UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

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FORM 8-K

 

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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 17, 2017

TENGASCO, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (720)420-4460

 

(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)

☐	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))

 

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Item 3.03

Material Modification to Rights of Security Holders.

Effective  March 17, 2017 the Board of Directors of Tengasco, Inc. declared a dividend of one right (a “Right”) for each of the Company’s issued and outstanding shares of common stock, $0.001 par value per share (“Common Stock”). The dividend will be paid to the stockholders of record at the close of business on March 27, 2017 (the “Record Date”). Each Right entitles the registered holder, subject to the terms of the Rights Agreement (as defined below), to purchase from the Company one one-thousandth of a share of the Company’s Preferred Stock at a price of $1.10 (the “Exercise Price”), subject to certain adjustments. The description and terms of the Rights are set forth in the Rights Agreement dated as of March 16, 2017 (the “Rights Agreement”) between the Company and the Rights Agent, Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company.

The purpose of the Rights Agreement is to reduce the risk that the Company’s ability to use its net operating losses to reduce potential future federal income tax obligations would be limited by reason of the Company’s experiencing an “ownership change,” as defined in Section 382 of the Internal Revenue Code.. A company generally experiences an ownership change if the percentage of its stock owned by its “5-percent shareholders,” as defined in Section 382 of the Tax Code, increases by more than 50 percentage points over a rolling three-year period. The Rights Agreement is designed to reduce the likelihood that the Company will experience an ownership change under Section 382 of the Tax Code by discouraging any person or group from becoming a 4.95% shareholder and also discouraging any existing 4.95% (or more) shareholder from acquiring additional shares of the Company’s stock.

The Rights will not be exercisable until the earlier to occur of (i) a public announcement or filing that a person or group has, become an “Acquiring Person,” which is defined as a person or group of affiliated or associated persons or persons acting in concert who, at any time after the date of the Rights Agreement, have acquired, or obtained the right to acquire, beneficial ownership of 4.95% or more of the Company’s outstanding shares of Common Stock; or a person or group currently owning 4.95% (or more) of the Company’s outstanding shares acquires additional shares of the Company’s stock; subject to certain exceptions or (ii) the commencement of, or announcement of an intention to commence, a tender offer or exchange offer the consummation of which would result in any person becoming an Acquiring Person (the earlier of such dates being called the “Distribution Date”).

With respect to certificates representing shares of Common Stock outstanding as of the Record Date, until the Distribution Date, the Rights will be evidenced by such certificates for shares of Common Stock registered in the names of the holders thereof, and not by separate Rights Certificates. With respect to book entry shares of Common Stock outstanding as of the Record Date, until the Distribution Date, the Rights will be evidenced by the balances indicated in the book entry account system of the transfer agent for the Common Stock. Until the earlier of the Distribution Date (if one occurs) or the Expiration Date, as described below, the transfer of any shares of Common Stock outstanding on the Record Date will also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with such shares of Common Stock. As soon as practicable after the Distribution Date, separate certificates evidencing the Rights (“Right Certificates”) will be mailed to holders of record of the Common Stock as of the close of business on the Distribution Date, and such Right Certificates alone will evidence the Rights. The Rights, which are not exercisable until the Distribution Date, will expire prior to the earliest of (i) March 16, 2020 or such later day as may be established by the Board prior to the expiration of the Rights, provided that the extension is submitted to the Company’s stockholders for ratification at the next annual meeting of stockholders of the Company succeeding such extension; (ii) the time at which the Rights are redeemed pursuant to the Rights Agreement; (iii) the time at which the Rights are exchanged pursuant to the Rights Agreement; (iv) the time at which the Rights are terminated upon the occurrence of certain events;(v) the close of business on the first day after the Company’s 2017 annual meeting of stockholders, if approval by the stockholders of the Company of the Rights Agreement has not been obtained at such meeting; (vi) the close of business on the effective date of the repeal of Section 382 of the Tax Code, if the Board determines that the Rights Agreement is no longer necessary or desirable for the preservation of Tax Benefits; (vii) the close of business on the first day of a taxable year of the Company to which the Board determines that no Tax Benefits are available to be carried forward; and (viii) the Close of Business on the first day after the Board of Directors determines by resolution in its business judgment that the Agreement is no longer necessary or appropriate (the earliest of (i) – (viii) being herein referred to as the “Expiration Date”).

