Filing Details

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

o

Rule 13d-1(b)

o

Rule 13d-1(c)

x

Rule 13d-1(d)

CUSIP No. 83190B 101

1.

Names of Reporting Persons
Ares Corporate Opportunities Fund III, L.P.

2.

Check the Appropriate Box if a Member of a Group (See Instructions)

(a)

o

(b)

o

3.

SEC Use Only

4.

Citizenship or Place of Organization
Delaware

Number of
Shares
Beneficially
Owned by
Each
Reporting
Person With

5.

Sole Voting Power
0

6.

Shared Voting Power
22,109,381 (see Item 4(a))

7.

Sole Dispositive Power
0

8.

Shared Dispositive Power
22,109,381 (see Item 4(a))

9.

Aggregate Amount Beneficially Owned by Each Reporting Person
22,109,381 (see Item 4(a))

10.

Check if the Aggregate Amount in Row (9) Excludes Certain Shares (See Instructions)  o

11.

Percent of Class Represented by Amount in Row (9)
30.2% (see Item 4(b))

12.

Type of Reporting Person (See Instructions)
PN

CUSIP No. 83190B 101

1.

Names of Reporting Persons
Ares Corporate Opportunities Fund IV, L.P.

2.

Check the Appropriate Box if a Member of a Group (See Instructions)

(a)

o

(b)

o

3.

SEC Use Only

4.

Citizenship or Place of Organization
Delaware

Number of
Shares
Beneficially
Owned by
Each
Reporting
Person With

5.

Sole Voting Power
0

6.

Shared Voting Power
22,109,381 (see Item 4(a))

7.

Sole Dispositive Power
0

8.

Shared Dispositive Power
22,109,381 (see Item 4(a))

9.

Aggregate Amount Beneficially Owned by Each Reporting Person
22,109,381 (see Item 4(a))

10.

Check if the Aggregate Amount in Row (9) Excludes Certain Shares (See Instructions)  o

11.

Percent of Class Represented by Amount in Row (9)
30.2% (see Item 4(b))

12.

Type of Reporting Person (See Instructions)
PN

CUSIP No. 83190B 101

1.

Names of Reporting Persons
ACOF Operating Manager III, LLC

2.

Check the Appropriate Box if a Member of a Group (See Instructions)

(a)

o

(b)

o

3.

SEC Use Only

4.

Citizenship or Place of Organization
Delaware

Number of
Shares
Beneficially
Owned by
Each
Reporting
Person With

5.

Sole Voting Power
0

6.

Shared Voting Power
22,109,381 (see Item 4(a))

7.

Sole Dispositive Power
0

8.

Shared Dispositive Power
22,109,381 (see Item 4(a))

9.

Aggregate Amount Beneficially Owned by Each Reporting Person
22,109,381 (see Item 4(a))

10.

Check if the Aggregate Amount in Row (9) Excludes Certain Shares (See Instructions)  o

11.

Percent of Class Represented by Amount in Row (9)
30.2% (see Item 4(b))

12.

Type of Reporting Person (See Instructions)
OO

CUSIP No. 83190B 101

1.

Names of Reporting Persons
ACOF Operating Manager IV, LLC

2.

Check the Appropriate Box if a Member of a Group (See Instructions)

(a)

o

(b)

o

3.

SEC Use Only

4.

Citizenship or Place of Organization
Delaware

Number of
Shares
Beneficially
Owned by
Each
Reporting
Person With

5.

Sole Voting Power
0

6.

Shared Voting Power
22,109,381 (see Item 4(a))

7.

Sole Dispositive Power
0

8.

Shared Dispositive Power
22,109,381 (see Item 4(a))

9.

Aggregate Amount Beneficially Owned by Each Reporting Person
22,109,381 (see Item 4(a))

10.

Check if the Aggregate Amount in Row (9) Excludes Certain Shares (See Instructions)  o

11.

Percent of Class Represented by Amount in Row (9)
30.2% (see Item 4(b))

12.

Type of Reporting Person (See Instructions)
OO

CUSIP No. 83190B 101

1.

Names of Reporting Persons
Ares Management LLC

2.

Check the Appropriate Box if a Member of a Group (See Instructions)

(a)

o

(b)

o

3.

SEC Use Only

4.

Citizenship or Place of Organization
Delaware

Number of
Shares
Beneficially
Owned by
Each
Reporting
Person With

5.

Sole Voting Power
0

6.

Shared Voting Power
44,218,762 (see Item 4(a))

7.

Sole Dispositive Power
0

8.

Shared Dispositive Power
44,218,762 (see Item 4(a))

9.

Aggregate Amount Beneficially Owned by Each Reporting Person
44,218,762 (see Item 4(a))

10.

