UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

 

 

SCHEDULE TO

TENDER OFFER STATEMENT UNDER SECTION 14(d)(1) OR 13(e)(1)

OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

(Amendment No. 2)

 

 

AllianceBernstein Holding L.P.

(Name of Subject Company (Issuer))

Equitable Holdings, Inc.

(Name of Filing Person (Offeror))

 

 

Units Representing Assignments of Beneficial Ownership of Limited Partnership Interests

(Title of Class of Securities)

01881G106

(CUSIP Number of Class of Securities)

 

 

Robin M. Raju

Chief Financial Officer

Equitable Holdings, Inc.

1345 Avenue of the Americas

New York, New York 10105

(212) 554-1234

(Name, address and telephone number of person authorized to receive notices and communications on behalf of filing persons)

 

 

Copy to:

John M. Schwolsky

Jennifer J. Carlson

Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP

787 Seventh Avenue

New York, NY 10019-6099

(212) 728-8000

 

 

 

Check the box if the filing relates solely to preliminary communications made before the commencement of a tender offer.

Check the appropriate boxes below to designate any transactions to which the statement relates:

 

 

third-party tender offer subject to Rule 14d-1.

 

issuer tender offer subject to Rule 13e-4.

 

going-private transaction subject to Rule 13e-3.

 

amendment to Schedule 13D under Rule 13d-2.

Check the following box if the filing is a final amendment reporting the results of the tender offer: ☐

If applicable, check the appropriate box(es) below to designate the appropriate rule provision(s) relied upon:

 

 

Rule 13e-4(i) (Cross-Border Issuer Tender Offer)

 

Rule 14d-1(d) (Cross-Border Third Party Tender Offer)

 

 

As permitted by General Instruction G to Schedule TO, this Schedule TO is also an amendment to the statement on Schedule 13D initially filed on August 4, 1992, as previously amended.

 

 

 


CUSIP No.

   01881G106   

 

 1    

 Name of reporting person

 

 Equitable Holdings, Inc.

 2  

 Check the appropriate box if a member of a Group (See Instructions)

 (a) ☐  (b) ☐

 

 3  

 SEC use only

 

 4  

 Source of funds (See Instructions)

 

 OO

 5  

 Check if disclosure of legal proceedings is required pursuant to Items 2(d) or 2(e)

 

 ☐

 6  

 Citizenship or place of organization

 

 DELAWARE

Number of

Shares

 Beneficially 

Owned by

Each

Reporting

Person

With:

 

    7     

 Sole Voting Power

 

 0

    8   

 Shared Voting Power

 

 0

    9   

 Sole Dispositive Power

 

 0

   10   

 Shared Dispositive Power

 

 0

11    

 Aggregate amount beneficially owned by each reporting person

 

 0

12  

 Check if the aggregate amount in Row (11) excludes certain shares (See Instructions)

 

 ☐

13  

 Percent of class represented by amount in Row (11)

 

 0.00%

14  

 Type of Reporting Person (See Instructions)

 

 HC, CO


COMBINED AMENDMENT NO. 2 TO SCHEDULE TO AND SCHEDULE 13D

This Amendment No. 2 to the Tender Offer Statement on Schedule TO (this “Amendment No. 2”) amends and supplements the Tender Offer Statement on Schedule TO filed by Equitable Holdings, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Equitable”), with the Securities and Exchange Commission on February 24, 2025, as amended and supplemented by Amendment No. 1, filed on March 17, 2024 (together with any subsequent amendments and supplements thereto, the “Schedule TO”), relating to an offer by Equitable to purchase up to 46,000,000 units representing assignments of beneficial ownership of limited partnership interests (“Units”) in AllianceBernstein Holding L.P., a Delaware limited partnership, at a price of $38.50 per Unit (the “Purchase Price”), net to the seller in cash, for an aggregate Purchase Price of up to approximately $1.8 billion, less any applicable tax withholding, upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the Offer to Purchase dated February 24, 2025 (as amended, the “Offer to Purchase”), and the related Letter of Transmittal, copies of which were filed with the Schedule TO as Exhibits (a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii), respectively.

This Amendment No. 2 is being filed to extend the expiration time and report the preliminary results of the Offer. Except as set forth in this Amendment No. 2, the information set forth in the Schedule TO and the exhibits thereto remains unchanged and is incorporated herein by reference to the extent relevant to the items in this Amendment No. 2.

ITEMS 1 AND 4.

