<PAGE> 1
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
SCHEDULE 13G
Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934*
Office Depot, Inc.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Name of Issuer)
Common Stock, par value $.01 per share
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Title of Class of Securities)
67622-010-6
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(CUSIP Number)
December 1, 2000
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Date of Event Which Requires Filing of this Statement)
Check the appropriate box to designate the rule pursuant to which this
Schedule is filed: [ ] Rule 13d-1(b)
[X] Rule 13d-1(c)
[ ] Rule 13d-1(d)
* 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 the
disclosures provided in a prior cover page.
The information required in 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).
Person Authorized to Receive Notices and Communications:
Janice V. Sharry, Esq.
Haynes and Boone, LLP
901 Main Street, Suite 3100
Dallas, Texas 75202
(214) 651-5562
<PAGE> 2
SCHEDULE 13G
----------------------- -----------------
CUSIP No. - 67622-010-6 Page 2 of 9 Pages
----------------------- -----------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 NAME OF REPORTING PERSON
I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON (ENTITIES ONLY)
ESL Partners, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership
22-2875193
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2 CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP (a) [X]
(b) [ ]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3 SEC USE ONLY
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4 CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OR ORGANIZATION
Delaware
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5 SOLE VOTING POWER
14,306,021
NUMBER OF ---------------------------------------------------
SHARES 6 SHARED VOTING POWER
BENEFICIALLY
OWNED BY 0
EACH ---------------------------------------------------
REPORTING 7 SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
PERSON
WITH 14,306,021
---------------------------------------------------
8 SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
0
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
9 AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
22,397,300
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
10 CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES
[ ]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
11 PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (9)
7.52%
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
12 TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON
PN
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<PAGE> 3
----------------------- -----------------
CUSIP No. - 67622-010-6 Page 3 of 9 Pages
----------------------- -----------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 NAME OF REPORTING PERSON
I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON (ENTITIES ONLY)
ESL Limited, a Bermuda corporation
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2 CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP (a) [X]
(b) [ ]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3 SEC USE ONLY
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4 CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OR ORGANIZATION
Bermuda
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5 SOLE VOTING POWER
3,327,843
NUMBER OF ---------------------------------------------------
SHARES 6 SHARED VOTING POWER
BENEFICIALLY
OWNED BY 0
EACH ---------------------------------------------------
REPORTING 7 SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
PERSON
WITH 3,327,843
---------------------------------------------------
8 SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
0
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
9 AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
22,397,300
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
10 CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES
[ ]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
11 PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (9)
7.52%
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
12 TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON
CO
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<PAGE> 4
----------------------- -----------------
CUSIP No. - 67622-010-6 Page 4 of 9 Pages
----------------------- -----------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 NAME OF REPORTING PERSON
I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON (ENTITIES ONLY)
ESL Institutional Partners, L.P., a Delaware limited
partnership
06-1456821
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2 CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP (a) [X]
(b) [ ]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3 SEC USE ONLY
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4 CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OR ORGANIZATION
Delaware
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5 SOLE VOTING POWER
391,588
NUMBER OF ---------------------------------------------------
SHARES 6 SHARED VOTING POWER
BENEFICIALLY
OWNED BY 0
EACH ---------------------------------------------------
REPORTING 7 SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
PERSON
WITH 391,588
---------------------------------------------------
8 SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
0
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
9 AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
22,397,300
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
10 CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES
[ ]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
11 PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (9)
7.52%
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
12 TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON
PN
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<PAGE> 5
----------------------- -----------------
CUSIP No. - 67622-010-6 Page 5 of 9 Pages
----------------------- -----------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 NAME OF REPORTING PERSON
I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON (ENTITIES ONLY)
ESL Investors, L.L.C.
13-4095958
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2 CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP (a) [X]
(b) [ ]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3 SEC USE ONLY
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4 CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OR ORGANIZATION
Delaware
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5 SOLE VOTING POWER
4,371,848
NUMBER OF ---------------------------------------------------
SHARES 6 SHARED VOTING POWER
BENEFICIALLY
OWNED BY 0
EACH ---------------------------------------------------
REPORTING 7 SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
PERSON
WITH 4,371,848
---------------------------------------------------
8 SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
0
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
9 AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
22,397,300
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
10 CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES
[ ]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
11 PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (9)
7.52%
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
12 TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON
OO
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<PAGE> 6
-----------------
Page 6 of 9 Pages
-----------------
Item 1(a) Name of Issuer:
Office Depot, Inc.
Item 1(b) Address of Issuer's Principal Executive Offices:
2200 Old Germantown Road
Delray Beach, Florida 33445
Item 2(a) Names of Persons Filing:
ESL Partners, L.P.
ESL Limited
ESL Institutional Partners, L.P.
ESL Investors, L.L.C.
