DEFA14A 1 tm2411593d3_defa14a.htm DEFA14A

 

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

 

 

FORM 8-K

 

 

 

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

 

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): April 10, 2024

 

Battalion Oil Corporation

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

Delaware   001-35467   20-0700684
(State or other jurisdiction
of incorporation)
  (Commission File Number)   (IRS Employer
Identification No.)
     
Two Memorial City Plaza
820 Gessner Road, Suite 1100

Houston, TX
  77043
(Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip Code)
         

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (832) 538-0300

 

 

(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:

 

¨Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

 

xSoliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

 

¨Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

 

¨Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

 

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

 

Title of each class Trading Symbol Name of each exchange on which registered
Common Stock par value $0.0001 BATL NYSE American

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).

 

Emerging growth company ¨

 

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. ¨

 

 

 

 

 

 

Item 8.01 Other Events

  

On April 10, 2024, Battalion Oil Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the “Company” or “we”), was informed by Fury Resources, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Parent”), that Parent would fail to meet certain funding deadlines set forth in the Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of December 14, 2023 (the “Merger Agreement”), by and among the Company, Parent, and San Jacinto Merger Sub, Inc., a Delaware corporation and a direct, wholly owned subsidiary of Parent (“Merger Sub”), as amended by that certain First Amendment to Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of January 24, 2024 (the “First Amendment”), the Second Amendment to the Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of February 6, 2024 (the “Second Amendment”), and that certain Third Amendment to Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of February 16, 2024 (the “Third Amendment”).

 

Pursuant to the Merger Agreement (as amended by the First Amendment, the Second Amendment and the Third Amendment), the Company has the right to terminate the Merger Agreement if Parent fails to deliver sufficient evidence to the Company demonstrating that Parent has obtained, in escrow and including the $10,000,000 Parent had, prior to the execution of the Merger Agreement, deposited in cash into a segregated escrow account (the “Escrow Account”) for purposes of securing Parent’s obligations pursuant to the Merger Agreement and any other amounts deposited into the Escrow Account (if deposited), aggregate financing equal to at least $200,000,000 (such evidence, the “Evidence of Funding”) to the Company on or before 5:00 p.m. Central Time on April 10, 2024 (the “Funding Deadline”). The Closing Failure Fee (as defined in the Merger Agreement) shall become payable upon the exercise of such termination right and the obligation to make such payment would be a guaranteed obligation under the guarantee provided by Abraham Mirman in favor of the Company (the “Limited Guarantee”) summarized in the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on February 6, 2024 but subject to the limitations set forth in the Limited Guarantee.

 

On April 10, 2024, Parent informed the Company that it would not be able to deliver the Evidence of Funding by the Funding Deadline (the “Failure”). Under the terms of the Merger Agreement as amended by the Third Amendment, the Company has the right to terminate the Merger Agreement if Parent fails to deliver Evidence of Funding by the Funding Deadline.

 

The Company’s board of directors and the special committee of the Board are evaluating the Company’s options in light of the Failure and are considering a range of options, including possible changes to the terms of the Merger Agreement and a termination of the Merger Agreement in accordance with its terms. At this time, the Company has not terminated the Merger Agreement but has reserved all of its rights and remedies under the Merger Agreement and applicable law.

 

For a summary of the material terms of the Merger Agreement and the First Amendment, Second Amendment, Third Amendment and the Limited Guarantee, please see the Company’s Current Reports on Forms 8-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on December 18, 2023, January 24, 2024, February 6, 2024 and February 16, 2024.

