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. 14)¹

Rent-A-Center, Inc.

(Name of Issuer)

Common Stock, $0.01 par value per share

(Title of Class of Securities)

76009N100

(CUSIP Number)

glenn w. welling

engaged capital, llc

610 Newport Center Drive, Suite 250

Newport Beach, California 92660

(949) 734-7900

 

STEVE WOLOSKY

RYAN NEBEL

OLSHAN FROME WOLOSKY LLP

1325 Avenue of the Americas

New York, New York 10019

(212) 451-2300

(Name, Address and Telephone Number of Person

Authorized to Receive Notices and Communications)

 

February 28, 2019

(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		NAME OF REPORTING PERSON
				Engaged Capital Flagship Master Fund, LP
	2		CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP															(a) ☒
																		(b) ☐
	3		SEC USE ONLY
	4		SOURCE OF FUNDS
				WC
	5		CHECK BOX IF DISCLOSURE OF LEGAL PROCEEDINGS IS REQUIRED PURSUANT TO ITEM 2(d) OR 2(e)															☐
	6		CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION
				CAYMAN ISLANDS
NUMBER OF				7		SOLE VOTING POWER
SHARES
BENEFICIALLY							2,043,560
OWNED BY				8		SHARED VOTING POWER
EACH
REPORTING							- 0 -
PERSON WITH				9		SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
							2,043,560
				10		SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
							- 0 -
	11		AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
				2,043,560
	12		CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (11) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES															☐
	13		PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (11)
				3.8%
	14		TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON
				PN

  

	1		NAME OF REPORTING PERSON
				Engaged Capital Co-Invest V, LP
	2		CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP															(a) ☒
																		(b) ☐
	3		SEC USE ONLY
	4		SOURCE OF FUNDS
				WC
	5		CHECK BOX IF DISCLOSURE OF LEGAL PROCEEDINGS IS REQUIRED PURSUANT TO ITEM 2(d) OR 2(e)															☐
	6		CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION
				DELAWARE
NUMBER OF				7		SOLE VOTING POWER
SHARES
BENEFICIALLY							1,379,881
OWNED BY				8		SHARED VOTING POWER
EACH
REPORTING							- 0 -
PERSON WITH				9		SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
							1,379,881
				10		SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
							- 0 -
	11		AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
				1,379,881
	12		CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (11) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES															☐
	13		PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (11)
				2.6%
	14		TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON
				PN

  

 

	1		NAME OF REPORTING PERSON
				Engaged Capital Co-Invest V-A, LP
	2		CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP															(a) ☒
																		(b) ☐
	3		SEC USE ONLY
	4		SOURCE OF FUNDS
				WC
	5		CHECK BOX IF DISCLOSURE OF LEGAL PROCEEDINGS IS REQUIRED PURSUANT TO ITEM 2(d) OR 2(e)															☐
	6		CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION
				DELAWARE
NUMBER OF				7		SOLE VOTING POWER
SHARES
BENEFICIALLY							1,730,278
OWNED BY				8		SHARED VOTING POWER
EACH
REPORTING							- 0 -
PERSON WITH				9		SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
							1,730,278
				10		SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
							- 0 -
	11		AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
				1,730,278
	12		CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (11) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES															☐
	13		PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (11)
				3.2%
	14		TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON
				PN

  

 

	1		NAME OF REPORTING PERSON
				Engaged Capital Flagship Fund, LP
	2		CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP															(a) ☒
																		(b) ☐
	3		SEC USE ONLY
	4		SOURCE OF FUNDS
				OO
	5		CHECK BOX IF DISCLOSURE OF LEGAL PROCEEDINGS IS REQUIRED PURSUANT TO ITEM 2(d) OR 2(e)															☐
	6		CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION
				DELAWARE
NUMBER OF				7		SOLE VOTING POWER
SHARES
BENEFICIALLY							2,043,560
OWNED BY				8		SHARED VOTING POWER
EACH
REPORTING							- 0 -
PERSON WITH				9		SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
							2,043,560
				10		SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
							- 0 -
	11		AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
				2,043,560
	12		CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (11) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES															☐
	13		PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (11)
				3.8%
	14		TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON
				PN