Item 2(b) Addresses of Principal Business Offices:
ESL Partners, L.P., ESL Institutional Partners, L.P.,
and ESL Investors, L.L.C.:
One Lafayette Place
Greenwich, CT 06830
ESL Limited
Hemisphere House
9 Church Street
Hamilton, Bermuda
Item 2(c) Citizenship:
ESL Partners, L.P. -- Delaware
ESL Limited -- Bermuda
ESL Institutional Partners, L.P. -- Delaware
ESL Investors, L.L.C. -- Delaware
Item 2(d) Title of Class of Securities:
Common Stock, par value $.01 per share
Item 2(e) CUSIP Number:
67622-010-6
<PAGE> 7
-----------------
Page 7 of 9 Pages
-----------------
Item 3 Status of Persons Filing:
(a) [ ] Broker or dealer registered under section 15 of
the Act (15 U.S.C. 78o);
(b) [ ] Bank as defined in section 3(a)(6) of the Act
(15 U.S.C. 78c);
(c) [ ] Insurance company as defined in section 3(a)(19) of
the Act (15 U.S.C. 78c);
(d) [ ] Investment company registered under section 8 of
the Investment Company Act of 1940
(15 U.S.C. 80a-8);
(e) [ ] An investment adviser in accordance with Section
240.13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(E);
(f) [ ] An employee benefit plan or endowment fund in
accordance with Section 240.13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(F);
(g) [ ] A parent holding company or control person in
accordance with Section 240.13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(G);
(h) [ ] A savings association as defined in Section 3(b)
of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act (12 U.S.C.
1813);
(i) [ ] A church plan that is excluded from the definition
of an investment company under section 3(c)(14) of
the Investment Company Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C.
80a-3);
(j) [ ] Group, in accordance with Section
240.13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(J).
Item 4 Ownership:
(a) Amount Beneficially Owned: 22,397,300 shares of Common
Stock, par value $.01 per share.
This statement is filed on behalf of a group consisting
of ESL Partners, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership
("ESL"), ESL Limited, a Bermuda corporation
("Limited"), ESL Institutional Partners, L.P., a
Delaware limited partnership ("Institutional"), and ESL
Investors, L.L.C., a Delaware limited liability company
("Investors") sometimes referred to collectively as the
"ESL Reporting Group." The general partner of ESL is
RBS Partners, L.P. (the "General Partner"). The general
partner of the General Partner of ESL is ESL
Investments, Inc., a Delaware corporation. ESL
Investment Management, LLC, a Delaware limited
liability company ("ESLIM"), is the investment manager
of Limited. RBS Investment Management, LLC, a Delaware
limited liability company ("RBSIM") is the general
partner of Institutional. RBS Partners, L.P. is the
manager of Investors. In the aforementioned capacities,
ESL, Limited, Institutional, and Investors each may be
deemed to be the beneficial owner of the shares of
Office Depot, Inc. common stock beneficially owned by
the other members of the group.
As of December 11, 2000: (i) ESL was the record owner
of 14,306,021 shares of common stock of Office Depot,
Inc.; (ii) Limited was the record owner of 3,327,843
shares of common stock of Office Depot, Inc.; (iii)
Institutional was the record owner of 391,588 shares of
common stock of Office Depot, Inc.; and (iv) Investors
was the record owner of 4,371,848 shares of common
stock of Office Depot, Inc.
(b) Percent of Class: 7.52%.
<PAGE> 8
-----------------
Page 8 of 9 Pages
-----------------
(c) Number of shares as to which each person has:
(i) sole power to vote or to direct the vote:
See Item 5 of each cover page.
(ii) shared power to vote or to direct the vote: 0.
(iii) sole power to dispose or to direct the
disposition of:
See Item 7 of each cover page.
(iv) shared power to dispose or to direct the
disposition of: 0.
Item 5 Ownership of 5% or Less of a Class:
Not applicable.
Item 6 Ownership of More than 5% on Behalf of Another Person:
Not applicable.
Item 7 Identification and Classification of the Subsidiary which
Acquired the Security Being Reported on By the Parent Holding
Company:
Not applicable
Item 8 Identification and Classification of Members of the Group:
See Item 4(a).
Item 9 Notice of Dissolution of Group:
Not applicable
Item 10 Certification:
By signing below I certify that, to the best of my knowledge
and belief, the securities referred to above were not acquired
and are not held for the purpose of or with the effect of
changing or influencing the control of the issuer of the
securities and were not acquired and are not held in
connection with or as a participant in any transaction having
that purpose or effect.
<PAGE> 9
-----------------
Page 9 of 9 Pages
-----------------
SIGNATURE
After reasonable inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and belief, I
certify that the information set forth in this statement is true, complete and
correct.
Date: December 11, 2000
ESL PARTNERS, L.P.
By: RBS Partners, L.P., its general partner
By: ESL Investments, Inc., its general partner
By: /s/ EDWARD S. LAMPERT
-----------------------------------------
Edward S. Lampert
Chairman
ESL LIMITED
By: ESL Investment Management, LLC,
its investment manager
By: /s/ EDWARD S. LAMPERT
-----------------------------------------
Edward S. Lampert
Managing Member
ESL INSTITUTIONAL PARTNERS, L.P.
By: RBS Investment Management, LLC,
its general partner
By: /s/ EDWARD S. LAMPERT
-----------------------------------------
Edward S. Lampert
Managing Member
ESL INVESTORS, L.L.C.
By: RBS Partners, L.P., its manager
By: ESL Investments, Inc., its general partner
By: /s/ EDWARD S. LAMPERT
-----------------------------------------
Edward S. Lampert
Chairman
<PAGE> 10
INDEX TO EXHIBITS
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
EXHIBIT
NUMBER DESCRIPTION
------ -----------
<S> <C>
1 Joint Filing Agreement, dated as of December 11, 2000, entered
into by and among ESL Partners, L.P., ESL Limited, ESL
Institutional Partners, L.P., and ESL Investors, L.L.C.
</TABLE>
