AMENDMENT NO. 7 TO SCHEDULE 13D
This Amendment No. 7 to Schedule 13D (this “Amendment”) relates to the common stock, par value $0.001 per share (the “Common Stock”), of LL Flooring Holdings, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“LL”). This Amendment is being filed to amend the Schedule 13D that was originally filed on May 25, 2023, as amended by Amendment No. 1 filed on May 30, 2023, Amendment No. 2 filed on June 12, 2023, Amendment No. 3 filed on August 17, 2023, Amendment No. 4 filed on November 14, 2023, Amendment No. 5 filed on January 18, 2024 and Amendment No. 6 filed on April 11, 2024 (collectively, the “Schedule 13D”). Other than information set forth on the cover pages and Items 4 and 6 below, no other information in the Schedule 13D is being amended. Unless otherwise indicated in this Amendment, all capitalized terms have the meanings ascribed to them in the Schedule 13D.
Item 4. | Purpose of Transaction |
As previously disclosed, by letter dated November 14, 2023 to LL, Thomas D. Sullivan nominated each of himself, John Jason Delves and Jill Witter (each, a “Nominee” and collectively, the “Nominees”) for election to LL’s Board of Directors (the “Board”) at the 2024 annual meeting of stockholders of LL (the “Annual Meeting”). On April 24, 2024, LL announced that it currently plans to hold the Annual Meeting of Stockholders on July 10, 2024 and that because the scheduled date of the Annual Meeting is more than 30 days after the anniversary of its 2023 annual meeting of stockholders, LL provided notice of certain revised deadlines for the submission of stockholder proposals in connection with the Annual Meeting. Mr. Sullivan therefore submitted a second letter to LL, dated May 2, 2024, nominating each of the Nominees for election to the Board at the Annual Meeting. In connection therewith, Mr. Sullivan intends to solicit proxies from the beneficial owners of the Common Stock to vote for the election of each of the Nominees as a director of LL. The biographies of the Nominees are set forth below:
Thomas D. Sullivan is a long-time businessman and entrepreneur and has been the sole owner and founder of F9 since 2008. F9 is a private equity company which owns, directly or indirectly, among other enterprises, F9 Brands, LLC (“F9 Brands”), Cabinets To Go, Southwind Building Products, Gracious Home, MSW Power, Inc., F9 Properties, LLC and Vignobles Sullivan, LLC. Mr. Sullivan founded Lumber Liquidators (currently known as LL Flooring Holdings, Inc.) in 1994, and served as its Chief Executive Officer and President from that time until 2006. Mr. Sullivan also served as Chairman of the Board of Directors of Lumber Liquidators (currently known as LL Flooring Holdings, Inc.) from 1994 to May 2015. In May 2015, at the request of the Board of Directors of Lumber Liquidators (currently known as LL Flooring Holdings, Inc.), he stepped down as Chairman to temporarily assume the position of interim Chief Executive Officer between May and November 2015. He continued to serve on the Board of Directors of Lumber Liquidators (currently known as LL Flooring Holdings, Inc.) through December 2016.
John Jason Delves is the President and Chief Executive Officer of F9 Brands. He was President of Cabinets To Go from July 2019 until June 2020, when he assumed the additional position of Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Delves was the President of Wood Fiber Technologies, Inc. from 2006 to June 2019, a hardwood floor manufacturer with national distribution, President of Beasley Flooring Products, Inc. from 2015 to 2019, a hardwood and engineering flooring products manufacturer and a supplier to the Company during his tenure, and President of Beasley Flooring Products, LLC from 2003 to 2015, a manufacturer of engineered flooring and molding products.
Jill Witter has provided compliance and legal consulting services to F9 and its subsidiaries starting in April 2018. She has been employed by Park Street Management, Inc., a subsidiary of F9, since April 1, 2019. In such capacity, Ms. Witter has served as Chief Legal Officer and Secretary for F9 and F9-owned entities, including F9 Brands and Cabinets to Go, since 2019. Ms. Witter was the Chief Legal Officer of Lumber Liquidators (currently known as LL Flooring Holdings, Inc.) from July 2015 to August 2017. She is also the principal of J. Witter Consulting, a provider of alternative dispute, legal management and compliance services, and through which she provided services to Cabinets To Go from June 2018 to April 2019.
The Reporting Persons intend to review their investment in LL on a continuing basis. Depending on the factors discussed herein, the Reporting Persons may, from time to time, acquire additional shares of Common Stock and/or retain and/or sell all or a portion of the shares of the Common Stock held by the Reporting Persons in the open market or in privately negotiated transactions, and/or may distribute the Common Stock held by the Reporting Persons to other entities. Any actions the Reporting Persons might undertake will be dependent upon the Reporting Persons’ evaluation of numerous factors, including, among other things, the outcome of any discussions referenced in the Schedule 13D, the price levels of the Common Stock, general market and economic conditions, ongoing evaluation of LL’s business, financial condition, operations and prospects, the relative attractiveness of alternative business and investment opportunities, and other future developments.