---------------------------------------------- SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549 FORM 11-K (Mark One) ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 [FEE REQUIRED] for the Plan year ended September 30, 1993 or TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 [FEE REQUIRED} for the transition period from ____ to ____. Commission File Number ........... 1-5964 A. Full title of the plan and the address of the plan, if different from that of the issuer named below: Alco Standard Corporation Defined Contribution Plan. B. Name of issuer of the securities held pursuant to the Plan and the address of its principal executive office: ALCO STANDARD CORPORATION P.O. BOX 834 VALLEY FORGE, PA 19482-0834 -2- REQUIRED INFORMATION -------------------- a. Financial Statements. The following financial statements are -------------------- furnished for the Plan. 1. Audited Statements of Net Assets Available for Benefits- September 30, 1993 and September 30, 1992. 2. Audited Statements of Changes in Net Assets Available for Benefits - Plan year ended September 30, 1993 and September 30, 1992. Notes to Financial Statements Schedules Assets Held for Investment Transactions or Series of Transactions in Excess of 5% of Current Value of Plan Assets b. Exhibit ------- Exhibit 23 Consent of Independent Auditors Alco Standard Corporation Defined Contribution Plan Financial Statements and Schedules Years ended September 30, 1993 and 1992 Contents Report of Independent Auditors...........................................1 Audited Financial Statements Statements of Net Assets Available for Benefits..........................2 Statements of Changes in Net Assets Available for Benefits...............3 Notes to Financial Statements............................................4 Schedules Assets Held for Investment..............................................10 Transactions or Series of Transactions in Excess of 5% of the Current Value of Plan Assets............................11 Report of Independent Auditors Trustees Alco Standard Corporation Defined Contribution Plan We have audited the accompanying statements of net assets available for benefits of the Alco Standard Corporation Defined Contribution Plan as of September 30, 1993 and 1992, and the related statements of changes in net assets available for benefits for the years then ended. These financial statements are the responsibility of the Plan's management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements based on our audits. We conducted our audits in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement. An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. An audit also includes assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion. In our opinion, the financial statements referred to above present fairly, in all material respects, the net assets available for benefits of the Plan at September 30, 1993 and 1992, and the changes in its net assets available for plan benefits for the years then ended, in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles. Our audits were made for the purpose of forming an opinion on the financial statements taken as a whole. The accompanying supplemental schedules of assets held for investment as of September 30, 1993, and transactions or series of transactions in excess of 5% of the current value of plan assets for the year then ended, are presented for purposes of complying with the Department of Labor's Rules and Regulations for Reporting and Disclosure under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, and are not a required part of the financial statements. The supplemental schedules have been subjected to the auditing procedures applied in our audit of the 1993 financial statements and, in our opinion, are fairly stated in all material respects in relation to the 1993 financial statements taken as a whole. February 28, 1994 1 Alco Standard Corporation Defined Contribution Plan Statements of Net Assets Available for Benefits September 30 1993 1992 ------------------------- Assets Investments: Cash equivalents $ 2,747,902 $ 77,074 Alco Standard Corporation, common stock (1993--161,447 shares; cost $5,661,439) (1992--116,202 shares; cost $3,957,084) 7,103,700 4,163,014 Other investments -- 614,907 Investment funds 41,929,895 33,570,414 ------------------------- 51,781,497 38,425,409 Transfers receivable from merged plans 8,356,277 -- Investment income receivable 1,273,202 246,257 Loans receivable 163,677 106,490 ------------------------- 61,574,653 38,778,156 Liabilities Accrued administrative expenses 90,894 60,545 Benefit payments due to participants 2,870,573 591,848 ------------------------- Net assets available for benefits $58,613,186 $38,125,763 ========================= See accompanying notes. 