DEFA14A 1 d76735ddefa14a.htm DEFA14A DEFA14A
 
 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

 

SCHEDULE 14A

Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of the

Securities Exchange Act of 1934

 

 

Filed by the Registrant ☒

Filed by a Party other than the Registrant ☐

Check the appropriate box:

 

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 §240.14a-12

THE ODP CORPORATION

(Name of Registrant as Specified In Its Charter)

(Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if other than the Registrant)

Payment of Filing Fee (Check the appropriate box):

 

No fee required.

 

Fee paid previously with preliminary materials.

 

Fee computed on table in exhibit required by Item 25(b) per Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i)(1) and 0-11.

 

 
 


On September 22, 2025, the following email was sent by an authorized representative of The ODP Corporation, a Delaware corporation, to certain of its employees:

09.22.25

All-Associate Note from ODP CEO

 

Team,

This morning, we announced that The ODP Corporation has agreed to be acquired by Atlas Holdings, which owns and operates a global family of manufacturing and distribution businesses, and become a privately held company. I encourage you to read the press release posted on our website to learn more. This is the start of an exciting next chapter for our business and is the right next step for us to strengthen our growth trajectory with a partner that has a long track record of helping companies grow in a way that is smart and sustainable for the long term.

This transaction recognizes the strong momentum we’ve achieved together through our focus on excellence and execution. We have learned through this process that Atlas understands our strategy and sees the opportunities we see in expanding into higher-growth industry sectors. Over the past two decades, their team has established a proven history of partnering with their companies to drive stability and success, and they’ve shared with us their commitment to do the same in this new partnership with us.

Atlas operates much like an industrial holding company, partnering with their companies for many years, investing in their people and, in turn, strengthening the communities where they are privileged to operate. Atlas brings significant domain expertise as our new partner. They understand the steps we’ve taken so far to move our business forward and are committed to helping us evolve in the way that is right for our business for many years to come.

I want to emphasize that it is business as usual through the close of the transaction, which we expect to be completed by the end of 2025, subject to customary closing conditions.

Once the transaction closes, we expect that Atlas’ firsthand understanding of our business from their ownership of companies in office products and adjacent industries such as pulp, paper and printing, along with their human and financial resources, will unlock new possibilities for our business. Atlas has transitioned several historically public companies into stable private enterprises. As a private company, we expect that we’ll have greater flexibility to fast forward our B2B growth initiatives and strengthen our position as a trusted partner to our customers.

You will receive a Teams invite shortly for an all-associate town hall to be held today at 10:30 a.m. ET, where I will share more about today’s announcement. We’re in the early stages of this process and recognize you may have questions we don’t yet have answers to, but we are committed to sharing regular updates as we move ahead.

For now, it is important that we all continue focusing on our day-to-day responsibilities and serving our customers. We must all push to continue to meet our commitments and serve our customers with the high level of excellence they expect and deserve. I am excited about the path forward and what’s next for The ODP Corporation.


FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

The foregoing contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act. These statements are often identified by the use of words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “plan,” “hope,” “hopeful,” “likely,” “may,” “optimistic,” “possible,” “potential,” “preliminary,” “project,” “should,” “will,” “would” or the negative or plural of these words or similar expressions or variations. Forward-looking statements are made based upon management’s current expectations and beliefs and are not guarantees of future performance. Such forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors that could cause actual results and the timing of certain events to differ materially from future results expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. These factors include, among others: (i) the completion of the proposed transaction on the anticipated terms and timing; (ii) the satisfaction of other conditions to the completion of the proposed transaction, including obtaining required shareholder and regulatory approvals; (iii) the risk that the Company’s stock price may fluctuate during the pendency of the proposed transaction and may decline if the proposed transaction is not completed; (iv) potential litigation relating to the proposed transaction that could be instituted against the Company or its directors, managers or officers, including the effects of any outcomes related thereto; (v) the risk that disruptions from the proposed transaction will harm the Company’s business, including current plans and operations, including during the pendency of the proposed transaction; (vi) the ability of the Company to retain and hire key personnel; (vii) the diversion of management’s time and attention from ordinary course business operations to completion of the proposed transaction and integration matters; (viii) potential adverse reactions or changes to business relationships resulting from the announcement or completion of the proposed transaction; (ix) legislative, regulatory and economic developments; (x) potential business uncertainty, including changes to existing business relationships, during the pendency of the proposed transaction that could affect the Company’s financial performance; (xi) certain restrictions during the pendency of the proposed transaction that may impact the Company’s ability to pursue certain business opportunities or strategic transactions; (xii) unpredictability and severity of catastrophic events, including but not limited to acts of terrorism, outbreaks of war or hostilities or global pandemics, as well as management’s response to any of the aforementioned factors; (xiii) the possibility that the proposed transaction may be more expensive to complete than anticipated, including as a result of unexpected factors or events; (xiv) unexpected costs, liabilities or delays associated with the transaction; (xv) the response of competitors to the transaction; (xvi) the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstance that could give rise to the termination of the proposed transaction, including in circumstances requiring the Company to pay a termination fee; and (xvii) other risks set forth under the heading “Risk Factors,” of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 28, 2024 and in our subsequent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. You should not rely upon forward-looking statements as predictions of future events. Our actual results could differ materially from the results described in or implied by such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date hereof, and, except as required by law, we undertake no obligation to update or revise these forward-looking statements.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND WHERE TO FIND IT

This communication does not constitute an offer to buy or sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy or sell any securities or a solicitation of any vote or approval. This communication relates to a proposed acquisition of The ODP Corporation by ACR Ocean Resources LLC. In connection with this proposed acquisition, The ODP Corporation plans to file one or more proxy statements or other documents with the SEC. This communication is not a substitute for any proxy statement or other document that The ODP Corporation may file with the SEC in connection with the proposed transaction. INVESTORS AND SECURITY HOLDERS OF THE ODP CORPORATION ARE URGED TO READ THE PROXY STATEMENT AND OTHER DOCUMENTS THAT MAY BE FILED WITH THE SEC CAREFULLY AND IN THEIR ENTIRETY WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION. Any definitive proxy statement(s) (if and when available) will be mailed to stockholders of The ODP Corporation. Investors and


security holders will be able to obtain free copies of these documents (if and when available) and other documents filed with the SEC by The ODP Corporation through the website maintained by the SEC at http://www.sec.gov. Copies of the documents filed with the SEC by The ODP Corporation will be available free of charge on The ODP Corporation’s internet website at theodpcorp.com or upon written request to: The ODP Corporation, Investor Relations, 6600 North Military Trail Boca Raton, FL 33496 or by email to investor.relations@theodpcorp.com.

Participants in Solicitation

The ODP Corporation, its directors and certain of its executive officers and employees may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies in connection with the proposed transaction. Information about the directors and executive officers of The ODP Corporation is set forth in its proxy statement for its 2025 annual meeting of stockholders, which was filed with the SEC on March 20, 2025. To the extent that holdings of The ODP Corporation’s securities by its directors or executive officers have changed since the amounts set forth in The ODP Corporation’s proxy statement for its 2025 annual meeting of stockholders, such changes have been or will be reflected on Statements of Change in Ownership on Form 4 filed with the SEC.

Additional information regarding the participants in the proxy solicitation and a description of their direct and indirect interests, by security holdings or otherwise, will be contained in the proxy statement and other relevant materials to be filed with the SEC when they become available. These documents can be obtained free of charge from the sources indicated above.

The ODP Corporation

Investor Relations

6600 North Military Trail Boca Raton, FL 33496

investor.relations@theodpcorp.com

theodpcorp.com