Page 3 of 4 – SEC Filing
Item 1.
(a). Name of Issuer: CenturyLink, Inc. (“Issuer”)
(b). Address of Issuer’s Principal Executive Offices:
100 CenturyLink Drive
Monroe, Louisiana 71203
Item 2.
(a) and (b). Names and Principal Business Addresses of Persons
Filing:
(1) Southeastern Asset Management, Inc.
6410 Poplar Ave., Suite 900
Memphis, TN 38119
(2) Mr. O. Mason Hawkins
Chairman of the Board and C.E.O.
Southeastern Asset Management, Inc.
6410 Poplar Ave., Suite 900
Memphis, TN 38119
(c). Citizenship:
Southeastern Asset Management, Inc. – A Tennessee corporation
Mr. O. Mason Hawkins – U.S. Citizen
(d). Title of Class of Securities: Common Shares (“the
Securities”).
(e). Cusip Number: 156700106
Item 3. If this statement is filed pursuant to Rules 13d-1 (b) or
13d-2 (b), check whether the person filing is a:
(e). Investment Adviser registered under Section 203 of the
Investment Advisers Act of 1940. This statement is being filed
by Southeastern Asset Management, Inc. as a registered investment
adviser. All of the securities covered by this report are owned
legally by Southeastern’s investment advisory clients and none
are owned directly or indirectly by Southeastern. As permitted
by Rule 13d-4, the filing of this statement shall not be construed
as an admission that Southeastern Asset Management, Inc. is the
beneficial owner of any of the securities covered by this statement.
(g). Parent Holding Company. This statement is also being filed by
Mr. O. Mason Hawkins, Chairman of the Board and C.E.O. of
Southeastern Asset Management, Inc. in the event he could be
deemed to be a controlling person of that firm as the result of
his official positions with or ownership of its voting securities.
The existence of such control is expressly disclaimed. Mr. Hawkins
does not own directly or indirectly any securities covered by
this statement for his own account. As permitted by Rule 13d-4,
the filing of this statement shall not be construed as an admission
that Mr. Hawkins is the beneficial owner of any of the securities
covered by this statement.
Item 4. Ownership:
(a). Amount Beneficially Owned: (At 12/8/17)
71,604,936 shares
(b). Percent of Class:
6.7 %
Above percentage is based on 1,069,003,333 shares of Common
Shares outstanding.
(c). Number of shares as to which such person has:
(i). sole power to vote or to direct the vote:
35,312,340 shares
(ii). shared or no power to vote or to direct the vote:
Shared – 31,864,230 shares.
Securities owned by the following series of Longleaf
Partners Funds Trust, an open-end management
investment company registered under the Investment
Company Act of 1940, as follows:
Longleaf Partners Fund – 15,961,137
Longleaf Partners Small-Cap Fund – 14,779,941
Longleaf Partners Global Fund – 1,123,152
No Power to Vote – 4,428,366 shares.
(iii). sole power to dispose or to direct the disposition
of:
38,715,706 shares
(iv). shared or no power to dispose or to direct the
disposition of:
Shared – 31,864,230 shares
Securities owned by the following series of Longleaf
Partners Funds Trust, an open-end management
investment company registered under the Investment
Company Act of 1940, as follows:
Longleaf Partners Fund – 15,961,137
Longleaf Partners Small-Cap Fund – 14,779,941
Longleaf Partners Global Fund – 1,123,152
Other Shared – 1,025,000
No Power – 0 shares.
Item 5. Ownership of Five Percent or Less of a Class: N/A
Item 6. Ownership of More than Five Percent on Behalf of Another
Person: N/A
Item 7. Identification and Classification of the Subsidiary Which
Acquired the Security Being Reported on By the Parent
Holding Company: N/A
Item 8. Identification and Classification of Members of the Group:
N/A
Item 9. Notice of Dissolution of Group: N/A
Item 10. Certification:
By signing below I certify that, to the best of my knowledge and
belief, the securities referred to above were acquired in the
ordinary course of business and were not acquired for the purpose
and do not have the effect of changing or influencing the control
of the issuer of such securities and were not acquired in
connection with or as a participant in any transaction having such
purposes or effect.
Signatures
After reasonable inquiry and to the best of the knowledge and
belief of the undersigned, the undersigned certifies that the
information set forth in this statement is true, complete, and
correct.
Dated: December 11, 2017
Southeastern Asset Management, Inc.
By /s/ Andrew R. McCarroll
_______________________________________________
Andrew R. McCarroll
Vice President and General Counsel
O. Mason Hawkins, Individually
/s/ O. Mason Hawkins
_______________________________________________