2 Alco Standard Corporation Defined Contribution Plan Statements of Changes in Net Assets Available for Benefits Year ended September 30 1993 1992 -------------------------- Additions: Transfers of assets from merged plans $24,060,863 $ 4,896,411 Interest income 2,337,534 2,526,651 Dividend income 447,693 434,034 Other income 17,780 125,724 -------------------------- 26,863,870 7,982,820 Distributions: Benefit payments 7,821,333 8,856,014 Administrative expenses 110,304 204,646 Other expenses -- 31,142 -------------------------- 7,931,637 9,091,802 -------------------------- 18,932,233 (1,108,982) Realized and unrealized gain 1,555,190 378,548 -------------------------- Net increase (decrease) for the year 20,487,423 (730,434) Net assets available for benefits at beginning of year 38,125,763 38,856,197 -------------------------- Net assets available for benefits at end of year $58,613,186 $38,125,763 ========================== See accompanying notes. 3 Alco Standard Corporation Defined Contribution Plan Notes to Financial Statements September 30, 1993 1. Significant Accounting Policies The accounting records of the Alco Standard Corporation Defined Contribution Plan ("Plan") are maintained on the accrual basis. Fair value of investments in Alco Standard Corporation Common Stock are determined by use of the last reported sales price on the last business day of the plan year, as reported on a national security exchange. All highly liquid investments with maturities of three months or less when purchased are considered to be cash equivalents. Investment funds consist of a managed income fund, a fixed income fund, an equity index fund, a balanced fund, and a treasury fund. The managed income fund is managed jointly by an insurance company and two trust companies. The other investment funds are managed by a bank. Investments in the Managed Income Fund are valued at contract value which represents investments made under the contract, plus interest at the contract rate, less funds used to pay retirement benefits and to pay for the manager's administrative expenses. Investments in the Equity Index Fund, Balanced Fund, Fixed Income Fund, and Treasury Fund are stated at fair market value which is determined on the last day of the plan year based on the portfolio of investments owned by the particular fund on that date. Cash equivalents are valued at cost which is equal to market value. The difference between the proceeds and cost of investments sold during the year and the change in the difference between September 30 market value and cost is reflected in the statements of changes in net assets available for benefits as realized and unrealized appreciation (depreciation) in the aggregate market value of investments. 2. Description of the Plan The Plan is a defined contribution plan established on October 1, 1989 by Alco Standard Corporation ("Company") to consolidate all of the Company's frozen defined contribution plans into a single plan. The Plan provides for retirement, disability, and death benefits. It is subject to the provisions of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974. The Plan is frozen, therefore, there will be no employer or employee contributions made to the Plan. 4 Alco Standard Corporation Defined Contribution Plan Notes to Financial Statements (continued) 2. Description of the Plan (continued) Participants in the Plan may allocate their account between investments in Alco Standard Corporation Common Stock or any of five available investment funds. Participants may change investment allocations at any time, but not more frequently than twice in a twelve-month period. All