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 <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on May&nbsp;29, 2015 </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="right"><B>Registration
No.&nbsp;333-&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </B></P> <P STYLE="font-size:4pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
<P STYLE="line-height:1.0pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;border-bottom:1px solid #000000">&nbsp;</P> <P STYLE="line-height:3.0pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:2pt;border-bottom:1px solid #000000">&nbsp;</P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:18pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>UNITED STATES </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:18pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>Washington, D.C. 20549 </B></P> <P STYLE="font-size:12pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P><center>
<P STYLE="line-height:6.0pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:2pt;border-bottom:1.00pt solid #000000;width:21%">&nbsp;</P></center> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:18pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>FORM <FONT
STYLE="white-space:nowrap">S-8</FONT> </B></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:18pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>REGISTRATION STATEMENT </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B><I>UNDER </I></B></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B><I>THE
SECURITIES ACT OF 1933 </I></B></P> <P STYLE="font-size:12pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P><center> <P STYLE="line-height:6.0pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:2pt;border-bottom:1.00pt solid #000000;width:21%">&nbsp;</P></center>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:24pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Company </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter) </B></P> <P STYLE="font-size:12pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P><center>
<P STYLE="line-height:6.0pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:2pt;border-bottom:1.00pt solid #000000;width:21%">&nbsp;</P></center> <P STYLE="font-size:12pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
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<TD VALIGN="top" ALIGN="center"><B>Delaware</B></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom"></TD>
<TD VALIGN="top" ALIGN="center"><B>27-1566372</B></TD></TR>
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<TD VALIGN="top" ALIGN="center"> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:8pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>(State or other jurisdiction of</B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:1pt; font-size:8pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>incorporation or organization)</B></P></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="top" ALIGN="center"> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:8pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>(IRS Employer</B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:1pt; font-size:8pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>Identification No.)</B></P></TD></TR>
</TABLE> <P STYLE="font-size:12pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P><center> <P STYLE="line-height:6.0pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:2pt;border-bottom:1.00pt solid #000000;width:21%">&nbsp;</P></center>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>222 Berkeley Street </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>Boston, MA 02116 </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:8pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>(Address, including zip code, of Registrant&#146;s principal executive offices) </B></P>
<P STYLE="font-size:12pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P><center> <P STYLE="line-height:6.0pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:2pt;border-bottom:1.00pt solid #000000;width:21%">&nbsp;</P></center>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Company Employee Stock Purchase Plan </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Company 2015 Omnibus Incentive Plan </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:8pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>(Full title of the plan) </B></P> <P STYLE="font-size:12pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P><center>
<P STYLE="line-height:6.0pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:2pt;border-bottom:1.00pt solid #000000;width:21%">&nbsp;</P></center> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>William F.
Bayers, Esq. </B></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>Executive Vice President, Secretary and General Counsel </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Company </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>222 Berkeley Street </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>Boston, MA 02116 </B></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>(617)
351-5000 </B></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:8pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>(Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service) </B></P>
<P STYLE="font-size:12pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P><center> <P STYLE="line-height:6.0pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:2pt;border-bottom:1.00pt solid #000000;width:21%">&nbsp;</P></center>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B><I>COPIES TO: </I></B></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:6pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>John
C. Kennedy, Esq. </B></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton&nbsp;&amp; Garrison LLP </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>1285 Avenue of the Americas </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>New&nbsp;York, New&nbsp;York 10019&#150;6064 </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>(212) 373-3000 </B></P> <P STYLE="font-size:12pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P><center>
<P STYLE="line-height:6.0pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:2pt;border-bottom:1.00pt solid #000000;width:21%">&nbsp;</P></center> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Indicate by check mark whether
the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company. See the definitions of &#147;large accelerated filer,&#148; &#147;accelerated filer&#148; and &#147;smaller reporting
company&#148; in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. </P> <P STYLE="font-size:12pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