 

Important Information for Investors and Stockholders

 

This communication is being made in respect of the proposed transaction involving the Company and Parent. In connection with the proposed transaction, the Company intends to file the relevant materials with the SEC, including a proxy statement on Schedule 14A and a transaction statement on Schedule 13e-3 (the “Schedule 13e-3”). Promptly after filing its definitive proxy statement with the SEC, the Company will mail the definitive proxy statement, and a proxy card to each stockholder of the Company entitled to vote at the special meeting relating to the proposed transaction. This communication is not a substitute for the proxy statement, the Schedule 13e-3 or any other document that the Company may file with the SEC or send to its stockholders in connection with the proposed transaction. The materials to be filed by the Company will be made available to the Company’s investors and stockholders at no expense to them and copies may be obtained free of charge on the Company’s website at www.battalionoil.com. In addition, all of those materials will be available at no charge on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. Investors and stockholders of the Company are urged to read the proxy statement, the Schedule 13e-3 and the other relevant materials when they become available before making any voting or investment decision with respect to the proposed transaction because they contain important information about the Company and the proposed transaction.

 

 

 

 

The Company and its directors, executive officers, other members of its management and employees may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies of the Company stockholders in connection with the proposed transaction under SEC rules. Investors and stockholders may obtain more detailed information regarding the names, affiliations and interests of the Company’s executive officers and directors in the solicitation by reading the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023, and the proxy statement, the Schedule 13e-3 and other relevant materials that will be filed with the SEC in connection with the proposed transaction when they become available. Information concerning the interests of the Company’s participants in the solicitation, which may, in some cases, be different than those of the Company’s stockholders generally, will be set forth in the proxy statement relating to the proposed transaction and the Schedule 13e-3 when they become available.

 

Forward-Looking Statements

 

All statements and assumptions in this communication that do not directly and exclusively relate to historical facts could be deemed “forward-looking statements.” Forward-looking statements are often identified by the use of words such as “anticipates,” “believes,” “estimates,” “expects,” “may,” “could,” “should,” “forecast,” “goal,” “intends,” “objective,” “plans,” “projects,” “strategy,” “target” and “will” and similar words and terms or variations of such. These statements represent current intentions, expectations, beliefs or projections, and no assurance can be given that the results described in such statements will be achieved. Forward-looking statements include, among other things, statements about the potential benefits of the proposed transaction; the prospective performance and outlook of the Company’s business, performance and opportunities; the ability of the parties to complete the proposed transaction and the expected timing of completion of the proposed transaction; as well as any assumptions underlying any of the foregoing. Such statements are subject to numerous assumptions, risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in such statements, many of which are outside of the Company’s control. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, (i) the risk that the proposed transaction may not be completed in a timely manner or at all; (ii) the failure to receive, on a timely basis or otherwise, the required approvals of the proposed transaction by the Company’s stockholders; (iii) the possibility that any or all of the various conditions to the consummation of the proposed transaction may not be satisfied or waived, including the failure to receive any required regulatory approvals from any applicable governmental entities (or any conditions, limitations or restrictions placed on such approvals); (iv) the possibility that competing offers or acquisition proposals for the Company will be made; (v) the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstance that could give rise to the termination of the definitive transaction agreement relating to the proposed transaction, including in circumstances, which would require the Company to pay a termination fee; (vi) the effect of the announcement or pendency of the proposed transaction on the Company’s ability to attract, motivate or retain key executives and employees, its ability to maintain relationships with its customers, suppliers and other business counterparties, or its operating results and business generally; (vii) risks related to the proposed transaction diverting management’s attention from the Company’s ongoing business operations; (viii) the amount of costs, fees and expenses related to the proposed transaction; (ix) the risk that the Company’s stock price may decline significantly if the consummation of the transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement are not consummated; (x) the risk of shareholder litigation in connection with the proposed transaction, including resulting expense or delay; and (xi) other factors as set forth from time to time in the Company’s filings with the SEC, including its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023, as may be updated or supplemented by any subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q or other filings with the SEC. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such statements which speak only as of the date they are made. The Company does not undertake any obligation to update or release any revisions to any forward-looking statement or to report any events or circumstances after the date of this communication or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events except as required by law.

 

 

 

 

SIGNATURE

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

 

  BATTALION OIL CORPORATION
   
   
April 11, 2024 By: /s/ Matthew B. Steele
  Name: Matthew B. Steele
  Title: Chief Executive Officer