participants are fully vested in their account balances. Administrative expenses are paid by the Plan unless paid by the Company. The following plans were merged into the DC Plan on the effective date indicated. Plan Effective Date of Merger - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Allegheny Business Machines, Inc. Employee Profit Sharing Plan October 1, 1991 Business Systems of Arizona, Inc. Profit Sharing Plan October 1, 1991 Copy Data Group, Inc. Profit Sharing Plan October 1, 1991 Midwest Business Systems, Inc. Employee Profit Sharing Plan October 1, 1991 Mirex Corporation Employee 401(k) Tax Shelter Plan October 1, 1991 Monumental Paper Company Profit Sharing Plan October 1, 1991 BPL 401(k) and Profit Sharing Plan October 1, 1992 Copy-Line, Inc. Profit Sharing Plan October 1, 1992 Allstate Profit Sharing Program October 1, 1992 McDonald-Klein Business Machines, Inc. Profit Sharing Plan November 1, 1992 Weiss-Brothers Miquon, Inc. Profit Sharing Plan November 1, 1992 Whitaker Carpenter Paper Company Employers Profit Sharing and Retirement Plan January 1, 1993 J&L Sales, Inc. Profit Sharing Plan January 1, 1993 American Business Machines, Inc. Cash or Deferred Profit Sharing Plan April 1, 1993 Remco Business Products, Inc. Profit Sharing Plan April 1, 1993 Standard Office Systems Profit Sharing Plan June 1, 1993 During the plan year ended September 30, 1993, assets attributable to the fully vested account balances of former employees of Universal Services, Inc. and Hinkles, Inc. who became employees of Copco Papers, Inc. on September 4, 1992 and Modern Office Machines, Inc. on January 4, 1993, respectively, were merged into the Plan. These mergers resulted in a transfer of net assets to the Plan of $24,060,863 during the plan year of which $8,356,277 was recorded as a receivable by the Plan at September 30, 1993. 5 Alco Standard Corporation Defined Contribution Plan Notes to Financial Statements (continued) 2. Description of the Plan (continued) Upon termination of the Plan, all interests of the participants will be distributed as soon as administratively practicable. Recordkeeping and administration of the Plan is performed by CoreStates Financial Corp. Information about the Plan document including withdrawal provisions, is contained in the Summary Plan Description. Copies of this document are available from the Plan administrator. 3. Investments Individual investments that represent 5% or more of the fair value of net assets available for benefits as of September 30, 1993 are as follows: Shares or Identity of Investments Par Value Cost Market Value - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Connecticut General Life Insurance Company Guaranteed Long-Term Fund 20,574,311 $20,574,311 $20,574,311 LaSalle National Trust Company Income Plus Fund 5,658,440 5,658,440 5,658,440 Fidelity Management Trust Company Managed Income Portfolio 5,754,727 5,754,727 5,754,727 Corefund Equity Index Fund 273,391 5,406,508 5,823,219 Alco Standard Corporation Common Stock 161,447 5,661,439 7,103,700 Merrill Lynch Employee Benefit Master Repurchase Agreements 2,747,902 2,747,902 2,747,902 6 Alco Standard Corporation Defined Contribution Plan Notes to Financial Statements (continued) 3. Investments (continued) The allocation of assets to the separate investment programs at September 30, 1993 and 1992 is as follows: Managed Fixed Equity Alco Income Income Index Balanced Common Treasury Other Fund Fund Fund Fund Stock Fund Assets Total ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1993 Assets Investments: Cash equivalents $ 2,660,829 $ 2,627 $ -- $ -- $ -- $ -- $ 84,446 $ 2,747,902 Common stock of Alco Standard 7,103,700 7,103,700 Investment funds 31,987,478 850,238 5,823,219 2,723,996 544,964 41,929,895 Transfers receivable 8,356,277 8,356,277 Investment income receivable 1,188,232 3,144 37,618 5,787 38,421 1,273,202 Loans receivable 163,677 163,677 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Total assets 44,192,816 856,009 5,860,837 2,729,783 7,142,121 544,964 248,123 61,574,653 Liabilities Accrued administrative expenses 90,894 90,894 Benefits payments due to participants 2,205,415 1,815 243,158 220,638 191,662 20 7,865 2,870,573 