Registrant’s telephone number, including area code
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))
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, $.01 par value per share
LEE
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 (§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 1.01. Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement.
On March 16, 2020, in
connection with the consummation of the Purchase Transaction (as defined below), Lee Enterprises, Incorporated, a Delaware corporation (“Lee”), entered into a lease agreement (the “Lease”) between BH Media Group, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“BH
Media”), as Landlord, and Lee, as Tenant, providing for the leasing of 68 properties and related fixtures (including production equipment) used in the BH Media Newspaper Business (as defined below). The Lease requires Lee to pay annual rent of $8
million, payable in equal monthly payments, as well as operating costs relating to the properties (including maintenance, repairs, property taxes and insurance). Rent payments will be subject to a Rent Credit (as defined in the Lease) for any leased
real estate sold by BH Media during the term of the Lease. The Lease also contains certain customary representations and warranties, covenants and conditions.
The summary of the Lease
set forth above does not purport to be a complete statement of the terms of the Lease referenced herein, and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the Lease, a copy of which was filed by Lee in its Current Report on Form 8-K, as
Exhibit 10.3, on January 29, 2020, and is incorporated herein by reference.
Item 1.02. Termination of a Material Definitive Agreement.
On March 16, 2020, in
connection with the consummation of the Purchase Transaction (as defined below), Lee and BH Media entered into a Termination Agreement, pursuant to which the parties terminated the Management Agreement dated June 26, 2018, a copy of which was filed by
Lee in its Current Report on Form 8-K, as Exhibit 10.1, on June 26, 2018, under which Lee managed the BH Media Newspaper Business.
Item 2.01. Completion of Acquisition or Disposition of Assets.
On
March 16, 2020, Lee completed the previously announced purchase of certain assets and the assumption of certain liabilities of the newspaper and related community publications business of BH Media (“BH Media Newspaper Business”) and the purchase of all
of the issued and outstanding capital stock of The Buffalo News, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Buffalo News”) (collectively, the “Purchase Transaction”). Under the terms of the Asset and Stock Purchase Agreement, dated January 29, 2020, with
Berkshire Hathaway, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Berkshire”), and BH Media (the “Purchase Agreement”), Lee purchased the BH Media Newspaper Business and the capital stock of Buffalo News for an aggregate purchase price of $152 million, which included
$12 million in cash at closing of the Purchase Transaction. BH Finance, LLC, a Nebraska limited liability company, an affiliate of Berkshire, financed the Purchase Agreement pursuant to the Credit Agreement, dated January 29, 2020 (the “Credit
Agreement”).
The
summary of the Purchase Transaction set forth above does not purport to be a complete statement of the terms of the Purchase Agreement and the Credit Agreement referenced herein, and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the
Purchase Agreement and Credit Agreement, copies of which were filed by Lee in its Current Report on Form 8-K, as Exhibits 10.1 and 10.2, respectively, on January 29,2020, and are incorporated herein by reference.
Item 2.03. Creation of a Direct Financial Obligation or an Obligation under an Off-Balance Sheet Arrangement of a Registrant.
As noted in Item 1.01 of the Current Report of
Lee on Form 8-K dated January 29, 2020 and in Item 2.01 of this Current Report on Form 8-K, on March 16, 2020, Lee borrowed $576 million from BH Finance under the Credit Agreement in order to finance the Purchase Transaction and refinance its
outstanding indebtedness.
The
information contained in this Item 7.01 and in the accompanying Exhibit 99.1 shall not be deemed filed for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), or
incorporated by reference in any filing under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), or the Exchange Act, except as shall be expressly set forth by specific reference in such filing.
FORWARD-LOOKING
STATEMENTS
The
Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides a “safe harbor” for forward-looking statements. This Form 8-K contains information that may be deemed forward-looking that is based largely on our current expectations, and is subject to certain
risks, trends and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated. Among such risks, trends and other uncertainties, which in some instances are beyond our control, are:
•
Our ability to generate cash flows and maintain liquidity sufficient to service our debt;
•
Our ability to manage declining print revenue;
•
That the warrants issued in our 2014 refinancing will not be exercised;
•
Change in advertising and subscription demand;
•
Changes in technology that impact our ability to deliver digital advertising;
•
Potential changes in newsprint, other commodities and energy costs;
•
Interest rates;
•
Labor costs;
•
Significant cyber security breaches or failure of our information technology systems;
•
Legislative and regulatory rulings;
•
Adverse impacts to elements of our business resulting from public health issues, including the outbreak of COVID-19;
•
Our ability to achieve planned expense reductions;
•
Our ability to maintain employee and customer relationships;
•
Our ability to manage increased capital costs;
•
Our ability to maintain our listing status on the NYSE;
•
Competition; and
•
Other risks detailed from time to time in our publicly filed documents.
Any
statements that are not statements of historical fact (including statements containing the words “may”, “will”, “would”, “could”, “believes”, “expects”, “anticipates”, “intends”, “plans”, “projects”, “considers” and similar expressions) generally
should be considered forward-looking statements. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements, which are made as of the date of this Form 8-K. We do not undertake to publicly update or revise our forward-looking
statements, except as required by law.
2
Additional
risk factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from expectations include, but are not limited to, the risks identified by Lee in its most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, its Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and its Current Reports
on Form 8-K. All forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made. Except to the extent required by law, Lee expressly disclaims any obligation to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements
contained herein to reflect any change in its expectations with regard thereto or change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any statement is based.
Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits.
(a)
Financial Statements of Business Acquired.
Lee
intends to file the financial statements required by this Item 9.01(a) under the cover of an amendment to this Current Report on Form 8-K no later than the date on which they are required to be filed under applicable rules of the Securities and
Exchange Commission.
(b)
Pro Forma Financial Information.
Lee
intends to file the pro forma financial information required by this Item 9.01(b) under the cover an amendment to this Current Report on Form 8-K no later than date on which it is required to be filed under applicable rules of the Securities and
Exchange Commission.
News Release of Lee Enterprises, Incorporated dated March 16, 2020.
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 thereunto duly authorized.