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): March 12, 2019
 
SEARS HOMETOWN AND OUTLET STORES, INC.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in charter)
 
 
 
 
 
 
Delaware
 
001-35641  
 
80-0808358
(State or Other Jurisdiction
of Incorporation)
 
(Commission
File Number)
 
(IRS Employer
Identification No.)
 
 
5500 Trillium Boulevard, Suite 501
Hoffman Estates, Illinois
 
60192
(Address of principal executive offices)
 
(Zip code)
Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (847) 286-7000
(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 (see General Instruction A.2. below):
o
Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)
o
Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)
o
Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
o
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 (17 CFR §230.405) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (17 CFR §240.12b-2).Emerging growth company  o

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.  o

 






Item 1.01.
Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement.

Sears Hometown and Outlet Stores, Inc. (the “Company”) and its subsidiaries Sears Authorized Hometown Stores, LLC (“SAHS”) and Sears Outlet Stores, L.L.C. (“Outlet”) have entered into an Amendments Agreement dated March 12, 2019 with Transform SR LLC (as assignee pursuant to an Assignment and Assumption Agreement dated as of February 11, 2019 between Sears Holdings Corporation, Transform Holdco LLC, and others (the “Assignment Agreement)), Transform KM LLC (as assignee pursuant to the Assignment Agreement), Transform SR Holdings LLC (as assignee pursuant to the Assignment Agreement), and Transform SR Holding Management LLC (as assignee pursuant to the Assignment Agreement) (which Amendments Agreement is referred to as the “Amendments”).

According to information provided to the Company, Transform SR LLC, Transform KM LLC, Transform SR Holdings LLC, and Transform SR Holding Management LLC are subsidiaries of Transform Holdco LLC, which subsidiaries together are referred to as “Applicable Assignee” or “Applicable Assignees.” According to publicly available information, (1) ESL Investments, Inc. and investment affiliates including Edward S. Lampert (together, “ESL”) control Transform Holdco LLC and (2) ESL owns approximately 58.8% of the Company’s outstanding shares of common stock.

A copy of the Amendments is filed as Exhibit 10.1 to this Form 8-K and is incorporated herein by reference. The following summary of terms and conditions of the Amendments is qualified by, and is subject to, the terms and conditions of the Amendments.

The Amendments extend the duration of the Amended and Restated Merchandising Agreement, as amended (retroactive to May 1, 2016 and between (1) originally Sears, Roebuck and Co., Sears Holdings Corporation, and Kmart Corporation and assigned pursuant to the Assignment Agreement to specified Applicable Assignees and (2) the Company, SAHS, and Outlet) from February 1, 2020 to February 1, 2023.

The Amendments extend the duration of each “Service Period” specified in the Services Agreement, as amended (dated August 8, 2012 and between (1) originally Sears Holdings Management Corporation and assigned pursuant to the Assignment Agreement to a specified Applicable Assignee and (2) the Company) from February 1, 2020 to February 1, 2023.

The Amendments extend the duration of the Shop Your Way Rewards Retail Establishment Agreement, as amended (dated August 8, 2012 and between (1) originally Sears Holdings Management Corporation and assigned pursuant to the Assignment Agreement to a specified Applicable Assignee and (2) the Company) from October 11, 2022 to February 1, 2023.

Item 9.01.
Financial Statements and Exhibits.
(d) Exhibits.





















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.
 
SEARS HOMETOWN AND OUTLET STORES, INC.
 
 
By:
/s/ CHARLES J. HANSEN
 
Charles J. Hansen
 
Vice President, General Counsel, and Secretary

Dated: March 18, 2019



Exhibit 10.1


Amendments Agreement


March 12, 2019

This Amendments Agreement (this “ Amendment ”) is between (1) Transform SR LLC (“ SR ”), Transform KM LLC (“ KM ”), Transform SR Holdings LLC (“ SR Holdings ”), and Transform SR Holding Management LLC (“ SRH ”) and (2) Sears Hometown and Outlet Stores, Inc. (“ SHO ”), Sears Authorized Hometown Stores, LLC (“ SAHS ”), and Sears Outlet Stores, L.L.C. , (“ Outlet ”). SR, KM, SR Holdings, and SRH together are referred to in this Amendment as the “ Transform Companies ” and each is referred to as a “ Transform Company .” SHO, SAHS, and Outlet together are referred to in this Amendment as the “ Hometown Companies ” and each is referred to as a “ Hometown Company .”

