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): October 15, 2019
HOUGHTON MIFFLIN HARCOURT COMPANY
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
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Delaware | | 001-36166 | | 27-1566372 |
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation) | | (Commission File No.) | | (IRS Employer Identification No.) |
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125 High Street Boston, MA | | 02110 |
(Address of principal executive offices) | | (Zip Code) |
(617) 351-5000
(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)
NOT APPLICABLE
(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
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Title of each class | | Trading Symbol(s) | | Name of each exchange on which registered |
Common Stock, $0.01 par value | | HMHC | | The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC |
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:
| ☐ | Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425) |
| ☐ | Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12) |
| ☐ | Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b)) |
| ☐ | Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c)) |
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 2.02 | Results of Operations and Financial Condition |
On October 17, 2019, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Company (the “Company”) issued a press release announcing its preliminary financial results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2019 and other information. A copy of the press release is furnished as Exhibit 99.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K.
The information in this Item 2.02 of this Current Report on Form 8-K, including the accompanying Exhibit 99.1, shall not be deemed “filed” for the purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 or otherwise subject to the liabilities under that section. Furthermore, the information in this Item 2.02 of this Current Report on Form 8-K, including the accompanying Exhibit 99.1, shall not be deemed to be incorporated by reference into the filings of the Company under the Securities Act of 1933.
| Item 2.05. | Costs Associated with Exit or Disposal Activities. |
On October 15, 2019, the Company’s Board of Directors determined that the Company will make changes connected with the Company’s ongoing strategic transformation to simplify its business model and accelerate growth. This includes new product development and go-to-market capabilities, as well as the streamlining of operations company-wide for greater efficiency. These actions are expected to result in the elimination of 8% of HMH’s workforce, after taking into account new strategy-aligned positions that are expected to be added, and additional operating and capitalized cost reductions, including an approximately 20% reduction in previously planned content development expenditures over the next three years. These steps are intended to further simplify the Company’s business model while delivering increased value to customers, teachers and students. The workforce reductions are expected to be substantially completed by the end of 2019 and certain real estate actions targeting completion no later than 2020.
The Company currently estimates that implementation of the planned actions will result in total charges of approximately $12 million to $16 million, all of which are expected to result in future cash expenditures. With respect to each major type of cost associated with such activities, the Company now estimates: (a) charges of approximately $11 million to $13 million in connection with severance and other termination benefit costs and (b) charges of approximately $1 million to $3 million in connection with office space related activities for space consolidation of non-cancelable leases not offset by subletting activities.
Forward-Looking Statements
The statements contained herein, including in Exhibit 99.1, include forward-looking statements, which involve risks and uncertainties. These forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology, including the terms “believes,” “estimates,” “projects,” “anticipates,” “expects,” “could,” “intends,” “may,” “will,” “should,” “forecast,” “intend,” “plan,” “potential,” “project,” “target” or, in each case, their negative, or other variations or comparable terminology. Forward-looking statements include all statements that are not statements of historical facts. They include statements regarding our intentions, beliefs or current expectations concerning, among other things, our results of operations, including billings and net sales; financial performance, financial condition; liquidity; products and services, including for new adoptions; outlook for full year 2019; prospects; growth; markets and our positions therein; strategies, including with respect to investing in our Core Solutions and Extensions businesses and operational excellence; efficiency and cost savings initiatives, including actions thereunder and expected impact; the industry in which we operate; and potential business decisions. We derive many of our forward-looking statements from our operating budgets and forecasts, which are based upon many detailed assumptions. While we believe that our assumptions are reasonable, we caution that it is very difficult to predict the impact of known factors, and, of course, it is impossible for us to anticipate all factors that could affect our actual results. All forward-looking statements are based upon information available to us on the date of this report.
By their nature, forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties because they relate to events and depend on circumstances that may or may not occur in the future. We caution you that forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and that our actual results may differ materially from those made in or suggested by the forward-looking statements contained herein. In addition, even if our results are consistent with the forward-looking statements contained herein, those results or developments may not be indicative of results or developments in subsequent periods.
Important factors that could cause our results to vary from expectations include, but are not limited to: adjustments that may be identified in the course of the Company’s quarter-end and accounting review of preliminary results for the third quarter of 2019; changes in state and local education funding and/or related programs, legislation and procurement processes; changes in state academic standards; state acceptance of submitted programs and participation rates therefor; industry cycles and trends; the rate and state of technological change; state requirements related to digital instruction; changes in product distribution channels and concentration of retailer power; changes in our competitive environment, including free and low cost open educational resources; periods of operating and net losses; our ability to enforce our intellectual property and proprietary rights; risks based on information
technology systems and potential breaches of those systems; dependence on a small number of print and paper vendors; third-party software and technology development; possible defects in digital products; our ability to identify, complete, or achieve the expected benefits of, acquisitions; unanticipated consequences of the disposition of our Riverside clinical and standardized testing business or of the workforce reduction announced today; our ability to execute on our long-term growth strategy; increases in our operating costs; exposure to litigation; major disasters or other external threats; contingent liabilities; risks related to our indebtedness; future impairment charges; changes in school district payment practices; a potential increase in the portion of our sales coming from digital sales; risks related to doing business abroad; changes in tax law or interpretations; management and other personnel changes; timing, higher costs and unintended consequences of our operational efficiency and cost-reduction initiatives; and other factors discussed in the “Risk Factors” section of our Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and other news releases we issue and filings we make with the SEC. In light of these risks, uncertainties and assumptions, the forward-looking events described herein may not occur.
We undertake no obligation, and do not expect, to publicly update or publicly revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. All subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements attributable to us or to persons acting on our behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements contained herein.
| Item 9.01 | Financial Statements and Exhibits |
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
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HOUGHTON MIFFLIN HARCOURT COMPANY |
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By: | | /s/ Michael Dolan |
Name: | | Michael Dolan |
Title: | | Senior Vice President and Corporate Controller |
Dated: October 17, 2019
