SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20569 --------------------- FORM 8-A/A-4 AMENDMENT NO. 4 To Registration Statement dated November 23, 1998 relating to Preferred Stock Purchase Rights FOR REGISTRATION OF CERTAIN CLASSES OF SECURITIES PURSUANT TO SECTION 12(b) OR (g) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 VARIAN MEDICAL SYSTEMS, INC. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter) Delaware 94-2359345 ---------------------------------------- ------------------------ (State of incorporation (IRS Employer or organization) Identification No.) 3100 Hansen Way Palo Alto, CA 94304-1000 ----------------------------------------- ------------------------ (Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code) If this Form relates to the registration of a class of securities pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Exchange Act and is effective pursuant to General Instruction A.(c), please check the following box.[ ] If this Form relates to the registration of a class of securities pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Exchange Act and is effective pursuant to General Instruction A.(d), please check the following box.[ ] Securities Act registration statement file number to which this form relates: N/A Securities to be registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act: Title of each class Name of each exchange on which To be so registered each class is to be registered ------------------- ------------------------------ Preferred Stock Purchase Rights New York Stock Exchange Securities to be registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act: NONE -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (Title of Class) ITEM 1. DESCRIPTION OF REGISTRANT'S SECURITIES TO BE REGISTERED. Item 1 is hereby amended by adding the following paragraph: Effective January 15, 2002, Varian Medical Systems, Inc. (the "Company") entered into an amendment (the "Fourth Amendment") to the Rights Agreement dated as of November 20, 1998, as amended (the "Rights Agreement"), between the Company and EquiServe Trust Company, N.A. ("EquiServe") as successor Rights Agent. The Fourth Amendment, entered into by and among the Company and EquiServe, amends the Rights Agreement, effective as of January 15, 2002 to decrease the Exercise Price of the Rights from $420.00 to $210.00, as a result of a stock split of the Company's common stock, effected in the form of a 100% stock dividend. ITEM 2. EXHIBITS. Item 2 is hereby amended by adding new Exhibit 5 as follows: Exhibit No. Description ----------- ----------- (5) Fourth Amendment to Rights Agreement, dated as of January 15, 2002, between Varian Medical Systems, Inc. and EquiServe Trust Company, N.A., as successor Rights Agent. 2 SIGNATURE Pursuant to the requirements of Section 12 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this amendment to the registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized. VARIAN MEDICAL SYSTEMS, INC. By: /s/Joseph B. Phair ------------------------------------------ Name: Joseph B. Phair Title: Vice President, Administration, General Counsel and Secretary Dated: January 18, 2002 3 EXHIBIT INDEX EXHIBIT NO. DESCRIPTION ----------- ----------- (5) Fourth Amendment to Rights Agreement, dated as of January 15, 2002, between Varian Medical Systems, Inc. and EquiServe Trust Company, N.A., as successor Rights Agent. 4