0000921895-17-001961.txt : 20170721 0000921895-17-001961.hdr.sgml : 20170721 20170721132050 ACCESSION NUMBER: 0000921895-17-001961 CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE: SC 13D/A PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT: 2 FILED AS OF DATE: 20170721 DATE AS OF CHANGE: 20170721 SUBJECT COMPANY: COMPANY DATA: COMPANY CONFORMED NAME: Covisint Corp CENTRAL INDEX KEY: 0001563699 STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION: SERVICES-COMPUTER PROCESSING & DATA PREPARATION [7374] IRS NUMBER: 262318591 STATE OF INCORPORATION: MI FISCAL YEAR END: 0331 FILING VALUES: FORM TYPE: SC 13D/A SEC ACT: 1934 Act SEC FILE NUMBER: 005-87856 FILM NUMBER: 17976180 BUSINESS ADDRESS: STREET 1: 26533 EVERGREEN RD., SUITE 500 CITY: SOUTHFIELD STATE: MI ZIP: 48076 BUSINESS PHONE: 2484832000 MAIL ADDRESS: STREET 1: 26533 EVERGREEN RD., SUITE 500 CITY: SOUTHFIELD STATE: MI ZIP: 48076 FILED BY: COMPANY DATA: COMPANY CONFORMED NAME: BR Dialectic Capital Management, LLC CENTRAL INDEX KEY: 0001704985 IRS NUMBER: 820968111 STATE OF INCORPORATION: DE FISCAL YEAR END: 1231 FILING VALUES: FORM TYPE: SC 13D/A BUSINESS ADDRESS: STREET 1: 11100 SANTA MONICA BLVD., SUITE 800 CITY: LOS ANGELES STATE: CA ZIP: 90025 BUSINESS PHONE: 310-966-1444 MAIL ADDRESS: STREET 1: 11100 SANTA MONICA BLVD., SUITE 800 CITY: LOS ANGELES STATE: CA ZIP: 90025 SC 13D/A 1 sc13da607609009_07202017.htm AMENDMENT NO. 6 TO THE SCHEDULE 13D

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

SCHEDULE 13D

(Rule 13d-101)

INFORMATION TO BE INCLUDED IN STATEMENTS FILED PURSUANT

TO § 240.13d-1(a) AND AMENDMENTS THERETO FILED PURSUANT TO

§ 240.13d-2(a)

(Amendment No. 6)1

Covisint Corporation

(Name of Issuer)

Common Stock, no par value

(Title of Class of Securities)

22357R103

(CUSIP Number)

John Fichthorn

BR DIALECTIC CAPITAL MANAGEMENT, LLC

119 Rowayton Avenue, 2nd Floor

Norwalk, Connecticut 06853

(212) 230-3232

 

STEVE WOLOSKY, ESQ.

ANDREW FREEDMAN, ESQ.

OLSHAN FROME WOLOSKY LLP

1325 Avenue of the Americas

New York, New York 10019

(212) 451-2300

(Name, Address and Telephone Number of Person

Authorized to Receive Notices and Communications)

 

July 19, 2017

(Date of Event Which Requires Filing of This Statement)

 

If the filing person has previously filed a statement on Schedule 13G to report the acquisition that is the subject of this Schedule 13D, and is filing this schedule because of §§ 240.13d-1(e), 240.13d-1(f) or 240.13d-1(g), check the following box ¨.

Note:  Schedules filed in paper format shall include a signed original and five copies of the schedule, including all exhibits.  See § 240.13d-7 for other parties to whom copies are to be sent.

 

 

 

1              The remainder of this cover page shall be filled out for a reporting person’s initial filing on this form with respect to the subject class of securities, and for any subsequent amendment containing information which would alter disclosures provided in a prior cover page.

The information required on the remainder of this cover page shall not be deemed to be “filed” for the purpose of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (“Act”) or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section of the Act but shall be subject to all other provisions of the Act (however, see the Notes).