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<TD VALIGN="bottom">Large&nbsp;accelerated&nbsp;filer</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom"><FONT STYLE="FONT-FAMILY:WINGDINGS">&#120;</FONT></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">Accelerated&nbsp;filer</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom"><FONT STYLE="FONT-FAMILY:WINGDINGS">&#168;</FONT></TD></TR>
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<TD HEIGHT="8"></TD>
<TD HEIGHT="8" COLSPAN="2"></TD>
<TD HEIGHT="8" COLSPAN="2"></TD>
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<TD VALIGN="bottom">Non-accelerated filer</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom"><FONT STYLE="FONT-FAMILY:WINGDINGS">&#168;</FONT>&nbsp;&nbsp;(Do not check if a smaller reporting company)</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">Smaller&nbsp;reporting&nbsp;company</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom"><FONT STYLE="FONT-FAMILY:WINGDINGS">&#168;</FONT></TD></TR>
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<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE </B></P> <P STYLE="font-size:4pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
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<TD COLSPAN="9" VALIGN="bottom"> <P STYLE="border-top:1.00px solid #000000">&nbsp;</P></TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:8pt">
<TD VALIGN="bottom" ALIGN="center" STYLE="BORDER-TOP:1px solid #000000"> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:8pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>Title of Securities</B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:1pt; font-size:8pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>to be Registered</B></P></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" STYLE="BORDER-LEFT:1px solid #000000; BORDER-TOP:1px solid #000000">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" NOWRAP ALIGN="center" STYLE="BORDER-TOP:1px solid #000000"><B>Amount to be<BR>Registered (1)</B></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" STYLE="BORDER-LEFT:1px solid #000000; BORDER-TOP:1px solid #000000">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" NOWRAP ALIGN="center" STYLE="BORDER-TOP:1px solid #000000"><B>Proposed Maximum<BR>Offering Price Per<BR>Share (6)</B></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" STYLE="BORDER-LEFT:1px solid #000000; BORDER-TOP:1px solid #000000">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" NOWRAP ALIGN="center" STYLE="BORDER-TOP:1px solid #000000"><B>Proposed Maximum<BR>Aggregate Offering<BR>Price (6)</B></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" STYLE="BORDER-LEFT:1px solid #000000; BORDER-TOP:1px solid #000000">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" NOWRAP ALIGN="center" STYLE="BORDER-TOP:1px solid #000000"> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:8pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>Amount of<BR>Registration</B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:1pt; font-size:8pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>Fee</B></P></TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt">
<TD VALIGN="top" STYLE="BORDER-TOP:1px solid #000000"> <P STYLE="margin-left:1.00em; text-indent:-1.00em; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Common stock, par value $0.01 per share</P></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" STYLE="BORDER-LEFT:1px solid #000000; BORDER-TOP:1px solid #000000">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" NOWRAP ALIGN="center" STYLE="BORDER-TOP:1px solid #000000">1,300,000&nbsp;shares&nbsp;(2)</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" STYLE="BORDER-LEFT:1px solid #000000; BORDER-TOP:1px solid #000000">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" NOWRAP ALIGN="center" STYLE="BORDER-TOP:1px solid #000000">$24.69</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" STYLE="BORDER-LEFT:1px solid #000000; BORDER-TOP:1px solid #000000">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" NOWRAP ALIGN="center" STYLE="BORDER-TOP:1px solid #000000">$32,097,000.00</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" STYLE="BORDER-LEFT:1px solid #000000; BORDER-TOP:1px solid #000000">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" NOWRAP ALIGN="center" STYLE="BORDER-TOP:1px solid #000000">$3,729.67</TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt">
<TD VALIGN="top" STYLE="BORDER-TOP:1px solid #000000"> <P STYLE="margin-left:1.00em; text-indent:-1.00em; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Common stock, par value $0.01 per share</P></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" STYLE="BORDER-LEFT:1px solid #000000; BORDER-TOP:1px solid #000000">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" NOWRAP ALIGN="center" STYLE="BORDER-TOP:1px solid #000000">4,000,000&nbsp;shares&nbsp;(3)</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" STYLE="BORDER-LEFT:1px solid #000000; BORDER-TOP:1px solid #000000">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" NOWRAP ALIGN="center" STYLE="BORDER-TOP:1px solid #000000">$24.69</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" STYLE="BORDER-LEFT:1px solid #000000; BORDER-TOP:1px solid #000000">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" NOWRAP ALIGN="center" STYLE="BORDER-TOP:1px solid #000000">$98,760,000.00</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" STYLE="BORDER-LEFT:1px solid #000000; BORDER-TOP:1px solid #000000">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" NOWRAP ALIGN="center" STYLE="BORDER-TOP:1px solid #000000">$11,475.91</TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt">
<TD VALIGN="top" STYLE="BORDER-TOP:1px solid #000000"> <P STYLE="margin-left:1.00em; text-indent:-1.00em; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Common stock, par value $0.01 per share</P></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" STYLE="BORDER-LEFT:1px solid #000000; BORDER-TOP:1px solid #000000">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" NOWRAP ALIGN="center" STYLE="BORDER-TOP:1px solid #000000">2,615,476&nbsp;shares&nbsp;(3)&nbsp;(4)</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" STYLE="BORDER-LEFT:1px solid #000000; BORDER-TOP:1px solid #000000">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" NOWRAP ALIGN="center" STYLE="BORDER-TOP:1px solid #000000">$24.69</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" STYLE="BORDER-LEFT:1px solid #000000; BORDER-TOP:1px solid #000000">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" NOWRAP ALIGN="center" STYLE="BORDER-TOP:1px solid #000000">$64,576,102.44</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" STYLE="BORDER-LEFT:1px solid #000000; BORDER-TOP:1px solid #000000">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" NOWRAP ALIGN="center" STYLE="BORDER-TOP:1px solid #000000">$7,503.74&nbsp;(7)</TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt">
