================================================================================ SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549 ------------------------- SCHEDULE 14D-9/A (RULE 14D-101) SOLICITATION/RECOMMENDATION STATEMENT UNDER SECTION 14(D)(4) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 AMENDMENT NO. 9 ------------------------- CENTERPULSE LTD. (NAME OF SUBJECT COMPANY) CENTERPULSE LTD. (NAME OF PERSON FILING STATEMENT) ------------------------- REGISTERED SHARES, PAR VALUE CHF 30 PER SHARE, INCLUDING SHARES REPRESENTED BY AMERICAN DEPOSITARY SHARES (TITLE AND CLASS OF SECURITIES) ------------------------- NOT APPLICABLE* (CUSIP NUMBER OF CLASS OF SECURITIES) ------------------------- DR. MAX LINK CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER CENTERPULSE LTD. ANDREASSTRASSE 15 CH-8050, ZURICH SWITZERLAND +41-1-306-9696 (NAME, ADDRESS AND TELEPHONE NUMBER OF PERSON AUTHORIZED TO RECEIVE NOTICES AND COMMUNICATIONS ON BEHALF OF THE PERSON(S) FILING STATEMENT) ------------------------- COPY TO: ELLEN J. ODONER, ESQ. WEIL, GOTSHAL & MANGES LLP 767 FIFTH AVENUE NEW YORK, NEW YORK 10153 (212) 310-8000 ----------------------- * There is no CUSIP Number assigned to the Registered Shares. CUSIP No. 152005104 has been assigned to the American Depositary Shares of Centerpulse Ltd. that are quoted on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "CEP". CUSIP No. 152005203 has been assigned to the American Depositary Shares of Centerpulse Ltd. that were issued pursuant to a restricted ADR facility and are not publicly traded. |_| CHECK THE BOX IF THE FILING RELATES SOLELY TO PRELIMINARY COMMUNICATIONS MADE BEFORE THE COMMENCEMENT OF A TENDER OFFER. ================================================================================ This constitutes Amendment No. 9 to the Solicitation/Recommendation Statement on Schedule 14D-9 initially filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") on July 2, 2003 (as previously amended, the "Schedule 14D-9") by Centerpulse Ltd., a corporation organized under the laws of Switzerland ("Centerpulse" or the "Company"), relating to the exchange offer by Zimmer Holdings, Inc., a Delaware corporation ("Zimmer"), being made pursuant to the Prospectus, dated June 19, 2003, forming a part of Zimmer's Registration Statement (No. 333-105561) on Form S-4 filed with the SEC. The information in the Schedule 14D-9 is hereby expressly incorporated by reference, except as otherwise set forth below. ITEM 6. INTEREST IN SECURITIES OF THE SUBJECT COMPANY. Item 6 is hereby amended and supplemented by adding the following table at the end of the first table thereof: WEIGHTED AVERAGE EXERCISE NUMBER OF SECURITIES ------------------------- -------------------- NAME DATE PRICE ISSUED UPON EXERCISE ---- ---- ----- --------------------- David Floyd September 3, 2003 $8.12 per Centerpulse ADS 45,360 Centerpulse ADSs Richard Fritschi September 1, 2003 CHF 201 per Centerpulse Share 2,790 Centerpulse Shares September 2, 2003 CHF 146 per Centerpulse Share 5,405 Centerpulse Shares Steffen Gay September 2, 2003 CHF 77 per Centerpulse Share 344 Centerpulse Shares Steven Hanson September 2, 2003 $9.89 per Centerpulse ADS 47,250 Centerpulse ADSs Urs Kamber September 2, 2003 CHF 147 per Centerpulse Share 18,500 Centerpulse Shares Max Link September 3, 2003 CHF 179 per Centerpulse Share 2,653 Centerpulse Shares Matthias Moelleney September 2, 2003 CHF 147 per Centerpulse Share 3,750 Centerpulse Shares Hans Rudolf Schuerch September 2, 2003 CHF 197 per Centerpulse Share 1,708 Centerpulse Shares Christian Stambach September 2, 2003 CHF 147 per Centerpulse Share 1,500 Centerpulse Shares Beatrice Tschanz September 2, 2003 CHF 151 per Centerpulse Share 9,375 Centerpulse Shares Thomas Zehnder August 29, 2003 CHF 76 per Centerpulse Share 250 Centerpulse Shares September 2, 2003 CHF 157 per Centerpulse Share 8,750 Centerpulse Shares Item 6 is hereby amended and supplemented by adding the following table at the end of the second table thereof: NAME DATE WEIGHTED AVERAGE SALE PRICE NUMBER OF SECURITIES SOLD EXCHANGE ---- ---- --------------------------- ------------------------- -------- David Floyd September 3, 2003 $27.87 per Centerpulse ADS 45,360 Centerpulse ADSs NYSE Richard Fritschi September 1, 2003 CHF 385 per Centerpulse Share 2,790 Centerpulse Shares SWX September 2, 2003 CHF 393 per Centerpulse Share 5,405 Centerpulse Shares SWX Steffen Gay September 2, 2003 CHF 393 per Centerpulse Share 344 Centerpulse Shares SWX Steven Hanson September 2, 2003 $27.93 per Centerpulse ADS 47,250 Centerpulse ADSs NYSE Urs Kamber September 2, 2003 CHF 393 per Centerpulse Share 18,500 Centerpulse Shares SWX Max Link September 3, 2003 CHF 398 per Centerpulse Share 2,653 Centerpulse Shares SWX Matthias Moelleney September 2, 2003 CHF 393 per Centerpulse Share 3,750 Centerpulse Shares SWX Hans Rudolf Schuerch September 2, 2003 CHF 393 per Centerpulse Share 1,708 Centerpulse Shares SWX Christian Stambach September 2, 2003 CHF 393 per Centerpulse Share 1,500 Centerpulse Shares SWX Beatrice Tschanz September 2, 2003 CHF 393 per Centerpulse Share 9,375 Centerpulse Shares SWX Thomas Zehnder August 29, 2003 CHF 383 per Centerpulse Share 250 Centerpulse Shares SWX September 2, 2003 CHF 393 per Centerpulse Share 8,750 Centerpulse Shares SWX 2 SIGNATURE After due inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and belief, I certify that the information set forth in this Statement is true, complete and correct. CENTERPULSE, LTD. By:/s/ Max Link --------------------------------------- Max Link Chairman and Chief Executive Officer By:/s/ Urs Kamber --------------------------------------- Urs Kamber Chief Financial Officer Dated: September 12, 2003 3