SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
SCHEDULE14D-9
Solicitation/Recommendation Statement
under Section 14(d)(4) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
(Amendment No. 27)
ESSENDANT INC.
(Name of Subject Company)
ESSENDANT INC.
(Names of Persons Filing Statement)
Common Stock, par value $0.10 per share
(Title of Class of Securities)
296689102
(CUSIP Number of Class of Securities)
Brendan J. McKeough
Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary
Essendant Inc.
One Parkway North Blvd.
Suite 100
Deerfield, Illinois 60015
(847)627-7000
(Name, address, and telephone numbers of person authorized to receive
notices and communications on behalf of the persons filing statement)
With copies to:
Charles W. Mulaney, Jr., Esq.
Richard C. Witzel, Jr., Esq.
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP
155 North Wacker Drive
Chicago, Illinois 60606
(312)407-0700
| ☐ | Check the box if the filing relates solely to preliminary communications made before the commencement of a tender offer. |
This Amendment No. 27 (this “Amendment”) amends and supplements the Solicitation/Recommendation Statement on Schedule14D-9 (as amended or supplemented from time to time, the “Schedule14D-9”) filed by Essendant Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Essendant”), with the Securities and Exchange Commission on September 24, 2018, relating to the offer by Egg Merger Sub Inc. (a Delaware corporation and a direct wholly owned subsidiary of Egg Parent Inc., a Delaware corporation, and an affiliate of Staples, Inc., a Delaware corporation) to purchase all of the outstanding shares of Essendant’s common stock, par value $0.10 per share, at a purchase price of $12.80 per share, net to the seller in cash, without interest, subject to any deduction or withholding of taxes required by applicable law, upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the Offer to Purchase, dated September 24, 2018 (incorporated by reference in the Schedule14D-9 as Exhibit (a)(1)(A)), as amended or supplemented from time to time, and in the related Letter of Transmittal (incorporated by reference in the Schedule14D-9 as Exhibit (a)(1)(B)), as amended or supplemented from time to time.
Except to the extent amended and supplemented by this Amendment, the information in the Schedule14D-9 remains unchanged. Capitalized terms used, but not otherwise defined, in this Amendment have the meanings ascribed to them in the Schedule14D-9.
| Item 2. | Identity and Background of Filing Person. |
Item 2 of the Schedule14D-9 is hereby amended and supplemented by inserting the following paragraphs after the last paragraph under the subsection entitled “Tender Offer” as follows:
“The Offer, which was previously scheduled to expire at 6:00 p.m., New York City time, on January 16, 2019, is being extended in accordance with the Merger Agreement to 6:00 p.m., New York City time, on January 23, 2019, unless further extended in accordance with the Merger Agreement.
On January 17, 2019, Staples and the Company issued a joint press release announcing the extension of the Offer. The full text of the joint press release is attached as Exhibit (a)(5)(II) to the Schedule14D-9 and is incorporated by reference herein.”
| Item 9. | Exhibits. |
Item 9 of the Schedule14D-9 is hereby amended and supplemented by adding the following exhibit:
Exhibit No. | Description | |
| (a)(5)(II) | Joint Press Release issued by Staples, Inc. and Essendant Inc., dated January 17, 2019 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit (a)(5)(W) to the Schedule TO). | |
Signature. After due inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and belief, I certify that the information set forth in this statement is true, complete and correct.
| ESSENDANT INC. | ||||
| By: | /s/ Brendan McKeough | |||
| Name: | Brendan McKeough | |||
| Title: | Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary | |||
Date: January 17, 2019
