Franchise Group, Inc.
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(Name of Issuer)
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Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share
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(Title of Class of Securities)
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35180X105
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(CUSIP Number)
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August 6, 2023
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(Date of Event which Requires Filing of this Statement)
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CUSIP No. 35180X105
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13D
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Page 2 of 10
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1
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NAMES OF REPORTING PERSONS
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American Financial Group, Inc.
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2
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CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP
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(a)
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☐
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(b)
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☐
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3
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SEC USE ONLY
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4
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SOURCE OF FUNDS (SEE INSTRUCTIONS)
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OO
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5
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CHECK BOX IF DISCLOSURE OF LEGAL PROCEEDINGS IS REQUIRED PURSUANT TO ITEM 2(D) OR 2(E)
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☐
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6
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CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION
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Ohio
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NUMBER OF SHARES BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON WITH
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7
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SOLE VOTING POWER
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686,115 shares
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8
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SHARED VOTING POWER
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0 shares
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9
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SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
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686,115 shares
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10
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SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
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0 shares
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11
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AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
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686,115 shares
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12
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CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (11) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES (SEE INSTRUCTIONS)
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☐
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13
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PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (11)
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1.95%*
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14
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TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON (SEE INSTRUCTIONS)
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HC
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CUSIP No. 35180X105
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13D
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Page 3 of 10
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1
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NAMES OF REPORTING PERSONS
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Great American Insurance Company
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2
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CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP
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(a)
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☐
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(b)
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☐
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||||
3
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SEC USE ONLY
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4
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SOURCE OF FUNDS (SEE INSTRUCTIONS)
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OO
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5
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CHECK BOX IF DISCLOSURE OF LEGAL PROCEEDINGS IS REQUIRED PURSUANT TO ITEM 2(D) OR 2(E)
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☐
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6
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CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION
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Ohio
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NUMBER OF SHARES BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON WITH
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7
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SOLE VOTING POWER
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686,115 shares
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|||
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||||
8
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SHARED VOTING POWER
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0 shares
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||||
9
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SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
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686,115 shares
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|||
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||||
10
|
SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
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0 shares
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|||
|
|
||||
11
|
AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
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|
|
||
686,115 shares
|
|
|
|||
|
|
||||
12
|
CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (11) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES (SEE INSTRUCTIONS)
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|
☐
|
||
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||||
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|
||||
13
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PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (11)
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1.95%*
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14
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TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON (SEE INSTRUCTIONS)
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IC
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Item 1.
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Security and Issuer.
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Item 2.
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Identity and Background.
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Item 3.
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Source and Amount of Funds or Other Consideration.
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Item 4.
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Purpose of Transaction.
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Item 5.
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Interests in Securities of the Issuer.
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Item 6.
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Contracts, Arrangements, Understandings or Relationships with Respect to Securities of the Issuer.
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Item 7.
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Material to Be Filed as Exhibits.
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Exhibit
Number
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Description of Exhibit
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99.1*
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Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of May 10, 2023, by and among Franchise Group, Inc., Freedom VCM, Inc. and Freedom VCM Subco, Inc. (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 2.1 to the Issuer’s Form 8-K filed
with the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 11, 2023)
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99.2
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Voting Agreement, dated as of May 10, 2023, by and among Franchise Group, Inc., Freedom VCM, Inc. and each of the persons set forth on the signature pages thereto (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to
the Issuer’s Form 8-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 11, 2023)
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99.3
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Rollover Agreement, dated as of May 10, 2023, by and among Freedom VCM Holdings, LLC and each of the persons set forth on the signature pages thereto (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 to the Issuer’s
Form 8-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 11, 2023)
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Rollover Agreement, dated as of August 6, 2023, by and among Freedom VCM Holdings, LLC, B. Riley Private Shares 2023-2 QP, LLC and Great American Insurance Company
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Dated: August 8, 2023
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AMERICAN FINANCIAL GROUP, INC.
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By:
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/s/ Joseph C. Alter
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Joseph C. Alter
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Assistant Vice President and
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Deputy General Counsel
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GREAT AMERICAN INSURANCE COMPANY
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By:
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/s/ Sue A. Erhart
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Sue A. Erhart
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Senior Vice President and
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General Counsel
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Name
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Position with Reporting Person
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Principal Occupation for Non-
Employees of AFG
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Carl H. Lindner III
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Co-Chief Executive Officer and Director
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S. Craig Lindner
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Co-Chief Executive Officer and Director
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Gregory G. Joseph
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Director
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Executive Vice President and Principal, Joseph Automotive Group, which owns and operates various automobile dealerships
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John B. Berding
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President and Director
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James E. Evans
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Director
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Executive Consultant
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Terry S. Jacobs
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Director
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Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, JFP Group, LLC, a real estate development company
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Mary Beth Martin
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Director
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Executive Director of the Farmer Family Foundation, philanthropic organization
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Amy Y. Murray
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Director
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Former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense / Deputy, Industrial Policy, and Director of the Office of Small Business for the U.S. Department of Defense
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Evans N. Nwankwo
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Director
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President of Megan Construction Company, a commercial construction company
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William W. Verity
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Director
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Chairman and CEO of Verity Investment Partners, an investment management company
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John I. Von Lehman
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Director
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Retired Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Secretary, The Midland Company, an Ohio-based provider of specialty insurance products
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Michelle A. Gillis
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Senior Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer
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Brian S. Hertzman
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Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
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Vito C. Peraino
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Senior Vice President and Executive Counsel
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David L. Thompson
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President and Chief Operating Officer of Great American
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Mark A. Weiss
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Senior Vice President and General Counsel
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Name
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Position with Great American
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David L. Thompson
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President, Chief Operating Officer and Director
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Michelle A. Gillis
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Director
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Brian S. Hertzman
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Director
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Anthony J. Mercurio
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Executive Vice President and Director
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Michael E. Sullivan
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Executive Vice President and Director
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Sue A. Erhart
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Senior Vice President and General Counsel
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Judith E. Gill
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Senior Vice President and Controller
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Annette D. Gardner
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Chief Financial Officer
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