UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
SCHEDULE 14A
(Rule 14a-101)
INFORMATION REQUIRED IN PROXY STATEMENT
SCHEDULE 14A INFORMATION
Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of The Securities Exchange Act of 1934
(Amendment No. )
Filed by the Registrant ☐
Filed by a Party other than the Registrant ☒
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| ☐ | Preliminary Proxy Statement |
| ☐ | Confidential, for Use of the Commission Only (as permitted by Rule 14a-6(e)(2)) |
| ☐ | Definitive Proxy Statement |
| ☐ | Definitive Additional Materials |
| ☒ | Soliciting Material Under Rule 14a-12 |
KOHL’S CORPORATION |
(Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter) |
|
MACELLUM BADGER FUND, LP MACELLUM BADGER FUND II, LP MACELLUM ADVISORS, LP MACELLUM ADVISORS GP, LLC JONATHAN DUSKIN LEGION PARTNERS HOLDINGS, LLC LEGION PARTNERS, L.P. I LEGION PARTNERS, L.P. II LEGION PARTNERS SPECIAL OPPORTUNITIES, L.P. XV LEGION PARTNERS, LLC LEGION PARTNERS ASSET MANAGEMENT, LLC CHRISTOPHER S. KIPER RAYMOND T. WHITE ANCORA CATALYST INSTITUTIONAL, LP ANCORA CATALYST, LP ANCORA MERLIN, LP ANCORA MERLIN INSTITUTIONAL, LP ANCORA CATALYST SPV I LP SERIES M ANCORA CATALYST SPV I LP SERIES N ANCORA CATALYST SPV I LP SERIES O ANCORA CATALYST SPV I LP SERIES P ANCORA CATALYST SPV I SPC LTD SEGREGATED PORTFOLIO G ANCORA ADVISORS, LLC ANCORA HOLDINGS, INC. ANCORA FAMILY WEALTH ADVISORS, LLC THE ANCORA GROUP INC. INVERNESS HOLDINGS, LLC ANCORA ALTERNATIVES, LLC FREDERICK DISANTO 4010 PARTNERS, LP 4010 CAPITAL, LLC 4010 GENERAL PARTNER, LLC STEVEN E. LITT MARGARET L. JENKINS JEFFREY A. KANTOR THOMAS A. KINGSBURY CYNTHIA S. MURRAY |
(Name of Persons(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if Other Than the Registrant) |
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Macellum Badger Fund, LLC, a Delaware limited partnership, Legion Partners Holdings, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“Legion Partners Holdings”), Ancora Holdings, Inc., an Ohio corporation and 4010 Capital, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, together with the other participants named herein, have filed a preliminary proxy statement and accompanying WHITE proxy card with the Securities and Exchange Commission to be used to solicit votes for the election of its slate of highly-qualified director nominees at the 2021 annual meeting of shareholders of Kohl’s Corporation, a Wisconsin corporation (the “Company”).
Item 1: On March 11, 2021, the following quotes by Christopher Kiper, Co-Founder and Managing Director of Legion Partners Holdings, relating to the Company, from “Widespread value dislocations create opportunities for activist investor Legion Partners” were published by Institutional Asset Manager:
“Part of what underlies that position is a view that apparel sales are pretty good, and then on top of that, there's a huge opportunity to fix the business and make it more profitable than it had been previously”
“We think as people emerge from the pandemic – and want to go back and have weddings, bar mitzvahs, and birthday celebrations, and go back to the office and go back to school – they’re going to need to have clothing, since they can't just wear pyjamas and slippers anymore.”
“Those store hours are, in some cases, never coming back”
“I think you're going to see every business think about ways that they can do things to be more efficient coming out of a pandemic. And so, when we look across our portfolio, what we're seeing is a renewed sense of profitability, and profit margins probably much higher than what people had seen before the pandemic”
CERTAIN INFORMATION CONCERNING THE PARTICIPANTS
Macellum Badger Fund, LLC, a Delaware limited partnership (“Macellum Badger”), Legion Partners Holdings, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“Legion Partners Holdings”) Ancora Holdings, Inc., an Ohio corporation (“Ancora Holdings”) and 4010 Capital, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“4010 Capital”), together with the other participants named herein, intend to file a preliminary proxy statement and accompanying WHITE proxy card with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) to be used to solicit votes for the election of its slate of highly-qualified director nominees at the 2021 annual meeting of shareholders of Kohl’s Corporation, a Wisconsin corporation (the “Company”).
