The following constitutes Amendment No. 32 to the Schedule 13D filed by the undersigned (“Amendment No. 32”). This Amendment No. 32 amends the Schedule 13D as specifically set forth herein.
Item 2.
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Identity and Background
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Item 2 is hereby amended and restated to read as follows:
(a) This statement is filed by Steel Partners Holdings L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (“Steel Holdings”), SPH Group LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“SPHG”), SPH Group Holdings LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“SPHG Holdings”), Steel Partners Holdings GP Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Steel Holdings GP”), Warren G. Lichtenstein, Jack L. Howard, EMH Howard, LLC, a New York limited liability company (“EMH”), and Douglas B. Woodworth. Each of the foregoing is referred to as a “Reporting Person” and collectively as the “Reporting Persons.”
Steel Holdings owns 99% of the membership interests of SPHG. SPHG is the sole member of SPHG Holdings. Steel Holdings GP is the general partner of Steel Holdings, the managing member of SPHG and the manager of SPHG Holdings. By virtue of these relationships, each of Steel Holdings, SPHG and Steel Holdings GP may be deemed to beneficially own the Shares owned directly by SPHG Holdings.
Warren G. Lichtenstein, the Executive Chairman of Steel Holdings GP, is Chairman of the Issuer. Jack L. Howard, an officer and director of Steel Holdings GP, is Vice Chairman and Principal Executive Officer of the Issuer. EMH is an affiliate of Mr. Howard. Douglas B. Woodworth, an officer of Steel Holdings GP, is Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of the Issuer. Accordingly, the Reporting Persons are hereby filing a joint Schedule 13D.
Set forth on
Schedule A
annexed hereto (“
Schedule A
”) is the name and present principal business, occupation or employment and the name, principal business and address of any corporation or other organization in which such employment is conducted of the executive officers and directors of Steel Holdings GP. To the best of the Reporting Persons’ knowledge, except as otherwise set forth herein, none of the persons listed on
Schedule A
beneficially owns any securities of the Issuer or is a party to any contract, agreement or understanding required to be disclosed herein.
(b) The principal business address of each of the Reporting Persons is 590 Madison Avenue, 32nd Floor, New York, New York 10022.
(c) Steel Holdings is a global diversified holding company that engages or has interests in a variety of operating businesses through its subsidiary companies. Steel Holdings may seek to obtain majority or primary control, board representation or other significant influence over the businesses in which it holds an interest. The principal business of SPHG Holdings is holding securities for the account of Steel Holdings. The principal business of SPHG is serving as the sole member of SPHG Holdings and other affiliates. The principal business of Steel Holdings GP is serving as the general partner of Steel Holdings, the managing member of SPHG and the manager of SPHG Holdings.
The principal occupation of Warren G. Lichtenstein is serving as Executive Chairman of Steel Holdings GP. The principal occupation of Jack L. Howard is serving as the President of Steel Holdings GP and serving as a principal of Mutual Securities, Inc., a registered broker dealer. EMH is a family-owned holding company whose principal business is investing in securities. The principal occupation of Douglas B. Woodworth is serving as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Steel Holdings GP.
(d) No Reporting Person nor any person listed on
Schedule A
has, during the last five years, been convicted in a criminal proceeding (excluding traffic violations or similar misdemeanors).
(e) No Reporting Person nor any person listed on
Schedule A
has, during the last five years, been party to a civil proceeding of a judicial or administrative body of competent jurisdiction and as a result of such proceeding was or is subject to a judgment, decree or final order enjoining future violations of, or prohibiting or mandating activities subject to, federal or state securities laws or finding any violation with respect to such laws.
(f) Each of the individuals who are Reporting Persons or listed on
Schedule A
are citizens of the United States of America. Each of the entities (other than EMH) who are Reporting Persons are organized under the laws of the State of Delaware. EMH is organized under the laws of the State of New York.
Item 3.