<TD VALIGN="top" STYLE="BORDER-TOP:1px solid #000000"> <P STYLE="margin-left:1.00em; text-indent:-1.00em; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Common stock, par value $0.01 per share</P></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" STYLE="BORDER-LEFT:1px solid #000000; BORDER-TOP:1px solid #000000">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" NOWRAP ALIGN="center" STYLE="BORDER-TOP:1px solid #000000">10,604,071&nbsp;shares&nbsp;(5)</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" STYLE="BORDER-LEFT:1px solid #000000; BORDER-TOP:1px solid #000000">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" NOWRAP ALIGN="center" STYLE="BORDER-TOP:1px solid #000000">$24.69</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" STYLE="BORDER-LEFT:1px solid #000000; BORDER-TOP:1px solid #000000">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" NOWRAP ALIGN="center" STYLE="BORDER-TOP:1px solid #000000">$261,814,512.99</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" STYLE="BORDER-LEFT:1px solid #000000; BORDER-TOP:1px solid #000000">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" NOWRAP ALIGN="center" STYLE="BORDER-TOP:1px solid #000000">$30,422.85</TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt">
<TD VALIGN="top" STYLE="BORDER-TOP:1px solid #000000"> <P STYLE="margin-left:1.00em; text-indent:-1.00em; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Total</P></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" STYLE="BORDER-LEFT:1px solid #000000; BORDER-TOP:1px solid #000000">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" NOWRAP ALIGN="center" STYLE="BORDER-TOP:1px solid #000000">18,519,547&nbsp;shares</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" STYLE="BORDER-LEFT:1px solid #000000; BORDER-TOP:1px solid #000000">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" STYLE="BORDER-TOP:1px solid #000000"><FONT SIZE="1">&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" STYLE="BORDER-LEFT:1px solid #000000; BORDER-TOP:1px solid #000000">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" NOWRAP ALIGN="center" STYLE="BORDER-TOP:1px solid #000000">$457,247,615.43</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" STYLE="BORDER-LEFT:1px solid #000000; BORDER-TOP:1px solid #000000">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" NOWRAP ALIGN="center" STYLE="BORDER-TOP:1px solid #000000">$53,132.17&nbsp;(7)</TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="font-size:1px; ">
<TD COLSPAN="9" VALIGN="bottom"> <P STYLE="border-top:1.00px solid #000000">&nbsp;</P></TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="font-size:1px; ">
<TD COLSPAN="9" VALIGN="bottom"> <P STYLE="border-top:1.00px solid #000000">&nbsp;</P></TD></TR>
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<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left">(1)</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top">Pursuant to Rule 416 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this registration statement shall be deemed to cover any additional securities to be offered or issued from stock splits, stock dividends or similar
transactions. </TD></TR></TABLE>
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<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left">(2)</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top">Consists of shares of the registrant&#146;s common stock that are reserved for issuance under the Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Company Employee Stock Purchase Plan. </TD></TR></TABLE>
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<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left">(3)</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top">Consists of shares of the registrant&#146;s common stock that are reserved for issuance in respect of awards to be granted under the Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Company 2015 Omnibus Incentive Plan (the &#147;<U>2015
Omnibus Incentive Plan</U>&#148;). </TD></TR></TABLE>
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<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left">(4)</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top">Consists of shares of the registrant&#146;s common stock that, as of the date of effectiveness of the 2015 Omnibus Incentive Plan (May 19, 2015), were available for issuance under the HMH Holdings (Delaware), Inc. 2012
Management Incentive Plan (the &#147;<U>2012 MIP</U>&#148;) but were not issuable pursuant to any outstanding awards under the 2012 MIP. Pursuant to the terms of the 2015 Omnibus Incentive Plan, such shares are now authorized for issuance in respect
of awards to be granted under the 2015 Omnibus Incentive Plan. </TD></TR></TABLE>
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<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left">(5)</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top">Consists of shares of the registrant&#146;s common stock that, as of the date of effectiveness of the 2015 Omnibus Incentive Plan (May 19, 2015), were subject to outstanding awards under the 2012 MIP. Pursuant to the
terms of the 2015 Omnibus Incentive Plan, such shares will become available for issuance under the 2015 Omnibus Incentive Plan in the future if such shares would otherwise have become available again for issuance pursuant to future awards under the
2012 MIP. </TD></TR></TABLE>
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<TR>
<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left">(6)</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top">Estimated pursuant to Rule 457(c) and Rule 457(h) solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee. The proposed maximum offering price per share and proposed maximum aggregate offering price are based on the
average of the high and low sale prices of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Company&#146;s common stock as reported by NASDAQ on May&nbsp;21, 2015. </TD></TR></TABLE>
<TABLE STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%">
<TR>
<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left">(7)</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top">Pursuant to Rule 457(p) under the Securities Act, the registrant is applying the filing fee of $5002.00 associated with certain unsold securities under a prior Registration Statement on Form S-8 (Registration
No.&nbsp;333-192404) (relating to common stock issuable under the 2012 MIP), filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November&nbsp;19, 2013, to partially offset the entire registration fee of $53,132.17 that would otherwise be due in
connection with this registration statement, reducing it down to $48,130.17. </TD></TR></TABLE> <P STYLE="font-size:10pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
<P STYLE="line-height:1.0pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;border-bottom:1px solid #000000">&nbsp;</P> <P STYLE="line-height:3.0pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:2pt;border-bottom:1px solid #000000">&nbsp;</P>

