SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 FORM 11-K [X] Annual Report Pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (Fee Required) For The Year Ended December 31, 1997 or [_] Transition Report Pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (No Fee Required) For The Transition Period from ________ to _______ Commission File Number 00107923 HANDLEMAN COMPANY SALARY DEFERRAL AND STOCK PLAN -------------- (Full title of the Plan) HANDLEMAN COMPANY ----------------- (Name of issuer of the securities held pursuant to the Plan) 500 Kirts Boulevard Troy, Michigan 48084 -------------------- (Address of principal executive offices) The following financial statements and exhibits are presented pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934: Page ---- (a) Financial Statements: Report of Independent Accountants I-1 Statement of Assets Available for Benefits as of December 31, 1997 and 1996 I-2 Statement of Changes in Assets Available for Benefits for the year ended December 31, 1997 I-3 Notes to Financial Statements I-4 to I-10 Item 27a -- Schedule of Assets Held for Investment Purposes as of December 31, 1997 I-11 Item 27d -- Schedule of Reportable Transactions I-12 to I-13 for the year ended December 31, 1997 Schedules: Schedule I, II and III have been omitted because the required information is shown in the financial statements or notes thereto, or in another schedule - Exhibit Number ------ (b) 1. Consent of Independent Accountants with respect to their report on their audit of the financial statements of the Handleman Company Salary Deferral and Stock Plan as of and for the year ended December 31, 1997 28.1 SIGNATURE --------- Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the trustees (or other persons who administer the Plan) have duly caused this annual report to be signed by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized. HANDLEMAN COMPANY SALARY DEFERRAL AND STOCK PLAN By: /s/ Leonard A. Brams ------------------------------------------------------------------- Leonard A. Brams, Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Handleman Company HANDLEMAN COMPANY SALARY DEFERRAL AND STOCK PLAN INDEX TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS ----------------------------- PAGES ----- Report of Independent Accountants 4 Financial Statements: Statement of Assets Available for Benefits as of December 31, 1997 and 1996 5 Statement of Changes in Assets Available for Benefits for the year ended December 31, 1997 6 Notes to Financial Statements 7-13 Supplemental Schedules: Item 27a - Schedule of Assets Held for Investment Purposes as of December 31, 1997 14 Item 27d - Schedule of Reportable Transactions for the year ended December 31, 1997 15-16 [COOPERS & LYBRAND LETTERHEAD] Report of Independent Accountants To the Administrative Committee of the Handleman Company Salary Deferral and Stock Plan: We have audited the accompanying statement of assets available for benefits of the Handleman Company Salary Deferral and Stock Plan as of December 31, 1997 and 1996, and the related statement of changes in assets available for benefits for the year ended December 31, 1997. 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 assets available for benefits of Handleman Company Salary Deferral and Stock Plan as of December 31, 1997 and 1996, and the changes in assets available for benefits for the year ended December 31, 1997, in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles. Our audits were performed for the purpose of forming an opinion on the basic financial statements taken as a whole. The supplemental schedules on pages 14 through 16 of this Form 11-K are presented for the purpose of additional analysis and are not a required part of the basic financial statements but are supplementary information required by the Department of Labor's Rules and Regulations for Reporting and Disclosure under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974. The supplemental schedules have been subjected to the auditing procedures applied in the audits of the basic financial statements and, in our opinion, are fairly stated in all material respects in relation to the basic