MACELLUM BADGER, LEGION PARTNERS HOLDINGS, ANCORA HOLDINGS AND 4010 CAPITAL STRONGLY ADVISE ALL SHAREHOLDERS OF THE COMPANY TO READ THE PROXY STATEMENT AND OTHER PROXY MATERIALS AS THEY BECOME AVAILABLE BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION. SUCH PROXY MATERIALS WILL BE AVAILABLE AT NO CHARGE ON THE SEC'S WEB SITE AT HTTP://WWW.SEC.GOV. IN ADDITION, THE PARTICIPANTS IN THIS PROXY SOLICITATION WILL PROVIDE COPIES OF THE PROXY STATEMENT WITHOUT CHARGE, WHEN AVAILABLE, UPON REQUEST. REQUESTS FOR COPIES SHOULD BE DIRECTED TO THE PARTICIPANTS' PROXY SOLICITOR.
The participants in the proxy solicitation are anticipated to be Macellum Badger, Macellum Badger Fund II, LP, a Delaware limited partnership (“Macellum Badger II”), Macellum Advisors, LP, a Delaware limited partnership (“Macellum Advisors”), Macellum Advisors GP, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“Macellum GP”), Jonathan Duskin, Legion Partners Holdings, Legion Partners, L.P. I, a Delaware limited partnership (“Legion Partners I”), Legion Partners, L.P. II, a Delaware limited partnership (“Legion Partners II”), Legion Partners Special Opportunities, L.P. XV, a Delaware limited partnership (“Legion Partners Special XV”), Legion Partners, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“Legion LLC”), Legion Partners Asset Management, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“Legion Partners Asset Management”), Christopher S. Kiper, Raymond T. White, Ancora Holdings, Ancora Catalyst Institutional, LP, a Delaware limited partnership (“Ancora Catalyst Institutional”), Ancora Catalyst, LP, a Delaware limited partnership (“Ancora Catalyst”), Ancora Merlin, LP, a Delaware limited partnership (“Ancora Merlin”), Ancora Merlin Institutional, LP, a Delaware limited partnership (“Ancora Merlin Institutional”), Ancora Catalyst SPV I LP Series M (“Ancora SPV I Series M”), a series of Ancora Catalyst SPV I LP, a Delaware limited partnership (“Ancora SPV I”), Ancora Catalyst SPV I LP Series N, a series of Ancora SPV I (“Ancora SPV I Series N”), Ancora Catalyst SPV I LP Series O, a series of Ancora SPV I (“Ancora SPV I Series O”), Ancora Catalyst SPV I LP Series P, a series of Ancora SPV I (“Ancora SPV I Series P”), Ancora Catalyst SPV I SPC Ltd Segregated Portfolio G, a Cayman Islands segregated portfolio company (“Ancora Segregated Portfolio G”), Ancora Advisors, LLC, a Nevada limited liability company (“Ancora Advisors”), Ancora Alternatives LLC, an Ohio limited liability company (“Ancora Alternatives”), Ancora Family Wealth Advisors, LLC, an Ohio limited liability company (“Ancora Family Wealth”), The Ancora Group Inc., an Ohio corporation (“Ancora Inc.”), Inverness Holdings, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“Inverness Holdings”), Frederick DiSanto, 4010 Partners, LP, a Delaware limited partnership (“4010 Partners”), 4010 Capital, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“4010 Capital”), 4010 General Partner, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“4010 General Partner”), Steven E. Litt, Margaret L. Jenkins, Jeffrey A. Kantor, Thomas A. Kingsbury and Cynthia S. Murray.
