UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549 SCHEDULE 13G UNDER THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 (AMENDMENT NO. 1) * Stage Stores, Inc. (Name of Issuer) Shares of Common stock, par value $.01 per share (Title of Class of Securities) 85254C305 (CUSIP Number) January 28, 2003 (Date of Event which Requires Filing of this Statement) Check the appropriate box to designate the rule pursuant to which this Schedule is filed: [ ] Rule 13d-1(b) [X] Rule 13d-1(c) [ ] Rule 13d-1(d) *The remainder of this cover page shall be filled out for a reporting person's initial filing on this form with respect to the subject class of securities, and for any subsequent amendment containing information which would alter disclosures provided in a prior cover page. The information required on the remainder of this cover page shall not be deemed to be "filed" for the purpose of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 ("Act") or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section of the Act but shall be subject to all other provisions of the Act (however, see the Notes). SCHEDULE 13G/A ------------------- ----------------- CUSIP NO. 85254C305 Page 2 of 8 Pages ------------------- ----------------- 1 NAMES OF REPORTING PERSONS S.S. OR I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NOS. OF ABOVE PERSONS Charles H. Witmer ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2 CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP* (a) [ ] (b) [X] ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3 SEC USE ONLY ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4 CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION U.S.A. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5 SOLE VOTING POWER 9,000 NUMBER OF ------------------------------------------------------------ SHARES 6 SHARED VOTING POWER BENEFICIALLY 909,060 OWNED BY ------------------------------------------------------------ EACH 7 SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER REPORTING 9,000 PERSON ------------------------------------------------------------ WITH 8 SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER 909,060 ------------------------------------------------------------ 9 AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON 933,260 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10 CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES* [ ] ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11 PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (9) 4.9% ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12 TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON* IN ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------- ----------------- CUSIP NO. 85254C305 Page 3 of 8 Pages ------------------- ----------------- 1 NAMES OF REPORTING PERSONS S.S. OR I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NOS. OF ABOVE PERSONS Meryl B. Witmer ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2 CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP* (a) [ ] (b) [X] ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3 SEC USE ONLY ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4 CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION U.S.A. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5 SOLE VOTING POWER 15,200 NUMBER OF ------------------------------------------------------------ SHARES 6 SHARED VOTING POWER BENEFICIALLY 909,060 OWNED BY ------------------------------------------------------------ EACH 7 SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER REPORTING 15,200 PERSON ------------------------------------------------------------ WITH 8 SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER 909,060 ------------------------------------------------------------ 9 AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON 933,260 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10 CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES* [ ] ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11 PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (9) 4.9% ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12 TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON* IN ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------- ----------------- CUSIP NO. 85254C305 Page 4 of 8 Pages ------------------- ----------------- ITEM 1. NAME OF ISSUER (a) Name of Issuer: Stage Stores, Inc. (b) Address of Issuer's Principal Executive Offices: 1201 Main Street Houston, Texas 77025 ITEM 2. NAME OF PERSON FILING (a) Name: Charles H. Witmer Meryl B. Witmer (b) Address of Principal Business Office: 237 Park Avenue, Suite 800 New York, New York 10017 (c) Citizenship: Charles H. Witmer and Meryl B. Witmer are United