  

 

	1		NAME OF REPORTING PERSON
				Engaged Capital Flagship Fund, Ltd.
	2		CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP															(a) ☒
																		(b) ☐
	3		SEC USE ONLY
	4		SOURCE OF FUNDS
				OO
	5		CHECK BOX IF DISCLOSURE OF LEGAL PROCEEDINGS IS REQUIRED PURSUANT TO ITEM 2(d) OR 2(e)															☐
	6		CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION
				CAYMAN ISLANDS
NUMBER OF				7		SOLE VOTING POWER
SHARES
BENEFICIALLY							2,043,560
OWNED BY				8		SHARED VOTING POWER
EACH
REPORTING							- 0 -
PERSON WITH				9		SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
							2,043,560
				10		SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
							- 0 -
	11		AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
				2,043,560
	12		CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (11) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES															☐
	13		PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (11)
				3.8%
	14		TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON
				CO

  

 

	1		NAME OF REPORTING PERSON
				Engaged Capital, LLC
	2		CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP															(a) ☒
																		(b) ☐
	3		SEC USE ONLY
	4		SOURCE OF FUNDS
				OO
	5		CHECK BOX IF DISCLOSURE OF LEGAL PROCEEDINGS IS REQUIRED PURSUANT TO ITEM 2(d) OR 2(e)															☐
	6		CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION
				DELAWARE
NUMBER OF				7		SOLE VOTING POWER
SHARES
BENEFICIALLY							5,333,609
OWNED BY				8		SHARED VOTING POWER
EACH
REPORTING							- 0 -
PERSON WITH				9		SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
							5,333,609
				10		SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
							- 0 -
	11		AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
				5,333,609
	12		CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (11) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES															☐
	13		PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (11)
				9.9%
	14		TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON
				OO

  

 

	1		NAME OF REPORTING PERSON
				Engaged Capital Holdings, LLC
	2		CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP															(a) ☒
																		(b) ☐
	3		SEC USE ONLY
	4		SOURCE OF FUNDS
				OO
	5		CHECK BOX IF DISCLOSURE OF LEGAL PROCEEDINGS IS REQUIRED PURSUANT TO ITEM 2(d) OR 2(e)															☐
	6		CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION
				DELAWARE
NUMBER OF				7		SOLE VOTING POWER
SHARES
BENEFICIALLY							5,333,609
OWNED BY				8		SHARED VOTING POWER
EACH
REPORTING							- 0 -
PERSON WITH				9		SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
							5,333,609
				10		SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
							- 0 -
	11		AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
				5,333,609
	12		CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (11) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES															☐
	13		PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (11)
				9.9%
	14		TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON
				OO

  

 

	1		NAME OF REPORTING PERSON
				Glenn W. Welling
	2		CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP															(a) ☒
																		(b) ☐
	3		SEC USE ONLY
	4		SOURCE OF FUNDS
				OO
	5		CHECK BOX IF DISCLOSURE OF LEGAL PROCEEDINGS IS REQUIRED PURSUANT TO ITEM 2(d) OR 2(e)															☐
	6		CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION
				USA
NUMBER OF				7		SOLE VOTING POWER
SHARES
BENEFICIALLY							5,333,609
OWNED BY				8		SHARED VOTING POWER
EACH
REPORTING							- 0 -
PERSON WITH				9		SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
							5,333,609
				10		SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
							- 0 -
	11		AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
				5,333,609
	12		CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (11) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES															☐
	13		PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (11)
				9.9%
	14		TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON
				IN

  

 

