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SRS Investment Management Signs Cooperation Agreement With Avis Budget Group, Inc. (CAR)

Published on January 26, 2016 at 10:42 am by Meena Krishnamsetty in Hedge Funds, News

In a 13D filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, Karthik Sarma‘s SRS Investment Management reiterated its position in Avis Budget Group Inc. (NASDAQ:CAR). SRS reported holding 9.50 million shares, the stake amassing 9.5% of the company’s outstanding stock. In addition, the filing stated:

“On January 25, 2016, the Investment Manager, along with the Funds (collectively, the “SRS Parties”), entered into a cooperation agreement with the Issuer (the “Cooperation Agreement”) whereby the parties agreed, among other things, and subject to certain conditions, that: (i) the Issuer will increase the size of the Board to twelve directors and appoint Brian Choi, a senior employee of the Investment Manager, to the Board no later than two business days following the execution and delivery of the Cooperation Agreement; (ii) the Issuer will increase the size of its Board and appoint a reasonably acceptable additional independent director recommended by the SRS Parties (the “Subsequent New Director” and, together with Mr. Choi, the “New Directors”); (iii) the Company will include the previously appointed New Directors in its slate of nominees for election as directors at the 2016 annual meeting of stockholders (the “2016 Annual Meeting”) and on certain committees of the Board; (iv) the SRS Parties will abide by certain standstill provisions during the Standstill Period (as defined in the Cooperation Agreement); and (v) the SRS Parties will vote their shares of Common Stock in favor of the Issuer’s nominees and other ordinary course proposals at the 2016 Annual Meeting.”

You can access the original SEC filing by clicking here.

Ownership Summary Table

Name Sole Voting Power Shared Voting Power Sole Dispositive Power Shared Dispositive Power Aggregate Amount Owned Power Percent of Class
SRS INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT, LLC2 CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP (a) (b) 9,500,000 9,500,000 9,500,000 9.5%
KARTHIK R. SARMA2 CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP (a) (b) 9,500,000 9,500,000 9,500,000 9.5%

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Page 1 of 7 SEC Filing

SECURITIES
AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington,
D.C. 20549
SCHEDULE
13D
Under
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

AVIS
BUDGET GROUP, INC.
(Name
of Issuer)

Common
Stock, par value $0.01 per share
(Title
of Class of Securities)

053774105
(CUSIP
Number)

David
Zales

SRS Investment
Management, LLC

One Bryant
Park

39th
Floor

New York,
New York 10036

(212)
520-7900

with
a copy to:

Marc
Weingarten, Esq.

Eleazer
Klein, Esq.

Schulte
Roth & Zabel LLP

919 Third
Avenue

New York,
New York 10022

(212)
756-2000
(Name,
Address and Telephone Number of Person
Authorized
to Receive Notices and Communications)

January
13, 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 Rule 13d-1(e), Rule 13d-1(f) or Rule 13d-1(g), check the following box. [X]

(Page 1
of 7 Pages)

______________________________

* The remainder of this cover
page shall be filled out for a reporting person’s initial filing on this form with respect to the subject class of securities,
and for any subsequent amendment containing information which would alter disclosures provided in a prior cover page.

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 (“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).

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Page 2 of 7 SEC Filing

1

NAME OF REPORTING PERSON

SRS INVESTMENT
MANAGEMENT, LLC
2 CHECK
THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP

(a) ¨

(b) ¨
3 SEC
USE ONLY
4

SOURCE OF FUNDS

AF
5 CHECK
BOX IF DISCLOSURE OF LEGAL PROCEEDING IS REQUIRED PURSUANT TO ITEMS 2(d) or 2(e)		 ¨
6

CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE
OF ORGANIZATION

Delaware, United
States
NUMBER
OF
SHARES
BENEFICIALLY
OWNED BY
EACH
REPORTING
PERSON WITH:		 7

SOLE VOTING POWER
8

SHARED VOTING POWER

9,500,000 shares
of Common Stock
9

SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
10

SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER

9,500,000 shares
of Common Stock
11

AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY
OWNED BY EACH PERSON

9,500,000 shares
of Common Stock
12 CHECK
IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (11) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES		 ¨
13

PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED
BY AMOUNT IN ROW (11)

9.5%(see
Item 5)
14

TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON

IA, OO

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Page 3 of 7 SEC Filing

1

NAME OF REPORTING PERSON

KARTHIK R. SARMA
2 CHECK
THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP

