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): August 6,
2020
Gannett Co., Inc.
(Exact Name of
Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)
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Delaware
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001-36097
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38-3910250
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(State or other jurisdiction
of incorporation)
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(Commission File Number)
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(IRS Employer
Identification No.)
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7950 Jones
Branch Drive
McLean,
VA
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22107-0910
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(Address of principal executive
offices)
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(Zip Code)
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Registrant’s
telephone number, including area code: 703-854-6000
Not
Applicable
Former name or
former address, if changed since last report
Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is
intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the
registrant under any of the following provisions:
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☐
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Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the
Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)
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☐
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Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange
Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)
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☐
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Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b)
under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
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☐
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Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c)
under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))
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Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the
Act:
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Title of each
class
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Trading
Symbol(s)
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Name of each
exchange
on which
registered
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Common Stock, par value $0.01 per
share
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GCI
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New York Stock Exchange
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Preferred Stock Purchase
Rights
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N/A
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New York Stock Exchange
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Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging
growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933
(§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).
Emerging growth company ☐
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the
registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period
for complying with any new or revised financial accounting
standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange
Act. ☐
Item 1.01 Entry into a Material
Definitive Agreement.
On August 6, 2020, Gannett Co., Inc. (the “Company”)
implemented a new “at the market” program by entering into an Open
Market Sales AgreementSM
(the “Sales Agreement”) with Jefferies LLC (“Jefferies”). Under the
terms of the Sales Agreement, the Company may offer and sell up to
$50,000,000 aggregate offering price of shares of its common stock
(the “Shares”), par value $0.01 per share (“Common Stock”), from
time to time through Jefferies, acting as agent.
Sales of the Shares, if any, may be made in any method
permitted by law deemed to be an “at the market offering” as
defined in Rule 415(a)(4) under the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended (the “Securities Act”), including sales made directly on or
through the New York Stock Exchange or on any other existing
trading market for the Company’s Common Stock. Under the Sales
Agreement, Jefferies (at the Company’s election) will use
commercially reasonable efforts to sell the Shares as directed by
the Company. The compensation payable to Jefferies for sales of
Shares pursuant to the Sales Agreement will be up to 3.0% of the
gross sales price for any Shares sold through it as sales agent
under the Sales Agreement.
Shares sold under the Sales Agreement, if any, will be issued
pursuant to the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-3
(File No. 333-224158), including the prospectus, dated April 5,
2018 (“Registration Statement”), and the prospectus supplement,
dated August 6, 2020, as the same may be amended or
supplemented.
The offering of Shares pursuant to the Sales Agreement will
terminate upon the earlier of (1) the sale of all Common Stock
subject to the Sales Agreement or (2) the termination of the Sales
Agreement by the Company or by Jefferies. The description of the
Sales Agreement does not purport to be complete and is qualified in
its entirety by reference to the Sales Agreement filed herewith as
Exhibit 1.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and incorporated
herein by reference.
Item 9.01 Financial Statements and
Exhibits.
On August 6, 2020, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom
LLP delivered an opinion (the “Opinion”) to the Company in
connection with the Company’s sale from time to time through
Jefferies of up to $50,000,000 aggregate offering price of shares
of Common Stock pursuant to the Sales Agreement. The Opinion is
being filed herewith, and thereby automatically incorporated by
reference into the Registration Statement, in accordance with the
requirements of Item 601(b)(5) of Regulation S-K under the
Securities Act.
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Open Market Sales Agreement, dated August 6, 2020, by and
between the Company and Jefferies LLC.
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Opinion of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP.
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Consent of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP
(included in Exhibit 5.1).
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104
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Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within the Inline
XBRL document).
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SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, the Registrant has
duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
Date: August 6, 2020
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GANNETT
CO., INC.
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/s/
Douglas E. Horne
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Douglas
E. Horne
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Chief
Financial Officer
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