0001341004-18-000237.txt : 20180419 0001341004-18-000237.hdr.sgml : 20180419 20180418195526 ACCESSION NUMBER: 0001341004-18-000237 CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE: SC TO-I/A PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT: 2 FILED AS OF DATE: 20180419 DATE AS OF CHANGE: 20180418 SUBJECT COMPANY: COMPANY DATA: COMPANY CONFORMED NAME: BLACKROCK DEBT STRATEGIES FUND, INC. CENTRAL INDEX KEY: 0001051003 IRS NUMBER: 223564108 STATE OF INCORPORATION: MD FISCAL YEAR END: 1231 FILING VALUES: FORM TYPE: SC TO-I/A SEC ACT: 1934 Act SEC FILE NUMBER: 005-85201 FILM NUMBER: 18762282 BUSINESS ADDRESS: STREET 1: 100 BELLEVUE PARKWAY CITY: WILMINGTON STATE: DE ZIP: 19809 BUSINESS PHONE: 800-441-7762 MAIL ADDRESS: STREET 1: 100 BELLEVUE PARKWAY CITY: WILMINGTON STATE: DE ZIP: 19809 FORMER COMPANY: FORMER CONFORMED NAME: BLACKROCK DEBT STRATEGIES FUND DATE OF NAME CHANGE: 20070611 FORMER COMPANY: FORMER CONFORMED NAME: DEBT STRATEGIES FUND DATE OF NAME CHANGE: 20030428 FORMER COMPANY: FORMER CONFORMED NAME: DEBT STRATEGIES FUND II INC DATE OF NAME CHANGE: 19971208 FILED BY: COMPANY DATA: COMPANY CONFORMED NAME: BLACKROCK DEBT STRATEGIES FUND, INC. CENTRAL INDEX KEY: 0001051003 IRS NUMBER: 223564108 STATE OF INCORPORATION: MD FISCAL YEAR END: 1231 FILING VALUES: FORM TYPE: SC TO-I/A BUSINESS ADDRESS: STREET 1: 100 BELLEVUE PARKWAY CITY: WILMINGTON STATE: DE ZIP: 19809 BUSINESS PHONE: 800-441-7762 MAIL ADDRESS: STREET 1: 100 BELLEVUE PARKWAY CITY: WILMINGTON STATE: DE ZIP: 19809 FORMER COMPANY: FORMER CONFORMED NAME: BLACKROCK DEBT STRATEGIES FUND DATE OF NAME CHANGE: 20070611 FORMER COMPANY: FORMER CONFORMED NAME: DEBT STRATEGIES FUND DATE OF NAME CHANGE: 20030428 FORMER COMPANY: FORMER CONFORMED NAME: DEBT STRATEGIES FUND II INC DATE OF NAME CHANGE: 19971208 SC TO-I/A 1 scto-a_final.htm
 

As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 18, 2018

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)
BlackRock Debt Strategies Fund, Inc.
(Name of Issuer)
BlackRock Debt Strategies Fund, Inc.
(Names of Filing Person(s) (Issuer))
Shares of Common Beneficial Interest, Par Value $0.10 per share
(Title of Class of Securities)

09255R202
(CUSIP Number of Class of Securities)

John Perlowski
BlackRock Debt Strategies Fund, Inc.
55 East 52nd Street
New York, New York 10055
1-800-441-7762
(Name, Address and Telephone Number of Person Authorized to
Receive Notices and Communications on Behalf of Filing Person(s))

Copies to:
Thomas A. DeCapo, Esq.
 
Janey Ahn, Esq.
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP
 
BlackRock Advisors, LLC
500 Boylston Street
 
55 East 52nd Street
Boston, Massachusetts 02116
 
New York, New York 10055
 




CALCULATION OF FILING FEE

Transaction Value
 
Amount of Filing Fee
$73,114,807.55(a)
 
$9,102.79(b)

(a)          Estimated for purposes of calculating the amount of the filing fee only. The amount is based upon the offer to purchase up to 5,879,192 shares of common stock in the offer based upon a price of $12.44 (98% of the net asset value per share on March 12, 2018).
(b)          Calculated at $124.50 per $1,000,000 of the Transaction Value, pursuant to Rule 0-11 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

[X]
Check box if any part of the fee is offset as provided by Rule 0-11(a)(2) and identify the filing with which the offsetting fee was previously paid. Identify the previous filing by registration statement number, or the Form or Schedule and the date of its filing.

