SC 13D: Schedule filed to report acquisition of beneficial ownership of 5% or more of a class of equity securities
Published on January 8, 1998
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D. C. 20549
SCHEDULE 13D
Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Barrett Business Services, Inc.
(Name of Issuer)
Common Stock, Par Value $0.01 Per Share
(Title of Class of Securities)
068463108
(CUSIP Number of Class of Securities)
Wynnefield Partners Small Cap Value, L.P.
One Penn Plaza - Suite 4720
New York, New York 10119
Attention: Mr. Nelson Obus
(Name, Address and Telephone Number of Person Authorized)
to Receive Notices and Communications)
Copy to:
Jesse R. Meer, Esq.
Berlack, Israels & Liberman LLP
120 West 45th Street
New York, New York 10035
(212) 704-0100
January 2, 1998
(Date of Event which Requires Filing of this Statement)
If the filing person has previously filed a Statement on Schedule 13D, and is
filing this schedule because of Rule 13d-1(b)(3) or (4), check the following
box: |_|
Check the following box if a fee is being paid with this Statement: |_|
SCHEDULE 13D
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CUSIP No. 068463108 Page 2 of 10 Pages
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- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 NAME OF REPORTING PERSON: Wynnefield Partners Small Cap Value, L.P.
S.S. OR I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON: 13-3688497
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2 CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP
(a) [X]
(b) [ ]
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3 SEC USE ONLY
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4 SOURCE OF FUNDS
WC (SEE ITEM 3)
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5 CHECK BOX IF DISCLOSURE OF LEGAL PROCEEDINGS IS REQUIRED PURSUANT TO
ITEMS 2(d) OR 2(e) [ ]
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
6 CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION
DELAWARE
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NUMBER OF 7 SOLE VOTING POWER
SHARES 209,380
BENEFICIALLY --------------------------------------------------------------
OWNED BY 8 SHARED VOTING POWER
EACH --
REPORTING --------------------------------------------------------------
PERSON 9 SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
WITH 209,380
--------------------------------------------------------------
10 SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
--
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
11 AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
209,380 shares
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
12 CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (11) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES
[ ]
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
13 PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (11)
3.11%
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
14 TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON
PN
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(Page 2 of 10 Pages)
SCHEDULE 13D
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CUSIP No. 068463108 Page 3 of 10 Pages
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1 NAME OF REPORTING PERSON: Wynnefield Small Cap Value Offshore Fund, Ltd.
S.S. OR I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON: Not Applicable
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2 CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP
(a) [X]
(b) [ ]
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3 SEC USE ONLY
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4 SOURCE OF FUNDS
WC (SEE ITEM 3)
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5 CHECK BOX IF DISCLOSURE OF LEGAL PROCEEDINGS IS REQUIRED PURSUANT TO
ITEMS 2(d) OR 2(e) [ ]
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
6 CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION
CAYMAN ISLANDS
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NUMBER OF 7 SOLE VOTING POWER
SHARES 87,200
BENEFICIALLY --------------------------------------------------------------
OWNED BY 8 SHARED VOTING POWER
EACH --
REPORTING --------------------------------------------------------------
PERSON 9 SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
WITH 87,200
--------------------------------------------------------------
10 SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
--
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
11 AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
87,200 shares
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
12 CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (11) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES
[ ]
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
13 PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (11)
1.3%
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14 TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON
CO
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(Page 3 of 10 Pages)
SCHEDULE 13D
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CUSIP No. 068463108 Page 4 of 10 Pages
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1 NAME OF REPORTING PERSON: Wynnefield Partners Small Cap Value L.P. I
S.S. OR I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON: 13-3953291
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2 CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP
(a) [X]
(b) [ ]
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3 SEC USE ONLY
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4 SOURCE OF FUNDS
WC (SEE ITEM 3)
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5 CHECK BOX IF DISCLOSURE OF LEGAL PROCEEDINGS IS REQUIRED PURSUANT TO
ITEMS 2(d) OR 2(e) [ ]
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
6 CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION
DELAWARE
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NUMBER OF 7 SOLE VOTING POWER
SHARES 139,520
BENEFICIALLY --------------------------------------------------------------
OWNED BY 8 SHARED VOTING POWER
EACH --
REPORTING --------------------------------------------------------------
PERSON 9 SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
WITH 139,520
--------------------------------------------------------------
10 SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
--
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
11 AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
139,520 shares
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
12 CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (11) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES
[ ]
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
13 PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (11)
2.07%
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
14 TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON
PN
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(Page 4 of 10 Pages)
Item 1. Security and Issuer.
This Statement relates to shares of the Common Stock, $0.01 par value per
share (the "Shares"), of Barrett Business Services, Inc., a Maryland corporation
(the "Issuer"). The principal executive offices of the Issuer are located at
4724 SW Macadam Avenue, Portland, Oregon 97201.
Item 2. Identity and Background.