 

CUSIP NO. 22357R103

  1   NAME OF REPORTING PERSON  
         
        Dialectic Capital Partners, LP  
  2   CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP (a) ☒
        (b) ☐
           
  3   SEC USE ONLY    
           
           
  4   SOURCE OF FUNDS  
         
        WC  
  5   CHECK BOX IF DISCLOSURE OF LEGAL PROCEEDINGS IS REQUIRED PURSUANT TO ITEM 2(d) OR 2(e)     ☐
       
           
  6   CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION  
         
        Delaware  
NUMBER OF   7   SOLE VOTING POWER  
SHARES          
BENEFICIALLY         - 0 -  
OWNED BY   8   SHARED VOTING POWER  
EACH          
REPORTING         368,862  
PERSON WITH   9   SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER  
         
          - 0 -  
    10   SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER  
           
          368,862  
  11   AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON  
         
        368,862  
  12   CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (11) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES     ☐
       
           
  13   PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (11)  
         
        Less than 1%  
  14   TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON  
         
        PN  

  

2

CUSIP NO. 22357R103

  1   NAME OF REPORTING PERSON  
         
        Dialectic Offshore, Ltd.  
  2   CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP (a) ☒
        (b) ☐
           
  3   SEC USE ONLY    
           
           
  4   SOURCE OF FUNDS  
         
        WC  
  5   CHECK BOX IF DISCLOSURE OF LEGAL PROCEEDINGS IS REQUIRED PURSUANT TO ITEM 2(d) OR 2(e)     ☐
       
           
  6   CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION  
         
        Cayman Islands  
NUMBER OF   7   SOLE VOTING POWER  
SHARES          
BENEFICIALLY         - 0 -  
OWNED BY   8   SHARED VOTING POWER  
EACH          
REPORTING         1,299,327  
PERSON WITH   9   SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER  
         
          - 0 -  
    10   SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER  
           
          1,299,327  
  11   AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON  
         
        1,299,327  
  12   CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (11) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES     ☐
       
           
  13   PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (11)  
         
        3.2%  
  14   TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON  
         
        CO  

  

3

CUSIP NO. 22357R103

 

  1   NAME OF REPORTING PERSON  
         
        Dialectic Antithesis Partners, LP  
  2   CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP (a) ☒
        (b) ☐
           
  3   SEC USE ONLY    
           
           
  4   SOURCE OF FUNDS  
         
        WC  
  5   CHECK BOX IF DISCLOSURE OF LEGAL PROCEEDINGS IS REQUIRED PURSUANT TO ITEM 2(d) OR 2(e)     ☐
       
           
  6   CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION  
         
        Delaware  
NUMBER OF   7   SOLE VOTING POWER  
SHARES          
BENEFICIALLY         - 0 -  
OWNED BY   8   SHARED VOTING POWER  
EACH          
REPORTING         1,473,024  
PERSON WITH   9   SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER  
         
          - 0 -  
    10   SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER  
           
          1,473,024  
  11   AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON  
         
        1,473,024  
  12   CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (11) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES     ☐
       
           
  13   PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (11)  
         
        3.6%  
  14   TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON  
         
        PN  

  

4

CUSIP NO. 22357R103

 

  1   NAME OF REPORTING PERSON  
         
        BR Dialectic Capital Management, LLC  
  2   CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP (a) ☒
        (b) ☐
           
  3   SEC USE ONLY    
           
           
  4   SOURCE OF FUNDS  
         
        OO  
  5   CHECK BOX IF DISCLOSURE OF LEGAL PROCEEDINGS IS REQUIRED PURSUANT TO ITEM 2(d) OR 2(e)     ☐
       
           
  6   CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION  
         
        Delaware  
NUMBER OF   7   SOLE VOTING POWER  
SHARES          
BENEFICIALLY         - 0 -  
OWNED BY   8   SHARED VOTING POWER  
EACH          
REPORTING         3,141,213  
PERSON WITH   9   SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER  
         
          - 0 -  
    10   SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER  
           
          3,141,213  
  11   AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON  
         
        3,141,213  
  12   CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (11) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES     ☐
       
           
  13   PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (11)  
         
        7.7%  
  14   TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON  
         
        IA, OO  

  