Amount Previously Paid:
$9,102.79
Form or Registration No.:
SC-TO-I
Filing Party:
BlackRock Debt Strategies Fund, Inc.
Date Filed:
March 16, 2018

[  ]
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.
[X]
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: [X]



This Final Amendment relates to the Issuer Tender Offer Statement on Schedule TO (the “Statement”) originally filed on March 16, 2018 by BlackRock Debt Strategies Fund, Inc., diversified, closed-end management investment company organized as a Maryland corporation (the “Fund”), in connection with an offer by the Fund (the “Offer”) to repurchase 10% of its issued and outstanding shares of common stock, par value $0.10 per share (the “Shares”), in exchange for cash at a price equal to 98% of the net asset value per Share determined as of the close of the regular trading session of the New York Stock Exchange, the principal market on which the Shares are traded, on the business day immediately following the day the offer expires, upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the Offer to Purchase, dated March 16, 2018 (the “Offer to Repurchase”), and in the related Letter of Transmittal.

This is the Final Amendment to the Statement and is being filed to report the results of the Offer. Capitalized terms not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings ascribed to them in the Offer to Repurchase.

The following information is furnished pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c)(4):

1.
The Offer expired at 5:00 p.m. Eastern time, April 17, 2018.

2.
26,225,806 Shares of the Fund were validly tendered and not withdrawn prior to the expiration of the Offer, and 5,879,192 of those Shares were accepted for repurchase by the Fund in accordance with the terms of the Offer.

3.
The Shares were repurchased at a price of $12.4068.

Except as specifically provided herein, the information contained in the Statement,  the Offer to Repurchase and the Letter of Transmittal remains unchanged and this Amendment does not modify any of the information previously reported on the Statement, the Offer to Repurchase or the Letter of Transmittal.





SIGNATURE

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.



 
BlackRock Debt Strategies Fund, Inc.
     
     
 
By:  
/s/ John M. Perlowski
   
Name: John M. Perlowski
   
Title: President and Chief Executive Officer
     
   
Dated: April 18, 2018


Exhibit Index

(a)(1)(i)
Offer to Purchase, dated March 16, 2018 (1)
(a)(1)(ii)
Form of Letter of Transmittal (1)
(a)(2)
None.
(a)(3)
Not Applicable.
(a)(4)
Not Applicable.
(a)(5)(i)
Press release issued on March 1, 2018 (2)
(a)(5)(ii)
Press release issued on March 16, 2018 (1)
(a)(5)(iii)
Press release issued on April 17, 2018(3)
(a)(5)(iv)
Press release issued on April 18, 2018*
(b)
None.
(d)(1)
Automatic Dividend Reinvestment Plan (4)
(d)(2)
Amended and Restated Investment Management Agreement between the Registrant and BlackRock Advisors, LLC (4)
(d)(3)
Second Amended and Restated Deferred Compensation Plan (4)
(d)(4)
Transfer Agency and Service Agreement, Side Agreement and Fee Letter between the Registrant and Computershare Trust Company, N.A. and Computershare Inc. (5)
(d)(5)
Administrative Services Agreement between the Registrant and State Street (4)
(d)(6)
Credit Agreement between the Registrant and State Street (6)
(d)(7)
Amendment No. 3 to the Credit Agreement between the Registrant and State Street (4)
(d)(8)
Form of Amendment No. 4 to the Credit Agreement between the Registrant and State Street (7)
(g)
None.
(h)
None.
__________
*
Filed herewith.
(1)
Incorporated by reference to the Registrant’s Schedule TO-I, as filed with the SEC on March 16, 2018.
(2)
Incorporated by reference to the Registrant’s Schedule TO-C, as filed with the SEC on March 1, 2018.
(3)
Incorporated by reference to the first amendment to the Registrant's Schedule TO-I, as filed with the SEC on April 17, 2018.
(4)
Incorporated by reference to the corresponding Exhibits to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-2, as filed with the SEC on June 11, 2014.
(5)
Incorporated by reference to the corresponding Exhibit to Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the Registration Statement on Form N-2, as filed with the SEC on May 22, 2015.
(6)
Incorporated by reference to Exhibits 13(a)-(d) to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-14, as filed with the SEC on September 9, 2013.
(7)
Incorporated by reference to the corresponding Exhibits to Registrant’s Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the Registration Statement on Form N-2, as filed with the SEC on October 9, 2014.
EX-99 2 ex99.htm EXHIBIT (A)(5)(IV)
Exhibit (a)(5)(iv)

BlackRock Debt Strategies Fund, Inc.
Announces Final Results of Tender Offer
New York, April 18, 2018 – BlackRock Debt Strategies Fund, Inc. (the "Fund") (NYSE: DSU) announced today the final results of the Fund's tender offer (the "Tender Offer") for up to 10% of its outstanding shares of common stock (the "Shares").
The Tender Offer, which expired at 5:00 p.m. Eastern time on April 17, 2018, was oversubscribed.
Therefore, in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Tender Offer, the Fund will purchase Shares from all tendering stockholders on a pro rata basis, after disregarding "odd lots" and fractions, based on the number of Shares properly tendered ("Pro-Ration Factor"). The final results of the Tender Offer are provided in the table below.