1

NAME OF REPORTING PERSON

Christopher B. Hetrick

2

CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP

(a) ☒

(b) ☐

3

SEC USE ONLY

4

SOURCE OF FUNDS

OO

5

CHECK BOX IF DISCLOSURE OF LEGAL PROCEEDINGS IS REQUIRED PURSUANT TO ITEM 2(d) OR 2(e)

☐

6

CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION

USA

NUMBER OF

7

SOLE VOTING POWER

SHARES

BENEFICIALLY

14,265*

OWNED BY

8

SHARED VOTING POWER

EACH

REPORTING

- 0 -

PERSON WITH

9

SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER

14,265*

10

SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER

- 0 -

11

AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON

14,265*

12

CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (11) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES

☐

13

PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (11)

Less than 1%*

14

TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON

IN

 

* Consists of Shares underlying certain Director Deferred Stock Units awarded to Mr. Hetrick in his capacity as a director of the Issuer. Each Director Deferred Stock Unit represents the right to receive one Share upon the termination of Mr. Hetrick’s service as a director of the Issuer.  

The following constitutes Amendment No. 14 to the Schedule 13D filed by the undersigned (“Amendment No. 14”). This Amendment No. 14 amends the Schedule 13D as specifically set forth herein.

 

Item 6.

Contracts, Arrangements, Understandings or Relationships With Respect to Securities of the Issuer.

Item 6 is hereby amended to add the following:

On February 28, 2019, Engaged Capital Flagship Master entered into a certain cash-settled total return swap agreement with Nomura Global Financial Products Inc. as the counterparty (the “February 28^th Agreement”). The February 28^th Agreement provides that Engaged Capital Flagship Master will purchase up to 1,600,000 notional Shares that provide economic results comparable to the economic results of ownership but would not provide Engaged Capital Flagship Master with the power to vote or direct the voting or dispose of or direct the disposition of such Shares (the “Subject Shares”). The Subject Shares may only be purchased in accordance with trading requirements adopted by Engaged Capital Flagship Master, and there can be no assurance as to how many Subject Shares, if any, will be purchased pursuant to the February 28^th Agreement or at what price any such Subject Shares will be purchased.

SIGNATURES

After reasonable inquiry and to the best of his knowledge and belief, the undersigned certifies that the information set forth in this statement is true, complete and correct.

Dated: March 1, 2019 

 

	Engaged Capital Flagship Master Fund, LP
	By:	Engaged Capital, LLC General Partner
	By:	/s/ Glenn W. Welling
		Name:	Glenn W. Welling
		Title:	Founder and Chief Investment Officer

 

 

	Engaged Capital Co-Invest V, LP
	By:	Engaged Capital, LLC General Partner
	By:	/s/ Glenn W. Welling
		Name:	Glenn W. Welling
		Title:	Founder and Chief Investment Officer

 

 

	Engaged Capital Co-Invest V-A, LP
	By:	Engaged Capital, LLC General Partner
	By:	/s/ Glenn W. Welling
		Name:	Glenn W. Welling
		Title:	Founder and Chief Investment Officer

 

 

	Engaged Capital Flagship Fund, LP
	By:	Engaged Capital, LLC General Partner
	By:	/s/ Glenn W. Welling
		Name:	Glenn W. Welling
		Title:	Founder and Chief Investment Officer

 

 

	Engaged Capital Flagship Fund, Ltd.
	By:	/s/ Glenn W. Welling
		Name:	Glenn W. Welling
		Title:	Director

 

 

	Engaged Capital, LLC
	By:	/s/ Glenn W. Welling
		Name:	Glenn W. Welling
		Title:	Founder and Chief Investment Officer

 

 

	Engaged Capital Holdings, LLC
	By:	/s/ Glenn W. Welling
		Name:	Glenn W. Welling
		Title:	Sole Member

 

 

	/s/ Glenn W. Welling
	Glenn W. Welling

 

	/s/ Christopher B. Hetrick
	Christopher B. Hetrick