<p Style='page-break-before:always'>
<HR  SIZE="3" style="COLOR:#999999" WIDTH="100%" ALIGN="CENTER">

 <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>EXPLANATORY NOTE </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-indent:4%; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Company (the &#147;<U>Company</U>&#148;) has prepared this registration statement in accordance with the
requirements of Form S-8 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the &#147;<U>Securities Act</U>&#148;), to register 18,519,547 shares of its common stock, par value $0.01 per share (the &#147;common stock&#148;), consisting of:
(i)&nbsp;1,300,000 shares that are available for issuance under the Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Company Employee Stock Purchase Plan (the &#147;<U>Employee Stock Purchase Plan</U>&#148;); and (ii)&nbsp;17,219,547 shares that (as of May&nbsp;19, 2015)
are or may become available for issuance under the Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Company 2015 Omnibus Incentive Plan (the &#147;<U>2015 Omnibus Incentive Plan</U>&#148;). </P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:24pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>PART I </B></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>INFORMATION
REQUIRED IN THE SECTION 10(a) PROSPECTUS </B></P> <P STYLE="font-size:12pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
<TABLE STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%">
<TR>
<TD WIDTH="10%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left"><B></B><B><I>Item&nbsp;1.</I></B></TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"><B><I>Plan Information</I></B><B>. </B></TD></TR></TABLE> <P STYLE="margin-top:6pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-indent:4%; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">The document(s) containing the information specified in
Part I of Form S-8 will be sent or given to participants in the Employee Stock Purchase Plan and the 2015 Omnibus Incentive Plan as specified by Rule 428(b)(1) under the Securities Act. Such documents are not being filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission (the &#147;<U>Commission</U>&#148;) but constitute, along with the documents incorporated by reference into this registration statement, a prospectus that meets the requirements of Section&nbsp;10(a) of the Securities Act. </P>
<P STYLE="font-size:18pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
<TABLE STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%">
<TR>
<TD WIDTH="10%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left"><B></B><B><I>Item&nbsp;2.</I></B></TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"><B><I>Registrant Information and Employee Plan Annual Information</I></B><B>. </B></TD></TR></TABLE> <P STYLE="margin-top:6pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-indent:4%; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">The Company
will furnish without charge to each person to whom a prospectus is delivered, upon the written or oral request of such person, a copy of any and all of the documents incorporated herein by reference in Item&nbsp;3 of Part&nbsp;II of this
registration statement, other than exhibits to such documents (unless such exhibits are specifically incorporated by reference to the information that is incorporated). Those documents are incorporated by reference in the Section&nbsp;10(a)
prospectus. The Company will also furnish without charge to each person to whom the prospectus is delivered, upon written or oral request, all other documents required to be delivered to employees pursuant to Rule 428(b). Requests should be directed
to Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Company, 222 Berkeley Street, Boston, MA 02116, Attention: General Counsel, telephone number (617)&nbsp;351-5000. </P>

