SEC Form SC 13D/A filed by Steel Partners Holdings LP LTD PARTNERSHIP UNIT (Amendment)

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. 34)¹

Steel Connect, Inc.

(Name of Issuer)

Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share

(Title of Class of Securities)

858098 20 5

(CUSIP Number)

Warren G. Lichtenstein

Steel Partners Holdings L.P.

590 Madison Avenue, 32nd Floor

New York, New York 10022

(212) 520-2300

(Name, Address and Telephone Number of Person

Authorized to Receive Notices and Communications)

April 18, 2024

(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).

(1) Includes 634,157 Shares underlying Series E Preferred Stock.

(1) Consists of 1,913,265 Shares underlying Series C Preferred Stock, 19,175,628 Shares underlying Series E Preferred Stock and 584,055 Shares underlying 2024 Note.

(1) Includes 1,913,265 Shares underlying Series C Preferred Stock, 19,809,785 Shares underlying Series E Preferred Stock and 584,055 Shares underlying 2024 Note.

(1) Includes 634,157 Shares underlying Series E Preferred Stock.

(1) Includes 634,157 Shares underlying Series E Preferred Stock.

(1) Includes 1,913,265 Shares underlying Series C Preferred Stock, 19,809,785 Shares underlying Series E Preferred Stock and 584,055 Shares underlying 2024 Note.

The following constitutes Amendment No. 34 to the Schedule 13D filed by the undersigned (“Amendment No. 34”). This Amendment No. 34 amends the Schedule 13D as specifically set forth herein.

Item 3 is hereby amended and restated to read as follows:

The aggregate purchase price of the 1,311,700 Shares owned directly by WF Asset is approximately $43,123,381, including brokerage commissions. Such Shares were acquired with the working capital of HNH, SPHG Holdings and Steel Holdings prior to being transferred to WF Asset. The 636,447 Shares owned directly by WHX CS were transferred to WHX CS by its parent HNH.

The aggregate purchase price of the 35,000 shares of Series C Convertible Preferred Stock of the Issuer (the “Series C Preferred Stock”) owned directly by WebFinancial is $35,000,000. The aggregate purchase price of the 7.50% Convertible Senior Note due 2024 of the Issuer (the “2024 Note”) owned directly by WebFinancial is $12,940,000. The Series C Preferred Stock and 2024 Note were acquired with the working capital of SPHG Holdings prior to being transferred to WebFinancial. The 3,500,000 shares of Series E Convertible Preferred Stock of the Issuer (the “Series E Preferred Stock”) owned directly by each of WebFinancial and Steel Excel were acquired pursuant to the Exchange Agreement discussed in Item 4.

The aggregate purchase price of the 813,097 Shares owned directly by Steel Excel is approximately $7,953,909, including brokerage commissions. Such Shares were acquired with the working capital of Steel Excel.

The aggregate purchase price of the 6,428 Shares owned directly by SPL is approximately $411,192, including brokerage commissions. The Shares owned directly by SPL were acquired with the working capital of SPL.

Mr. Lichtenstein directly beneficially owns 187,886 Shares (including 10,610 unvested restricted Shares) awarded to him in his capacity as a director of the Issuer.

The aggregate purchase price of 1,071 Shares owned directly by Mr. Howard is approximately $59,372, including brokerage commissions. Mr. Howard directly beneficially owns an additional 109,344 Shares (including 10,610 unvested restricted Shares) awarded to him in his capacity as a director of the Issuer.

Item 5(a) – (c) is hereby amended and restated to read as follows:

(a)       The aggregate percentage of Shares reported owned by each person named herein is based upon 6,304,750 Shares outstanding, which is the total number of Shares outstanding as of April 17, 2024 based on information provided by the Issuer.

As of the close of business on April 22, 2024, WF Asset owned directly 1,311,700 Shares, constituting approximately 20.8% of the Shares outstanding. By virtue of their relationship with WF Asset discussed in further detail in Item 2, each of Steel Holdings, SPHG, SPHG Holdings, Steel Holdings GP and Steel Excel may be deemed to beneficially own the Shares owned directly by WF Asset.

As of the close of business on April 22, 2024, WHX CS owned directly 636,447 Shares, constituting approximately 10.1% of the Shares outstanding. By virtue of their relationship with WHX CS discussed in further detail in Item 2, each of Steel Holdings, SPHG, SPHG Holdings, Steel Holdings GP, Steel Excel and HNH may be deemed to beneficially own the Shares owned directly by WHX CS.

