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UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM
8-K
CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported):
May 9, 2023
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Delaware |
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001-16131 |
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04-2693383 |
(State or other jurisdiction |
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(Commission File Number) |
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(IRS Employer |
of incorporation) |
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Identification No.) |
1241 East Main Street,
Stamford,
CT |
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06902 |
(Address of principal executive
offices) |
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(Zip code) |
Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (203)
352-8600
Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended
to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant
under any of the following provisions (see General Instruction
A.2.):
☐ |
Written communications pursuant to Rule 425
under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425) |
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Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange
Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12) |
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Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under
the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b)) |
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Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under
the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c)) |
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
Title of each class |
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Trading Symbol(s) |
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Name of each exchange on which registered |
Class A Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share |
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WWE |
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New York Stock Exchange |
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth
company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (17
CFR §230.405) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
(17 CFR §240.12b-2).
Emerging growth company
☐
If
an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the
registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period
for complying with any new or revised financial accounting
standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act.
☐
In re World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. Stockholders
Litigation, C.A. No. 2023-0028-JTL (Del. Ch.)
On January 10, 2023, a stockholder of World Wrestling
Entertainment, Inc. (the “Company”), Scott A. Fellows,
filed a direct class action against Vincent McMahon in the matter
styled Fellows v. McMahon, C.A. No. 2023-0022-JTL (Del. Ch.)
in the Delaware Court of Chancery (the “Court”). The lawsuit alleged
that McMahon breached his fiduciary duties and violated Section
141(a) of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware and
the Company’s certificate of incorporation by executing a written
consent in January 2023 to amend certain Company bylaws to
allegedly restrict the power of the Company’s board of directors.
On January 12, 2023, another Company stockholder, Police & Fire
Retirement System of the City of Detroit, filed a direct class
action against McMahon and named the Company as a nominal
defendant, which made substantially the same allegations as in the
Fellows action. These two actions were subsequently
consolidated.
Following discussions among counsel for the plaintiffs and McMahon,
McMahon agreed to repeal the challenged January 2023 bylaw
amendments by written consent, which McMahon executed on January
16, 2023. On January 23, 2023, the plaintiffs filed a motion that,
among other things, sought dismissal of the consolidated action as
moot, with the Court reserving jurisdiction solely for
consideration of an application for attorneys’ fees and expenses.
The Court granted that motion on January 25, 2023.
In lieu of an application for attorneys’ fees and expenses and
after engaging in arms’-length negotiations, McMahon agreed to make
a payment to plaintiffs’ counsel in the amount of $1,650,000 in
attorneys’ fees (inclusive of expenses). The Court has not been
asked to review, and will pass no judgment on, the payment of a fee
or its reasonableness.
Within three business days after this Current Report on Form 8-K
(“Form 8-K”) has
been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Company
will file an affidavit with the Court certifying that the Form 8-K
has been filed and, after the affidavit has been filed, the
consolidated action will be closed for all purposes and the Court
will no longer retain jurisdiction over it.
Plaintiffs are represented by Ned
Weinberger and Mark Richardson, of Labaton Sucharow LLP, 222
Delaware Avenue, Suite 1510, Wilmington, Delaware 19801, (302)
573-2540 and Joel Friedlander, Christopher Foulds, and David Hahn
of Friedlander & Gorris, P.A., 1201 Wilmington, Delaware 19801,
(302) 573-3500, McMahon is represented by Michael Pittenger, T.
Brad Davey, and Eric Nascone of Potter Anderson & Corroon LLP,
1313 N. Market Street, Wilmington DE 19801, (302) 984-6000, and the
Company is represented by Daniel Kramer, Richard Tarlowe, and
Gregory Laufer of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP,
1285 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10019-6064, (212)
373-3000 and Matthew Stachel of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton &
Garrison LLP, 500 Delaware Avenue, Suite 200, P.O. Box Wilmington,
Delaware 19899-0032, (302) 655-4410.
SIGNATURE
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on
its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
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WORLD WRESTLING
ENTERTAINMENT, INC. |
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Dated: May 12, 2023
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By: |
/s/ Frank A. Riddick III |
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Frank A. Riddick III |
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President and Chief Financial
Officer |
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