<p Style='page-break-before:always'>
<HR  SIZE="3" style="COLOR:#999999" WIDTH="100%" ALIGN="CENTER">

 <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>PART&nbsp;II </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT </B></P> <P STYLE="font-size:12pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
<TABLE STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%">
<TR>
<TD WIDTH="10%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left"><I></I><B><I>Item&nbsp;3.</I></B></TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"><B><I>Incorporation of Documents by Reference</I></B><I> </I></TD></TR></TABLE> <P STYLE="margin-top:6pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-indent:4%; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">The following documents filed
with the Commission by the Company are incorporated by reference in this registration statement: </P> <P STYLE="font-size:6pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
<TABLE STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%">
<TR>
<TD WIDTH="4%">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left">a)</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top">The Company&#146;s Annual Report on Form 10-K for its fiscal year ended December&nbsp;31, 2014, filed with the Commission on February&nbsp;26, 2015 (the &#147;<U>Annual Report</U>&#148;); </TD></TR></TABLE>
<P STYLE="font-size:6pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
<TABLE STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%">
<TR>
<TD WIDTH="4%">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left">b)</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top">The description of the common stock set forth in the Company&#146;s Registration Statement on Form 8-A, filed pursuant to Section&nbsp;12 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the &#147;<U>Exchange
Act</U>&#148;), on November&nbsp;1, 2013, and any amendment or report filed for the purpose of updating any such description; and </TD></TR></TABLE> <P STYLE="font-size:6pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
<TABLE STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%">
<TR>
<TD WIDTH="4%">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left">c)</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top">All other reports filed by the Company pursuant to Section&nbsp;13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act since the end of the fiscal year covered by the Company&#146;s Annual Report. </TD></TR></TABLE>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-indent:4%; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">In addition, all reports and documents filed by us pursuant to Sections&nbsp;13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act subsequent to the
date hereof and prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment which indicates that all securities offered hereby have been sold or which deregisters all securities then remaining unsold, shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference herein and
made a part hereof from the date of the filing of such documents. </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-indent:4%; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Any statement contained in a document incorporated or deemed to be
incorporated by reference herein shall be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes of this registration statement to the extent that a statement contained in this registration statement or in any other subsequently filed document that also
is or is deemed to be incorporated by reference in this registration statement modifies or supersedes such statement. Any such statement so modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this
registration statement. </P> <P STYLE="font-size:18pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
<TABLE STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%">
<TR>
<TD WIDTH="10%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left"><B><I>Item&nbsp;4.</I></B></TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"><B><I>Description of Securities </I></B></TD></TR></TABLE> <P STYLE="margin-top:6pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-indent:4%; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Not Applicable. </P>
<P STYLE="font-size:18pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
<TABLE STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%">
<TR>
<TD WIDTH="10%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left"><B><I>Item&nbsp;5.</I></B></TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"><B><I>Interests of Named Experts and Counsel </I></B></TD></TR></TABLE> <P STYLE="margin-top:6pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-indent:4%; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Not Applicable. </P>
<P STYLE="font-size:18pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
<TABLE STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%">
<TR>
<TD WIDTH="10%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left"><B><I>Item&nbsp;6.</I></B></TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"><B><I>Indemnification of Directors and Officers </I></B></TD></TR></TABLE> <P STYLE="margin-top:6pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-indent:4%; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Section&nbsp;145(a) of the Delaware
General Corporation Law provides, in general, that a corporation shall have the power to indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether
civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, other than an action by or in the right of the corporation, because the person is or was a director or officer of the corporation. Such indemnity may be against expenses (including attorneys&#146;
fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by the person in connection with such action, suit or proceeding, if the person acted in good faith and in a manner the person reasonably believed to be in or
not opposed to the best interests of the corporation and if, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, the person did not have reasonable cause to believe the person&#146;s conduct was unlawful. </P>
 <p STYLE="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt ; font-size:8pt">&nbsp;</P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center">3 </P>


<p Style='page-break-before:always'>
<HR  SIZE="3" style="COLOR:#999999" WIDTH="100%" ALIGN="CENTER">

 <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-indent:4%; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Section&nbsp;145(b) of the Delaware General Corporation Law provides, in general, that a
corporation shall have the power to indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action or suit by or in the right of the corporation to procure a judgment in its favor
because the person is or was a director or officer of the corporation, against any expenses (including attorneys&#146; fees) actually and reasonably incurred by the person in connection with the defense or settlement of such action or suit if the
person acted in good faith and in a manner the person reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation, except that no indemnification shall be made in respect of any claim, issue or matter as to which such person
shall have been adjudged to be liable to the corporation unless and only to the extent that the Court of Chancery or the court in which such action or suit was brought shall determine upon application that, despite the adjudication of liability but
in view of all the circumstances of the case, such person is fairly and reasonably entitled to be indemnified for such expenses which the Court of Chancery or such other court shall deem proper. </P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-indent:4%; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Section&nbsp;145(g) of the Delaware General Corporation Law provides, in general, that a corporation shall have the power to purchase and
maintain insurance on behalf of any person who is or was a director or officer of the corporation against any liability asserted against the person in any such capacity, or arising out of the person&#146;s status as such, whether or not the
corporation would have the power to indemnify the person against such liability under the provisions of the law. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, a director will
not be liable to us or our stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation also provides that we will indemnify and hold harmless each director and officer to the
fullest extent permitted by applicable law. </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-indent:4%; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">The foregoing statements are subject to the detailed provisions of Section&nbsp;145 of the
Delaware General Corporation Law and our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated by-laws. </P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-indent:4%; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Section&nbsp;102 of the Delaware General Corporation Law permits the limitation of directors&#146; personal liability to the corporation or
its stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duties as a director except for: (i)&nbsp;any breach of the director&#146;s duty of loyalty to the corporation or its stockholders; (ii)&nbsp;acts or omissions not in good faith or which
involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of the law; (iii)&nbsp;breaches under Section&nbsp;174 of the Delaware General Corporation Law, which relates to unlawful payments of dividends or unlawful stock repurchase or redemptions; and
(iv)&nbsp;any transaction from which the director derived an improper personal benefit. </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-indent:4%; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Reference is made to Item&nbsp;9 for our
undertakings with respect to indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act. </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-indent:4%; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">We maintain directors&#146; and
officers&#146; liability insurance for our officers and directors. </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-indent:4%; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">We have entered into an indemnification agreement with certain of our
executive officers and each of our directors that provides, in general, that we will indemnify them to the fullest extent permitted by law in connection with their service to us or on our behalf. </P>
 <p STYLE="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt ; font-size:8pt">&nbsp;</P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center">4 </P>


