record Holders. 99.4* Form of Letter to Securities Dealers, Commercial Banks, Trust Companies and Other Nominees. 99.5* Form of Letter to Clients of Security Holders Who Are Beneficial Holders. II-2 99.6* Form of Nominee Holder Certification Form. 99.7* Beneficial Owner Election Form. 99.8* Substitute Form W-9 (including Guidelines for Certification of Taxpayer Identification Number on Substitute Form W-9). 99.9** Form of Subscription Agency Agreement between Hallmark Financial Services, Inc. and Securities Transfer Corporation. - ------------------------ * Previously filed ** Filed herewith ITEM 17. 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 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; (2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each 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; and (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 of 1933, each filing of the registrant's annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or 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 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 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 an 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. II-3 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 Amendment No. 3 to the Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Dallas, State of Texas, on the 28th day of July, 2003. HALLMARK FINANCIAL SERVICES, INC. By: /s/ Mark E. Schwarz ------------------------------------- Mark E. Schwarz Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Amendment No. 3 to the Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated: Signature Title Date - --------- ----- ---- /s/ Mark E. Schwarz Chairman, Chief Executive July 28, 2003 - -------------------- Officer and Director Mark E. Schwarz (principal executive officer) * President, Chief Operating July 28, 2003 - -------------------- Officer and Director Timothy A. Bienek * Vice President (principal July 28, 2003 - -------------------- financial and accounting Scott K. Billings officer) * Director July 28, 2003 - ------------------- James H. Graves * Director July 28, 2003 - ------------------- George R. Manser * Director July 28, 2003 - ------------------- Scott T. Berlin Director July __, 2003 - ------------------- James C. Epstein * Executed by Mark E. Schwarz, as attorney-in-fact II-4