Preliminary Statement

This Amendment amends three agreements that are described in section 2. The three agreements together are referred to in this Amendment as the “ Agreements ” and each is referred to as an “ Agreement .” The amendments in this Amendment are effective as of the date provided above.

Terms and Conditions

In consideration of the mutual covenants of this Amendment, the Transform Companies and the Hometown Companies agree as follows:

1.      Amendment Parties . Each Transform Company, as assignee pursuant to, and in accordance with, the Assignment and Assumption Agreement dated as of February 11, 2019, and each Hometown Company is a party to one or more of the Agreements as evidenced by the party’s execution and delivery of an Agreement. Each party to an Agreement is agreeing in this Amendment to amend the Agreement as specified in section 2. Nothing in this Amendment causes (a) a Transform Company to become a party, or to become obligated as if it were a party, to an Agreement that the Transform Company has not, prior to the date of this Amendment, executed and delivered to a Hometown Company or (b) a Hometown Company to become a party, or to become obligated as if it were a party, to an Agreement that the Hometown Company has not, prior to the date of this Amendment, executed and delivered to a Transform Company.

2.      Amendments to the Agreements .

(a)      Amended and Restated Merchandising Agreement . SR, KM, SR Holdings, SHO, SAHS, and Outlet each agrees that the Amended and Restated Merchandising Agreement effective May 1, 2016, as amended prior to the date of this Amendment (the “ ARMA ”), is additionally amended as follows: (i) in section 2(a) the date “February 1, 2020” is changed to the date “February 1, 2023,” (ii) in section 2(c)(ii)(A) the date “December 31, 2020” is changed to the date “December 31, 2023,” (iii) in section 2(d)(i) the date “December 31, 2020” is changed to the date “December 31, 2023,” and (iv) in section 13(b) the date “December 31, 2022” is changed to the date “December 31, 2025.” The foregoing amendments in this section 2(a) constitute, and hereafter will be known and referred to collectively as, “Amendment No. 4 to Amended and Restated Merchandising Agreement.”

(b)      Services Agreement . SRH and SHO each agrees that the Services Agreement dated August 8, 2012, as amended prior to the date of this Amendment (including without limitation as a result of Service terminations), is additionally amended as follows: (i) in section 1.01(C) the references to the date “February 1 st , 2020” are changed to the date “February 1, 2023” and (ii) in Table III-Home and Commercial Delivery Services-Hybrid Delivery Market Process to Appendix 1.01-C the date “February 1 st , 2020” is changed to the date “February 1, 2023.” The foregoing amendments in this section 2(b) constitute, and hereafter will be known and referred to collectively as, “Amendment No. [11] to Services Agreement.”




Exhibit 10.1

(c)      Shop Your Way Rewards Retail Establishment Agreement . SRH and SHO each agrees that the Shop Your Way Rewards Retail Establishment Agreement dated August 8, 2012, as amended prior to the date of this Amendment, is additionally amended as follows: in section II the words “the tenth anniversary of the Effective Date has occurred” are changed to the date “February 1, 2023.” The foregoing amendment in this section 2(c) constitutes, and hereafter will be known and referred to as, “Amendment No. 3 to Shop Your Way Rewards Retail Establishment Agreement.”

3.      Other Terms of the Agreements; Governing Law . All terms and conditions of each Agreement as amended prior to the date of this Amendment (including all schedules, exhibits, and appendices) remain unchanged and in full force and effect except as expressly amended by this Amendment. The terms and conditions of section 22(t) of the ARMA govern this Amendment as if that section referred to this Amendment.

Sears Hometown and Outlet Stores, Inc.
 
Sears Authorized Hometown Stores, LLC
 
Sears Outlet Stores, L.L.C.
 
 
 
 
 
By: /s/ WILL POWELL
Will Powell
Chief Executive Officer and President
 
By: /s/ WILL POWELL
Will Powell
President
 
By: /s/ WILL POWELL
Will Powell
President
 
 
 
 
 
Transform SR LLC
 
Transform KM LLC
 
Transform SR Holdings LLC
 
 
 
 
 
By: /s/ ROBERT RIECKER
Robert Riecker
Senior Vice President
 
By: /s/ ROBERT RIECKER
Robert Riecker
Senior Vice President
 
By: /s/ ROBERT RIECKER
Robert Riecker
Senior Vice President
 
 
 
 
 
Transform SR Holding Management LLC
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
By: /s/ ROBERT RIECKER
Robert Riecker
Senior Vice President