(a), (b), (c) and (f). This Statement is being filed by Wynnefield Partners
Small Cap Value, L.P. (the "Partnership"), Wynnefield Small Cap Value Offshore
Fund, Ltd. (the "Fund"), and Wynnefield Partners Small Cap Value, L.P. I (the
"Partnership-I"). Although the Partnership, the Fund and Partnership-I are each
separate and distinctive entities with different beneficial owners (whether
designated as limited partners or stockholders), for the convenience of
reporting their holdings, in this Statement, they are sometimes referred to
collectively as the "Wynnefield Group".
Wynnefield Capital Management, LLC, a New York limited liability company
("WCM"), is the general partner of the Partnership and the Partnership-I,
private investment companies organized as limited partnerships under the laws of
the State of Delaware. Nelson Obus, Joshua Landes and Robert Melnick are the
managing members of WCM and the principal executive officers of Wynnefield
Capital, Inc., the investment manager of the Fund, a private investment company
organized under the laws of the Cayman Islands. Mr. Obus, Mr. Landes and Mr.
Melnick are citizens of the United States of America.
The business address of Mr. Obus, Mr. Landes, and Mr. Melnick, WCM, and
each of the entities in the Wynnefield Group is One Penn Plaza, Suite 4720, New
York, New York 10119.
(d) and (e). During the last five years, neither Mr. Obus, Mr. Landes, Mr.
Melnick, WCM, nor any of the entities comprising the Wynnefield Group has been
(i) convicted in a criminal proceeding (excluding traffic violations or similar
misdemeanors) or (ii) a party to a civil proceeding of a judicial or
administrative body of competent jurisdiction and as a result of such proceeding
was or is subject to a judgment, decree or final order enjoining future
violations of, or prohibiting or mandating activities subject to, federal or
state securities laws or finding any violation with respect to such laws.
Item 3. Source and Amount of Funds or Other Consideration.
The Wynnefield Group entities purchased their Shares, separately from each
other, for the consideration shown in the following table:
(Page 5 of 10 Pages)
Name Number of Shares Consideration Paid
---- ---------------- ------------------
Partnership 209,380 $2,540,678.98
Partnership-I 139,520 1,692,973.65
Fund 87,200 1,058,664.51
Such Shares were paid for from the separate working capital of each entity
in the Wynnefield Group, each of which maintains a separate investment fund,
consisting of capital contributions from their respective partners and investors
and capital appreciation derived therefrom for the principal purpose of buying
and selling securities (including financial and money market instruments) and
interests in domestic and foreign securities, including, without limitation,
convertible securities, stock index features contracts, options, puts and calls
on stock and warrants.
Item 4. Purposes of Transaction.
Each member of the Wynnefield Group acquired the Shares reported in Item 5
below for investment purposes. If any member of the Wynnefield Group determines
that the ownership of the Issuer's securities represent an attractive investment
opportunity, it reserves the right to buy additional Shares with the
understanding that neither such purchases nor the exercise of its rights as a
stockholder of the Issuer is intended as a "control" device with respect to the
Issuer.
Except as set forth above, no member of the Wynnefield Group has no present
plans or intentions that would result in or relate to any of the transactions
described in subparagraphs (a) through (j) of Item 4 of Schedule 13D.
Item 5. Interests in Securities of the Issuer.
(a) As of the close of business on the date hereof, the three entities
referred to as the Wynnefield Group beneficially owned a total of 436,100
Shares, the separate ownership of which is set forth in Item 3 of this
Statement. Mr. Obus, Mr. Landes and Mr Melnick, by virtue of their status as
managing members of WCM, the general partner of the Partnership and
Partnership-I, and as officers of the Fund's investment manager, may be deemed
to have indirect beneficial ownership of the Shares owned by the three entities
referred to as the Wynnefield Group. However, Mr. Obus, Mr. Landes and Mr.
Melnick, as stated below, disclaim any beneficial ownership of such Shares. The
Shares owned by the three entities referred to as the Wynnefield Group represent
approximately 6.48% of the outstanding Shares of the Issuer, based on the
6,727,423 Shares
(Page 6 of 10 Pages)
reported as outstanding on October 31, 1997 in the Issuer's latest Quarterly
Report on Form 10-Q.
Pursuant to Rule 13d-4 of the General Rules and Regulations under the
Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), Mr. Obus,
Mr. Landes and Mr. Melnick disclaim beneficial ownership of any Shares owned by
the three entities comprising the Wynnefield Group and disclaim membership in
the Wynnefield Group with respect to the Shares for purposes of Sections 13(d)
and 13(g) of the Exchange Act or for any other purpose under any other provision
of the Exchange Act or the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
(b) Mr. Obus, Mr. Landes and Mr. Melnick, by virtue of their status as the
managing members of WCM, the general partner of the Partnership and
Partnership-I, and as officers of the Fund's investment manager, have the power
to vote or to direct the vote and the power to dispose and to direct the
disposition of the Shares owned by each of the three entities comprising the
Wynnefield Group.
