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): March 17, 2023
WisdomTree, Inc.
(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its Charter)
| Delaware | 001-10932 | 13-3487784 | ||
(State or other Jurisdiction of Incorporation or Organization) | (Commission File Number) | (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.) |
| 250 West 34th Street |
| 3rd Floor |
| New York, NY 10119 |
| (Address of Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code) |
Telephone: (212) 801-2080
(Registrant’s Telephone Number, Including Area Code)
Not Applicable
(Former Name or Former Address, If Changed Since Last Report)
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 (see General Instruction A.2. below):
| ☐ | 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)) |
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
Title of each class | Trading symbol(s) | Name of each exchange on which registered | ||
| Common Stock, $0.01 par value | WT | The New York Stock Exchange | ||
| Preferred Stock Purchase Rights | The New York Stock Exchange |
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
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 1.01. | Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement. |
On March 17, 2023, the Board of Directors of WisdomTree, Inc. (the “Company”) adopted a stockholder rights plan, as set forth in the Stockholder Rights Agreement, dated March 17, 2023, between the Company and Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, as Rights Agent (the “Rights Agreement”). The following description of the terms of the Rights Agreement does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Rights Agreement, which is included as Exhibit 4.1 and is incorporated herein by reference.
Pursuant to the terms of the Rights Agreement, the Board of Directors declared a dividend distribution of (i) one Right (as defined below) for each outstanding share of common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the Company (the “Common Stock”) and (ii) 1,000 Rights for each outstanding share of Series A Non-Voting Convertible Preferred Stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the Company (the “Series A Preferred Stock”), to stockholders of record as of the close of business on March 28, 2023 (the “Record Date”). In addition, one Right will automatically attach to each share of Common Stock and 1,000 Rights will automatically attach to each share of Series A Preferred Stock, in each case, issued between the Record Date and the earlier of the Distribution Date (as defined below) and the expiration date of the Rights. Each “Right” entitles the registered holder thereof to purchase from the Company a unit consisting of one ten-thousandth of a share (a “Unit”) of Series B Junior Participating Cumulative Preferred Stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the Company (the “Preferred Stock”) at a cash exercise price of $32.00 per Unit (the “Exercise Price”), subject to adjustment, under certain conditions specified in the Rights Agreement and summarized below.
Initially, the Rights are not exercisable and are attached to and trade with all shares of Common Stock and Series A Preferred Stock outstanding as of, and issued subsequent to, the Record Date. The Rights will separate from the Common Stock and Series A Preferred Stock and will become exercisable upon the earlier of (i) the close of business on the tenth calendar day following the first public announcement that a person or group of affiliated or associated persons (an “Acquiring Person”) has acquired beneficial ownership of 10% (or 20% in the case of a person or group which, together with all affiliates and associates of such person or group, is the beneficial owner of shares of Common Stock of the Company representing less than 20% of the shares of Common Stock of the Company then outstanding, and which is entitled to file, and files, a statement on Schedule 13G pursuant to Rule 13d-1(b) or Rule 13d-1(c) of the General Rules and Regulations under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, as in effect at the time of the first public announcement of the declaration of the Rights dividend with respect to the shares of Common Stock beneficially owned by such person or group) or more of the outstanding shares of Common Stock, other than as a result of repurchases of stock by the Company or certain inadvertent actions by a stockholder (the date of such announcement being referred to as the “Stock Acquisition Date”), or (ii) the close of business on the tenth business day (or such later day as the Board of Directors may determine) following the commencement of a tender offer or exchange offer that could result upon its consummation in a person or group becoming an Acquiring Person (the earlier of such dates being herein referred to as the “Distribution Date”). A person or group who beneficially owned 10% or more (or 20% or more in the case of passive stockholders) of the Company’s outstanding Common Stock prior to the first public announcement by the Company of the adoption of the Rights Agreement will not trigger the Rights Agreement so long as they do not acquire beneficial ownership of any additional shares of Common Stock at a time when they still beneficially own 10% or more (or 20% or more in the case of passive stockholders) of such Common Stock, subject to certain exceptions as set forth in the Rights Agreement.
For purposes of the Rights Agreement, beneficial ownership is defined to include ownership of securities that are subject to a derivative transaction and acquired derivative securities. Swaps dealers unassociated with any control intent or intent to evade the purposes of the Rights Agreement are excepted from such imputed beneficial ownership.
In the event that a Stock Acquisition Date occurs, proper provision will be made so that each holder of a Right (other than an Acquiring Person or its associates or affiliates, whose Rights shall become null and void) will thereafter have the right to receive upon exercise, in lieu of a number of shares of Preferred Stock, that number of shares of Common Stock of the Company (or, in certain circumstances, including if there are insufficient shares of Common Stock to permit the exercise in full of the Rights, Units of Preferred Stock, other securities, cash or property, or any combination of the foregoing) having a market value of two times the Exercise Price of the Right (such right being referred to as the “Subscription Right”). In the event that, at any time following the Stock Acquisition Date, (i) the Company consolidates with, or merges with and into, any other person, and the Company is not the continuing or surviving corporation, (ii) any person consolidates with the Company, or merges with and into the Company and the Company is the continuing or surviving corporation of such merger and, in connection with such merger, all or part of the shares of Common Stock are changed into or exchanged for stock or other securities of any other person or cash or any other property, or (iii) 50% or more of the Company’s assets or earning power is sold, mortgaged or otherwise transferred, each holder of a Right (other than an Acquiring Person or its associates or affiliates, whose Rights shall become null and void) will thereafter have the right to receive, upon exercise, common stock of the acquiring company having a market value equal to two times the Exercise Price of the Right (such right being referred to as the “Merger Right”). The holder of a Right will continue to have the Merger Right whether or not such holder has exercised the Subscription Right. Rights that are or were beneficially owned by an Acquiring Person may (under certain circumstances specified in the Rights Agreement) become null and void.