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Source and Amount of Funds or Other Consideration
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Item 3 is hereby amended and restated to read as follows:
The aggregate purchase price of 7,131,185 Shares owned directly by SPHG Holdings is approximately $86,219,904, including brokerage commissions. Such Shares were acquired with funds of SPHG Holdings and an affiliated entity that initially purchased a portion of the Shares prior to being contributed to SPHG Holdings. The remaining 1,429,407 Shares owned directly by SPHG Holdings were received by SPHG Holdings in exchange for all its shares of common stock of JPS Industries, Inc.
Mr. Lichtenstein beneficially owns 298,624 Shares awarded to him in his capacity as Chairman of the Issuer.
The aggregate purchase price of the 57,642 Shares owned directly by EMH is approximately $184,280, including brokerage commissions. The Shares owned directly by EMH were acquired with the working capital of EMH.
Mr. Howard beneficially owns 191,305 Shares awarded to him in his capacity as a director of the Issuer.
Mr. Woodworth beneficially owns 3,625 unvested restricted Shares and an additional 2,351 Shares awarded to him in his capacity as an employee of the Issuer.
Set forth on
Schedule B
annexed to Amendment No. 26 to the Schedule 13D (“
Schedule B
”) is the aggregate purchase price of the Shares beneficially owned, if any, by each of the persons, who are not Reporting Persons, set forth on
Schedule A
.
Item 4.
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Purpose of Transaction
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Item 4 is hereby amended to add the following:
On March 3, 2017, Steel Holdings submitted a proposal (the “Proposal”) to the independent members of the board of directors of the Issuer to acquire all of the outstanding Shares of the Issuer not owned by Steel Holdings or its subsidiaries for a price of $29.00 per Share, or approximately $106.7 million of value.
The Proposal contemplates that the Issuer’s stockholders (other than Steel Holdings and its subsidiaries) would receive in total approximately $106.7 million in liquidation preference of Steel Holdings’ 6.0% Series A preferred units that currently trade on the New York Stock Exchange.
The proposed transaction is subject to the approval of the board of directors of the Issuer and the negotiation and execution of mutually acceptable definitive transaction documents. The Proposal contemplates that a special committee of independent directors would be appointed by the board of directors of the Issuer to consider the Proposal and make a recommendation to the board, and that Steel Holdings will not move forward with the proposed transaction unless it results from such a process and is approved by such a special committee. In addition, the proposed transaction will be subject to a non-waivable condition requiring the approval of a majority of the outstanding Shares of the Issuer not owned by Steel Holdings or its affiliates, as well as other customary closing conditions. There can be no assurance that any of the foregoing approvals will be obtained, that a definitive agreement will be executed or that any transaction will be consummated.
The foregoing description of the Proposal does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Proposal, which is attached as Exhibit 99.1 hereto and is incorporated by reference herein.
Item 5.
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Interest in Securities of the Issuer
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Item 5(a) is hereby amended and restated to read as follows:
(a) The aggregate percentage of Shares reported owned by each person named herein is based upon 12,240,735 Shares outstanding, which is the total number of Shares outstanding as of February 27, 2017 based on the Form 10-K filed by the Issuer on February 28, 2017.
As of the close of business on the date hereof, SPHG Holdings owned directly 8,560,592 Shares, constituting approximately 69.9% of the Shares outstanding. By virtue of their relationships with SPHG Holdings discussed in further detail in Item 2, each of Steel Holdings, SPHG and Steel Holdings GP may be deemed to beneficially own the Shares owned directly by SPHG Holdings.
As of the close of business on the date hereof, Warren G. Lichtenstein owned directly 298,624 Shares, constituting approximately 2.4% of the Shares outstanding.
As of the close of business on the date hereof, EMH owned directly 57,642 Shares, constituting less than 1% of the Shares outstanding. By virtue of his relationship with EMH discussed in further detail in Item 2, Jack L. Howard may be deemed to beneficially own the Shares owned by EMH.
As of the close of business on the date hereof, Jack L. Howard owned directly 191,305 Shares, which, together with the 57,642 Shares owned directly by EMH that Mr. Howard may also be deemed to beneficially own, constitute approximately 2.0% of the Shares outstanding.
As of the close of business on the date hereof, Douglas B. Woodworth owned directly 2,351 Shares and beneficially owned an additional 3,625 unvested restricted Shares, which in the aggregate constitute less than 1% of the Shares outstanding.
