The following constitutes Amendment No. 2 to the Schedule 13D filed by the undersigned (“Amendment No. 2”). This Amendment No. 2 amends the Schedule 13D as specifically set forth herein.
Item 2. | Identity and Background. |
Item 2 is hereby amended and restated to read as follows:
(a) This statement is filed by Western Investment LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“WILLC”), Western Investment Hedged Partners L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (“WIHP”), Western Investment Activism Partners LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“WIAP”), Western Investment Total Return Partners L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (“WITRP”), Arthur D. Lipson (together with WILLC, WIHP, WIAP and WITRP, the “Western Entities”), Benchmark Plus Institutional Partners, L.L.C., a Delaware limited liability company (“BPIP”), Benchmark Plus Partners, L.L.C., a Delaware limited liability company (“BPP”), Benchmark Plus Management, L.L.C., a Delaware limited liability company ( 8220;BPM”), Scott Franzblau and Robert Ferguson (together with BPIP, BPP, BPM and Mr. Franzblau, the “Benchmark Entities”). Each of the foregoing is referred to as a “Reporting Person” and collectively as the “Reporting Persons.”
WILLC provides recommendations from time to time to BPIP and BPP with respect to purchases and sales of Shares of the Issuer, pursuant to an oral agreement between WILLC and BPIP and WILLC and BPP.
WILLC has sole voting and investment power over WIHP’s, WIAP’s and WITRP’s security holdings and Mr. Lipson, in his role as the managing member of WILLC, controls WILLC’s voting and investment decisions. BPM is the managing member of each of BPIP and BPP, and Messrs. Franzblau and Ferguson, in their roles as managing members of BPM, have sole voting and investment control over BPIP’s and BPP’s security holdings.
Each of the Reporting Persons is party to that certain Joint Filing Agreement as further described in Item 6. Accordingly, the Reporting Persons are hereby filing a joint Schedule 13D.
(b) The principal business address of each of WILLC, WIHP, WIAP, WITRP and Mr. Lipson is 7050 S. Union Park Center, Suite 590, Midvale, Utah 84047.
The principal business address of each of BPIP, BPP, BPM, Mr. Franzblau and Mr. Ferguson is 820 A Street, Suite 700, Tacoma, Washington 98402.
(c) The principal business of WILLC is acting as the general partner of each of WIHP and WITRP and the managing member of WIAP. The principal occupation of Mr. Lipson is acting as managing member of WILLC. The principal business of each of WIHP, WIAP and WITRP is acquiring, holding and disposing of investments in various companies.
The principal business of each of BPIP and BPP is acquiring, holding and disposing of investments in various companies. The principal business of BPM is acting as the managing member of each of BPIP and BPP. The principal occupation of Mr. Ferguson is acting as a managing member of BPM. The principal occupation of Mr. Franzblau is acting as a managing member of BPM.
(d) No Reporting Person has, during the last five years, been convicted in a criminal proceeding (excluding traffic violations or similar misdemeanors).
(e) No Reporting Person 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) Messrs. Lipson, Ferguson and Franzblau are citizens of the United States of America.
Item 3. | Source and Amount of Funds or Other Consideration. |
Item 3 is hereby amended and restated to read as follows:
The aggregate purchase price of the 771,396 Shares beneficially owned by WILLC is approximately $7,429,667. The Shares beneficially owned by WILLC consist of 406 Shares acquired with WILLC’s working capital, 346,000 Shares that were acquired with WIHP’s working capital, 101,953 Shares that were acquired with WIAP’s working capital and 323,037 Shares that were acquired with WITRP’s working capital.
The aggregate purchase price of the 352,657 Shares beneficially owned by BPM is approximately $3,408,098. The Shares beneficially owned by BPM consist of 265,121 Shares that were acquired with BPIP’s working capital and 87,536 Shares that were acquired with BPP’s working capital.
Item 5. | Interest in Securities of the Issuer. |
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 15,407,000 Shares outstanding, which is the total number of Shares outstanding as of June 30, 2010, as reported in the Issuer’s Certified Shareholder Report on Form N-CSR, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on September 1, 2010.
As of the close of business on December 20, 2010, WIHP, WIAP and WITRP beneficially owned 346,000, 101,953 and 323,037 Shares, respectively, constituting approximately 2.2%, less than 1% and 2.1%, respectively, of the Shares outstanding.
As the general partner of each of WIHP and WITRP and the managing member of WIAP, WILLC may be deemed to beneficially own the 770,990 Shares owned in the aggregate by WIHP, WIAP and WITRP, constituting approximately 5.0% of the Shares outstanding, in addition to the 406 Shares it holds directly.
As the managing member of WILLC, Mr. Lipson may be deemed to beneficially own the 771,396 Shares beneficially owned by WILLC, constituting approximately 5.0% of the Shares outstanding. As members of a group for the purposes of Rule 13d-5(b)(1) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), the Western Entities may be deemed to beneficially own the 352,657 Shares owned by the other Reporting Persons. The Western Entities disclaim beneficial ownership of such Shares.