Check if the Aggregate Amount in Row (9) Excludes Certain Shares (See Instructions)  o

11.

Percent of Class Represented by Amount in Row (9)
60.4% (see Item 4(b))

12.

Type of Reporting Person (See Instructions)
OO

CUSIP No. 83190B 101

1.

Names of Reporting Persons
Ares Management Holdings L.P.

2.

Check the Appropriate Box if a Member of a Group (See Instructions)

(a)

o

(b)

o

3.

SEC Use Only

4.

Citizenship or Place of Organization
Delaware

Number of
Shares
Beneficially
Owned by
Each
Reporting
Person With

5.

Sole Voting Power
0

6.

Shared Voting Power
44,218,762 (see Item 4(a))

7.

Sole Dispositive Power
0

8.

Shared Dispositive Power
44,218,762 (see Item 4(a))

9.

Aggregate Amount Beneficially Owned by Each Reporting Person
44,218,762 (see Item 4(a))

10.

Check if the Aggregate Amount in Row (9) Excludes Certain Shares (See Instructions)  o

11.

Percent of Class Represented by Amount in Row (9)
60.4% (see Item 4(b))

12.

Type of Reporting Person (See Instructions)
PN

CUSIP No. 83190B 101

1.

Names of Reporting Persons
Ares Holdco LLC

2.

Check the Appropriate Box if a Member of a Group (See Instructions)

(a)

o

(b)

o

3.

SEC Use Only

4.

Citizenship or Place of Organization
Delaware

Number of
Shares
Beneficially
Owned by
Each
Reporting
Person With

5.

Sole Voting Power
0

6.

Shared Voting Power
44,218,762 (see Item 4(a))

7.

Sole Dispositive Power
0

8.

Shared Dispositive Power
44,218,762 (see Item 4(a))

9.

Aggregate Amount Beneficially Owned by Each Reporting Person
44,218,762 (see Item 4(a))

10.

Check if the Aggregate Amount in Row (9) Excludes Certain Shares (See Instructions)  o

11.

Percent of Class Represented by Amount in Row (9)
60.4% (see Item 4(b))

12.

Type of Reporting Person (See Instructions)
OO

CUSIP No. 83190B 101

1.

Names of Reporting Persons
Ares Holdings Inc.

2.

Check the Appropriate Box if a Member of a Group (See Instructions)

(a)

o

(b)

o

3.

SEC Use Only

4.

Citizenship or Place of Organization
Delaware

Number of
Shares
Beneficially
Owned by
Each
Reporting
Person With

5.

Sole Voting Power
0

6.

Shared Voting Power
44,218,762 (see Item 4(a))

7.

Sole Dispositive Power
0

8.

Shared Dispositive Power
44,218,762 (see Item 4(a))

9.

Aggregate Amount Beneficially Owned by Each Reporting Person
44,218,762 (see Item 4(a))

10.

Check if the Aggregate Amount in Row (9) Excludes Certain Shares (See Instructions)  o

11.

Percent of Class Represented by Amount in Row (9)
60.4% (see Item 4(b))

12.

Type of Reporting Person (See Instructions)
CO

CUSIP No. 83190B 101

1.

Names of Reporting Persons
Ares Management, L.P.

2.

Check the Appropriate Box if a Member of a Group (See Instructions)

(a)

o

(b)

o

3.

SEC Use Only

4.

Citizenship or Place of Organization
Delaware

Number of
Shares
Beneficially
Owned by
Each
Reporting
Person With

5.

Sole Voting Power
0

6.

Shared Voting Power
44,218,762 (see Item 4(a))

7.

Sole Dispositive Power
0

8.

Shared Dispositive Power
44,218,762 (see Item 4(a))

9.

Aggregate Amount Beneficially Owned by Each Reporting Person
44,218,762 (see Item 4(a))

10.

Check if the Aggregate Amount in Row (9) Excludes Certain Shares (See Instructions)  o

11.

Percent of Class Represented by Amount in Row (9)
60.4% (see Item 4(b))

12.

Type of Reporting Person (See Instructions)
PN

CUSIP No. 83190B 101

1.

Names of Reporting Persons
Ares Management GP LLC

2.

Check the Appropriate Box if a Member of a Group (See Instructions)

(a)

o

(b)

o

3.

SEC Use Only

4.

Citizenship or Place of Organization
Delaware

Number of
Shares
Beneficially
Owned by
Each
Reporting
Person With

5.

Sole Voting Power
0

6.

Shared Voting Power
44,218,762 (see Item 4(a))

7.

Sole Dispositive Power
0

8.

Shared Dispositive Power
44,218,762 (see Item 4(a))

9.