5

CUSIP NO. 22357R103

 

  1   NAME OF REPORTING PERSON  
         
        B. Riley Capital Management, LLC  
  2   CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP (a) ☒
        (b) ☐
           
  3   SEC USE ONLY    
           
           
  4   SOURCE OF FUNDS  
         
        OO  
  5   CHECK BOX IF DISCLOSURE OF LEGAL PROCEEDINGS IS REQUIRED PURSUANT TO ITEM 2(d) OR 2(e)     ☐
       
           
  6   CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION  
         
        New York  
NUMBER OF   7   SOLE VOTING POWER  
SHARES          
BENEFICIALLY         - 0 -  
OWNED BY   8   SHARED VOTING POWER  
EACH          
REPORTING         3,141,213  
PERSON WITH   9   SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER  
         
          - 0 -  
    10   SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER  
           
          3,141,213  
  11   AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON  
         
        3,141,213  
  12   CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (11) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES     ☐
       
           
  13   PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (11)  
         
        7.7%  
  14   TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON  
         
        IA, OO  

  

6

CUSIP NO. 22357R103

 

  1   NAME OF REPORTING PERSON  
         
        B. Riley Financial, Inc.  
  2   CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP (a) ☒
        (b) ☐
           
  3   SEC USE ONLY    
           
           
  4   SOURCE OF FUNDS  
         
        OO  
  5   CHECK BOX IF DISCLOSURE OF LEGAL PROCEEDINGS IS REQUIRED PURSUANT TO ITEM 2(d) OR 2(e)     ☐
       
           
  6   CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION  
         
        Delaware  
NUMBER OF   7   SOLE VOTING POWER  
SHARES          
BENEFICIALLY         - 0 -  
OWNED BY   8   SHARED VOTING POWER  
EACH          
REPORTING         3,141,213  
PERSON WITH   9   SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER  
         
          - 0 -  
    10   SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER  
           
          3,141,213  
  11   AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON  
         
        3,141,213  
  12   CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (11) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES     ☐
       
           
  13   PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (11)  
         
        7.7%  
  14   TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON  
         
        CO  

  

7

CUSIP NO. 22357R103

 

  1   NAME OF REPORTING PERSON  
         
        John Fichthorn  
  2   CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP (a) ☒
        (b) ☐
           
  3   SEC USE ONLY    
           
           
  4   SOURCE OF FUNDS  
         
        OO  
  5   CHECK BOX IF DISCLOSURE OF LEGAL PROCEEDINGS IS REQUIRED PURSUANT TO ITEM 2(d) OR 2(e)     ☐
       
           
  6   CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION  
         
        USA  
NUMBER OF   7   SOLE VOTING POWER  
SHARES          
BENEFICIALLY         - 0 -  
OWNED BY   8   SHARED VOTING POWER  
EACH          
REPORTING         3,141,213  
PERSON WITH   9   SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER  
         
          - 0 -  
    10   SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER  
           
          3,141,213  
  11   AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON  
         
        3,141,213  
  12   CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (11) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES     ☐
       
           
  13   PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (11)  
         
        7.7%  
  14   TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON  
         
        IN  

  

8

CUSIP NO. 22357R103

The following constitutes Amendment No. 6 to the Schedule 13D filed by the undersigned (“Amendment No. 6”). This Amendment No. 6 amends the Schedule 13D as specifically set forth herein.

 

Item 4.Purpose of Transaction.

Item 4 is hereby amended to add the following:

 

On July 19, 2017, BR Dialectic Capital issued a press release announcing its intention to vote against the proposed acquisition of the Issuer by Open Text Corporation at the Issuer’s upcoming special meeting of shareholders to be held on July 25, 2017. A copy of the press release is attached as Exhibit 99.1 hereto and is incorporated herein by reference.

Item 7.Material to be Filed as Exhibits.

Item 7 is hereby amended to add the following exhibit:

99.1Press Release, dated July 19, 2017.

9

CUSIP NO. 22357R103

SIGNATURES

After reasonable inquiry and to the best of his knowledge and belief, each of the undersigned certifies that the information set forth in this statement is true, complete and correct.