(c) The entities in the Wynnefield Group made their separate purchases of
Shares in the over-the-counter market as follows:
Number Price
Name Date of Shares Per Share
---- ---- --------- ---------
Partnership October 21, 1997 76,800 $12.2383
Partnership October 23, 1997 5,400 11.8507
Partnership October 28, 1997 600 11.8750
Partnership November 17, 1997 14,400 12.3646
Partnership November 26, 1997 8,200 12.1850
Partnership December 4, 1997` 16,200 12.1875
Partnership December 11, 1997 2,100 12.0625
Partnership December 12, 1997 2,400 12.0825
Partnership December 15, 1997 2,160 12.0440
Partnership December 17, 1997 7,200 12.2500
Partnership December 19, 1997 6,000 12.2159
Partnership December 22, 1997 4,320 12.1944
Partnership December 23, 1997 2,400 11.9375
(Page 7 of 10 Pages)
Number Price
Name Date of Shares Per Share
---- ---- --------- ---------
Partnership December 29, 1997 1,800 11.8125
Partnership December 30, 1997 2,100 11.8125
Partnership January 2, 1998 57,300 11.9549
Partnership I October 21,1997 51,200 12.2383
Partnership I October 23, 1997 3,600 11.8507
Partnership I October 28, 1997 400 11.8750
Partnership I November 17, 1997 9,600 12.3646
Partnership I November 26, 1997 5,400 12.1850
Partnership I December 4, 1997 10,600 12.1875
Partnership I December 11, 1997 1,400 12.0625
Partnership I December 12, 1997 1,600 12.0825
Partnership I December 15, 1997 1,440 12.0440
Partnership I December 17, 1997 4,800 12.2500
Partnership I December 19, 1997 4,000 12.2159
Partnership I December 22, 1997 2,880 12.1944
Partnership I December 23, 1997 1,600 11.9375
Partnership I December 29, 1997 1,200 11.8125
Partnership I December 30, 1997 1,400 11.8125
Partnership I January 2, 1998 38,200 11.9549
Fund October 21, 1997 32,000 12.2383
Fund November 17, 1997 6,000 12.3646
Fund November 26, 1997 3,400 12.1858
Fund December 4, 1997 8,500 12.1875
(Page 8 of 10 Pages)
Number Price
Name Date of Shares Per Share
---- ---- --------- ---------
Fund December 9, 1997 3,000 12.0625
Fund December 15, 1997 900 12.0440
Fund December 17, 1997 3,000 12.2500
Fund December 19, 1997 1,000 12.2159
Fund December 22, 1997 1,800 12.1944
Fund December 23, 1997 4,000 11.9575
Fund January 2, 1998 23,600 11.9549
(d) Each of the entities comprising the Wynnefield Group as owners of the
Shares specified in Item 3 of this Statement has the right to receive or the
power to direct the receipt of dividends from, or the proceeds from the sale of,
the Shares specified in item 3 of this Statement, but only from such Shares.
(e) Not applicable.
Item 6. Contracts, Arrangements, Understandings or Relationships with Respect to
Securities of the Issuer.
Neither Mr. Obus, Mr. Landes, Mr. Melnick, WCM, nor any of the entities
comprising the Wynnefield Group has any contracts, arrangements, understandings
or relationships (legal or otherwise) with any person with respect to any
securities of the Issuer, including but not limited to any contracts,
arrangements, understandings or relationships concerning the transfer or voting
of such securities, finder's fees, joint ventures, loan or option arrangements,
puts or calls, guarantees of profits, division of profits or losses, or the
giving or withholding of proxies.
Item 7. Material to be Filed as Exhibits.
Not applicable.
(Page 9 of 10 Pages)
SIGNATURE
After reasonable inquiry and to the best of their knowledge and belief, the
undersigned certify that the information set forth in this Statement is true,
complete and correct.
Dated: January 7, 1998
WYNNEFIELD PARTNERS SMALL CAP VALUE, L.P.
WYNNEFIELD PARTNERS SMALL CAP VALUE, L.P. I
By: Wynnefield Capital Management, LLC,
General Partner
By: /s/ Joshua Landes
------------------------------
Joshua Landes, Managing Member
WYNNEFIELD SMALL CAP VALUE OFFSHORE FUND, LTD.
By: Wynnefield Capital, Inc.
By: /s/ Joshua Landes
-----------------------------
Joshua Landes, Vice President
(Page 10 of 10 Pages)