 

If issued, each share of Preferred Stock will be entitled, when, as and if declared, to a preferential per share quarterly dividend payment equal to the greater of (i) $1.00 per share or (ii) an amount equal to 1,000 times the dividend declared per share of Common Stock. Each share of Preferred Stock will entitle the holder thereof to 1,000 votes on all matters submitted to a vote of the stockholders of the Company.  In the event of any merger, consolidation or other transaction in which shares of Common Stock are converted or exchanged, each share of Preferred Stock will be entitled to receive 1,000 times the amount received per one share of Common Stock.

The Exercise Price payable, and the number of shares of Preferred Stock or other securities or property issuable, upon exercise of the Rights are subject to adjustment from time to time to prevent dilution in certain circumstances.. The number of outstanding Rights and the number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Stock issuable upon exercise of each Right are also subject to adjustment in the event of a stock split, reverse stock split, stock dividends and other similar transactions.  With certain exceptions, no adjustment in the Exercise Price will be required unless such adjustment would require an increase or decrease of at least one percent (1%) in the Exercise Price. No fractional shares of Preferred Stock will be issued (other than fractions which are integral multiples of one one-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock., At any time after any person or group of affiliated or associated persons becomes an Acquiring Person, the Board, at its option, may exchange each Right (other than Rights owned by such person or group of affiliated or associated persons which will have become void), in whole or in part, at an exchange ratio of two shares of Common Stock per outstanding Right (subject to adjustment).

At any time before any person or group of affiliated or associated persons becomes an Acquiring Person, the Board may redeem the Rights in whole, but not in part, at a price of $0.001 per Right (subject to certain adjustments) (the “Redemption Price”). The redemption of the Rights may be made effective at such time, on such basis and with such conditions as the Board in its sole discretion may establish.

Immediately upon the action of the Board electing to redeem or exchange the Rights, the Company shall make announcement thereof, and upon such election, the right to exercise the Rights will terminate and the only right of the holders of Rights will be to receive the Redemption Price. Until a Right is exercised or exchanged, the holder thereof, as such, will have no rights as a stockholder of the Company, including, without limitation, the right to vote or to receive dividends.

The Board may from time to time and in its sole and absolute discretion supplement or amend this Agreement in any respect without the approval of any holders of Rights, in order to (a) cure any ambiguity; (b) correct or supplement any provision contained herein that may be defective or inconsistent with any other provisions herein; (c) shorten or lengthen any time period hereunder; (d) terminate this Agreement at any time before or after any person becomes an Acquiring Person; and (e) otherwise change, amend, or supplement any provisions hereunder in any manner that the Company may deem necessary or desirable.   Notwithstanding any provision of the Rights Agreement  to the contrary, the Company, by action of the Board in its sole discretion acting in its business judgment, may at any time before or after any Person becomes an Acquiring Person amend this Agreement to make the provisions of this Agreement inapplicable to a particular transaction by which a Person might otherwise become an Acquiring Person or to otherwise alter or waive any application of any or all of the terms and conditions of this Agreement as they may apply with respect to any such transaction.

The Rights Agreement is attached hereto as Exhibit 4.1 and is incorporated herein by reference. The description of the Rights Agreement herein is not complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to Exhibit 4.1.

Item 5.03

Amendments to Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws; Change in Fiscal Year.

In connection with the adoption of the Rights Agreement, the Board approved a Certificate of Designation of Series A Participating Preferred Stock (the “Certificate of Designation”). The Certificate of Designation is filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware. The Certificate of Amendment is attached hereto as Exhibit 3.1 and is incorporated herein by reference. The description of the Certificate of Amendment herein is qualified in its entirety by Exhibit 3.1.

Item 8.01

Other Information

On March 17, 2017, the Company issued a press release announcing the adoption of the Rights Agreement and the declaration of the dividend of the Rights. A copy of the press release is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1 and is incorporated herein by reference.

 

The foregoing information in this Item 8.01, including Exhibit 99.1, shall not be deemed “filed” for the purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”) or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section, nor shall such information, including Exhibit 99.1, be deemed incorporated by reference into any filing under the Securities Act of 1933 or the Exchange Act, except as shall be expressly set forth by specific reference in such filing.

Item 9.01

Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(d) Exhibits.