Dated: July 21, 2017

  Dialectic Capital Partners, LP
   
  By: BR Dialectic Capital Management, LLC, its investment manager
   
  By: /s/ John Fichthorn
    Name: John Fichthorn
    Title: Head of Alternative Investments

 

  Dialectic Offshore, Ltd.
   
  By: /s/ John Fichthorn
    Name: John Fichthorn
    Title: Director

 

  Dialectic Antithesis Partners, LP
     
  By: BR Dialectic Capital Management, LLC, its investment manager
   
  By: /s/ John Fichthorn
    Name: John Fichthorn
    Title: Head of Alternative Investments

 

  BR Dialectic Capital Management, LLC
   
  By: /s/ John Fichthorn
    Name: John Fichthorn
    Title: Head of Alternative Investments

 

  B. Riley Capital Management, LLC
   
  By: /s/ Michael Markunas
    Name: Michael Markunas
    Title: Chief Compliance Officer

 

  B. Riley Financial, Inc.
   
  By: /s/ Michael Markunas
    Name: Michael Markunas
    Title Chief Compliance Officer

 

 

/s/ John Fichthorn

  John Fichthorn

 

10

 

EX-99.1 2 ex991to13da607609009_072017.htm PRESS RELEASE, DATED JULY 19, 2017

Exhibit 99.1

 

DIALECTIC CAPITAL ISSUES PUBLIC LETTER ANNOUNCING INTENTION TO VOTE AGAINST OPENTEXT’S ACQUISITION OF COVISINT

 

Believes Proposed Acquisition Significantly Undervalues Covisint Shares

 

Norwalk, CT – July 19, 2017 – Dialectic Capital Management, LLC, one of the largest shareholders of Covisint Corporation (“Covisint” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ:COVS), with beneficial ownership of approximately 7.7% of the Company’s outstanding shares, today issued a public letter to Covisint shareholders announcing its intention to vote AGAINST the proposed acquisition of Covisint by Open Text Corporation at the Company’s upcoming special meeting of shareholders to be held on July 25, 2017. The full text of the letter is included below.

 

July 19, 2017

 

Dear Fellow Covisint Shareholders:

 

Dialectic Capital Management, LLC (together with its affiliates, “we”) is one of the largest shareholders of Covisint Corporation (“Covisint” or the “Company”), with ownership of approximately 7.7% of the Company’s outstanding shares. As one of the Company’s largest shareholders, we feel obligated to state our intention to vote AGAINST the proposed acquisition of Covisint by Open Text Corporation (“OpenText”) at the Company’s upcoming special meeting of shareholders to be held on July 25, 2017. Following years of mismanagement under the leadership of the board of directors (the “Board”) and management team resulting in a depressed valuation, we believe it is wholly irresponsible for the Company to be sold now after posting its first quarter of profits.

 

Plain and simple, we believe the $2.45 per share price that is being offered to Covisint shareholders is completely inadequate. The current offer is seemingly representative of a company in secular decline with no growth opportunities, low margins and no proprietary technology – none of which is the case with Covisint. Even using the “cherry-picked” multiples the Company’s own financial advisor, Evercore Group L.L.C. (“Evercore”), used in the Company’s proxy statement for comparison, the multiple of Covisint’s acquisition looks out of place:

 

Company Name Total Enterprise Value to 2017 Estimated Revenue
Brightcove Inc. 1.26x
eGain Corporation 1.04x
Guidance Software, Inc. 1.91x
Jive Software, Inc. (Acquired on 6/13/17) 1.46x
Marin Software Incorporated 0.20x
   
Mean 1.17x
Median 1.26x
   
Covisint 1.00x

 

 

 

 

Based on Evercore’s own analysis, it appears that Covisint was practically given away. In its analysis, Evercore determined that the median enterprise value/revenue multiple for public comparable companies was 1.25x and 1.7x for recent similar transactions. Given Covisint’s enterprise value is approximately $69.7 million and management’s estimated 2017 revenue of $70 million, the current offer of $2.45 represents an enterprise value to revenue multiple of approximately 1x. Using the median multiples of 1.25x and 1.7x calculated by Evercore generates per share prices of $2.88 and $3.65, representing premiums of 18% and 49%, respectively, to the current offer of $2.45.

