Current Report Filing (8-k)

 

 

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): May 10, 2023

 

B. RILEY FINANCIAL, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

Delaware		001-37503		27-0223495
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)		(Commission File Number)		(IRS Employer Identification No.)

 

 11100 Santa Monica Blvd., Suite 800

Los Angeles, CA 90025

310-966-1444

(Address, Including Zip Code, and Telephone Number, Including Area Code, of Registrant’s Principal Executive Offices)

 

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, par value $0.0001 per share		RILY		Nasdaq Global Market
Depositary Shares (each representing a 1/1000th interest in a 6.875% Series A Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Share, par value $0.0001 per share)		RILYP		Nasdaq Global Market
Depositary Shares, each representing a 1/1000th fractional interest in a 7.375% share of Series B Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock		RILYL		Nasdaq Global Market
6.50% Senior Notes due 2026		RILYN		Nasdaq Global Market
6.375% Senior Notes due 2025		RILYM		Nasdaq Global Market
6.75% Senior Notes due 2024		RILYO		Nasdaq Global Market
6.00% Senior Notes due 2028		RILYT		Nasdaq Global Market
5.50% Senior Notes due 2026		RILYK		Nasdaq Global Market
5.25% Senior Notes due 2028		RILYZ		Nasdaq Global Market
7.25% Senior Notes due 2027		RILYG		Nasdaq Global Market

 

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:

 

☐	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))

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 7.01 Regulation FD Disclosure

 

On May 10, 2023, B. Riley Financial, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company” or “B. Riley”), entered into certain agreements pursuant to which B. Riley has, among other things, agreed to provide certain equity funding and other support in connection with the acquisition (the “Acquisition”) by Freedom VCM, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Parent”), of Franchise Group, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“FRG”). Parent has agreed to acquire FRG pursuant to an Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of May 10, 2023, by and among the Parent, Freedom VCM Subco, Inc., a Delaware corporation and a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Parent (the “Merger Sub”), and FRG (the “Merger Agreement”), pursuant to which, upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth therein, at the closing, Merger Sub will merge with and into FRG, with FRG surviving the merger as a wholly owned subsidiary of Parent. The buyer group includes members of the senior management team of FRG, led by Brian Kahn, FRG’s Chief Executive Officer, in financial partnership with a consortium that includes B. Riley. B. Riley is not a party to the Merger Agreement. Pursuant to a commitment letter, B. Riley has agreed to fund upon the closing of the merger up to $560 million in equity financing, though expects the actual amount to be funded to be substantially less. A copy of the press release issued by FRG is furnished as Exhibit 99.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K.

 

The information set forth in this Item 7.01, including the press release attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1, is being furnished and shall not be deemed “filed” for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section. The information in Item 7.01, including Exhibit 99.1 attached hereto, shall not be incorporated by reference into any filing under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Exchange Act, except as shall be expressly set forth by specific reference in such a filing to this Item 7.01.

 

Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.

 

(d) Exhibits.

 

Exhibit No.		Description
99.1		Press release, dated May 10, 2023, of Franchise Group, Inc.
104		Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within the Inline XBRL document)

 

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Forward-looking statements

 

This Current Report on Form 8-K contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause B. Riley’s performance or achievements to be materially different from any expected future results, performance, or achievements. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made and B. Riley assumes no duty to update forward looking statements, except as required by law. Actual future results, performance or achievements may differ materially from historical results or those anticipated depending on a variety of factors, some of which are beyond the control of B. Riley, including, but not limited to, the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstances that could give rise to the termination of the Merger Agreement; the inability to complete the proposed merger due to the failure to obtain stockholder approval for the proposed merger or the failure to satisfy other conditions to completion of the proposed merger; the ability of the buyer to obtain the necessary financing arrangements set forth in the commitment letters received in connection with the proposed merger; potential litigation relating to the proposed merger that could be instituted in connection with the Merger Agreement; and the risk that the proposed merger will not be consummated in a timely manner, if at all.

 

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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.

 

	B. Riley Financial, Inc.
	By:	/s/ Phillip J. Ahn
	Name:	Phillip J. Ahn
	Title:	Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer

 

Date: May 10, 2023

 

 

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