UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
SCHEDULE 13G
Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
(Amendment No. )*
| Friedman Industries, Incorporated |
| (Name of Issuer) |
| Common Stock, $1 par value |
| (Title of Class of Securities) |
| 358435105 |
| (CUSIP Number) |
| December 18, 2023 |
| (Date of Event which Requires Filing of this Statement) |
Check the appropriate box to designate the rule pursuant to which this Schedule is filed:
| o | Rule 13d-1(b) |
| ☑ | Rule 13d-1(c) |
| o | Rule 13d-1(d) |
*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 the disclosures provided in a prior cover page.
The information required in 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. 358435105 | 13G | Page 2 of 10 Pages |
| 1 |
NAME OF REPORTING PERSON Tontine Asset Associates, LLC
| |
| 2 | CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP |
(a) o (b) o
|
| 3 | SEC USE ONLY
| |
| 4 |
CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION Delaware
| |
| NUMBER OF SHARES BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON WITH: |
5 |
SOLE VOTING POWER -0-
|
| 6 |
SHARED VOTING POWER 360,378
| |
| 7 |
SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER -0-
| |
| 8 |
SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER 360,378
|
| 9 |
AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON 360,378
| |
| 10 | CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES
|
o |
| 11 |
PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (9) 5.17%
| |
| 12 |
TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON OO
| |
| CUSIP No. 358435105 | 13G | Page 3 of 10 Pages |
| 1 |
NAME OF REPORTING PERSON Tontine Capital Overseas Master Fund II, L.P.
| |
| 2 | CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP |
(a) o (b) o
|
| 3 | SEC USE ONLY
| |
| 4 |
CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION Delaware
| |
| NUMBER OF SHARES BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON WITH: |
5 |
SOLE VOTING POWER -0-
|
| 6 |
SHARED VOTING POWER 360,378
| |
| 7 |
SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER -0-
| |
| 8 |
SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER 360,378
|
| 9 |
AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON 360,378
| |
| 10 | CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES
|
o |
| 11 |
PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (9) 5.17%
| |
| 12 |
TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON PN
| |
| CUSIP No. 358435105 | 13G | Page 4 of 10 Pages |
| 1 |
NAME OF REPORTING PERSON Jeffrey L. Gendell
| |
| 2 | CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP |
(a) o (b) o
|
| 3 | SEC USE ONLY
| |
| 4 |
CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION United States
| |
| NUMBER OF SHARES BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON WITH: |
5 |
SOLE VOTING POWER -0-
|
| 6 |
SHARED VOTING POWER 360,378
| |
| 7 |
SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER -0-
| |
| 8 |
SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER 360,378
|
| 9 |
AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON 360,378
| |
| 10 | CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES
|
o |
| 11 |
PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (9) 5.17%
| |
| 12 |
TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON IN
| |
| CUSIP No. 358435105 | 13G | Page 5 of 10 Pages |
| Item 1(a). | NAME OF ISSUER |
The name of the issuer is Friedman Industries, Incorporated (the “Company”).
| Item 1(b). | ADDRESS OF ISSUER'S PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE OFFICES |
The Company’s principal executive offices are located at 1121 Judson Road, Suite 124, Longview, Texas 75601.
| Item 2(a). | NAME OF PERSON FILING |
This statement is filed by:
| (i) | Tontine Capital Overseas Master Fund II, L.P. (“TCOM II”), a limited partnership organized under the laws of the State of Delaware, with respect to 360,378 shares of Common Stock directly owned by TCOM II; |
| (ii) | Tontine Asset Associates, LLC, a limited liability company organized under the laws of the State of Delaware (“TAA”), which serves as general partner of TCOM II, with respect to the shares of Common Stock directly owned by TCOM II; and |
| (iii) | Jeffrey L. Gendell, a United States citizen (“Mr. Gendell”), who serves as the Managing Member of TAA, with respect to the shares of Common Stock owned directly by TCOM II. |
The foregoing persons are hereinafter sometimes collectively referred to as the “Reporting Persons.” Any disclosures herein with respect to persons other than the Reporting Persons are made on information and belief after making inquiry to the appropriate party.
| Item 2(b). | ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL BUSINESS OFFICE OR, IF NONE, RESIDENCE |
The address of the business office of each of the Reporting Persons is 1 Sound Shore Drive, Suite 304, Greenwich, CT 06830-7251.
| Item 2(c). | CITIZENSHIP |
See Item 2(a) above.