Number of Shares
Tendered
Number of
Tendered Shares
to be Purchased
Pro-Ration Factor
Purchase Price*
Number of
Outstanding
Shares after
Tender Offer
26,225,806
5,879,192
22.023423%
$12.4068
52,912,736
* Equal to 98% of the Fund's net asset value per Share as of April 18, 2018 (the business day immediately following the expiration date of the Tender Offer).
The Fund will purchase the Shares it has accepted for payment as promptly as practicable.
Questions regarding the Tender Offer may be directed to Georgeson LLC, the Information Agent for the Tender Offer, toll free at (877) 278-9670.
Important Notice
This press release is for informational purposes only and shall not constitute an offer or a solicitation to buy any common shares. The offer to purchase Fund common shares was made only pursuant to an offer on Schedule TO. Common stockholders may obtain a free copy of the offer to purchase and other documents filed with the SEC at the website maintained by the SEC at www.sec.gov or by directing such requests to the Fund.
About the Fund
The Fund is a diversified, closed-end investment company whose primary investment objective is to seek to provide current income by investing primarily in a diversified portfolio of U.S. companies' debt instruments, including corporate loans, which are rated in the lower rating categories of the established rating services (BBB or lower by S&P's or Baa or lower by Moody's) or unrated debt instruments, which are in the judgment of the investment adviser of equivalent quality, and secondary investment objective is to provide capital appreciation.
Common shares of closed-end investment companies often trade at a discount to their NAVs, and the Fund's common shares may also trade at a discount to their NAV, although it is possible that they may trade at or at a premium above NAV. The market price of the Fund's common shares is determined by such factors as relative demand for and supply of such common shares in the market, the Fund's NAV, general market and economic conditions and other factors beyond the control of the Fund. Therefore, the Fund cannot predict whether its common shares will trade at, below or above NAV.
About BlackRock
BlackRock helps investors build better financial futures. As a fiduciary to our clients, we provide the investment and technology solutions they need when planning for their most important goals. As of March 31, 2018, the firm managed approximately $6.317 trillion in assets on behalf of investors worldwide. For additional information on BlackRock, please visit www.blackrock.com | Twitter: @blackrock | Blog: www.blackrockblog.com | LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/blackrock.






Availability of Fund Updates
BlackRock will update performance and certain other data for the Fund on a monthly basis on its website in the "Closed-end Funds" section of www.blackrock.com as well as certain other material information as necessary from time to time. Investors and others are advised to check the website for updated performance information and the release of other material information about the Fund. This reference to BlackRock's website is intended to allow investors public access to information regarding the Fund and does not, and is not intended to, incorporate BlackRock's website in this release.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release, and other statements that BlackRock or a Fund may make, may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act, with respect to the Fund's or BlackRock's future financial or business performance, strategies or expectations. Forward-looking statements are typically identified by words or phrases such as "trend," "potential," "opportunity," "pipeline," "believe," "comfortable," "expect," "anticipate," "current," "intention," "estimate," "position," "assume," "outlook," "continue," "remain," "maintain," "sustain," "seek," "achieve," and similar expressions, or future or conditional verbs such as "will," "would," "should," "could," "may" or similar expressions.
BlackRock cautions that forward-looking statements are subject to numerous assumptions, risks and uncertainties, which change over time. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, and BlackRock assumes no duty to and does not undertake to update forward-looking statements. Actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in forward-looking statements and future results could differ materially from historical performance.
With respect to the Fund, the following factors, among others, could cause actual events to differ materially from forward-looking statements or historical performance: (1) changes and volatility in political, economic or industry conditions, the interest rate environment, foreign exchange rates or financial and capital markets, which could result in changes in demand for the Fund or in the Fund's net asset value; (2) the relative and absolute investment performance of the Fund and its investments; (3) the impact of increased competition; (4) the unfavorable resolution of any legal proceedings; (5) the extent and timing of any distributions or share repurchases; (6) the impact, extent and timing of technological changes; (7) the impact of legislative and regulatory actions and reforms, including the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, and regulatory, supervisory or enforcement actions of government agencies relating to a Fund or BlackRock, as applicable; (8) terrorist activities, international hostilities and natural disasters, which may adversely affect the general economy, domestic and local financial and capital markets, specific industries or BlackRock; (9) BlackRock's ability to attract and retain highly talented professionals; (10) the impact of BlackRock electing to provide support to its products from time to time; (11) the impact of problems at other financial institutions or the failure or negative performance of products at other financial institutions; (12) continued implementation of the Fund's discount management program and board approval of any subsequent repurchases pursuant to the discount management program, and the method of execution thereof; and (13) changes to the expected discount threshold percentage or share repurchase amounts pursuant to the Fund's discount management program.
Annual and Semi-Annual Reports and other regulatory filings of the Fund with the SEC are accessible on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov and on BlackRock's website at www.blackrock.com, and may discuss these or other factors that affect the Fund. The information contained on BlackRock's website is not a part of this press release.