financial statements taken as a whole. /s/ Coopers & Lybrand L.L.P. Detroit, Michigan June 18, 1998 HANDLEMAN COMPANY SALARY DEFERRAL AND STOCK PLAN STATEMENT OF ASSETS AVAILABLE FOR BENEFITS December 31, 1997 and 1996 -------------------------- 1997 1996 --------------- --------------- ASSETS: Accrued dividends and interest $ 52 $ 44 Employee contributions receivable 133,511 125,503 Employer contribution receivable 23,341 23,548 Investments at Estimated Fair Value KeyCorp Investments: Employee Benefit Money Market Fund(1), 3,697 3,142 (3,697 shares and 3,142 shares at December 31, 1997 and 1996, respectively) EB-Managed Guaranteed Investment Contract(2) 851,905 733,508 70,217 shares and 64,083 shares at December 31, 1997 and 1996, respectively) Investments at Fair Value as Determined by Quoted Market Price KeyCorp Investments Victory U.S. Government Obligations Fund(3), 694,535 676,714 (62,719 shares and 64,236 shares at December 31, 1997 and 1996, respectively) American Balanced Fund(4), (163,906 shares and 2,570,048 1,797,521 123,540 shares at December 31, 1997 and 1996, respectively) Victory Stock Index Fund(5), (231,092 shares and 4,321,425 2,911,769 191,312 shares at December 31, 1997 and 1996, respectively) Handleman Company common stock (6), (192,835 1,337,889 1,462,153 shares and 169,525 shares at December 31, 1997 and 1996, respectively) Loans to participants at rates of 9.5% 207,884 112,321 to 10.0%, maturing in 1 to 5 years --------------- --------------- ASSETS AVAILABLE FOR BENEFITS $10,144,287 $7,846,223 (1) The Plan's cost of the investment in the KeyCorp Employee Benefit Money Market Fund was $3,697 and $3,142 as of December 31, 1997 and 1996, respectively. (2) The Plan's cost of the investment in the EB-Managed Guaranteed Investment Contract was $772,446 and $685,078 as of December 31, 1997 and 1996, respectively. (3) The Plan's cost of the investment in the Victory U.S. Government Obligations Fund was $645,075 and $646,623 as of December 31, 1997 and 1996, respectively. (4) The Plan's cost of the investment in the American Balanced Fund was $2,444,702 and $1,793,599 as of December 31, 1997 and 1996, respectively. (5) The Plan's cost of investment in the Victory Stock Index Fund was $3,330,768 and $2,465,095 as of December 31, 1997 and 1996, respectively. (6) The Plan's cost of the common stock was $1,749,053 and $1,672,524 as of December 31, 1997 and 1996, respectively. The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements. I-2 HANDLEMAN COMPANY SALARY DEFERRAL AND STOCK PLAN STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN ASSETS AVAILABLE FOR BENEFITS for the year ended December 31, 1997 ------------------------------------ 1997 ----------- Additions: Employer contributions $ 325,198 Employee authorized contributions 1,924,171 Dividend income 573,929 Interest income 20,066 Net appreciation in fair value of investments 638,692 Other 4,950 ----------- Total additions 3,487,006 Deductions: Participants' benefits 1,160,138 Other 28,804 ----------- Total deductions 1,188,942 Net increase 2,298,064 Assets available for benefits, beginning of year 7,846,223 ----------- Assets available for benefits, end of year $10,144,287 The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements. I-3 HANDLEMAN COMPANY SALARY DEFERRAL AND STOCK PLAN NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS ----------------------------- 1. Description of Plan The following description of the Handleman Company Salary Deferral and Stock Plan (the "Plan") provides only general information. Participants should refer to the Plan Document for a complete description of the Plan's provisions. General The Plan is a defined contribution plan which includes salary deferral and employee stock ownership provisions. The Plan covers all employees of the Handleman Company (the "Company") and subsidiaries and affiliates that have adopted the Plan who have one year of service and who are not covered by collective bargaining agreements (unless they specifically refer to the Plan). The Plan is subject to the provisions of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA). Contributions Employee authorized contributions of tax