As of the date hereof, Macellum Badger directly beneficially owns 273,611 shares of Common Stock, par value $0.01 par value per share, of the Company (the “Common Stock”), including 56,400 shares underlying long call options currently exercisable and 1,000 shares in record name. As of the date hereof, Macellum Badger II directly beneficially owns 8,443,121 shares of Common Stock including 1,943,600 shares underlying long call options currently exercisable. As the investment manager of Macellum Badger and Macellum Badger II, Macellum Advisors may be deemed to beneficially own the 273,611 shares of Common Stock beneficially directly owned by Macellum Badger, including 56,400 shares underlying long call options currently exercisable and 8,443,121 shares of Common Stock beneficially owned directly by Macellum Badger II, including 1,943,600 shares underlying long call options currently exercisable. As the general partner of Macellum Badger, Macellum Badger II and Macellum Advisors, Macellum GP may be deemed to beneficially own the 273,611 shares of Common Stock beneficially owned directly by Macellum Badger, including 56,400 shares underlying long call options currently exercisable and 8,443,121 shares of Common Stock beneficially owned directly by Macellum Badger II, including 1,943,600 shares underlying long call options currently exercisable. As the sole member of Macellum GP, Mr. Duskin may be deemed to beneficially own the 273,611 shares of Common Stock beneficially owned directly by Macellum Badger, including 56,400 shares underlying long call options currently exercisable and 8,443,121 shares of Common Stock beneficially owned directly by Macellum Badger II, including 1,943,600 shares underlying long call options currently exercisable.
As of the date hereof, Legion Partners I directly beneficially owns 1,891,990 shares of Common Stock, including 567,900 shares underlying long call options, Legion Partners II directly beneficially owns 111,360 shares of Common Stock, including 43,000 shares underlying long call options, Legion Partners Special XV directly beneficially owns 108,400 shares of Common Stock, including 25,900 shares underlying long call options, and Legion Partners Holdings directly beneficially owns 100 shares of common stock of the Company in record name and as the sole member of Legion Partners Asset Management and sole member of Legion LLC, Legion Partners Holdings may also be deemed to beneficially own the 1,891,990 shares of Common Stock beneficially owned directly by Legion Partners I, including 567,900 shares underlying long call options, 111,360 shares of Common Stock beneficially owned directly by Legion Partners II, including 43,000 shares underlying long call options, and 108,400 shares of Common Stock beneficially owned directly by Legion Partners Special XV, including 25,900 shares underlying long call options. As the general partner of each of Legion Partners I and Legion Partners II and co-general partner of Legion Partners Special XV, Legion LLC may be deemed to beneficially own the 1,891,990 shares of Common Stock beneficially owned directly by Legion Partners I, including 567,900 shares underlying long call options, 111,360 shares of Common Stock beneficially owned directly by Legion Partners II, including 43,000 shares underlying long call options, and 108,400 shares of Common Stock beneficially owned directly by Legion Partners Special XV, including 25,900 shares underlying long call options. As the investment advisor of each of Legion Partners I, Legion Partners II and Legion Partners Special XV, Legion Partners Asset Management may be deemed to beneficially own the 1,891,990 shares of Common Stock beneficially owned directly by Legion Partners I, including 567,900 shares underlying long call options, 111,360 shares of Common Stock beneficially owned directly by Legion Partners II, including 43,000 shares underlying long call options, and 108,400 shares of Common Stock beneficially owned directly by Legion Partners Special XV, including 25,900 shares underlying long call options. As a managing director of Legion Partners Asset Management and managing member of Legion Partners Holdings, Mr. Kiper may be deemed to beneficially own the 1,891,990 shares of Common Stock beneficially owned directly by Legion Partners I, including 567,900 shares underlying long call options, 111,360 shares of Common Stock beneficially owned directly by Legion Partners II, including 43,000 shares underlying long call options, and 108,400 shares of Common Stock beneficially owned directly by Legion Partners Special XV, including 25,900 shares underlying long call options and 100 shares of Common Stock beneficially owned directly by Legion Partners Holdings. As a managing director of Legion Partners Asset Management and managing member of Legion Partners Holdings, Mr. White may be deemed to beneficially own the 1,891,990 shares of Common Stock beneficially owned directly by Legion Partners I, including 567,900 shares underlying long call options, 111,360 shares of Common Stock beneficially owned directly by Legion Partners II, including 43,000 shares underlying long call options, and 108,400 shares of Common Stock beneficially owned directly by Legion Partners Special XV, including 25,900 shares underlying long call options and 100 shares of Common Stock beneficially owned directly by Legion Partners Holdings.