 

In addition to our concern with the enterprise value/revenue multiple for the proposed transaction, we are troubled by the discounted cash flow analysis generated by Evercore based on management’s long term projections. The assumptions in the analysis seem illogical and manufactured to yield the desired outcome of a sale. Even in the “Sensitized Projections,” where the business is run to maximize cash flow, revenues show slight growth, but Evercore assumes a negative perpetual growth rate. We are unable to reconcile any of management’s projections with the assumptions used to derive the multiples for the sale price. The current multiple also represents just over 1x recurring revenue, which is unjustifiably low in our view as it is difficult to find any software companies that have sold with that low of a multiple.

 

We believe Covisint participates in one of the most exciting areas of tech, and if it is able to execute on any of management’s internal projections, the justified EV/EBITDA multiple would be well above 10x. If the Company does roughly $20 million of EBITDA and is able to generate some revenue growth, as detailed in the “Sensitized Projections,” then applying a 10x EV/EBITDA multiple results in a stock price of $5. Even discounted back to present value, this results in a per share value well above the current offer. If revenue growth is in line with the “Base Case Projections” (i.e. much higher), then we believe an even higher multiple would be justified. How can the Board recommend an offer representing an EV/EBITDA multiple of roughly 3.5x?

 

Further supporting our decision to vote against the proposed acquisition by OpenText is OpenText’s own guidance to the street following the announcement of the deal. OpenText indicated that the acquisition of Covisint would be 2% accretive in the upcoming fiscal year ending June 2018. This implies around $13 million of acquired net income for which it is paying $70 million. Notwithstanding our beliefs that the implied income is conservative and there are obvious synergies through which it could be further improved, to be able to acquire a viable tech business for roughly five times net income is absurd. We believe OpenText is getting a sweetheart deal that significantly undervalues Covisint shares.

 

The real tragedy is that after rejecting an offer in the range of $3.00 to $3.75 per share bid last spring and subsequently resisting efforts by shareholders to improve the Company, the Board elected to accept a 27% lower bid at the same time the Company posted a profitable quarter. This decision-making process calls into question the fitness of the members of the Board to continue to serve as fiduciaries of the Company’s shareholders.

 

 

 

Under the right leadership, we believe there is a viable path forward for the Company that is more attractive than the current offer. If the Company were to focus its sales efforts on the auto end market with an emphasis on existing customers, adjust its cost structure to be run profitably and look to grow responsibly either through small acquisitions or internal development, we believe the Company could be sold in the future for a much higher price. More specifically, we believe that using a business plan similar to the Company’s “Sensitized Projections,” the Company could generate meaningful cash flows in short order. Profitable businesses attract both talented employees and customers. The cash generated could be used to examine and potentially acquire small companies within the growing internet of things, supply chain management and automotive software spaces. Moreover, the Company’s NOL of around $20 million would shelter early profits.

 

Once the Company has proven its ability to generate a sustainable profit, if it is unable to find a reasonable growth opportunity, then it should go through a similar sales process to try and maximize shareholder value. We do not believe that a sale now at the proposed price is advisable as we believe it significantly undervalues the Company’s prospects.

 

To protect the value of our investment and preserve the flexibility to effect a leadership change at the Company, we intend to vote AGAINST the proposed acquisition of Covisint by OpenText. Had it not been for the standstill provisions contained in our prior agreement with the Company, we would have stated our opposition to the proposed transaction long ago. With the standstill now behind us, we are free to take any and all action that we believe is necessary to protect the value of our investment – something we fully intend to do.

 

Sincerely,

 

/s/ John Fichthorn

 

John Fichthorn

Dialectic Capital Management, LLC

 

Contact:

John Fichthorn, (212) 230-3230

 

 

PLEASE NOTE: Dialectic Capital Management, LLC is not asking for your proxy card and cannot accept your proxy card. Please DO NOT send us your proxy card.