The Offer to Purchase and Items 1 and 4 of the Schedule TO, to the extent such item incorporates by reference the information contained in the Offer to Purchase, are hereby amended and supplemented as follows:

The language “5:00 p.m., New York City time, on March 24, 2025” set forth in the Offer to Purchase in (i) the box on the cover page, (ii) the summary term sheet on page 1, (iii) the second sentence under the heading “Once unitholders have tendered Units in the Offer, can unitholders withdraw their tender?” on page 6, (iv) the second paragraph on page 10, (v) the first sentence of the second paragraph under the heading “1. Terms of the Offer” on page 12 and (vi) the first sentence of the sixth paragraph under the heading “1. Terms of the Offer” on page 12, in each case is hereby deleted and replaced with “5:00 p.m., New York City time, on April 1, 2025”.

In addition, throughout the Schedule TO, the Offer to Purchase, the related Letter of Transmittal and other materials relating to the Offer, all references to the expiration of the Offer or to the Expiration Time are hereby amended to extend the Expiration Time of the Offer to 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on April 1, 2025.

ITEM 11. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Item 11 is hereby amended and supplemented by adding the following text:

“On March 25, 2025, Equitable issued a press release announcing the preliminary results and the extension of the Expiration Time of the Offer. A copy of such press release is filed as Exhibit (a)(5)(iv) to this Amendment No. 2 and is incorporated herein by reference.”


ITEM 12. EXHIBITS

Item 12 of the Schedule TO is hereby amended and restated in its entirety as set forth below:

 

(a)(1)(i)*    Offer to Purchase, dated February 24, 2025.
(a)(1)(ii)*    Form of Letter of Transmittal (including IRS Form W-9).
(a)(1)(iii)*    Form of Notice of Guaranteed Delivery.
(a)(1)(iv)*    Form of Letter to Brokers, Dealers, Banks, Trust Companies and Other Nominees.
(a)(1)(v)*    Form of Letter to Clients for Use by Brokers, Dealers, Banks, Trust Companies and Other Nominees.
(a)(1)(vi)*    Text of Summary Advertisement, as published in the Wall Street Journal on February 24, 2025.
(a)(5)(i)*    Press Release issued by Equitable Holdings, Inc., dated February 24, 2025.
(a)(5)(ii)*    Excerpt from a presentation held by Equitable on February 24, 2025.
(a)(5)(iii)*    Excerpt from a transcript of a presentation held by Equitable on February 24, 2025.
(a)(5)(iv)    Press Release issued by Equitable Holdings, Inc., dated March 25, 2025.
(b)    364-day Term Loan Credit Agreement, dated as of February  21, 2025, among Equitable Holdings, Inc., certain Banks and Barclays Bank plc, as administrative agent, sole lead arranger and bookrunner (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to Equitable’s Current Report on Form 8-K, filed on February 24, 2025).
(d)(i)    Amendment No. 1 dated February  24, 2006 to Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of AB Holding (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to AB Holding’s Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended September  30, 2006, filed on November 8, 2006).
(d)(ii)    Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership dated October  29, 1999 of AB Holding (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.2 to AB Holding’s Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2003, filed on March 10, 2004).
(d)(iii)    Amendment No. 1 dated February  24, 2006 to Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of AB (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.2 to AB Holding’s Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended September  30, 2006, filed on November 8, 2006).
(d)(iv)    Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership dated October  29, 1999 of AB (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.3 to AB Holding’s Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2003, filed on March 10, 2004).
(d)(v)    Master Exchange Agreement dated December  19, 2024, between Equitable and AB (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to AB Holding’s Form 8-K, filed on December 19, 2024).
(g)    None.
(h)    None.
107*    Filing Fee Table.

 

*

Filed previously.


SIGNATURES

After due inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and belief, I certify that the information set forth in this statement is true, complete and correct.

Dated: March 25, 2025

 

EQUITABLE HOLDINGS, INC.
By:  

/s/ Robin M. Raju

Name:   Robin M. Raju
Title:   Chief Financial Officer

Exhibit (a)(5)(iv)

 

LOGO

Equitable Holdings Announces Extension of Cash Tender Offer for Up to

46,000,000 Units of AllianceBernstein Holding

 

 

New York, NY, March 25, 2025 — Equitable Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: EQH), the leading financial services holding company of Equitable, AllianceBernstein and Equitable Advisors, today announced the extension of its previously announced cash tender offer to purchase up to 46,000,000 units (“Units”) representing assignments of beneficial ownership of limited partnership interests in AllianceBernstein Holding L.P. (NYSE: AB) (“AB Holding”), at a price of $38.50 per Unit, net to the seller in cash, for an aggregate purchase price of up to approximately $1.8 billion, less any applicable tax withholding (the “Offer”). The expiration time of the Offer has been extended from 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on March 24, 2025 to 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on April 1, 2025 (as extended, the “Expiration Time”). As a result of such extension, Equitable will delay the acceptance of the Units that have been tendered until the expiration of the Offer. Equitable does not intend to further extend the Expiration Time or otherwise change any of the terms or conditions with respect to the Offer.

