Kim Rivera, Esq.
President, Strategy and Business Management,
Chief Legal Officer and Secretary
HP Inc.
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Ruairidh Ross
Legal Matters & Assistant
Corporate Secretary
HP Inc.
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Check the box if the filing relates solely to preliminary communications made before the commencement of a tender offer.
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Item 4. |
The Solicitation or Recommendation
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Item 8.
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Additional Information
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Incorporated by Reference
to Filings Indicated
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Exhibit Number
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Exhibit Description
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Form
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File No.
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Exhibit
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Filing Date
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Filed Herewith
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Complaint filed by James R. Gould, Jr., individually and on behalf of all others similarly situated, in the Delaware Court of Chancery on March 18, 2020
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X
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Dated: March 23, 2020
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HP INC.
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By:
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/s/ Ruairidh Ross
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Name:
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Ruairidh Ross
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Title:
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Global Head of Strategic Legal Matters &
Assistant Corporate Secretary
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EFiled: Mar 18 2020 06:28PM EDT
Transaction ID 64835631
Case No. 2020-0209-
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JAMES R. GOULD, JR., on behalf of
himself and all other similarly situated
stockholders of HP INC.,
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Plaintiff,
v.
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C.A. No.: 2020-__________ -_________
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AIDA ALVAREZ, SHUMEET
BANERJI, ROBERT R. BENNETT,
CHIP BERGH, STACY BROWN-
PHILPOT, STEPHANIE A. BURNS,
MARY ANNE CITRINO, RICHARD
L. CLEMMER, ENRIQUE LORES,
YOKY MATSUOKA, STACEY
MOBLEY, SUBRA SURESH, and
DION J. WEISLER,
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Defendants.
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I. |
After Its Acquisition Overtures Are Rebuffed, Xerox Launches a Hostile Tender Offer for HP
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Our Board of Directors has reviewed and considered your unsolicited proposal dated November 5, 2019 at a meeting with our financial and legal advisors and has unanimously concluded that it significantly
undervalues HP and is not in the best interests of HP shareholders. In reaching this determination, the Board also considered the highly conditional and uncertain nature of the proposal, including the potential impact of outsized debt levels
on the combined company’s stock.
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II. |
The HP Board Expressly Relies on Inadequacy Opinions from Its Financial Advisors in Recommending Stockholders Reject the Tender Offer But Fails to Disclose or Summarize the Underlying
Analyses
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After careful consideration, including review of the terms and conditions of the Offer in consultation with HP’s independent outside financial and legal advisors, the HP Board determined that the Offer is not in the best interests of HP’s stockholders. Accordingly, for the reasons described in more detail below, the HP Board unanimously recommends that HP stockholders reject the Offer and NOT tender any of their shares of HP Common Stock to Xerox pursuant to the Offer. Please see “— Reasons for Recommendation” below for further detail. |
The HP Board has received an inadequacy opinion from each of Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC (“Goldman Sachs”) and Guggenheim Securities, LLC (“Guggenheim Securities”). |
The HP Board considered the fact that on March 3, 2020, Goldman Sachs rendered an oral opinion to the HP Board, subsequently confirmed in writing, to the effect that, as of March 3, 2020, and based on and
subject to the matters considered, the procedures followed, the assumptions made and various limitations of and qualifications to the review undertaken set forth in its written opinion, the consideration proposed to be paid to the holders
(other than Xerox and any of its affiliates) of shares of HP Common Stock pursuant to the Offer was inadequate from a financial point of view to such holders, and Guggenheim Securities rendered an oral opinion to the HP Board, subsequently
confirmed in writing, to the effect that, as of March 3, 2020, and based on and subject to the matters considered, the procedures followed, the assumptions made and various limitations of and qualifications to the review undertaken set forth
in its written opinion, the consideration payable pursuant to the Offer was inadequate, from a financial point of view, to the holders of shares of HP Common Stock (other than Xerox, Purchaser and their affiliates). The full text of the
written opinion of each of Goldman Sachs, dated March 3, 2020, and Guggenheim Securities, dated March 3, 2020, which sets forth the matters considered, the procedures followed, the assumptions made and various limitations of and
qualifications to the review undertaken in connection with each such opinion, is attached as Annex B and Annex C, respectively, to this Statement. Each of Goldman Sachs and Guggenheim Securities provided their respective opinions for the
information and assistance of the HP Board in connection with its consideration of the Offer. The respective opinions of Goldman Sachs and Guggenheim Securities are not advice or a recommendation as to whether any holder of shares of HP
Common Stock should tender its shares of HP Common Stock in connection with the Offer or otherwise how to act in connection with the Offer or any other matter.