The Rights may be redeemed in whole, but not in part, at a price of $0.01 per Right (payable in cash, Common Stock or other consideration deemed appropriate by the Board of Directors) by the Board of Directors only until the earlier of (i) the time at which any person becomes an Acquiring Person or (ii) the expiration date of the Rights Agreement. Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors ordering redemption of the Rights, the Rights will terminate and thereafter the only right of the holders of Rights will be to receive the redemption price.
The Rights Agreement may be amended by the Board of Directors in its sole discretion at any time prior to the time at which any person becomes an Acquiring Person. After such time the Board of Directors may, subject to certain limitations set forth in the Rights Agreement, amend the Rights Agreement only to cure any ambiguity, defect or inconsistency, to shorten or lengthen any time period, or to make changes that do not adversely affect the interests of Rights holders (excluding the interests of an Acquiring Person or its associates or affiliates).
Until a Right is exercised, the holder will have no rights as a stockholder of the Company (beyond those as an existing stockholder), including the right to vote or to receive dividends. While the distribution of the Rights will not be taxable to stockholders or to the Company, stockholders may, depending upon the circumstances, recognize taxable income in the event that the Rights become exercisable for shares of Common Stock, other securities of the Company, other consideration or for common stock of an acquiring company.
The Rights are not exercisable until the Distribution Date and will expire at the close of business on March 16, 2024; provided that if the Company’s stockholders have not ratified the Rights Agreement by the close of business on the first day after the Company’s 2023 annual meeting of stockholders (including any adjournments or postponements thereof), the Rights will expire at such time, in each case, unless previously redeemed or exchanged by the Company.
The Rights Agreement provides the holders of the Common Stock with the ability to exempt an offer to acquire, or engage in another business combination transaction involving, the Company that is deemed a “Qualifying Offer” (as defined in the Rights Agreement) from the terms of the Rights Agreement. A Qualifying Offer is, in summary, an offer determined by a majority of the independent members of the Board to have specific characteristics that are generally intended to preclude offers that are coercive, abusive or highly contingent. Among those characteristics are that it be: (i) a fully financed all-cash tender offer or an exchange offer offering shares of common stock of the offeror, or a combination thereof, for any and all of the Common Stock; and (ii) an offer that is otherwise in the best interests of the Company’s stockholders. The Rights Agreement provides additional characteristics necessary for an acquisition offer to be deemed a “Qualifying Offer,” including if the consideration offered in a proposed transaction is stock of the acquiror.
Pursuant to the Rights Agreement, if the Company receives a Qualifying Offer and the Board has not redeemed the outstanding Rights or exempted such Qualifying Offer from the terms of the Rights Agreement or called a special meeting of stockholders (the “Special Meeting”) for the purpose of voting on whether to exempt such Qualifying Offer from the terms of the Rights Agreement, in each case by the end of the 90 business day period following the commencement of such Qualifying Offer, provided such offer remains a Qualifying Offer during such period, the holders of 10% of the Common Stock may request that the Board call a Special Meeting to vote on a resolution authorizing the exemption of the Qualifying Offer from the terms of the Rights Agreement. If such a Special Meeting is not held by the 90th business day following the receipt of such a request from stockholders to call a Special Meeting, the Qualifying Offer will be deemed exempt from the terms of the Rights Agreement on the 10th business day thereafter.
| Item 3.03. | Material Modification to Rights of Security Holders. |
The information in response to Item 1.01 is incorporated by reference in response to this Item 3.03.
| Item 5.03. | Amendments to Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws; Change in Fiscal Year. |
In connection with the adoption of the Rights Agreement described in Item 1.01 above, the Board of Directors of the Company approved a Certificate of Designations of Series B Junior Participating Cumulative Preferred Stock (the “Certificate of Designations”). The Certificate of Designations was filed with the Secretary of State of Delaware on March 17, 2023. The Certificate of Designations is included as Exhibit 3.1 and is incorporated herein by reference. The description of the Series B Junior Participating Cumulative Preferred Stock in Item 1.01 is incorporated herein by reference.
| Item 8.01. | Other Events. |
On March 17, 2023, the Company issued a press release announcing the adoption of the Rights Agreement. A copy of the press release is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1 and incorporated by reference herein.
| Item 9.01. | Financial Statements and Exhibits. |
(d) 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.
| WisdomTree, Inc. | ||||||
| March 17, 2023 | By: | /s/ Marci Frankenthaler | ||||
| Marci Frankenthaler | ||||||
| Chief Legal Officer and Secretary | ||||||