As of the close of business on December 20, 2010, BPIP and BPP beneficially owned 265,121 and 87,536 Shares, respectively, constituting approximately 1.7% and less than 1%, respectively, of the Shares outstanding. As the managing member of each of BPIP and BPP, BPM may be deemed to beneficially own the 352,657 Shares owned in the aggregate by BPIP and BPP, constituting approximately 2.3% of the Shares outstanding. As managing members of BPM, each of Messrs. Franzblau and Ferguson may be deemed to beneficially own the 352,657 Shares beneficially owned by BPM, constituting approximately 2.3% of the Shares outstanding. As members of a group for the purposes of Rule 13d-5(b)(1) of the Exchange Act, the Benchmark Entities may be deemed to beneficially own the 771,396 Shares owned by the other Reporting Pers ons. The Benchmark Entities disclaim beneficial ownership of such Shares.
Item 5(c) is hereby amended and restated to read as follows:
(c) Schedule A annexed hereto lists all transactions in securities of the Issuer during the past sixty days by the Reporting Persons. All of such transactions were effected in the open market, unless otherwise noted.
Item 6. | Contracts, Arrangements, Understandings or Relationships With Respect to Securities of the Issuer. |
Item 6 is hereby amended to add the following:
On December 20, 2010, the Reporting Persons entered into a Joint Filing Agreement (the “Joint Filing Agreement”) in which the parties agreed to the joint filing on behalf of each of them of statements on Schedule 13D with respect to the securities of the Issuer to the extent required by applicable law. The Joint Filing Agreement is attached as an exhibit hereto and is incorporated herein by reference.
Item 7. | Material to be Filed as Exhibits. |
Item 7 is hereby amended to add the following exhibit:
| 99.1 | Joint Filing Agreement by and among Western Investment LLC, Western Investment Hedged Partners L.P., Western Investment Activism Partners LLC, Western Investment Total Return Partners L.P., Arthur D. Lipson, Benchmark Plus Institutional Partners, L.L.C., Benchmark Plus Partners, L.L.C., Benchmark Plus Management, L.L.C., Robert Ferguson and Scott Franzblau dated December 20, 2010. |
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: December 20, 2010 | WESTERN INVESTMENT LLC |
| | |
| By: | |
| | Name: | Arthur D. Lipson |
| | Title: | Managing Member |
| WESTERN INVESTMENT HEDGED PARTNERS L.P. |
| | |
| By: | Western Investment LLC |
| | General Partner |
| | |
| By: | |
| | Name: | Arthur D. Lipson |
| | Title: | Managing Member |
| WESTERN INVESTMENT ACTIVISM PARTNERS LLC |
| | |
| By: | Western Investment LLC |
| | Managing Member |
| | |
| By: | |
| | Name: | Arthur D. Lipson |
| | Title: | Managing Member |
| WESTERN INVESTMENT TOTAL RETURN PARTNERS L.P. |
| | |
| By: | Western Investment LLC |
| | General Partner |
| | |
| By: | |
| | Name: | Arthur D. Lipson |
| | Title: | Managing Member |
| BENCHMARK PLUS INSTITUTIONAL PARTNERS, L.L.C. |
| | |
| By: | Benchmark Plus Management, L.L.C. |
| | Managing Member |
| | |
| By: | |
| | Name: | Robert Ferguson |
| | Title: | Managing Member |
| | |
| By: | |
| | Name: | Scott Franzblau |
| | Title: | Managing Member |
| BENCHMARK PLUS PARTNERS, L.L.C. |
| | |
| By: | Benchmark Plus Management, L.L.C. |
| | Managing Member |
| | |
| By: | |
| | Name: | Robert Ferguson |
| | Title: | Managing Member |
| | |
| By: | |
| | Name: | Scott Franzblau |
| | Title: | Managing Member |
| BENCHMARK PLUS MANAGEMENT, L.L.C. |
| | |
| By: | |
| | Name: | Robert Ferguson |
| | Title: | Managing Member |
| | |
| By: | |
| | Name: | Scott Franzblau |
| | Title: | Managing Member |
SCHEDULE A
Transactions in the Shares During the Past 60 Days
Date of Purchase | Shares of Common Stock Purchased | Price Per Share ($) |
WESTERN INVESTMENT ACTIVISM PARTNERS LLC |
11/05/2010 | 23,222 | | 11.2096 |
11/19/2010 | 439 | | 10.6185 |
11/22/2010 | 1,000 | | 10.6285 |
11/24/2010 | 900 | | 10.6385 |
12/02/2010 | 2,552 | | 10.7472 |
12/03/2010 | 4,487 | | 10.7565 |
12/06/2010 | 1,200 | | 10.7685 |
12/06/2010 | (100) | | 10.7813 |
12/15/2010 | 622 | | 10.2285 |
12/17/2010 | 56,890 | | 10.3453 |
12/20/2010 | 10,741 | | 10.3805 |
WESTERN INVESTMENT TOTAL RETURN PARTNERS L.P. |
10/18/2010 | 7,003 | | 11.0287 |
10/25/2010 | 2,680 | | 11.0666 |
10/28/2010 | 6,300 | | 10.9985 |
10/29/2010 | 574 | | 11.0500 |
11/1/2010 | 2,890 | | 11.0895 |
11/2/2010 | 1,057 | | 11.1189 |
11/4/2010 | 11,800 | | 11.1905 |