(b) The business address of each Exxaro executive officer and director is Roger Dyason Road, Pretoria West 0183, South Africa.
(d) During the last five years, none of the Exxaro executive officers or directors has been convicted in a criminal proceeding (excluding traffic violations or similar misdemeanors).
(e) During the last five years, none of the Exxaro executive officers or directors has been a party to a civil proceeding of a judicial or administrative body of competent jurisdiction as a result of which such person 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.
Item 3.Source and Amount of Funds or Other Consideration
Not applicable.
Item 4.Purpose of the Transaction
On May 9, 2019, Tronox Holdings plc repurchased 14 million Ordinary Shares from Exxaro in accordance with the Completion Agreement at a market-based price per share of $14.32, for an aggregate purchase price of $200,459,000. Following the transaction and the cancellation of the 14 million shares, Exxaro owns 9.9% of Tronox Holdings plc’s outstanding Ordinary Shares. As a consequence of Exxaro’s ownership falling below 10%, in accordance with clause 9(c) of the Shareholder’s Deed, Exxaro’s nominee to the Tronox Holdings plc board of directors (the “Tronox Board”), Exxaro CEO Mxolisi Mgojo, has resigned as a member of the Tronox Board. A press release announcing the transaction, attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1, is incorporated herein in its entirety.
Except as described in this Schedule 13D, Exxaro does not have any current plans or proposals that relate to or would result in any of the events set forth in paragraphs (a) through (j) of Item 4. However, Exxaro reserves the right, at any time and from time to time, to review or reconsider its position and/or change its purpose and/or formulate plans or proposals with respect thereto.
Item 5.Interest in Securities of the Issuer
(a)-(b)
Exxaro owns 14,729,280 Ordinary Shares, representing approximately 9.9% of Tronox Holdings plc’s voting securities based on the outstanding Ordinary Shares reported in Tronox Holdings plc’s Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 10, 2019. Mr. Mgojo owns 44,339 Ordinary Shares, which represents less than 1% of Tronox Holdings plc’s outstanding voting securities. To the best of Exxaro’s knowledge, none of the other persons identified in Item 2 of this Schedule 13D, is, or may be deemed to be, the beneficial owner of any Tronox Holdings plc securities.
Neither the filing of this Schedule 13D nor any of its contents will be deemed to constitute an admission that Exxaro is the beneficial owner of any Tronox Holdings plc securities (other than as described in this Item 5) for the purposes of Section 13(d) of the Act, or for any other purposes, and any such beneficial ownership is expressly disclaimed.
(c) Except as described in this Schedule 13D, to the best of Exxaro’s knowledge, none of the other persons identified in Item 2 of this Schedule 13D has engaged in any transactions in Tronox Holdings plc securities during the past 60 days.
(d) To the best of Exxaro’s knowledge, no person other than Exxaro, Computershare and GTU Ops Inc. has the right to receive or the power to direct the receipt of dividends from, or the proceeds from the sale of, the Ordinary Shares owned by Exxaro, and Computershare and GTU Ops Inc. have disclaimed any such rights or entitlements as set forth in the Depositary Agreement.
(e) Not applicable.
Item 6.Contracts, Arrangements, Understandings or Relationships With Respect to Securities of the Issuer
On April 10, 2019, Tronox Holdings plc completed its acquisition of the titanium dioxide business of National Titanium Dioxide Co. Ltd (“Cristal”) and entered into a Shareholders’ Agreement (the “Cristal Shareholders’ Agreement”; filed as Exhibit 4.1 to Tronox Holdings plc’s Form 8-K of April 11, 2019) with several Cristal shareholders party thereto (the “Cristal Shareholders”). Pursuant to the Cristal Shareholders’ Agreement, the Cristal Shareholders have the right to designate directors for nomination to the Tronox Board. Exxaro has agreed in the Shareholder’s Deed to vote as necessary to ensure that the director candidates nominated by the Cristal Shareholders become directors of Tronox Holdings plc. The Cristal Shareholders’ Agreement contains a reciprocal provision to support Exxaro’s director nomination rights in the Shareholder’s Deed. However, Exxaro does not thereby admit, for the purposes of Sections 13(d) or 13(g) of the Act, the formation of a Section 13(d) Group with any of the Cristal Shareholders.
In addition to the matters disclosed in this Schedule 13D, Exxaro may, from time to time, formulate other plans or proposals regarding Tronox Holdings plc or its securities in support of Exxaro’s intention to monetize the Tronox Holdings plc Ordinary Shares owned by Exxaro to the extent deemed advisable in light of market conditions, subsequent developments affecting Tronox Holdings plc, the general business and future prospects of Tronox Holdings plc or other factors, or enter into and unwind cash settled equity swap or other similar derivative transactions with respect to the securities of Tronox Holdings plc, which transactions may be significant in amount. These arrangements do not and will not give Exxaro voting or investment control over the securities of Tronox Holdings plc to which these transactions relate and, accordingly, Exxaro disclaims beneficial ownership of any such securities.
Except as otherwise disclosed in this Schedule 13D, Exxaro and, to the best of its knowledge, the persons identified in Item 2 of this Schedule 13D, have not entered into any contracts, arrangements, understandings or relationships (legal or otherwise) with any person with respect to any Tronox Holdings plc securities, including, but not limited to, transfer or voting of any securities, finder’s fees, joint ventures, loan or option arrangements, puts or calls, guarantees of profits, division of profits or losses, or the giving or withholding of proxies.
Item 7.Material to be Filed as Exhibits
| | |
| |
99.1 | | Press release of Exxaro Resources Limited, dated May 9, 2019. |