As of the date hereof, Ancora Catalyst Institutional directly beneficially owns 553,445 shares of Common Stock, including 113,200 shares underlying long call options. As of the date hereof, Ancora Catalyst directly beneficially owns 43,867 shares of Common Stock, including 9,600 shares underlying long call options. As of the date hereof, Ancora Merlin Institutional directly beneficially owns 549,030 shares of Common Stock, including 113,200 shares underlying long call options. As of the date hereof, Ancora Merlin directly beneficially owns 48,283 shares of Common Stock, including 9,600 shares underlying long call options. As of the date hereof, Ancora SPV I Series M directly beneficially owns 601,401 shares of Common Stock, including 116,800 shares underlying long call options. As of the date hereof, Ancora SPV I Series N directly beneficially owns 424,050 shares of Common Stock, including 80,800 shares underlying long call options. As of the date hereof, Ancora SPV I Series O directly beneficially owns 417,670 shares of Common Stock, including 79,600 shares underlying long call options. As of the date hereof, Ancora SPV I Series P directly beneficially owns 423,820 shares of Common Stock, including 85,200 shares underlying long call options. As of the date hereof, Ancora Segregated Portfolio G directly beneficially owns 592,000 shares of Common Stock, including 122,000 shares underlying long call options. As of the date hereof, 422,259 shares of Common Stock were held in a certain managed account for which Ancora Advisors serves as the investment adviser to (the “Ancora Advisors SMA”), including 103,800 shares underlying long call options. As of the date hereof, 7,198 shares of Common Stock were held in a certain managed account for which Ancora Family Wealth serves as the investment advisor of certain separately managed accounts (the “SMAs”). As the investment adviser to the Ancora Advisors SMA, Ancora Advisors may be deemed to beneficially own the 422,259 shares of Common Stock held in the Ancora Advisors SMA, including 103,800 shares underlying long call options. As the investment adviser to each of Ancora Catalyst Institutional, Ancora Catalyst, Ancora Merlin, Ancora Merlin Institutional, Ancora SPV I Series M, Ancora SPV I Series N, Ancora SPV I Series O, Ancora SPV I Series P and Ancora Segregated Portfolio G, Ancora Alternatives may be deemed to beneficially own the 553,445 shares of Common Stock beneficially owned directly by Ancora Catalyst Institutional, including 113,200 shares underlying long call options, 43,867 shares of Common Stock beneficially owned directly by Ancora Catalyst, including 9,600 shares underlying long call options, 48,283 shares of Common Stock beneficially owned directly by Ancora Merlin, including 9,600 shares underlying long call options, 549,030 shares of Common Stock beneficially owned directly by Ancora Merlin Institutional, including 113,200 shares underlying long call options, 601,401 shares of Common Stock beneficially owned directly by Ancora SPV I Series M, including 116,800 shares underlying long call options, 424,050 shares of Common Stock beneficially owned directly by Ancora SPV I Series N, including 80,800 shares underlying long call options, 417,670 shares of Common Stock beneficially owned directly by Ancora SPV I Series O, including 79,600 shares underlying long call options, 423,820 shares of Common Stock beneficially owned directly by Ancora SPV I Series P, including 85,200 shares underlying long call options and 592,000 shares of Common Stock beneficially owned directly by Ancora Segregated Portfolio G, including 122,000 shares underlying long call options. As the investment adviser to the SMAs, Ancora Family Wealth may be deemed to beneficially own the 7,198 shares of Common Stock held in the SMAs. As the sole member of Ancora Advisors, Ancora Inc. may be deemed to beneficially own the 422,259 shares of Common Stock held in the Ancora Advisors SMA, including 103,800 Shares underlying long call options currently exercisable. As the sole member of Ancora Family Wealth, Inverness Holdings may be deemed to beneficially own the 7,198 shares of Common Stock held in Ancora Family Wealth. As the sole member of each of Ancora Alternatives and Inverness Holdings and the sole shareholder of Ancora Inc., Ancora Holdings may be deemed to beneficially own