Aggregate Amount Beneficially Owned by Each Reporting Person
44,218,762 (see Item 4(a))

10.

Check if the Aggregate Amount in Row (9) Excludes Certain Shares (See Instructions)  o

11.

Percent of Class Represented by Amount in Row (9)
60.4% (see Item 4(b))

12.

Type of Reporting Person (See Instructions)
OO

CUSIP No. 83190B 101

1.

Names of Reporting Persons
Ares Partners Holdco LLC

2.

Check the Appropriate Box if a Member of a Group (See Instructions)

(a)

o

(b)

o

3.

SEC Use Only

4.

Citizenship or Place of Organization
Delaware

Number of
Shares
Beneficially
Owned by
Each
Reporting
Person With

5.

Sole Voting Power
0

6.

Shared Voting Power
44,218,762 (see Item 4(a))

7.

Sole Dispositive Power
0

8.

Shared Dispositive Power
44,218,762 (see Item 4(a))

9.

Aggregate Amount Beneficially Owned by Each Reporting Person
44,218,762 (see Item 4(a))

10.

Check if the Aggregate Amount in Row (9) Excludes Certain Shares (See Instructions)  o

11.

Percent of Class Represented by Amount in Row (9)
60.4% (see Item 4(b))

12.

Type of Reporting Person (See Instructions)
OO

Item 1.

(a)

Name of Issuer:
Smart & Final Stores, Inc.

(b)

Address of Issuers Principal Executive Offices:
600 Citadel Drive

Commerce, California 90040

Item 2.

(a)

Name of Person Filing:
Ares Corporate Opportunities Fund III, L.P. (ACOF III)

Ares Corporate Opportunities Fund IV, L.P. (ACOF IV)

ACOF Operating Manager III, LLC (ACOF Operating Manager III)

ACOF Operating Manager IV, LLC (ACOF Operating Manager IV)

Ares Management LLC (Ares Management LLC)

Ares Management Holdings L.P. (Ares Management Holdings)

Ares Holdco LLC (Ares Holdco)

Ares Holdings Inc. (Ares Holdings)

Ares Management, L.P. (Ares Management)

Ares Management GP LLC (Ares Management GP)

Ares Partners Holdco LLC (Ares Partners and, together with ACOF III, ACOF IV, ACOF Operating Manager III, ACOF Operating Manager IV, Ares Management LLC, Ares Management Holdings, Ares Holdco, Ares Holdings, Ares Management and Ares Management GP, the Ares Filing Persons)

(b)

Address of Principal Business Office or, if none, Residence:
For each Ares Filing Person:

2000 Avenue of the Stars, 12th Floor

Los Angeles, CA 90067

(c)

Citizenship:
For each Ares Filing Person, Delaware

(d)

Title of Class of Securities:
common stock, par value $0.001 per share

(e)

CUSIP Number:
83190B 101

Item 3.

If this statement is filed pursuant to §§240.13d-1(b) or 240.13d-2(b) or (c), check whether the person filing is a:

(a)

o

Broker or dealer registered under section 15 of the Act (15 U.S.C. 78o).

(b)

o

Bank as defined in section 3(a)(6) of the Act (15 U.S.C. 78c).

(c)

o

Insurance company as defined in section 3(a)(19) of the Act (15 U.S.C. 78c).

(d)

o

Investment company registered under section 8 of the Investment Company Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C. 80a-8).

(e)

o

An investment adviser in accordance with §240.13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(E);

(f)

o

An employee benefit plan or endowment fund in accordance with §240.13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(F);

(g)

o

A parent holding company or control person in accordance with §240.13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(G);

(h)

o

A savings association as defined in Section 3(b) of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act (12 U.S.C. 1813);

(i)

o

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)

o

A non-U.S. institution in accordance with § 240.13d-1(b)(ii)(J);

(k)

o

Group, in accordance with § 240.13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(K). If filing as a non-U.S. institution in accordance with

§240.13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(J), please specify the type of institution:____________________________

Item 4.

Ownership

Provide the following information regarding the aggregate number and percentage of the class of securities of the issuer identified in Item 1.

(a)

Amount beneficially owned:   

Ares Management LLC directly and indirectly manages the following investment vehicles that, as of December 31, 2017, held in the aggregate 44,218,762 shares of common stock (common stock) of Smart & Final Stores, Inc. (the Issuer) as record holders of the individual amounts noted (the Ares Recordholders):

Each Ares Recordholder holds more than 5% of the common stock of the Issuer.

