UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549 FORM 8-K CURRENT REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(D) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): September 10, 1996 (August 27, 1996) APPLIED POWER INC. (Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter) WISCONSIN 1-11288 39-0168610 (State of incorporation) (Commission File No.) (I.R.S. Employer Id. No.) 13000 WEST SILVER SPRING DRIVE BUTLER, WISCONSIN 53007 MAILING ADDRESS: P. O. BOX 325, MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN 53201 (Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code) (414) 781-6600 (Registrant's telephone number, including area code) 1 Item 5. Other Events On August 27, 1996, Applied Power Inc. and its Wright Line subsidiary issued a press release announcing the signing of a definitive agreement to acquire the net assets of Everest Electronic Equipment, Inc. for approximately $52 million. Everest Electronic Equipment, Inc., based in Anaheim, California, manufactures custom and standard electronic enclosures used primarily by the computer, telecom, and datacom industries and will be integrated with Applied Power's Wright Line segment. The press release is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 99 of this Report, to which the reader is referred for more information. Item 7. Financial Statements and Exhibits (c) Exhibits: See the Exhibit Index following the Signature page of this Report, which is incorporated herein by reference. 2 SIGNATURE Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this Report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized. APPLIED POWER INC. Date: September 10, 1996 By: /s/Robert C. Arzbaecher --------------------------- Robert C. Arzbaecher, Vice President and Chief Financial Officer 3 APPLIED POWER INC. EXHIBIT INDEX TO FORM 8-K CURRENT REPORT Date of Report: September 10, 1996 Exhibit Filed Number Description Herewith - - ------- ----------- -------- 99 Press Release X dated August 28, 1996 regarding signing of definitive agreement to acquire Everest Electronic Equipment, Inc. 4