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| UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION |
| Washington, D.C. 20549 |
FORM 8-K
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| CURRENT REPORT |
| Pursuant to Section 13 OR 15(d) of The Securities Exchange Act of 1934 |
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| Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): | June 16, 2021 |
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| MEREDITH CORPORATION |
| (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter) |
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| Iowa | 001-05128 | 42-0410230 |
| (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization) | (Commission File Number) | (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.) |
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| 1716 Locust Street, | Des Moines, | Iowa | 50309-3023 |
| (Address of principal executive offices) | (ZIP Code) |
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Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: | (515) | 284-3000 |
Former name or former address, if changed since last report: Not applicable |
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)
☒ Soliciting 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:
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| Title of each class | | Trading Symbol | | Name of each exchange on which registered | |
| Common Stock, par value $1 | | MDP | | New York Stock Exchange | |
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. ¨
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| Item 7.01 | Regulation FD Disclosure |
On June 16, 2021, Tom Harty, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Meredith Corporation (Meredith or the Company), along with other executive officers of the Company, presented the slides furnished as Exhibit 99.2 to this Current Report on Form 8-K at the 11th Annual East Coast IDEAS Virtual Investor Conference.
The information in this Current Report on Form 8-K, including Exhibit 99.1 and 99.2, shall not be deemed "filed" for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section, nor shall it be deemed incorporated by reference in any of the Company's filing under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, whether made before or after the date hereof, regardless of any incorporation language in such a filing, except as expressly set forth by specific reference in such a filing.
On June 16, 2021, executive officers of Meredith presented at the 11th Annual East Coast IDEAS Virtual Investor Conference. The presentation transcript and slides for the conference are furnished as Exhibit 99.1 and 99.2 to this Current Report on Form 8-K.
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| Item 9.01 | Financial Statements and Exhibits | |
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| (d) | Exhibits |
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| | | Presentation transcript from June 16, 2021, 11th Annual East Coast IDEAS Virtual Investor Conference |
| | | Presentation slides for 11th Annual East Coast IDEAS Virtual Investor Conference on June 16, 2021 |
| | 104 | Cover Page Interactive Data File (formatted as Inline XBRL) |
Forward-Looking Statements
This Current Report on Form 8-K and the Exhibits attached hereto contain certain forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties. These statements are based on management’s current knowledge and estimates of factors affecting the Company and its operations. Forward-looking statements can be identified by words such as may, should, expects, provides, anticipates, assumes, can, will, meets, could, likely, intends, might, predicts, seeks, would, believes, estimates, plans, continues, guidance or outlook, or variations of these words or similar expressions. Actual results may differ materially from those currently anticipated.
Statements in this Current Report on Form 8-K and the Exhibits attached hereto regarding the Company, Gray Television, Inc. (Gray), and the new public company to be spun-off and which will retain the name Meredith Corporation (SpinCo) that are forward-looking, including projections as to the anticipated benefits of the proposed transactions, the methods that will be used to finance the transactions, the impact of the transactions on anticipated financial results, the synergies from the proposed transactions, and the closing date for the proposed transactions, are based on management’s estimates, assumptions and projections, and are subject to significant uncertainties and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of the Company, Gray, and SpinCo. None of this information should be considered in isolation from, or as a substitute for, the historical financial statements of the Company or Gray. Important risk factors could cause actual future results and other future events to differ materially from those currently estimated by management, including, but not limited to: the timing to consummate the proposed transactions; the risk that a condition to closing of the proposed transactions may not be satisfied and the transactions may not close; the risk that a regulatory approval that may be required for the proposed transactions is delayed, is not obtained or is obtained subject to conditions that are not anticipated; management’s ability to separate the national media business into an independent publicly-traded company; the diversion of management time on transaction-related issues; change in national and regional economic conditions; pricing fluctuations in
advertising; changes in paper and postage prices; reliance on printing suppliers; changes in magazine circulation sales; industry consolidation; technological developments; and major world news events.
For more discussion of important risk factors that may materially affect the Company, Gray, and SpinCo, please see the risk factors contained in Gray’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for its fiscal year ended December 31, 2020 and the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for its fiscal year ended June 30, 2020, both of which are on file with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). You should also read Gray’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2021, and the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2021, which are also on file with the SEC.
No assurances can be given that any of the events anticipated by the forward-looking statements will transpire or occur, or if any of them do occur, what impact they will have on the results of operations, financial condition or cash flows of the Company, Gray, or SpinCo. None of the Company, Gray, or SpinCo assumes any duty to update or revise forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, as of any future date.
Additional Information and Where to Find It
This communication is not a solicitation of a proxy from any shareholder of the Company. In connection with the proposed merger and spin-off, the Company intends to file relevant materials with the SEC, including a proxy statement. In addition, SpinCo intends to file a registration statement on Form 10 with respect to its common stock. INVESTORS AND SECURITY HOLDERS ARE URGED TO READ THESE MATERIALS WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE COMPANY, SPINCO, GRAY, THE MERGER AND THE SPIN-OFF. The proxy statement and Form 10, and other relevant materials (when they become available), and any other documents filed by the Company, SpinCo, and Gray with the SEC, may be obtained free of charge at the SEC’s web site at www.sec.gov. The documents filed by the Company may also be obtained for free from the Company’s Investor Relations web site (http://ir.meredith.com) or by directing a request to the Company’s Shareholder/Financial Analyst contact, Mike Lovell, Executive Director of Corporate Communications, at 515-284-3622.
Participants in the Solicitation
The Company and Gray and their respective executive officers and directors may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from the security holders of the Company in connection with the proposed merger and spin-off. Information about Gray’s directors and executive officers is available in Gray’s definitive proxy statement, dated March 25, 2021, for its 2021 annual meeting of shareholders. Information about the Company’s directors and executive officers is available in the Company’s definitive proxy statement, dated September 25, 2020, for its 2020 annual meeting of shareholders. Other information regarding the participants and description of their direct and indirect interests, by security holdings or otherwise, will be contained in the proxy statement and Form 10 registration statement regarding the proposed merger and spin-off that the Company, SpinCo, and Gray will file with the SEC when it becomes available.
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| SIGNATURE |
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| 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, thereunto duly authorized. |
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| MEREDITH CORPORATION | |
| Registrant | |
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| /s/ Jason Frierott | |
| Jason Frierott | |
| Chief Financial Officer | |
| (Principal Financial and Accounting Officer) | |
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Date: June 16, 2021 | | |