the 553,445 shares of Common Stock beneficially owned directly by Ancora Catalyst Institutional, including 113,200 shares underlying long call options, 43,867 shares of Common Stock beneficially owned directly by Ancora Catalyst, including 9,600 shares underlying long call options, 48,283 shares of Common Stock beneficially owned directly by Ancora Merlin, including 9,600 shares underlying long call options, 549,030 shares of Common Stock beneficially owned directly by Ancora Merlin Institutional, including 113,200 shares underlying long call options, 601,401 shares of Common Stock beneficially owned directly by Ancora SPV I Series M, including 116,800 shares underlying long call options, 424,050 shares of Common Stock beneficially owned directly by Ancora SPV I Series N, including 80,800 shares underlying long call options, 417,670 shares of Common Stock beneficially owned directly by Ancora SPV I Series O, including 79,600 shares underlying long call options, 423,820 shares of Common Stock beneficially owned directly by Ancora SPV I Series P, including 85,200 shares underlying long call options, and 592,000 shares of Common Stock beneficially owned directly by Ancora Segregated Portfolio G, including 122,000 shares underlying long call options, 422,259 shares of Common Stock held in the Ancora Advisors SMA, including 103,800 Shares underlying long call options currently exercisable and 7,198 shares of Common Stock held in the SMAs. As the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Ancora Holdings, Mr. DiSanto may be deemed to beneficially own the 553,445 shares of Common Stock beneficially owned directly by Ancora Catalyst Institutional, including 113,200 shares underlying long call options, 43,867 shares of Common Stock beneficially owned directly by Ancora Catalyst, including 9,600 shares underlying long call options, 48,283 shares of Common Stock beneficially owned directly by Ancora Merlin, including 9,600 shares underlying long call options, 549,030 shares of Common Stock beneficially owned directly by Ancora Merlin Institutional, including 113,200 shares underlying long call options, 601,401 shares of Common Stock beneficially owned directly by Ancora SPV I Series M, including 116,800 shares underlying long call options, 424,050 shares of Common Stock beneficially owned directly by Ancora SPV I Series N, including 80,800 shares underlying long call options, 417,670 shares of Common Stock beneficially owned directly by Ancora SPV I Series O, including 79,600 shares underlying long call options, 423,820 shares of Common Stock beneficially owned directly by Ancora SPV I Series P, including 85,200 shares underlying long call options, and 592,000 shares of Common Stock beneficially owned directly by Ancora Segregated Portfolio G, including 122,000 shares underlying long call options, 422,259 shares of Common Stock held in the Ancora Advisors SMA, including 103,800 Shares underlying long call options currently exercisable and 7,198 shares of Common Stock held in the SMAs.
As of the date hereof, 4010 Partners directly beneficially owns 39,000 shares of Common Stock, including 11,000 shares underlying long call options. As the investment manager of 4010 Partners and co-general partner of Legion Partners Special XV, 4010 Capital may be deemed to beneficially own the 39,000 shares of Common Stock beneficially owned directly by 4010 Partners, including 11,000 shares underlying long call options and 108,400 shares of Common Stock beneficially owned directly by Legion Partners Special XV, including 25,900 shares underlying long call options. As the general partner of 4010 Partners, 4010 General Partner may be deemed to beneficially own the 39,000 shares of Common Stock beneficially owned directly by 4010 Partners, including 11,000 shares underlying long call options. As a managing director of 4010 Capital, Mr. Litt may be deemed to beneficially own the 39,000 shares of Common Stock beneficially owned directly by 4010 Partners, including 11,000 shares underlying long call options and 108,400 shares of Common Stock beneficially owned directly by Legion Partners Special XV, including 25,900 shares underlying long call options.
As of the date hereof, none of Margaret L. Jenkins, Jeffrey A. Kantor, Thomas A. Kingsbury or Cynthia S. Murray own beneficially or of record any securities of the Company.