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Net assets $41,987,401 $ 854,194 $5,617,679 $2,509,145 $6,950,459 $544,944 $ 149,364 $58,613,186 ============================================================================================== 1992 Assets Investments: Cash equivalents $ -- $ -- $ -- $ -- $ -- $ -- $ 77,074 $ 77,074 Common stock of Alco Standard 4,163,014 4,163,014 Other investments 614,907 614,907 Investment funds 24,771,432 986,415 4,971,274 2,564,111 277,182 33,570,414 Investment income receivable 179,939 3,976 27,675 7,389 26,554 724 246,257 Loans receivable 106,490 106,490 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Total assets 24,951,371 990,391 4,998,949 2,571,500 4,189,568 277,906 798,471 38,778,156 Liabilities Accrued administrative expenses 60,545 60,545 Benefits payments due to participants 441,126 8,886 59,483 42,492 39,861 591,848 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Net assets $24,510,245 $ 981,505 $4,939,466 $2,529,008 $4,149,707 $277,906 $ 737,926 $38,125,763 ============================================================================================== 7 Alco Standard Corporation Defined Contribution Plan Notes to Financial Statements (continued) 3. Investments (continued) Managed Fixed Equity Alco Income Income Index Balanced Common Treasury Other Fund Fund Fund Fund Stock Fund Assets Total ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Net assets at October 1, 1991 $34,963,704 $ 166,419 $ 494,454 $ 800,182 $1,882,534 $ -- $ 548,904 $38,856,197 Investment income 2,511,500 40,927 199,879 83,037 102,064 947 22,331 2,960,685 Other income 117,614 393 2,172 1,432 4,113 125,724 Benefit payments (8,063,000) (28,445) (171,665) (160,819) (426,053) (6,032) (8,856,014) Administrative expenses (204,646) (204,646) Other expenses (31,142) (31,142) Realized and unrealized gain (loss) 16,083 (60,065) (80,736) 477,797 25,469 378,548 Interfund transfers (9,489,028) 783,090 4,466,482 1,868,360 2,105,949 276,959 (11,812) -- Transfer of assets 4,469,455 3,038 8,209 17,552 3,303 394,854 4,896,411 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Net assets at September 30, 1992 24,510,245 981,505 4,939,466 2,529,008 4,149,707 277,906 737,926 38,125,763 Investment income 2,299,310 44,297 161,894 83,132 133,085 16,266 47,243 2,785,227 Other income 17,780 17,780 Benefit payments (6,416,262) (31,968) (331,094) (323,132) (631,396) (21,698) (65,783) (7,821,333) Administrative expenses (110,304) (110,304) Realized and unrealized gain (loss) 1,865 457,256 255,001 1,178,891 (337,823) 1,555,190 Interfund transfers (2,187,126) (147,171) 363,960 (41,223) 2,072,486 272,470 (333,396) -- Transfer of assets 23,763,454 5,666 26,197 6,359 47,686 211,501 24,060,863 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Net assets at September 30, 1993 $41,987,401 $ 854,194 $5,617,679 $2,509,145 $6,950,459 $ 544,944 $ 149,364 $58,613,186 ===================================================================================================== 8 Alco Standard Corporation Defined Contribution Plan Notes to Financial Statements (continued) 4. Income Tax Status The Internal Revenue Service has ruled that the Plan qualifies under Section 401(a) of the Internal Revenue Code and is therefore tax-exempt. 5. Subsequent Events Effective October 1, 1993, Employee Retirement and Tax Advantaged Capital Accumulation Plan, H&R Group, Inc. Profit Sharing 401(k) Plan, and University Copy Systems of Hawaii, Inc. 401(k) Retirement Plan were merged into the Plan. 9 Alco Standard Corporation Defined Contribution Plan Assets Held for Investment September 30, 1993 Description of Identity of Issue Investment Cost Current Value - ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cash equivalents: Merrill Lynch Employee Benefit Plan Master Repurchase Agreement Repurchase Agreements $ 2,747,902 $ 2,747,902 Investment funds: Connecticut General Life Insurance Company Guaranteed Long-Term Fund Investment contracts 20,574,311 20,574,311 La Salle National Trust Company Income Plus Fund Investment contracts 5,658,440 5,658,440 Fidelity Management Trust Company Managed Income Portfolio Investment contracts 5,754,727 5,754,727 CoreFund Intermediate Bond Fund Fixed income investments 