All other terms and conditions of the Offer remain unchanged and are described in the Offer to Purchase and related Letter of Transmittal, each dated February 24, 2025 and as amended, which were filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”).

Based on a preliminary count by the depositary and paying agent for the Offer, a total of 19,028,061 Units were properly tendered and not properly withdrawn under the Offer prior to 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on March 24, 2025, including 1,394,553 Units that were tendered by notice of guaranteed delivery. The number of Units tendered may change significantly prior to the Expiration Time. Unitholders who have already tendered their Units do not have to re-tender their Units or take any other action as a result of the extension of the Expiration Time.

Copies of the Offer to Purchase, Letter of Transmittal and other related materials are available free of charge from D.F. King & Co., Inc. (“D.F. King”), the information agent for the Offer (the “Information Agent”). Questions regarding the Offer and requests for assistance in connection with the Offer may be directed to D.F. King by contacting them at (800) 848-3402 (toll-free) or via email at AB@dfking.com. Banks and brokers may contact D.F. King at (212) 269-5550 or Barclays Capital Inc., the dealer manager (the “Dealer Manager”) for the Offer, at (800) 438-3242 (toll-free). Computershare Trust Company, N.A. is acting as depositary and paying agent for the Offer (the “Depositary and Paying Agent”).

None of Equitable, the Dealer Manager, the Information Agent or the Depositary and Paying Agent is making any recommendation as to whether unitholders should tender any Units in response to the Offer, and neither Equitable nor any such other person has authorized any person to make any such recommendation. Unitholders must make their own decision as to whether to tender any of their Units in the Offer, and, if so, how many Units to tender.


This press release is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute an offer to purchase or a solicitation of an offer to sell any securities, nor is it a substitute for the tender offer materials that have be filed with the SEC, including among other materials, a tender offer statement on Schedule TO containing the Offer to Purchase, the related Letter of Transmittal and other materials relating to the Offer, each as amended and supplemented. UNITHOLDERS ARE URGED TO READ CAREFULLY AND IN THEIR ENTIRETY THE INFORMATION IN THE OFFER TO PURCHASE AND IN THE LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL (AS AMENDED OR SUPPLEMENTED), INCLUDING THE PURPOSES AND EFFECTS OF THE OFFER, BECAUSE THEY CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION THAT UNITHOLDERS SHOULD CONSIDER BEFORE MAKING ANY DECISION REGARDING THE OFFER. The Offer to Purchase and related Letter of Transmittal are available free of charge at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov or by contacting the Information Agent at (800) 848-3402 (toll-free).

About Equitable Holdings

Equitable Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: EQH) is a leading financial services holding company comprised of complementary and well-established businesses, Equitable, AllianceBernstein and Equitable Advisors. Equitable Holdings has $1.0 trillion in assets under management and administration (as of 12/31/2024) and more than 5 million client relationships globally. Founded in 1859, Equitable provides retirement and protection strategies to individuals, families and small businesses. AllianceBernstein is a global investment management firm that offers diversified investment services to institutional investors, individuals and private wealth clients. Equitable Advisors, LLC (Equitable Financial Advisors in MI and TN) has 4,600 duly registered and licensed financial professionals that provide financial planning, wealth management, retirement planning, protection and risk management services to clients across the country.

Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements. Words such as “expects,” “believes,” “anticipates,” “forecasts,” “intends,” “seeks,” “aims,” “plans,” “assumes,” “estimates,” “projects,” “should,” “would,” “could,” “may,” “will,” “shall” or variations of such words are generally part of forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are predictions, projections and other statements about future events that are based on current expectations and assumptions and, as a result, are subject to risks and uncertainties. Many factors could cause actual future events to differ materially from the forward-looking statements in this press release. You should read this press release, the Offer to Purchase and the other related Offer documents that have been or will be delivered to you or filed by Equitable with the SEC completely and with the understanding that actual future events may be materially different from expectations. All forward-looking statements made in this press release are qualified by these cautionary statements. Further, any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made, and Equitable undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after the date on which the statement is made or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events, except as otherwise may be required by law.

Contacts:

Investor Relations

Erik Bass

(212) 314-2476

IR@equitable.com

Media Relations

Laura Yagerman

(212) 314-2010

mediarelations@equitable.com