<p Style='page-break-before:always'>
<HR  SIZE="3" style="COLOR:#999999" WIDTH="100%" ALIGN="CENTER">


<TABLE STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%">
<TR>
<TD WIDTH="10%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left"><B><I>Item&nbsp;7.</I></B></TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"><B><I>Exemption from Registration Claimed </I></B></TD></TR></TABLE> <P STYLE="margin-top:6pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-indent:4%; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Not Applicable. </P>
<P STYLE="font-size:18pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
<TABLE STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%">
<TR>
<TD WIDTH="10%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left"><B><I>Item&nbsp;8.</I></B></TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"><B><I>Exhibits </I></B></TD></TR></TABLE> <P STYLE="font-size:12pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
<TABLE CELLSPACING="0" CELLPADDING="0" WIDTH="100%" BORDER="0" STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt" ALIGN="center">


<TR>
<TD></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="5%"></TD>
<TD WIDTH="92%"></TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:8pt">
<TD VALIGN="bottom" NOWRAP> <P STYLE="border-bottom:1.00pt solid #000000; width:26.60pt; font-size:8pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Exhibits</P></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;</TD></TR>


<TR STYLE="font-size:1pt">
<TD HEIGHT="8"></TD>
<TD HEIGHT="8" COLSPAN="2"></TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt">
<TD VALIGN="top" NOWRAP>&nbsp;&nbsp;4.1</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="top">Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Company (incorporated by reference from Exhibit 3.1 to Amendment No. 4 to the Company&#146;s Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed on October 25, 2013
(File No. 333-190356)).</TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="font-size:1pt">
<TD HEIGHT="8"></TD>
<TD HEIGHT="8" COLSPAN="2"></TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt">
<TD VALIGN="top" NOWRAP>&nbsp;&nbsp;4.2</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="top">Certificate of Amendment to Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Company (incorporated by reference from Exhibit 3.2 to Amendment No. 4 to the Company&#146;s Registration Statement on Form
S-1 filed on October 25, 2013 (File No. 333-190356)).</TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="font-size:1pt">
<TD HEIGHT="8"></TD>
<TD HEIGHT="8" COLSPAN="2"></TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt">
<TD VALIGN="top" NOWRAP>&nbsp;&nbsp;4.3</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="top">Amended and Restated By-laws of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Company (incorporated by reference from Exhibit 3.1 to the Company&#146;s current report on Form 8-K filed on November 19, 2013 (File No. 001-36166)).</TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="font-size:1pt">
<TD HEIGHT="8"></TD>
<TD HEIGHT="8" COLSPAN="2"></TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt">
<TD VALIGN="top" NOWRAP>&nbsp;&nbsp;5.1*</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="top">Opinion of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton &amp; Garrison LLP regarding the legality of the common stock.</TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="font-size:1pt">
<TD HEIGHT="8"></TD>
<TD HEIGHT="8" COLSPAN="2"></TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt">
<TD VALIGN="top" NOWRAP>10.1*</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="top">Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Company Employee Stock Purchase Plan.</TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="font-size:1pt">
<TD HEIGHT="8"></TD>
<TD HEIGHT="8" COLSPAN="2"></TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt">
<TD VALIGN="top" NOWRAP>10.2*</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="top">Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Company 2015 Omnibus Incentive Plan.</TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="font-size:1pt">
<TD HEIGHT="8"></TD>
<TD HEIGHT="8" COLSPAN="2"></TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt">
<TD VALIGN="top" NOWRAP>10.3*</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="top">Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Company 2015 Omnibus Incentive Plan Form of Time-Based Restricted Stock Unit Award Notice (Employees).</TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="font-size:1pt">
<TD HEIGHT="8"></TD>
<TD HEIGHT="8" COLSPAN="2"></TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt">
<TD VALIGN="top" NOWRAP>10.4*</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="top">Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Company 2015 Omnibus Incentive Plan Form of Performance-Based Restricted Stock Unit Award Notice (Employees).</TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="font-size:1pt">
<TD HEIGHT="8"></TD>
<TD HEIGHT="8" COLSPAN="2"></TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt">
<TD VALIGN="top" NOWRAP>23.1*</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="top">Consent of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, independent registered public accounting firm.</TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="font-size:1pt">
<TD HEIGHT="8"></TD>
<TD HEIGHT="8" COLSPAN="2"></TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt">
<TD VALIGN="top" NOWRAP>23.2*</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="top">Consent of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton &amp; Garrison LLP (included in Exhibit&nbsp;5.1).</TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="font-size:1pt">
<TD HEIGHT="8"></TD>
<TD HEIGHT="8" COLSPAN="2"></TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt">
<TD VALIGN="top" NOWRAP>24.1*</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="top">Power of Attorney (included on signature pages hereto).</TD></TR>
</TABLE> <P STYLE="line-height:8.0pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:2pt;border-bottom:1px solid #000000;width:10%">&nbsp;</P>
<TABLE STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%">
<TR>
<TD WIDTH="2%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left">*</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top">Filed herewith. </TD></TR></TABLE> <P STYLE="font-size:18pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
<TABLE STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%">
<TR>
<TD WIDTH="10%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left"><B><I>Item&nbsp;9.</I></B></TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"><B><I>Undertakings </I></B></TD></TR></TABLE> <P STYLE="margin-top:6pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-indent:4%; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes: </P>
<P STYLE="font-size:6pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
<TABLE STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%">
<TR>
<TD WIDTH="4%">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD WIDTH="6%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left">(a)(1)</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top">To file during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement: </TD></TR></TABLE> <P STYLE="font-size:6pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
<TABLE STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%">
<TR>
<TD WIDTH="10%">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD WIDTH="5%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left">(i)</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top">to include any prospectus required by Section&nbsp;10(a)(3) of the Securities Act; </TD></TR></TABLE>
 <p STYLE="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt ; font-size:8pt">&nbsp;</P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center">5 </P>