States citizens. (d) Title of Class of Securities: Shares of Common stock, par value $.01 per share (e) CUSIP Number: 85254C305 ITEM 3. IF THIS STATEMENT IS FILED PURSUANT TO SS. 240.13d-1(b) OR SS. 240.13d-2(b) OR (c), CHECK WHETHER THE PERSON FILING IS A: (a) [ ] Broker or dealer registered under Section 15 of the Act. (b) [ ] Bank as defined in section 3(a)(6) of the Act. (c) [ ] Insurance company as defined in section 3(a)(19) of the Act. (d) [ ] Investment company registered under section 8 of the Investment Company Act of 1940. (e) [ ] An investment adviser in accordance with ss. 240.13(d)-1(b)(1) (ii)(E). (f) [ ] An employee benefit plan or endowment fund in accordance with ss. 240.13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(F). (g) [ ] A parent holding company or control person in accordance with ss. 240.13d-1(b)(ii)(G) (h) [ ] A savings association as defined in Section 3(b) of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act (12 U.S.C. 1813). (i) [ ] A church plan that is excluded from the definition of an investment company under section 3(c)(14) of the Investment Company Act of 1940. (j) [ ] Group, in accordance with ss. 240.13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(J). ------------------- ----------------- CUSIP NO. 85254C305 Page 5 of 8 Pages ------------------- ----------------- ITEM 4. OWNERSHIP. (a) Amount Beneficially Owned: Charles H. Witmer 933,260 shares Meryl B. Witmer 933,260 shares (b) Percent of Class: Charles H. Witmer 4.9% Meryl B. Witmer 4.9% (c) Number of shares as to which the person has: (i) sole power to vote of to direct the vote: Charles H. Witmer 9,000 shares Meryl B. Witmer 15,200 shares (ii) shared power to vote or to direct the vote: Charles H. Witmer 909,060 shares Meryl B. Witmer 909,060 shares (iii) sole power to dispose or to direct the disposition of. Charles H. Witmer 9,000 shares Meryl B. Witmer 15,200 shares (iv) shared power to dispose or to direct the disposition of: Charles H. Witmer 909,060 shares Meryl B. Witmer 909,060 shares ITEM 5. OWNERSHIP OF FIVE PERCENT OR LESS OF A CLASS If this statement is being filed to report the fact that as of the date hereof the reporting person has ceased to be the beneficial owner of more than five percent of the class of securities, check the following: [X] ITEM 6. OWNERSHIP OF MORE THAN FIVE PERCENT ON BEHALF OF ANOTHER PERSON Not Applicable ------------------- ----------------- CUSIP NO. 85254C305 Page 6 of 8 Pages ------------------- ----------------- ITEM 7. IDENTIFICATION AND CLASSIFICATION OF THE SUBSIDIARY WHICH ACQUIRED THE SECURITY BEING REPORTED ON BY THE PARENT HOLDING COMPANY Not Applicable ITEM 8. IDENTIFICATION AND CLASSIFICATION OF MEMBER OF THE GROUP Not Applicable ITEM 9. NOTICE OF DISSOLUTION OF GROUP Not Applicable ITEM 10. CERTIFICATION By signing below I certify that, to the best of my knowledge and belief, the securities referred to above were not acquired and are not held for the purpose of or with the effect of changing or influencing the control of the issuer of the securities and were not acquired and are not held in connection with or as a participant in any transaction having that purpose or effect. EXHIBITS EXHIBIT 1 --------- Joint Filing Agreement dated February 3, 2003 between Charles H. Witmer and Meryl B. Witmer. ------------------- ----------------- CUSIP NO. 85254C305 Page 7 of 8 Pages ------------------- ----------------- SIGNATURES After reasonable 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. Dated: February 3, 2003 /s/ Charles H. Witmer * ---------------------------------------- Charles H. Witmer Dated: February 3, 2003 /s/ Meryl B. Witmer * ---------------------------------------- Meryl B. Witmer * The reporting persons hereby disclaim beneficial ownership over the shares reported on this 13G to the extent of their pecuniary interest therein. ------------------- ----------------- CUSIP NO. 85254C305 Page 8 of 8 Pages ------------------- ----------------- EXHIBIT 1 JOINT FILING STATEMENT STATEMENT PURSUANT TO RULE 13d-1(k)(1) The undersigned hereby consent and agree to file a joint statement on Schedule 13G Amendment No. 1 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, with respect to shares of common stock of Stage Stores, Inc. beneficially owned by them, together with any or all amendments thereto, when and if appropriate. The parties hereto further consent and agree to file this Statement Pursuant to Rule 13d-1(k)(1)(iii) as an exhibit to Schedule 13G, thereby incorporating the same into such Schedule 13G. Dated: February 3, 2003 /s/ Charles H. Witmer ---------------------------------------- Charles H. Witmer Dated: February 3, 2003 /s/ Meryl B. Witmer ---------------------------------------- Meryl B. Witmer