13D Filing: Omega Advisors and Atlas Energy Group LLC (ATLS)

This statement on Schedule 13D (“Schedule 13D”) relates to the common units (the “Common Units”), of ATLAS ENERGY GROUP, LLC (the “Issuer”).The address of the principal executive office of the Issuer is Park Place Corporate Center One, 1000 Commerce Drive, Suite 400 Pittsburgh PA 15275.

(a) The name of the reporting person is Leon G. Cooperman (“Mr. Cooperman”).

(b) The address of Mr. Cooperman is St. Andrew’s Country Club, 7118 Melrose Castle Lane, Boca Raton, FL 33496.

(c) Mr. Cooperman is the Managing Member of Omega Associates, L.L.C. (“Associates”), a limited liability company organized under the laws of the State of Delaware.  Associates is a private investment firm formed to invest in and act as general partner of investment partnerships or similar investment vehicles.  Associates is the general partner of Omega Charitable Partnership L.P. (“Charitable LP”), an exempted limited partnership registered in the Cayman Islands.  This entity is a private investment firm engaged in the purchase and sale of securities for investment for its own account.  Mr. Cooperman is the ultimate controlling person of Associates and Charitable LP.

Mr. Cooperman is also one of the Trustees of The Leon and Toby Cooperman Foundation (the “Foundation”), a charitable trust dated December 16, 1981.  The other Trustees are family members.

(d) During the past five years Mr. Cooperman was not convicted in any criminal proceeding (excluding traffic violations or similar misdemeanors).

(e) During the last five years, Mr. Cooperman was 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.  Such proceeding is described below.

In September 2016, the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) filed a lawsuit against Mr. Cooperman and Omega Advisors, Inc., in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, captioned SEC v. Cooperman et al., 16-cv-5043.  The SEC’s complaint asserted a claim under Section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”) based on allegations that Mr. Cooperman traded in securities of a publicly traded company in July 2010 on the basis of material nonpublic information.  The complaint also asserted claims under Section 13(d) and Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act based on allegations that Mr. Cooperman did not timely report information about holdings and transactions in securities of publicly traded companies that he beneficially owned.  Mr. Cooperman and Omega moved to dismiss the Section 10(b) claim for failure to state a claim under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b)(6) and the Section 13(d) and Section 16(a) claims for improper venue under Rule 12(b)(3).  In March 2017, the court denied the motion with respect to the Section 10(b) claim and granted the motion with respect to the Section 13(d) and Section 16(a) claims.  In May 2017, Mr. Cooperman consented to the entry of a final judgment, which the court entered later that month.  Among other things, the final judgment—in which Mr. Cooperman neither admitted nor denied wrongdoing—permanently enjoined Mr. Cooperman from violating Section 10(b), Section 13(d), and Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act; directed Mr. Cooperman to pay $4,947,139 in disgorgement, prejudgment interest, and civil penalties; and required Mr. Cooperman to retain an independent compliance consultant.

(f) Mr. Cooperman is a citizen of the United States of America.

Item 3.  Source or Amount of Funds or Other Consideration.

Mr. Cooperman acquired the Common Units through open market purchases and in privately negotiated transactions with the Issuer as noted herein. The source of funds for all purchases was working capital.

Mr. Cooperman holds the Common Units for investment purposes. Mr. Cooperman intends from time to time to review his investment in the Issuer on the basis of various factors, including the Issuer’s business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects, general economic and industry conditions, the securities markets in general and those for the Common Units in particular, as well as other developments and other investment opportunities. Based upon such review, Mr. Cooperman may take such actions in the future as he deems appropriate in light of the circumstances existing from time to time, which may include further acquisitions of the Common Units or disposal of some or all of the Common Units currently owned by Mr. Cooperman or otherwise acquired by Mr. Cooperman, either in the open market or in privately negotiated transactions.

Mr. Cooperman does not currently have any plans or proposals that relate to, or may result in, any of the matters listed in Items 4(a)-(j) of Schedule 13D (although Mr. Cooperman reserves the right, based on all relevant factors and subject to applicable law, at any time and from time to time, to review or reconsider his position, change his purpose, take other actions (including actions that could involve one or more of the types of transactions or have one or more of the results described in paragraphs (a) through (j) of Item 4 of Schedule 13D) or formulate and implement plans or proposals with respect to any of the foregoing).