834,450 850,238 CoreFund Equity Index Fund Equity investments 5,406,508 5,823,219 CoreStates Balanced Fund Equity and fixed income investments 2,523,609 2,723,996 CoreFund Treasury Reserve Treasury investments 544,964 544,964 ---------------------------- Total investment funds 41,297,009 41,929,895 Alco Standard Corporation Common stock 5,661,439 7,103,700 ---------------------------- Total assets held for investment $49,706,350 $51,781,497 ============================ 10 Alco Standard Corporation Defined Contribution Plan Transactions or Series of Transactions in Excess of 5% of the Current Value of Plan Assets Year ended September 30, 1993 Selling Price or Maturity Net Gain Identity of Party Involved Description of Assets Purchase Price Value Cost or (Loss) - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Category I--Single transaction in excess - ---------------------------------------- of 5% of plan assets - -------------------- Connecticut General Life Insurance Purchased 3,439,121 shares Company Guaranteed Long-Term Fund on February 19, 1993 $3,439,121 LaSalle National Trust Company Income Purchased 4,431,937 shares Plus Fund on April 13, 1993 4,431,937 Fidelity Management Trust Company Purchased 4,431,937 shares Managed Income Portfolio on April 13, 1993 4,431,937 Connecticut General Life Insurance Sold 8,863,874 shares on Company Guaranteed Long-Term Fund April 13, 1993 $8,863,874 $8,863,874 $ -- Connecticut General Life Insurance Sold 1,940,941 shares on Company Guaranteed Long-Term Fund June 30, 1993 1,940,941 1,940,941 -- Merrill Lynch Employee Benefit Plan Purchased 2,586,974 units on Master Repurchase Agreement July 1, 1993 2,586,974 Category II--A series of transactions (other than security transactions) with - ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- the same person aggregating 5% of plan assets - --------------------------------------------- None 11 Alco Standard Corporation Defined Contribution Plan Transactions or Series of Transactions in Excess of 5% of the Current Value of Plan Assets (continued) Year ended September 30, 1993 Selling Price or Maturity Net Gain Identity of Party Involved Description of Assets Purchase Price Value Cost or (Loss) - ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Category III--A series of transactions in a - ------------------------------------------- security issue aggregating 5% of plan assets - -------------------------------------------- Merrill Lynch Employee Benefit Plan Purchased 8,479,543 units Master Repurchase Agreements in 190 transactions; sold 5,731,641 units in 162 transactions $ 8,479,543 $ 5,731,641 $ 5,731,641 $ -- Connecticut General Life Insurance Purchased 5,805,653 Company Guaranteed Long-Term Fund shares in 26 transactions; sold 18,399,877 shares in 37 transactions 5,805,653 18,399,877 18,399,877 -- LaSalle National Trust Company Income Purchased 6,886,630 shares Plus Fund in 18 transactions; sold 1,228,190 shares in 26 transactions 6,886,630 1,228,190 1,228,190 -- Fidelity Management Trust Company Purchased 6,982,914 shares Managed Income Portfolio in 46 transactions; sold 1,228,187 shares in 26 transactions 6,982,914 1,228,187 1,228,187 -- Purchased 61,326 shares in Alco Standard Corporation Common Stock 21 transactions; sold 16,081 shares in 11 transactions 2,241,862 693,791 537,507 156,284 Category IV--Any transaction in securities or with a person if any single - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- transaction with that person or in that security exceeds 5% of plan assets - -------------------------------------------------------------------------- None 12 SIGNATURES ---------- Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Plan has duly caused this annual report to be signed by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized. ALCO STANDARD CORPORATION DEFINED CONTRIBUTION PLAN ------------------------- (Name of plan) By /s/Donna Yurick --------------------------- Plan Administrator Dated: March 29, 1994 FORM 11-K ALCO STANDARD CORPORATION DEFINED CONTRIBUTION PLAN PLAN YEAR ENDED September 30, 1993 INDEX TO EXHIBIT ---------------- Exhibit Number Description - -------------- ----------- Exhibit 23 Consent of Independent Auditors