Item 5(b) is hereby amended and restated to read as follows:
(b) Each of Steel Holdings, SPHG Holdings, SPHG and Steel Holdings GP may be deemed to have shared power to vote and dispose of the Shares owned directly by SPHG Holdings.
Mr. Howard and EMH have the sole power to vote and dispose of the Shares owned directly by EMH.
Mr. Woodworth has the sole power to vote the unvested restricted Shares he beneficially owns and will have the sole power to dispose of such Shares once they have vested.
Each of Messrs. Lichtenstein, Howard and Woodworth has the sole power to vote and dispose of the remaining Shares he owns directly.
Item 7.
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Material to be Filed as Exhibits
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Item 7 is hereby amended to add the following exhibits:
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99.1
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Proposal, dated March 3, 2017, from Steel Partners Holdings L.P. to the independent members of the board of directors of Handy & Harman Ltd.
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99.2
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Joint Filing Agreement, dated March 7, 2017, by and among the Reporting Persons.
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SIGNATURES
After reasonable inquiry and to the best of his knowledge and belief, each of the undersigned certifies that the information set forth in this statement is true, complete and correct.
Dated: March 7, 2017
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STEEL PARTNERS HOLDINGS L.P.
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By:
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Steel Partners Holdings GP Inc.
General Partner
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By:
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Jack L. Howard, President
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SPH GROUP LLC
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By:
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Steel Partners Holdings GP Inc.
Managing Member
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By:
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Jack L. Howard, President
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SPH GROUP HOLDINGS LLC
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By:
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Steel Partners Holdings GP Inc.
Manager
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By:
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Jack L. Howard, President
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STEEL PARTNERS HOLDINGS GP INC.
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By:
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Jack L. Howard, President
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JACK L. HOWARD
as Attorney-In-Fact for Warren G. Lichtenstein
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EMH HOWARD, LLC
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By:
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Jack L. Howard, Managing Member
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SCHEDULE A
Executive Officers and Directors of Steel Partners Holdings GP Inc.
Name and Position
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Present Principal Occupation
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Business Address
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Warren G. Lichtenstein,
Executive Chairman and Director
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Executive Chairman of Steel Partners Holdings GP Inc., the General Partner of Steel Partners Holdings L.P., a global diversified holding company
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c/o Steel Partners Holdings L.P.
590 Madison Avenue, 32nd Floor
New York, NY 10022
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Jack L. Howard,
President and Director
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President of Steel Partners Holdings GP Inc., the General Partner of Steel Partners Holdings L.P., a global diversified holding company, and a principal of Mutual Securities, Inc., a registered broker dealer
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c/o Steel Partners Holdings L.P.
590 Madison Avenue, 32nd Floor
New York, NY 10022
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Douglas B. Woodworth,
Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
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Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Steel Partners Holdings GP Inc., the General Partner of Steel Partners Holdings L.P., a global diversified holding company
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c/o Steel Partners Holdings L.P.
590 Madison Avenue, 32nd Floor
New York, NY 10022
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Anthony Bergamo,
Director
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Vice Chairman of MB Real Estate, a property management company
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c/o MB Real Estate
335 Madison Avenue, 14th Floor
New York, NY 10017
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John P. McNiff,
Director
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Chairman of Discovery Capital Management,LLC, a multi-strategy hedge fund
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1 Fayette Street,
Conshohocken, PA 19428
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Joseph L. Mullen,
Director
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Managing Partner of Li Moran International, Inc., a management consulting company
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c/o Li Moran International
611 Broadway, Suite 722
New York, NY 10012
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General Richard I. Neal,
Director
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President of Sisvel US, Inc. and Audio MPEG, Inc., licensors of intellectual property
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c/o Sisvel US, Inc.
66 Canal Center Plaza, Suite 750
Alexandria, VA 22314
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Allan R. Tessler,
Director
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Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of International Financial Group, Inc., an international merchant banking firm
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c/o International Financial Group, Inc.
2500 North Moose Wilson Road
Wilson, WY 83014
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