deferred compensation are limited in any one year to the lesser of fifteen percent of employee compensation or $9,500. In addition, total contributions by highly compensated employees cannot exceed specific percentage limitations of the aggregate contributions of all other employees as set forth in the Internal Revenue Code. The Company provides for a matching contribution equal to 25 percent of the elective contribution made by each participant, up to six percent of such participant's compensation, to be invested in company stock. Plan Assets To the extent practicable, Plan assets related to the Company stock portion of the Plan are invested in Company stock. Employees may direct investment of employee authorized contributions to the Plan into various investment funds which are established by the Company from time to time. Participant Accounts Each participant's account is credited with employee authorized contributions, in addition to an allocation of any Company contribution and Plan earnings, net of Plan expenses. A participant must be employed by the Company on the last day of the Company's fiscal year to receive the allocation of Company contributions. Salary Deferral Portion - Company contributions to the Salary Deferral portion of the Plan are allocated to participants who are eligible as defined by the Plan. There are certain limitations on the amounts which can be allocated. Stock Ownership Portion - Effective May 2, 1994, the Plan was amended to discontinue Company contributions for employees hired after April 30, 1994. As of December 31, 1996, Company contributions for all employees has been discontinued. I-4 HANDLEMAN COMPANY SALARY DEFERRAL AND STOCK PLAN NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, Continued ----------------------------- 1. Description of Plan, continued Loans to Participants The Plan allows participants to borrow against their account balances. The maximum loan to any participant is the lesser of 50% of the participant's non-forfeitable salary deferral account balance or $50,000. Plan Expenses Expenses of the Trustee and Administrative Committee are charged to participant accounts unless the Company at its discretion elects to pay these expenses. The Company paid such expenses for the year ended December 31, 1997. Vesting Participants are fully vested in amounts credited to their accounts prior to July 1995. Effective July 1, 1995, the Plan was amended to include a graded vesting schedule for matching contributions of 20 percent for each year of service, resulting in 100 percent vesting after five years of service. Nonvested company contributions for terminated participants are forfeited by the participant and are used to reduce future employer contributions to the Plan. Payment of Benefits On termination of service, a participant will be eligible to receive the plan assets allocated to the participant's account and which have vested or an equivalent amount in cash. At December 31, 1997 and 1996, $325,337 and $277,805 respectively, were reported as benefits payable on the Form 5500. 2. Summary of Accounting Policies Company Contributions Company contributions are accrued in the plan year to which the contributions relate. Company contributions are in the form of Company stock. Investments At the end of the plan year, Company stock is valued at the closing market price of the stock on the last business day of the Plan's year. The EB- Managed Guaranteed Investment Contract Fund, Victory U.S. Government Obligations Fund, American Balanced Fund, Victory Stock Index Fund and Employee Benefit Money Market Fund are reflected at estimated fair values or at the fair value as determined by quoted market prices at the year-end date as reported by the Plan's investment custodian, KeyCorp. The basis on which cost is determined to compute realized gains or losses from sales of investments, other than the Company stock, is average cost. The basis on which cost is determined for the Company stock is specific identification. The Plan presents in the statement of changes in assets the net appreciation (depreciation) in fair value of investments which consists of the realized gains or losses and the unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on those investments. For purposes of determining Company contributions, Company stock received as the Company contribution is valued at the closing price on the day the contribution is made. I-5 HANDLEMAN COMPANY SALARY DEFERRAL AND STOCK PLAN NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, Continued ----------------------------- 2. Summary of Accounting Policies, continued Dividend Income Dividend income is recognized on the ex-dividend date. Dividend income on Company stock for the year ended December 31, 1997 was $0. Estimates The preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of changes in assets during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from these estimates. 3. Investments During the Plan year ended December 31, 1997, the Plan's investments (including investments bought and sold, as well as held during the year) appreciated (depreciated) in value by $638,692 as follows: Investments at Estimated Fair Value ----------------------------------- KeyCorp Investment: EB-Managed Guaranteed Investment Contract $ 47,078 Investments at Fair Value Determined by Quoted Market Price ---------------------- KeyCorp Investments: Victory U.S. Government Obligation Fund 34,485 American Balanced Fund 147,199 Victory Stock Index Fund 709,301 Handleman Company Common Stock (299,371) --------- $ 638,692 ========= I-6 Fund Information - ---------------- The following is a summary of assets for each investment fund option for the years ended December 31, 1997 and 1996 and of changes by investment fund for the year ended December 31, 1997. The Handleman Common Stock Fund includes both participant directed investments as well as investments of company matching contributions. HANDLEMAN COMPANY SALARY DEFERRAL AND STOCK PLAN ASSETS AND LIABILITIES BY INVESTMENT PROGRAM DECEMBER 31, 1997 PARTICIPANT DIRECTED ---------------------------------------------------------- EB-MANAGED VICTORY U.S. GUARANTEED GOVERNMENT AMERICAN VICTORY HANDLEMAN HANDLEMAN INVESTMENT OBLIGATIONS BALANCED STOCK LOAN ESOP FUND COMMON STOCK CONTRACT FUND FUND INDEX FUND FUND ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Assets: Accrued Dividends and Interest $ 2 $ 50 - - - - - Employer Contributions Receivable - 23,341 - - - - - Employee Contributions Receivable - 7,107 $ 13,635 $ 9,960 $ 40,601 $ 62,208 - KeyCorp Investments: Employee Benefit Money Market Fund 274 3,423 - - - - - EB-Managed Guaranteed Investment Contract - - 851,905 - - - - Victory U.S. Government Obligations Fund - - - 694,535 - - - American Balanced Fund - - - - 2,570,048 - - Victory Stock Index Fund - - - - - 4,321,425 - Handleman Company Common Stock 518,831 819,058 - - - - - 192,835 Shares Loans to Participants - - - - - - 207,884 --------- -------- -------- -------- ---------- ---------- -------- ASSETS AVAILABLE FOR BENEFITS $ 519,107 $852,979 $865,540 $704,495 $2,610,649 $4,383,633 $207,884 ========= ======== ======== ======== ========== ========== ======== TOTAL ----------- Assets: Accrued Dividends and Interest $ 52 Employer Contributions Receivable 23,341 Employee Contributions Receivable 133,511 KeyCorp Investments: Employee Benefit Money Market Fund 3,697 EB-Managed Guaranteed Investment Contract 851,905 Victory U.S. Government Obligations Fund 694,535 American Balanced Fund 2,570,048 Victory Stock Index Fund 4,321,425 Handleman Company Common Stock 1,337,889 192,835 Shares Loans to Participants 207,884 ----------- ASSETS AVAILABLE FOR BENEFITS $10,144,287 =========== I-7 HANDLEMAN COMPANY SALARY DEFERRAL AND STOCK PLAN ASSETS AND LIABILITIES BY INVESTMENT PROGRAM DECEMBER 31, 1996 PARTICIPANT DIRECTED ------------------------------------------------------------- EB-MANAGED VICTORY U.S. GUARANTEED GOVERNMENT AMERICAN VICTORY HANDLEMAN HANDLEMAN INVESTMENT OBLIGATIONS BALANCED STOCK LOAN ESOP FUND COMMON STOCK CONTRACT FUND FUND INDEX FUND FUND ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Assets: Accrued Dividends and Interest $ 1 $ 38 - - $ 1 $ 4 - Employee Contributions Receivable - 23,548 - - - - - Employer Contributions Receivable - 7,894 $ 13,730 $ 11,057 38,254 54,568 - KeyCorp Investments: Employee Benefit Money Market Fund 35 3,107 - - - - - EB-Managed Guaranteed Investment Contract - - 733,508 - - - - Victory U.S. Government Obligations Fund - - - 676,714 - - - American Balanced Fund - - - - 1,797,521 - - Victory Stock Index Fund - - - - - 2,911,769 - Handleman Company Common Stock 133,751 Shares 800,728 661,425 - - - - - Loans to Participants - - - - - - 112,321 --------- ------------ ---------- ------------ ---------- ---------- -------- ASSETS AVAILABLE FOR BENEFITS $ 800,764 $ 696,012 $ 747,238 $ 687,771 $1,835,776 $2,966,341 $112,321 ========= ============ ========== ============ ========== =========== ======== TOTAL ---------- Assets: Accrued Dividends and Interest $ 44 Employee Contributions Receivable 23,548 Employer Contributions Receivable 125,503 KeyCorp Investments: Employee Benefit Money Market Fund 3,142 EB-Managed Guaranteed Investment Contract 733,508 Victory U.S. Government Obligations Fund 676,714 American Balanced Fund 1,797,521 Victory Stock Index Fund 2,911,769 Handleman Company Common Stock 133,751 Shares 1,462,153 Loans to Participants 112,321 --------- ASSETS AVAILABLE FOR BENEFITS $7,846,223 ========== I-8 HANDLEMAN COMPANY SALARY DEFERRAL AND STOCK PLAN INCOME ANC CHANGES IN EQUITY TO INVESTMENT PROGRAM FOR THE YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 1997 PARTICIPANT DIRECTED -------------------------------------------------------------------------- EB-MANAGED VICTORY U.S. GUARANTEED GOVERNMENT AMERICAN VICTORY HANDLEMAN HANDLEMAN INVESTMENT OBLIGATIONS BALANCED STOCK ESOP FUND COMMON STOCK CONTRACT FUND FUND INDEX FUND --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Additions: Employer Contributions $ (6,596) $ 336,446 $ (10) $ (3,646) $ (240) $ (756) Employee Contributions - 109,142 194,885 142,399 593,149 884,596 Dividend Income - - - 7 272,881 301,041 Total Interest Income 664 832 518 434 1,329 3,044 Net appreciation in fair value of investments (154,222) (145,149) 47,078 34,485 147,199 709,301 Other Receipts - - - 4,950 - - --------- --------- -------- -------- ---------- ---------- Total Additions (160,154) 301,271 242,471 178,629 1,014,318 1,897,226 --------- --------- -------- -------- ---------- ---------- Deductions: Participants' benefits 114,854 72,709 115,466 171,824 174,170 511,115 Transfers Between Funds 2,477 66,801 8,640 (9,919) 65,021 (31,667) Other 4,172 4,794 63 - 254 486 --------- --------- -------- -------- ---------- ---------- Total Deductions 121,503 144,304 124,169 161,905 239,445 479,934 --------- --------- -------- -------- ---------- ---------- Net Increase (281,657) 156,967 118,302 16,724 774,873 1,417,292 --------- --------- -------- -------- ---------- ---------- Assets Available for Benefits, beginning of year 800,764 696,012 747,238 687,771 1,835,776 2,966,341 Assets Available for Benefits, end of year $ 519,107 $ 852,979 $865,540 $704,495 $2,610,649 $4,383,633 ========= ========= ======== ======== ========== ========== LOAN FUND TOTAL ----------------------- Additions: Employer Contributions - $ 325,198 Employee Contributions - 1,924,171 Dividend Income - 573,929 Total Interest Income $ 13,245 20,066 Net appreciation in fair value of investments - 638,692 Other Receipts - 4,950 --------- ----------- Total Additions 13,245 3,487,006 --------- ----------- Deductions: Participants' benefits - 1,160,138 Transfers Between Funds (101,353) 0 Other 19,035 28,804 --------- ----------- Total Deductions (82,318) 1,188,942 --------- ----------- Net Increase 95,563 2,298,064 --------- ----------- Assets Available for Benefits, beginning of year 112,321 7,846,223 Available for Benefits, end of year $ 207,884 $10,144,287 ========= =========== I-9 HANDLEMAN COMPANY SALARY DEFERRAL AND STOCK PLAN NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, Continued ----------------------------- 5. Plan Termination Although it has not expressed any intent to do so, the Company has the right under the Plan to discontinue its contributions at any time and to terminate the Plan subject to the provisions of ERISA. 