Item 7.01
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Regulation FD Disclosure.
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As previously disclosed, on June 23, 2020, GNC Holdings, Inc. (the “Company”) and certain of its subsidiaries (collectively with the Company, the “Debtors”) commenced voluntary cases under Chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code (the “Bankruptcy Code”) in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware (the “Bankruptcy Court”). The Debtors’ Chapter 11 proceedings are jointly administered under the caption In re GNC Holdings, Inc., et al. (the “Chapter 11 Cases”).
On August 7, 2020, the Debtors entered into a Stalking Horse Agreement (as amended on August 14, August 19 and September 8, 2020, the “Stalking Horse Agreement”) with Harbin Pharmaceutical Group Holding Co., Ltd. as filed as Exhibit 10.11 to the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, filed August 10, 2020. The Stalking Horse Agreement, which was approved by the Bankruptcy Court on August 19, 2020, was intended to constitute a “stalking horse bid” for substantially all of the Debtors’ assets (the “Assets”) in accordance with the bidding procedures order (the “Bidding Procedures Order”). The Bidding Procedures Order established certain bidding procedures for an auction that allowed other qualified bidders to submit higher or otherwise better offers to purchase the Assets (any such offer, a “Competing Transaction”).
The deadline to submit bids for the Assets was September 11, 2020 and no other Competing Transactions were received. The strong proposed bid pursuant to the Stalking Horse Agreement of more than $750 million is in addition to approximately $300 million that Harbin previously invested in the Company in 2018 and 2019. The completion of the approval process for the sale of the Assets pursuant to the Stalking Horse Agreement is expected to move expeditiously and the Debtors expect to emerge from the Chapter 11 proceedings early in the fourth quarter of 2020.
Harbin’s controlling stake in the Company was subject to a thorough review for any U.S. national security implications and approved by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States ( “CFIUS”) in 2018 and in the Company’s view, no material facts or circumstances have changed to call CFIUS’s support of Harbin’s initial investment in the Company into question. The Company continues to work with all relevant agencies throughout the Chapter 11 proceedings and maintains rigorous standards for data privacy in compliance with all applicable laws. Customer trust remains of utmost importance to the Company. The Company’s consumer data is safeguarded by diligent processes and controls to prevent access to any foreign nationals or governments.
On September 14, 2020, the Debtors filed a Notice of Cancellation and Successful Bidder with the Bankruptcy Court (the “Notice”). The foregoing description of the Notice does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Notice, which has been filed with the Bankruptcy Court and is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1 and incorporated herein by reference.
A hearing to consider approval for the sale of the Assets to Harbin is scheduled before the Bankruptcy Court on September 17, 2020 (the “Bankruptcy Court Approval”). Relatedly, a hearing before the Ontario Superior Court of Justice (Commercial List) is also scheduled on September 22, 2020, to request a recognition order for the Bankruptcy Court Approval.
Additional information about the Chapter 11 Cases, including access to Bankruptcy Court documents including the Bidding Procedures Order, is available online at http://cases.primeclerk.com/GNC, a website administered by Prime Clerk, a third party bankruptcy claims and noticing agent. The information on this web site is not incorporated by reference into, and does not constitute part of, this Current Report on Form 8-K.
Forward-Looking Statements
This Current Report on Form 8-K contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 with respect to the Company’s financial condition, results of operations and business that is not historical information. Forward-looking statements can often be identified by the use of terminology such as “subject to,” “believes,” “anticipates,” “plans,” “expects,” “intends,” “estimates,” “projects,” “may,” “will,” “should,” “can,” the negatives thereof, variations thereon and similar expressions, or by discussions regarding the Company’s strategy and outlook. While the Company believes there is a reasonable basis for its expectations and beliefs, they are inherently uncertain and subject to significant business, economic,