Each of the additional Ares Filing Persons, as a result of the relationships described below, may be deemed to indirectly beneficially own the common stock reported on the cover pages to this amendment No. 2 to Schedule 13G (this Amendment No. 2) for such Ares Filing Person.  The manager of ACOF III is ACOF Operating Manager III, and the sole member of ACOF Operating Manager III is Ares Management LLC. The manager of ACOF IV is ACOF Operating Manager IV, and the sole member of ACOF Operating Manager IV is Ares Management LLC.

The sole member of Ares Management LLC is Ares Management Holdings and the general partner of Ares Management Holdings is Ares Holdco. The sole member of Ares Holdco is Ares Holdings, whose sole stockholder is Ares Management.  The general partner of Ares Management is Ares Management GP and the sole member of Ares Management GP is Ares Partners.  Ares Partners is managed by a board of managers (the Board), which is composed of Michael Arougheti, Ryan Berry, R. Kipp deVeer, David Kaplan, Michael McFerran, Antony Ressler and Bennett Rosenthal.  Mr. Ressler generally has veto authority over Board decisions.  Each of the Ares Filing Persons (other than each of ACOF III and ACOF IV with respect to the shares held directly by it) and the members of the Board and the other directors, officers, partners, stockholders, members and managers of the Ares Filing Persons expressly disclaims beneficial ownership of the shares of the common stock, and the filing of this amendment No. 2 to Schedule 13G shall not be deemed an admission that any such person or entity is the beneficial owner of such securities for the purposes of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or for any other purpose.

(b)

Percent of class:   

The information contained on the cover pages to this Amendment No. 2 is incorporated herein by reference.  The percentage amount is based on an aggregate of 73,228,474 shares of common stock outstanding as of November 14, 2017 as provided in the Issuers Quarterly report on Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 16, 2017.

(c)

Number of shares as to which the person has:

(i)

Sole power to vote or to direct the vote   

The information contained on the cover pages to this Amendment No. 2 is incorporated herein by reference.

(ii)

Shared power to vote or to direct the vote    

The information contained on the cover pages to this Amendment No. 2 is incorporated herein by reference.

(iii)

Sole power to dispose or to direct the disposition of   

The information contained on the cover pages to this Amendment No. 2 is incorporated herein by reference.

(iv)

Shared power to dispose or to direct the disposition of   

The information contained on the cover pages to this Amendment No. 2 is incorporated herein by reference.

Item 5.

Ownership of Five Percent or Less of a Class

If this statement is being filed to report the fact that as of the date hereof the reporting person has ceased to be the beneficial owner of more than five percent of the class of securities, check the following   o.

Item 6.

Ownership of More than Five Percent 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 or Control Person

Not applicable

Item 8.

Identification and Classification of Members of the Group

Not applicable

Item 9.

Notice of Dissolution of Group

Not applicable

Item 10.

Certification

Not applicable

ARES CORPORATE OPPORTUNITIES FUND III, L.P.

By:

ACOF OPERATING MANAGER III, LLC

Its:

Manager

/s/ Naseem Sagati Aghili

By: Naseem Sagati Aghili

Its: Authorized Signatory

ARES CORPORATE OPPORTUNITIES FUND IV, L.P.

By:

ACOF OPERATING MANAGER IV, LLC

Its:

Manager

/s/ Naseem Sagati Aghili

By: Naseem Sagati Aghili

Its: Authorized Signatory

ACOF OPERATING MANAGER III, LLC

/s/ Naseem Sagati Aghili

By: Naseem Sagati Aghili

Its: Authorized Signatory

ACOF OPERATING MANAGER IV, LLC

/s/ Naseem Sagati Aghili

By: Naseem Sagati Aghili

Its: Authorized Signatory

ARES MANAGEMENT LLC

/s/ Naseem Sagati Aghili

By: Naseem Sagati Aghili

Its: Authorized Signatory

ARES MANAGEMENT HOLDINGS L.P.

By:

ARES HOLDCO LLC

Its:

General Partner

/s/ Naseem Sagati Aghili

By: Naseem Sagati Aghili

Its: Authorized Signatory

ARES HOLDCO LLC

/s/ Naseem Sagati Aghili

By: Naseem Sagati Aghili

Its: Authorized Signatory

ARES HOLDINGS INC.

/s/ Naseem Sagati Aghili

By: Naseem Sagati Aghili

Its: Authorized Signatory

ARES MANAGEMENT, L.P.

By:

ARES MANAGEMENT GP LLC

Its:

General Partner

/s/ Naseem Sagati Aghili

By: Naseem Sagati Aghili

Its: Authorized Signatory

ARES MANAGEMENT GP LLC

/s/ Naseem Sagati Aghili

By: Naseem Sagati Aghili

Its: Authorized Signatory

ARES PARTNERS HOLDCO LLC

/s/ Naseem Sagati Aghili

By: Naseem Sagati Aghili

Its: Authorized Signatory