UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D. C. 20549
SCHEDULE 13D
Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Simon Transportation Services Inc.
(Name of Issuer)
Class A Common Stock, Par Value $.01 Per Share
(Title of Class of Securities)
828813105
(CUSIP Number)
Nelson Obus, Wynnefield Partners Small Cap Value, L.P.
One Penn Plaza, Suite 4720, New York, New York 10119, (212) 760-0814
and
Jesse R. Meer, Esq.
Berlack, Israels & Liberman, LLP, 120 West 45th Street,
New York, N.Y. 10036, (212) 704-0100
(Name, Address and Telephone Number of Persons Authorized to Receive Notices
and Communications)
April 8, 1998
(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 which is the subject of this Schedule 13D, and is filing this
schedule because of Rule 13d-1(b)(3) or (4), check the following box |_|.
(Page 1 of 8 Pages)
<PAGE>
CUSIP No. 828813105 13D Page 2 of 8 Pages
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 NAME OF REPORTING PERSON
S.S. OR I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON
Wynnefield Partners Small Cap Value, L. P.
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
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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 142,866
BENEFICIALLY --------------------------------------------------------------
OWNED BY 8 SHARED VOTING POWER
EACH None
REPORTING --------------------------------------------------------------
PERSON 9 SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
WITH 142,866
--------------------------------------------------------------
10 SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
None
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
11 AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
142,866 shares
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
12 CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (11) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES*
[ ]
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
13 PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (11)
2.68%
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
14 TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON*
PN
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*SEE INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE FILLING OUT!
(Page 2 of 8 Pages)
<PAGE>
CUSIP No. 828813105 13D Page 3 of 8 Pages
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 NAME OF REPORTING PERSON
S.S. OR I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON
Wynnefield Small Cap Value Offshore Fund Ltd.
None
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2 CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP*
(a) [X]
(b) [ ]
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3 SEC USE ONLY
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4 SOURCE OF FUNDS*
WC
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NUMBER OF 7 SOLE VOTING POWER
SHARES 65,900
BENEFICIALLY --------------------------------------------------------------
OWNED BY 8 SHARED VOTING POWER
EACH None
REPORTING --------------------------------------------------------------
PERSON 9 SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
WITH 65,900
--------------------------------------------------------------
10 SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
None
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
11 AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
65,900 shares
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
12 CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (11) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES*
[ ]
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
13 PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (11)
1.24%
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
14 TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON*
CO
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*SEE INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE FILLING OUT!
(Page 3 of 8 Pages)
<PAGE>
CUSIP No. 828813105 13D Page 4 of 8 Pages
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 NAME OF REPORTING PERSON
S.S. OR I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON
Wynnefield Small Cap Value L.P. 1
13-39553291
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2 CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP*
(a) [X]
(b) [ ]
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3 SEC USE ONLY
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4 SOURCE OF FUNDS*
WC
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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 121,734
BENEFICIALLY --------------------------------------------------------------
OWNED BY 8 SHARED VOTING POWER
EACH None
REPORTING --------------------------------------------------------------
PERSON 9 SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
WITH 121,734
--------------------------------------------------------------
10 SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
None
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
11 AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
121,734 shares
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
12 CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (11) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES*
[ ]
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
13 PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (11)
2.29%
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
14 TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON*
CO
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*SEE INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE FILLING OUT!
(Page 4 of 8 Pages)
<PAGE>
Item 1. Security and Issuer.
This statement relates to shares of Class A Common Stock, par value $.01
per share (the "Shares" or "Class A Common Stock"), of Simon Transportation
Services Inc. (the "Issuer"). The Issuer's principal executive offices are
located at 5175 West 2100 South, West Valley City, Utah 84120.
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
("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 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:
Name Number of Shares Consideration Paid
---- ---------------- ------------------
Partnership 142,866 $1,489,368.98
Partnership-I 121,734 1,284,606.93
Fund 65,900 746,322.10
(Page 5 of 8 Pages)
<PAGE>
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.
Although the members of the Wynnefield Group made their original purchases
of the Issuer's Shares for investment purposes only, they now have questions
concerning the capabilities of management of the Issuer as strategic planners
and operators. Therefore, as major stockholders of the Issuer, the Wynnefield
Group will seek to have its representatives meet with the Issuer's management to
express their concerns regarding how the Issuer has dealt with its expansion
plans and its driver shortage.
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 330,500
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 6.2% of the outstanding Shares of the Issuer, based on the
5,323,123 Shares reported as outstanding on December 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:
(Page 6 of 8 Pages)
<PAGE>
Name Date in 1998 No. of Shares Price Per Share
---- ------------ ------------- ---------------
Partnership February 13 18,550 $13.4875
Partnership March 2 19,344 15.3750
Partnership April 3 25,440 9.2708
Partnership April 3 55,332 9.2250
Partnership April 8 4,200 8.0000
Partnership April 8 20,000 8.0938
Partnership I February 13 16,450 13.4875
Partnership I March 2 17,856 15.3750
Partnership I April 3 22,560 9.2708
Partnership I April 3 49,068 9.2250
Partnership I April 8 15,800 8.0000
Fund February 13 15,000 13.4875
Fund February 17 3,500 14.0000
Fund March 2 9,300 15.3750
Fund April 3 12,000 9.2708
Fund April 3 26,100 9.2250
(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.
(Page 7 of 8 Pages)
<PAGE>
Item 6. Contracts, Arrangements, Understandings or Relationships with Respect to
Securities of the Issuer.
Neither the Partnership, Partnership-I, the Fund, WCM, Wynnefield Capital,
Inc., Mr. Obus, Mr. Landes nor Mr. Melnick has any contracts, arrangements,
understandings or relationships (legal or otherwise) with respect to the Class A
Common Stock. None of the Shares is pledged or otherwise subject to a
contingency, the occurrence of which would give another person voting or
investment power over the Shares.
Item 9. Material to be Filed as Exhibits.
None
SIGNATURES
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.
April 17, 1998
- ---------------
(Date)
WYNNEFIELD PARTNERS SMALL CAP VALUE, L.P.
By: Wynnefield Capital Management, LLC
By: /s/ Nelson Obus
-------------------------------------------
Nelson Obus, Managing Member
WYNNEFIELD PARTNERS SMALL CAP VALUE, L.P.- I
By: Wynnefield Capital Management, LLC
By: /s/ Nelson Obus
-------------------------------------------
Nelson Obus, Managing Member
WYNNEFIELD SMALL CAP VALUE OFFSHORE FUND LTD.
By: /s/ Nelson Obus
-------------------------------------------
Nelson Obus, Director
(Page 8 of 8 Pages)