| Item 2(d). | TITLE OF CLASS OF SECURITIES |
Common Stock, $1 par value (the “Common Stock”)
| CUSIP No. 358435105 | 13G | Page 6 of 10 Pages |
| Item 2(e). | CUSIP NUMBER |
358435105
| Item 3. | IF THIS STATEMENT IS FILED PURSUANT TO Rules 13d-1(b), OR 13d-2(b) OR (c), CHECK WHETHER THE PERSON FILING IS A: |
| (a) | o | Broker or dealer registered under Section 15 of the Act; | ||
| (b) | o | Bank as defined in Section 3(a)(6) of the Act; | ||
| (c) | o | Insurance company as defined in Section 3(a)(19) of the Act; | ||
| (d) | o | Investment company registered under Section 8 of the Investment Company Act of 1940; | ||
| (e) | o | An investment adviser in accordance with Rule 13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(E); | ||
| (f) | o |
An employee benefit plan or endowment fund in accordance with Rule 13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(F); | ||
| (g) | o | A parent holding company or control person in accordance with Rule 13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(G); | ||
| (h) | o |
A savings association as defined in Section 3(b) of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act; | ||
| (i) | o |
A church plan that is excluded from the definition of an investment company under Section 3(c)(14) of the Investment Company Act; | ||
| (j) | o | A non-U.S. institution in accordance with Rule 13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(J); | ||
| (k) | o | Group, in accordance with Rule 13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(K). | ||
|
If filing as a non-U.S. institution in accordance with Rule 13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(J), please specify the type of institution: Not applicable. | ||||
| CUSIP No. 358435105 | 13G | Page 7 of 10 Pages |
| Item 4. | OWNERSHIP |
| A. | Tontine Asset Associates, LLC | ||
| (a) | Amount beneficially owned: 360,378 | ||
| (b) | Percent of class: 5.17%. This percentage and those used elsewhere in this Schedule 13G are calculated based upon the 6,971,824 shares of Common Stock issued and outstanding as of December 13, 2023, as set forth in Exhibit 99.1 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on December 18, 2023. | ||
| (c) | (i) | Sole power to vote or direct the vote: -0- | |
| (ii) | Shared power to vote or direct the vote: 360,378 | ||
| (iii) | Sole power to dispose or direct the disposition of: -0- | ||
| (iv) | Shared power to dispose or direct the disposition of: 360,378 | ||
| B. | Tontine Capital Overseas Master Fund II, L.P. | ||
| (a) | Amount beneficially owned: 360,378 | ||
| (b) | Percent of class: 5.17% | ||
| (c) | (i) | Sole power to vote or direct the vote: -0- | |
| (ii) | Shared power to vote or direct the vote: 360,378 | ||
| (iii) | Sole power to dispose or direct the disposition of: -0- | ||
| (iv) | Shared power to dispose or direct the disposition of: 360,378 | ||
| C. | Jeffrey L. Gendell | ||
| (a) | Amount beneficially owned: 360,378 | ||
| (b) | Percent of class: 5.17% | ||
| (c) | (i) | Sole power to vote or direct the vote: -0- | |
| (ii) | Shared power to vote or direct the vote: 360,378 | ||
| (iii) | Sole power to dispose or direct the disposition of: -0- | ||
| (iv) | Shared power to dispose or direct the disposition of: 360,378 | ||
| CUSIP No. 358435105 | 13G | Page 8 of 10 Pages |
| Item 5. | OWNERSHIP OF FIVE PERCENT OR LESS OF A CLASS |
Not applicable.
| Item 6. | OWNERSHIP OF MORE THAN FIVE PERCENT ON BEHALF OF ANOTHER PERSON |
TAA, the general partner of TCOM II, has the power to direct the affairs of TCOM II, including directing the receipt of dividends from, or the proceeds from the sale of, the shares of Common Stock directly owned by TCOM II. Mr. Gendell is the Managing Member of TAA and in that capacity directs its operations.
| Item 7. | IDENTIFICATION AND CLASSIFICATION OF THE SUBSIDIARY WHICH ACQUIRED THE SECURITY BEING REPORTED ON BY THE PARENT HOLDING COMPANY OR CONTROL PERSON |
Not applicable.
| Item 8. | IDENTIFICATION AND CLASSIFICATION OF MEMBERS OF THE GROUP |
Not applicable.
| Item 9. | NOTICE OF DISSOLUTION OF GROUP |
Not applicable.
| Item 10. | CERTIFICATION |
Each of the Reporting Persons hereby makes the following certification:
By signing below each Reporting Person certifies that, to the best of his or its knowledge and belief, the securities referred to above were not acquired and are not held for the purpose of or with the effect of changing or influencing the control of the issuer of the securities and were not acquired and are not held in connection with or as a participant in any transaction having that purpose or effect, other than activities solely in connection with a nomination under § 240.14a-11.
| CUSIP No. 358435105 | 13G | Page 9 of 10 Pages |
SIGNATURES
After reasonable inquiry and to the best of his or its knowledge and belief, each of the undersigned certifies that the information set forth in this statement is true, complete and correct.
DATE: December 26, 2023
| /s/ Jeffrey L. Gendell | |
| Jeffrey L. Gendell, individually, and as managing member of Tontine Asset Associates, LLC, for itself and as the general partner of Tontine Capital Overseas Master Fund II, L.P. |
| CUSIP No. 358435105 | 13G | Page 10 of 10 Pages |
EXHIBIT 1
JOINT FILING AGREEMENT
In accordance with Rule 13d-1(k)(1)(iii), the undersigned acknowledge and agree that the foregoing statement on Schedule 13G is filed on behalf of each of the undersigned and that all subsequent amendments to this statement on Schedule 13G shall be filed on behalf of each of the undersigned without the necessity of filing additional joint filing agreements. The undersigned acknowledge that each shall be responsible for the timely filing of such amendments, and for the completeness and accuracy of the information concerning him or it contained herein and therein, but shall not be responsible for the completeness and accuracy of the information concerning the others, except to the extent that he or it knows or has reason to believe that such information is inaccurate.
DATE: December 26, 2023
| /s/ Jeffrey L. Gendell | |
| Jeffrey L. Gendell, individually, and as managing member of Tontine Asset Associates, LLC, for itself and as the general partner of Tontine Capital Overseas Master Fund II, L.P. | |