UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                                  SCHEDULE 13D

                    Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
                              (Amendment No. 12 )*

                           THE COOPER COMPANIES, INC.
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                (Name of Issuer)

                     Common Stock, par value $.10 per share
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                         (Title of Class of Securities)

                                    216648402
                         ---------------------------------
                                 (CUSIP Number)


                            Harold L. Schneider, Esq.
                              Tenzer Greenblatt LLP
          405 Lexington Avenue, New York, New York 10174 (212) 573-4348
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 (Name, Address and Telephone Number of Person Authorized to Receive Notice
                             and Communications)


                                February 24, 1997
              -----------------------------------------------------
             (Date of Event which Requires Filing of this Statement)


If the filing person has previously  filed a statement on Schedule 13G to report
the  acquisition  which is the subject of this  Schedule 13D, and is filing this
schedule because of Rule 13d-1(b)(3) or (4), check the following box [ ].

Check the following box if a fee is being paid with the statement [ ]. (A fee is
not required only if the reporting person:  (1) has a previous statement on file
reporting  beneficial  ownership  of more  than  five  percent  of the  class of
securities  described  in Item 1;  and (2) has  filed  no  amendment  subsequent
thereto reporting  beneficial  ownership of five percent or less of such class.)
(See Rule 13d-7).

Note: Six copies of this statement, including all exhibits, should be filed with
the  Commission.  See Rule  13d-1(a) for other  parties to whom copies are to be
sent.

* 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 13D
CUSIP NO. 216648402 Page 2 of 4 Pages --------- - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 NAME OF REPORTING PERSON S.S OR I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON Cooper Life Sciences, Inc. 94-2563513 - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2 CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP* (a) [ ] (b) [ ] - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3 SEC USE ONLY - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4 SOURCE OF FUNDS* Not Applicable - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5 CHECK BOX IF DISCLOSURE OF LEGAL PROCEEDINGS IS REQUIRED PURSUANT TO ITEMS 2(d) OR 2(e) [ ] - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6 CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION Delaware - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7 SOLE VOTING POWER NUMBER OF 1,447,533 shares of Common Stock SHARES ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- BENEFICIALLY 8 SHARED VOTING POWER OWNED BY -0- EACH ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- REPORTING 9 SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER PERSON 1,447,533 shares of Common Stock WITH ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10 SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER -0- - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11 AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON 1,447,533 shares of Common Stock - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12 CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (11) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES* [ ] - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 13 PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (11) 12.39% - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 14 TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON* CO - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- *SEE INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE FILLING OUT!
This Amendment No. 12 amends and supplements Item 5 of the Schedule 13D filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on June 22, 1992, as amended by Amendment No. 1 dated November 12, 1992, Amendment No. 2 dated July 6, 1993, Amendment No. 3 dated August 24, 1993, Amendment No. 4 dated July 14, 1994, Amendment No. 5 dated August 15, 1994, Amendment No. 6 dated September 6, 1994, Amendment No. 7 dated March 7, 1995, Amendment No. 8 dated August 27, 1996, Amendment No. 9 dated December 12, 1996, Amendment No. 10 dated February 10, 1997 and Amendment No. 11 dated February 21, 1997 (as amended, the "Schedule 13D"), by Cooper Life Sciences, Inc., a Delaware corporation ("CLS"), relating to the Common Stock, par value $.10 per share (the "Common Stock") of The Cooper Companies, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "Company"). Except as modified hereby, there has been no change in the information previously reported in the Schedule 13D. Item 5. Interest in Securities of Issuer. --------------------------------- The number of shares of Common Stock which may be deemed to be beneficially owned by CLS has decreased by more than 1% of the number of shares of the class which are deemed to be outstanding. Said decrease is the result of open market sales of an aggregate of 120,000 shares of Common Stock, as more fully set forth on Schedule I hereto. Page 3 of 4 Pages SIGNATURE --------- 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. COOPER LIFE SCIENCES, INC. By: /s/ Steven Rosenberg ------------------------ March 6, 1997 Name: Steven Rosenberg - ------------ Title: Vice President Date Page 4 of 4 Pages SCHEDULE I TO AMENDMENT NO. 12 TO SCHEDULE 13D
No. of Price Nature of Shares Per Transaction Date Sold Share* - ----------- ---- ------ ------- Sale 02/20/97 15,000 $21.625 Sale 02/20/97 15,000 21.75 Sale 02/21/97 100 21.875 Sale 02/24/97 14,900 21.875 Sale 02/24/97 15,000 22.00 Sale 02/24/97 15,000 22.125 Sale 02/24/97 15,000 22.25 Sale 02/24/97 15,000 22.375 Sale 02/24/97 11,900 22.50 Sale 02/25/97 3,100 22.50 TOTAL 120,000 - --------------------- * Before payment of commissions.