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<TR>
<TD WIDTH="8%">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD WIDTH="5%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left">(ii)</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top">to reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a
fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in the volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which
was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price
represent no more than a 20% change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the &#147;Calculation of Registration Fee&#148; table in the effective registration statement; </TD></TR></TABLE>
<P STYLE="font-size:6pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
<TABLE STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%">
<TR>
<TD WIDTH="8%">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD WIDTH="5%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left">(iii)</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top">to include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or any material change to such information in the registration statement;
</TD></TR></TABLE> <P STYLE="margin-top:6pt; margin-bottom:0pt; margin-left:8%; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman"><I>Provided, however, that, </I>paragraphs (a)(1)(i)&nbsp;and (a)(1)(ii) above do not apply if the information required to
be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in reports filed with or furnished to the Commission by us pursuant to Section&nbsp;13 or Section&nbsp;15(d) of the Exchange Act that are incorporated by reference in the
registration statement; </P> <P STYLE="font-size:6pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
<TABLE STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%">
<TR>
<TD WIDTH="4%">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left">(2)</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top">That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the
offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof. </TD></TR></TABLE> <P STYLE="font-size:6pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
<TABLE STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%">
<TR>
<TD WIDTH="4%">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left">(3)</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top">To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered hereby which remain unsold at the termination of the offering. </TD></TR></TABLE>
<P STYLE="font-size:6pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
<TABLE STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%">
<TR>
<TD WIDTH="4%">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left">(4)</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top">That, for the purpose of determining liability of the registrant under the Securities Act to any purchaser in the initial distribution of the securities, the undersigned registrant undertakes that in a primary offering
of securities of the undersigned registrant pursuant to this registration statement, regardless of the underwriting method used to sell the securities to the purchaser, if the securities are offered or sold to such purchaser by means of any of the
following communications, the undersigned registrant will be a seller to the purchaser and will be considered to offer or sell such securities to such purchaser: </TD></TR></TABLE> <P STYLE="font-size:6pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>

<TABLE STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%">
<TR>
<TD WIDTH="8%">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD WIDTH="5%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left">(i)</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top">any preliminary prospectus or prospectus of the undersigned registrant relating to the offering required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424; </TD></TR></TABLE>
<P STYLE="font-size:6pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
<TABLE STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%">
<TR>
<TD WIDTH="8%">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD WIDTH="5%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left">(ii)</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top">any free writing prospectus relating to the offering prepared by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant or used or referred to by the undersigned registrant; </TD></TR></TABLE>
<P STYLE="font-size:6pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
<TABLE STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%">
<TR>
<TD WIDTH="8%">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD WIDTH="5%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left">(iii)</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top">the portion of any other free writing prospectus relating to the offering containing material information about the undersigned registrant or its securities provided by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant; and
</TD></TR></TABLE> <P STYLE="font-size:6pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
<TABLE STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%">
<TR>
<TD WIDTH="8%">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD WIDTH="5%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left">(iv)</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top">any other communication that is an offer in the offering made by the undersigned registrant to the purchaser. </TD></TR></TABLE>
 <p STYLE="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt ; font-size:8pt">&nbsp;</P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center">6 </P>