6. Tax Status The Internal Revenue Service has ruled that the Plan qualifies under Section 401 of the Internal Revenue Code ("IRC") and is, therefore, not subject to tax under present income tax laws. Once qualified, the Plan is required to operate in conformity with the IRC to maintain its qualification. The plan administrator is not aware of any course or action or series of events that have occurred that might adversely affect the Plan's qualified status. The Plan obtained its latest determination letter on November 24, 1997, in which the Internal Revenue Service stated that the Plan, as then designed, was in compliance with the applicable requirements of the IRC. I-10 HANDLEMAN COMPANY SALARY DEFERRAL AND STOCK PLAN Form 5500 Calendar Plan year 1997 ITEM 27a, SCHEDULE OF ASSETS HELD FOR INVESTMENT PURPOSES --------------------------------------------------------- (a) (b) (c) (d) (e) Asterisk Identity of denotes party- issue, borrower Description in-interest to lessor, or of Current the Plan similar party Investment Cost Value - -------------- --------------- ----------- ---------- ----------- Reporting Criteria I: Investment assets held by the Plan on the last day of the Plan year Employee Benefit Cash Equivalents $ 3,697 $ 3,697 * Money Market Fund * EB-Managed Investment $ 772,446 $ 851,905 Guaranteed Contracts Investment Contract * Victory U.S. Short Term U.S. $ 645,075 $ 694,535 Government Obligations Treasury Securities Fund * American Common Stock and $2,444,702 $2,570,048 Balanced Fund Bond Fund * Victory Stock Common Stock Fund $3,330,768 $4,321,425 Index Fund * Handleman Common Stock $1,749,053 $1,337,889 Company $.01 par value Common Stock * Loans to Interest rates of $ 0 $ 207,884 Participants 9.5% to 10% and maturing in 1 to 5 years I-11 HANDLEMAN COMPANY SALARY DEFERRAL AND STOCK PLAN ITEM 27d - SCHEDULE OF REPORTABLE TRANSACTIONS for the year ended December 31, 1997 ------------------------------------ Current Value of Asset on Purchase Selling Cost Transaction Net Gain Identity of Party Involved Description of Asset Price Price of Asset Date or (Loss) - -------------------------- -------------------- -------- ------- -------- ------------- --------- REPORTING CRITERION I: Any transaction within the - ---------------------- plan year, with respect to any plan asset, involving an amount in excess of five percent of the current value of plan assets. None REPORTING CRITERION II: Any series of transactions - ----------------------- (other than transactions with respect to securities) within the plan year with or in conjunction with the same person which, when aggregated, regardless of the category of asset and the gain or loss on any transaction, involves an amount in excess of five percent of the current value of plan assets. None REPORTING CRITERION III: Any transaction within the - ------------------------ plan year involving securities of the same issue if within the plan year any series of transactions with respect to such securities, when aggregated, involves an amount in excess of five percent of the current value of plan assets. KeyCorp Employee Benefit Money Market Fund 157 purchases - 787,737 units $ 787,737 $ 787,737 $ 787,737 201 sales - 787,183 units $787,183 787,183 787,183 KeyCorp American /Balanced Fund 87 purchases - 59,784 shares 935,808 935,808 935,808 KeyCorp Victory Stock Index Fund 109 purchases - 74,955 shares 1,344,740 1,344,740 1,344,740 52 sales - 35,175 shares 644,384 479,066 644,384 $165,318 KeyCorp Handleman Company Stock 25 purchases - 56,373 shares 401,551 401,551 401,551 I-12 HANDLEMAN COMPANY SALARY DEFERRAL AND STOCK PLAN ITEM 27d - SCHEDULE OF REPORTABLE TRANSACTIONS, Concluded for the year ended December 31, 1997 ------------------------------------ Current Value of Asset on Purchase Selling Cost Transaction Net Gain Identity of Party Involved Description of Asset Price Price of Asset Date or (Loss) - -------------------------- -------------------- -------- ------- -------- ------------- --------- REPORTING CRITERION IV: Any transaction within the - ----------------------- plan year with respect to securities with or in conjunction with a person if any prior or subsequent single transaction within the plan year with such person with respect to securities exceeds five percent of the current value of plan assets. None I-13