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III. |
Xerox Temporarily Pauses, But Keeps Open, The Tender Offer
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37. |
On March 13, 2020, Xerox issued a press release stating that:
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In light of the escalating COVID-19 pandemic, Xerox needs to prioritize the health and safety of its employees, customers, partners and affiliates over and above all other considerations, including its proposal to acquire HP. As we closely monitor reports from government and healthcare leaders across the globe and work with colleagues in the business community to minimize the spread and impact of the virus, we believe it is prudent to postpone releases of additional presentations, interviews with media and meetings with HP shareholders so we can focus our time and resources on protecting Xerox’s various stakeholders from the pandemic. (Emphasis added) |
41. |
This action is properly maintainable as a class action.
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42. |
The Class is so numerous that joinder of all members is impracticable.
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43. |
There are questions of law and fact common to the Class, including, inter alia, whether:
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a. |
The Director Defendants breached their fiduciary duties by failing to disclose all material information necessary to allow HP stockholders to make an informed decision whether to tender into the Tender Offer;
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b. |
Plaintiff and the other members of the Class are being— and will continue to be—injured by the wrongful conduct alleged herein and, if so, what is the proper remedy and/or measure of damages; and
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c. |
Plaintiff and the other members of the Class will be damaged irreparably by the Director Defendants’ conduct.
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47. |
Plaintiff and the Class have no adequate remedy at law.
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53. |
Plaintiff and the Class have no adequate remedy at law.
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a. |
Ordering the Director Defendants to disclose a full and fair summary of the analysis underlying the Inadequacy Opinions;
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b. |
Finding the Director Defendants liable for breaching their fiduciary duties owed to the Class;
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c. |
Certifying the proposed Class;
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d. |
Awarding Plaintiff and the other members of the Class permanent injunctive relief;
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e. |
Awarding Plaintiff and the other members of the Class pre-judgment and post-judgment interest, as well as their reasonable attorneys’ and experts’ witness fees and other costs and expenses; and
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f. |
Awarding such other and further relief as is just and equitable.
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OF COUNSEL: |
BERNSTEIN LITOWITZ
BERGER & GROSSMANN LLP
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BERNSTEIN LITOWITZ
BERGER & GROSSMANN LLP
Mark Lebovitch
Jacqueline Y. Ma
1251 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10020
(212) 554-1400
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/s/ Gregory V. Varallo
Gregory V. Varallo (Bar No. 2242)
500 Delaware Avenue, Suite 901
Wilmington, DE 19801
(302) 364-3601
Counsel for Plaintiff
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FRIEDMAN OSTER
& TEJTEL PLLC
Jeremy S. Friedman David F.E. Tejtel
493 Bedford Center Road, Suite 2D
Bedford Hills, NY 10507
(888) 529-1108
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KASKELA LAW LLC
D. Seamus Kaskela
18 Campus Boulevard, Suite 100
Newtown Square, PA 19073
(484) 258-1585
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LAW OFFICE OF
ALFRED G. YATES, JR.
Alfred G. Yates, Jr.
300 Mt. Lebanon Boulevard Suite 206B
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15234
(412) 391-5164
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Counsel for Plaintiff |