As of the close of business on April 22, 2024, WebFinancial beneficially owned (i) 1,913,265 Shares underlying the Series C Preferred Stock owned directly by WebFinancial, (ii) 19,175,628 Shares underlying the Series E Preferred Stock owned directly by WebFinancial, and (iii) 584,055 Shares underlying the 2024 Note owned directly by WebFinancial, constituting approximately 77.5% of the Shares.¹ By virtue of their relationship with WebFinancial discussed in further detail in Item 2, each of Steel Holdings and Steel Holdings GP may be deemed to beneficially own the Shares underlying the Series C Preferred Stock, Series E Preferred Stock and 2024 Note owned directly by WebFinancial.

As of the close of business on April 22, 2024, Steel Excel owned directly 813,097 Shares and beneficially owned 634,157 Shares underlying the Series E Preferred Stock owned directly by Steel Excel, which, in addition to the Shares owned directly by WF Asset and WHX CS that Steel Excel may also be deemed to beneficially own, constitute approximately 48.9% of the Shares.¹ By virtue of their relationship with Steel Excel discussed in further detail in Item 2, each of Steel Holdings, SPHG, SPHG Holdings and Steel Holdings GP may be deemed to beneficially own the Shares owned directly by Steel Excel and underlying the Series E Preferred Stock owned directly by Steel Excel.

As of the close of business on April 22, 2024, SPL owned directly 6,428 Shares, constituting less than 1% of the Shares outstanding. By virtue of his relationship with SPL discussed in further detail in Item 2, Warren G. Lichtenstein may be deemed to beneficially own the Shares owned directly by SPL.

As of the close of business on April 22, 2024, Warren G. Lichtenstein owned directly 187,886 Shares (including 10,610 unvested restricted Shares), which, in addition to the Shares owned directly by SPL that Mr. Lichtenstein may also be deemed to beneficially own, constitute approximately 3.1% of the Shares outstanding.

As of the close of business on April 22, 2024, Jack L. Howard owned directly 110,415 Shares (including 10,610 unvested restricted Shares), constituting approximately 1.8% of the Shares outstanding.

¹ This is not based solely on the number of outstanding Shares, but calculated pursuant to Rule 13d-3(d) of the Exchange Act.

This statement reports beneficial ownership of an aggregate of 25,373,078 Shares, including (i) 1,913,265 Shares underlying Series C Preferred Stock, (ii) 19,809,785 Shares underlying Series E Preferred Stock, and (iii) 584,055 Shares underlying the 2024 Note, constituting approximately 88.7% of the Shares.¹

(b)       Each of Steel Holdings, SPHG, SPHG Holdings, Steel Holdings GP, Steel Excel and WF Asset may be deemed to have shared power to vote and dispose of the Shares owned directly by WF Asset. Each of Steel Holdings, SPHG, SPHG Holdings, Steel Holdings GP, Steel Excel, HNH and WHX CS may be deemed to have shared power to vote and dispose of the Shares owned directly by WHX CS. Each of Steel Holdings, Steel Holdings GP and WebFinancial may be deemed to have shared power to vote and dispose of the Shares underlying the Series C Preferred Stock, Series E Preferred Stock and 2024 Note owned directly by WebFinancial. Each of Steel Holdings, SPHG, SPHG Holdings, Steel Holdings GP and Steel Excel may be deemed to have shared power to vote and dispose of the Shares owned directly by Steel Excel and underlying the Series E Preferred Stock owned directly by Steel Excel. Each of SPL and Mr. Lichtenstein may be deemed to have shared power to vote and dispose of the Shares owned directly by SPL. Each of Messrs. Lichtenstein and Howard may be deemed to have sole power to vote and dispose of all Shares he directly owns.

(c)       There were no transactions by the Reporting Persons in the securities of the Issuer since the filing of Amendment No. 33 to the Schedule 13D except for the acquisition of Shares in connection with the Settlement disclosed in Item 6.

Item 6 is hereby amended to add the following:

On April 18, 2024, in order to avoid the cost and uncertainty of litigation, Messrs. Lichtenstein and Howard, Steel Holdings, Steel Excel and WebFinancial, without admitting any wrongdoing, entered into a Settlement Agreement and Securities Purchase Agreements (the “SPAs”) with the Estate of Ladjevardian and certain parties related to Ladjevardian (the “Ladjevardian Parties”) pursuant to which Steel Excel purchased an aggregate of 701,246 Shares of the Issuer held by the Ladjevardian Parties at a price of $9.83 per Share, which represented the closing market price of the Shares on April 17, 2024, and to make an aggregate cash settlement payment of $1,521,704 to the Ladjevardian Parties (the “Settlement”). The form of SPAs is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1 and incorporated herein by reference.

Item 7 is hereby amended to add the following exhibit:

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.