(a) ¨

(b) ¨
3 SEC
USE ONLY
4

SOURCE OF FUNDS

AF
5 CHECK
BOX IF DISCLOSURE OF LEGAL PROCEEDING IS REQUIRED PURSUANT TO ITEMS 2(d) or 2(e)		 ¨
6

CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE
OF ORGANIZATION

India
NUMBER
OF
SHARES
BENEFICIALLY
OWNED BY
EACH
REPORTING
PERSON WITH:		 7

SOLE VOTING POWER
8

SHARED VOTING POWER

9,500,000 shares
of Common Stock
9

SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
10

SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER

9,500,000 shares
of Common Stock
11

AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY
OWNED BY EACH PERSON

9,500,000 shares
of Common Stock
12 CHECK
IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (11) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES		 ¨
13

PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED
BY AMOUNT IN ROW (11)

9.5% (see Item
5)
14

TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON

IN

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Page 4 of 7 SEC Filing

Item
1.		 SECURITY
AND ISSUER
This
statement relates to the shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share (the “Common Stock”), of Avis Budget
Group, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Issuer”). The Issuer’s principal executive offices are located
at 6 Sylvan Way, Parsippany, NJ 07054.
Item
2.		 IDENTITY
AND BACKGROUND
(a)
This Schedule 13D is filed by (i) SRS Investment Management, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the
“Investment Manager”), and (ii) Karthik R. Sarma, an Indian citizen (“Mr. Sarma,” and, together
with the Investment Manager, the “Reporting Persons”). This Schedule 13D relates to the shares of Common
Stock held for the accounts of SRS Partners US, LP, a Delaware limited partnership, and SRS Partners Master Fund LP, a
limited partnership formed in the Cayman Islands, investment funds managed by the Investment Manager (collectively with
SRS Special Opportunities Master II, LP, a limited partnership formed in the Cayman Islands, and SRS Long Opportunities Master
Fund, LP, a limited partnership formed in the Cayman Islands, other funds managed by the Investment Manager as
disclosed below, the “Funds”). The Investment Manager serves as investment manager to the Funds. SRS
Investment Management, LP (“SRS IM”), a Delaware limited partnership, is the managing member of the
Investment Manager. SRS Investment Management GP, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“SRS IM
GP”), is the general partner of SRS IM. Mr. Sarma is the managing member and principal of SRS IM GP. In such
capacities, Mr. Sarma and the Investment Manager may be deemed to have voting and dispositive power with respect to
the shares of Common Stock held for the Funds.
(b)
The business address of each of the Reporting Persons is 1 Bryant Park, 39th Floor, New York, NY 10036.
(c)
The principal business of the Investment Manager is investing in securities and related instruments. The principal business
of Mr. Sarma is serving as the sole Managing Member of the Investment Manager.
(d)
During the last five years, none of the Reporting Persons have been convicted in a criminal proceeding (excluding traffic
violations or similar misdemeanors).
(e)
None of the Reporting Persons has, during the last five years, been 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.
(f)
The place of organization of the Investment Manager is Delaware, United States of America. Mr. Sarma is a citizen of India.
Item
3.		 SOURCE
AND AMOUNT OF FUNDS OR OTHER CONSIDERATION
The
Reporting Persons used approximately $123,537,487 (including brokerage commissions) of the working capital of the applicable
Funds in the aggregate to purchase the shares of Common Stock reported in this Schedule 13D. Such shares of Common Stock
are or may be held from time to time by the applicable Funds in margin accounts established with their respective brokers
or banks and a portion of the purchase price for the Common Stock may be obtained through margin borrowing.
Securities positions which may be held in the margin accounts, including the Common Stock, may be pledged as
collateral security for the repayment of debit balances in the margin accounts.

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Page 5 of 7 SEC Filing

Item
4.		 PURPOSE
OF TRANSACTION
The Reporting Persons
acquired the shares of Common Stock reported herein for investment purposes in the ordinary course of business. The Reporting
Persons acquired such shares of Common Stock because they believed that the shares of Common Stock reported herein, when purchased,
represented an attractive investment opportunity.

The Investment Manager and its representatives
have, from time to time, engaged in, and expect to continue to engage in, discussions with members of the Issuer’s management
and board of directors (the “Board”), other current or prospective stockholders, industry participants, investment
professionals and other third parties regarding a variety of matters relating to the Issuer, which may include, among other things,
the Issuer’s business, management, capital structure and allocation, corporate governance, Board composition and strategic
alternatives and direction.

On January 25, 2016, the
Investment Manager, along with the Funds (collectively, the “SRS Parties”), entered into a cooperation agreement
with the Issuer (the “Cooperation Agreement”) whereby the parties agreed, among other things, and subject to
certain conditions, that: (i) the Issuer will increase the size of the Board to twelve directors and appoint Brian Choi, a
senior employee of the Investment Manager, to the Board no later than two business days following the execution and
delivery of the Cooperation Agreement; (ii) the Issuer will increase the size of its Board and appoint a reasonably
acceptable additional independent director recommended by the SRS Parties (the “Subsequent New Director” and,
together with Mr. Choi, the “New Directors”); (iii) the Company will include the previously appointed New
Directors in its slate of nominees for election as directors at the 2016 annual meeting of stockholders (the “2016
Annual Meeting”) and on certain committees of the Board; (iv) the
SRS Parties will abide by certain standstill provisions during the Standstill Period (as defined in the Cooperation Agreement); and (v) the SRS Parties will vote their shares of Common Stock in favor of
the Issuer’s nominees and other ordinary course proposals at the 2016 Annual Meeting.

