13D Filing: ESL Partners and Sears Hometown & Outlet Stores, Inc. (SHOS)

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

SCHEDULE 13D

Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

(Amendment No. 8)*

Sears
Hometown and Outlet Stores, Inc.

(Name of Issuer)

Common Stock

(Title of
Class of Securities)

812362101

(CUSIP Number)

Janice V.
Sharry, Esq.

Haynes and Boone, LLP

2323 Victory Avenue, Suite 700

Dallas, Texas 75219

(214) 651-5000

(Name,
Address and Telephone Number of Person Authorized to Receive Notices and Communications)

February 9, 2016

(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 that is the subject of this Schedule 13D, and is filing this schedule because of §§240.13d-1(e), 240.13d-1(f) or 240.13d-1(g), check the following box.  ¨

Note: Schedules filed in paper format shall include a signed original and five copies of the schedule, including all exhibits. See §240.13d-7 for
other parties to whom copies are to be sent.

The information required on 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, as amended (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).

This Amendment No. 8 to Schedule 13D (this Amendment No. 8) relates to
shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share (the Common Stock), of Sears Hometown and Outlet Stores, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the Issuer). This Amendment No. 8 amends the Schedule 13D, as previously amended,
filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission by ESL Partners, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (Partners), SPE I Partners, LP, a Delaware limited partnership, SPE Master I, LP, a Delaware limited partnership, RBS Partners, L.P.,
a Delaware limited partnership (RBS), ESL Institutional Partners, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership, RBS Investment Management, L.L.C., a Delaware limited liability company, CRK Partners, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, ESL
Investments, Inc., a Delaware corporation (ESL), and Edward S. Lampert, a United States citizen, by furnishing the information set forth below. Except as otherwise specified in this Amendment No. 8, all previous Items are unchanged.
Capitalized terms used herein which are not defined herein have the meanings given to them in the Schedule 13D, as previously filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Item 3 is hereby amended and
supplemented as follows:

In various open market purchases between January 8, 2016 and February 10, 2016, Mr. Lampert
acquired an aggregate of 363,989 shares of Common Stock for aggregate consideration of approximately $2,162,285 (excluding commissions) using personal funds.

Item 5 is hereby amended and restated in its
entirety as follows:

(a)-(b) Each Reporting Person declares that neither the filing of this Schedule 13D nor anything herein
shall be construed as an admission that such person is, for the purposes of Section 13(d) or 13(g) of the Act or any other purpose, the beneficial owner of any securities covered by this Schedule 13D.

Each Reporting Person may be deemed to be a member of a group with respect to the Issuer or securities of the Issuer for the purposes of
Section 13(d) or 13(g) of the Act. Each Reporting Person declares that neither the filing of this Schedule 13D nor anything herein shall be construed as an admission that such person is, for the purposes of Section 13(d) or 13(g) of the
Act or any other purpose, (i) acting (or has agreed or is agreeing to act) with any other person as a partnership, limited partnership, syndicate, or other group for the purpose of acquiring, holding, or disposing of securities of the Issuer or
otherwise with respect to the Issuer or any securities of the Issuer or (ii) a member of any syndicate or group with respect to the Issuer or any securities of the Issuer.

As of the time of filing on February 11, 2016, the Reporting Persons may be deemed to beneficially own the shares of Common Stock of the
Issuer set forth in the table below.

(c) Other than as set forth on Annex B hereto, there have been no transactions in the class of securities reported on
that were effected by the Reporting Persons during the past sixty days or since the most recent filing of Schedule 13D, whichever is less.

(d) Not applicable.

(e) Not
applicable.

Item 7 is hereby amended and restated in its
entirety as follows:

The following exhibits are filed as exhibits hereto:

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.

EXHIBIT INDEX

ANNEX B

RECENT TRANSACTIONS BY THE REPORTING PERSONS IN THE SECURITIES OF SEARS

HOMETOWN AND OUTLET STORES, INC.