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) August 3, 2017

 

BED BATH & BEYOND INC.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

New York   0-20214   11-2250488
(State or other jurisdiction   (Commission   (I.R.S. Employer
of incorporation)   File Number)   Identification No.)

 

 

650 Liberty Avenue
Union, New Jersey 07083
(Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip Code)

 

(908) 688-0888
(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

 

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:

 

o               Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

 

o               Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

 

o               Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

 

o               Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4 (c))

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter). Emerging growth company o

 

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. o

 

 

 

Item 2.05 Costs Associated with Exit or Disposal Activities

 

On August 3, 2017, Bed Bath & Beyond Inc. (the “Company”) announced that it has accelerated the realignment of its store management structure to support its customer-focused initiatives and omnichannel growth. This limited realignment is primarily resulting in a reduction of about 880 Department and Assistant Store Manager positions. These organizational changes are estimated to generate future annual pre-tax cost savings of approximately $16 million. Due to the timing of these changes, the pre-tax cost savings for the remainder of fiscal 2017 are estimated to be approximately $7 million. The Company expects to incur pre-tax cash restructuring charges of approximately $17 million in fiscal 2017, primarily for severance and related costs in conjunction with these changes, all of which will be expensed in the second quarter.

 

The Company’s press release announcing the accelerated realignment is filed with this Form 8-K as Exhibit 99.1.

 

The foregoing may contain forward-looking statements. Many of these forward-looking statements can be identified by use of words such as may, will, expect, anticipate, approximate, estimate, assume, continue, model, project, plan, and similar words and phrases. The Company’s actual results and future financial condition may differ materially from those expressed in any such forward-looking statements as a result of many factors. Such factors include, without limitation: general economic conditions including the housing market, a challenging overall macroeconomic environment and related changes in the retailing environment; consumer preferences, spending habits, and adoption of new technologies; demographics and other macroeconomic factors that may impact the level of spending for the types of merchandise sold by the Company; civil disturbances and terrorist acts; unusual weather patterns and natural disasters; competition from existing and potential competitors; competition from other channels of distribution; pricing pressures; liquidity; the ability to achieve anticipated cost savings, and to not exceed anticipated costs, associated with organizational changes; the ability to attract and retain qualified employees in all areas of the organization; the cost of labor, merchandise, and other costs and expenses; potential supply chain disruption due to trade restrictions, political instability, labor disturbances, product recalls, financial or operational instability of suppliers or carriers, and other items; the ability to find suitable locations at acceptable occupancy costs and other terms to support the Company’s plans for new stores; the ability to assess and implement technologies in support of the Company’s development of its omnichannel capabilities; the ability to establish and profitably maintain the appropriate mix of digital and physical presence in the markets it serves; uncertainty in financial markets; volatility in the price of the Company’s common stock and its effect, and the effect of other factors, on the Company’s capital allocation strategy; disruptions to the Company’s information technology systems including but not limited to security breaches of systems protecting consumer and employee information; reputational risk arising from challenges to the Company’s or a third party supplier’s compliance with various laws, regulations or standards, including those related to labor, health, safety, privacy or the environment; reputational risk arising from third-party merchandise or service vendor performance in direct home delivery or assembly of product for customers; changes to statutory, regulatory, and legal requirements, including without limitation proposed changes affecting international trade; changes to, or new, tax laws or interpretation of existing tax laws, including without limitation the proposed border adjustment tax; new, or developments in existing, litigation, claims or assessments; changes to, or new, accounting standards; foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations; and the integration of acquired businesses. The Company does not undertake any obligation to update its forward-looking statements.

 

Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits

 

(d)Exhibits

 

99.1Press Release issued by Bed Bath & Beyond Inc. on August 3, 2017.

 

 

 

 

SIGNATURES

 

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.

 

  BED BATH & BEYOND INC.
  (Registrant)
     
Date: August 4, 2017 By: /s/  Susan E. Lattmann
   

Susan E. Lattmann
Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer (Principal Financial and Accounting Officer)