The foregoing summary of the
Cooperation Agreement is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the Cooperation Agreement, which is
referenced as Exhibit 1 to this Schedule 13D (and which is incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 of the Form 8-K, filed by the Issuer on January 25, 2016).

The Investment Manager intends to review its investment in the Issuer on a
continuing basis. Depending on various factors, including, without limitation, the outcome of any discussions referenced above,
the Issuer’s financial position, results and strategic direction, actions taken by the Issuer’s management and the
Board, price levels of the Common Stock, other investment opportunities available to the Investment Manager, conditions in the
securities market and general economic and industry conditions, the Investment Manager may in the future take such actions with
respect to its investment in the Issuer as it deems appropriate, including, without limitation, acquiring additional Common Stock
and/or other securities of the Issuer (collectively, “Securities”) or disposing of some or all of the Securities beneficially
owned by it, in public market or privately negotiated transactions; entering into financial instruments or other agreements that
increase or decrease the Investment Manager’s economic exposure with respect to its investment in the Issuer and/or otherwise
changing its intention with respect to any and all matters referred to in Item 4 of Schedule 13D.
Item
5.		 INTEREST
IN SECURITIES OF THE ISSUER

(a) The aggregate number of shares
of Common Stock to which this Schedule 13D relates is 9,500,000 shares of Common Stock, constituting approximately 9.5% of the
outstanding Common Stock. All percentages set forth herein are based upon a total of 100,306,123 shares of Common Stock outstanding
as of October 30, 2015, as reported in the Issuer’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the period ended September 30, 2015, filed with the SEC on November 3, 2015.

Pursuant to certain cash-settled
equity swaps, the Reporting Persons have economic exposure to, and may be deemed to beneficially own, an additional 10,500,000
notional shares of Common Stock, constituting approximately 10.5% of the outstanding shares of Common Stock, as more fully described
in Item 6 of this Schedule 13D. 

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Page 6 of 7 SEC Filing

(b) Each of the Reporting Persons
has the shared power to vote or to direct the vote or to dispose or to direct the disposition of 9,500,000 shares of Common Stock.

(c) None.

(d) Not applicable.

(e) Not applicable.

Item
6.		 CONTRACTS,
ARRANGEMENTS, UNDERSTANDINGS OR RELATIONSHIPS WITH RESPECT TO SECURITIES OF THE ISSUER

On January 25, 2016, the
Issuer and the SRS Parties entered into the Cooperation Agreement, the terms of which are described in Item 4 of
the Schedule 13D. The Cooperation Agreement is referenced as Exhibit 1 to the Schedule 13D and is incorporated
by reference herein.

The Reporting Persons are
parties to an agreement with respect to the joint filing of this Schedule 13D and any amendments
thereto. A copy of such agreement is attached as Exhibit 2 to this Schedule 13D and is incorporated by reference herein.

The Reporting Persons may
be deemed to have economic exposure to an additional 10,500,000 shares of Common Stock pursuant to certain cash-settled
equity swaps between the Funds and broker-dealer counterparties. Such swaps mature on dates ranging from
August 21, 2018 to May 18, 2020. The reference prices for such swaps range from $25.66 to $46.90. The Reporting
Persons do not have voting power or dispositive power with respect to the Common Shares referenced in such swaps and
disclaim beneficial ownership of the shares underlying such swaps.

Except as set forth herein,
there are no contracts, arrangements, understandings or relationships among the Reporting Persons or between the Reporting
Persons and any other person with respect to the Common Stock.
Item
7.		 MATERIAL
TO BE FILED AS EXHIBITS

Exhibit

1

2

Description

Cooperation Agreement, dated
January 24, 2016 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 of the Form 8-K, filed by the Issuer on January 25, 2016).

Joint Filing Agreement, dated
January 25, 2016.

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Page 7 of 7 SEC Filing

SIGNATURES

After
reasonable inquiry and to the best of his or its knowledge and belief, each of the undersigned certifies that the information
set forth in this statement is true, complete and correct.

Date: January 25, 2016

SRS INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT,
LLC
By: /s/ David
B. Zales
Name: David B. Zales
Title: General Counsel
KARTHIK R. SARMA
/s/ Karthik R. Sarma

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