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<TR>
<TD WIDTH="4%">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left">(b)</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top">The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the registrant&#146;s annual report pursuant to Section&nbsp;13(a) or
Section&nbsp;15(d) of the Exchange Act (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan&#146;s annual report pursuant to Section&nbsp;15(d) of the Exchange Act) that is incorporated by reference in this registration statement shall be
deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering hereof. </TD></TR></TABLE>
<P STYLE="font-size:6pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
<TABLE STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%">
<TR>
<TD WIDTH="4%">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left">(c)</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top">Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the Company pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the Company
has been advised that in the opinion of the Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other
than the payment by the Company of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the Company in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in
connection with the securities being registered, the Company will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by
it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue. </TD></TR></TABLE>
 <p STYLE="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt ; font-size:8pt">&nbsp;</P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center">7 </P>


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 <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>SIGNATURES </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-indent:4%; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets
all of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Boston, Commonwealth of&nbsp;Massachusetts, on the 29th day of
May, 2015. </P> <P STYLE="font-size:12pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P><DIV ALIGN="right">
<TABLE CELLSPACING="0" CELLPADDING="0" WIDTH="40%" BORDER="0" STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt">


<TR>
<TD WIDTH="6%"></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom"></TD>
<TD WIDTH="12%"></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1%"></TD>
<TD WIDTH="80%"></TD></TR>


<TR STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt">
<TD VALIGN="top" COLSPAN="5"><B>H<SMALL>OUGHTON</SMALL> M<SMALL>IFFLIN</SMALL> H<SMALL>ARCOURT</SMALL> C<SMALL>OMPANY</SMALL></B><SMALL></SMALL></TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="font-size:1pt">
<TD HEIGHT="16"></TD>
<TD HEIGHT="16" COLSPAN="4"></TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt">
<TD VALIGN="top">By:</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" COLSPAN="3"> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:1pt; border-bottom:1px solid #000000; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">/s/ Linda K. Zecher</P></TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt">
<TD VALIGN="top"></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">Name:</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">Linda K. Zecher</TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt">
<TD VALIGN="top"></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="top">Title:</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">President, Chief Executive Officer and Director</TD></TR>
</TABLE></DIV> <P STYLE="margin-top:24pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>POWER OF ATTORNEY </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-indent:4%; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that each individual whose signature appears below hereby constitutes and appoints each of Linda K.
Zecher, Eric L. Shuman or William F. Bayers, acting singly, his true and lawful agent, proxy and attorney-in-fact, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for him and in his name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to
(i)&nbsp;act on, sign and file with the Commission any and all amendments (including post-effective amendments) to this registration statement, together with all schedules and exhibits thereto and any subsequent registration statement filed pursuant
to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, together with all schedules and exhibits thereto, (ii)&nbsp;act on, sign and file such certificates, instruments, agreements and other documents as may be necessary or appropriate in connection therewith,
(iii)&nbsp;act on and file any supplement to any prospectus included in this registration statement or any such amendment or any subsequent registration statement filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, and (iv)&nbsp;take any and all
actions which may be necessary or appropriate in connection therewith, granting unto such agents, proxies and attorneys-in-fact, and each of them, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing necessary or appropriate to be
done, as fully for all intents and purposes as he might or could do in person, hereby approving, ratifying and confirming all that such agents, proxies and attorneys-in-fact or any of their substitutes may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue
thereof. </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-indent:4%; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this registration statement has been signed below on May&nbsp;29,
2015, by the following persons in the capacities indicated. </P> <P STYLE="font-size:12pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
<TABLE CELLSPACING="0" CELLPADDING="0" WIDTH="100%" BORDER="0" STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt">


<TR>
<TD WIDTH="37%"></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="2%"></TD>
<TD WIDTH="58%"></TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:8pt">
<TD VALIGN="bottom" NOWRAP ALIGN="center"> <P STYLE="border-bottom:1.00pt solid #000000; width:33.30pt; font-size:8pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>Signature</B></P></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" NOWRAP ALIGN="center"> <P STYLE="border-bottom:1.00pt solid #000000; width:15.95pt; font-size:8pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>Title</B></P></TD></TR>


<TR STYLE="font-size:1pt">
<TD HEIGHT="16"></TD>
<TD HEIGHT="16" COLSPAN="2"></TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt">
<TD VALIGN="bottom"> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:1pt; border-bottom:1px solid #000000; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center">/s/ Linda K. Zecher</P></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" ALIGN="center">President, Chief Executive Officer and Director</TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt">
<TD VALIGN="top" ALIGN="center">Linda K. Zecher</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" ALIGN="center">(Principal Executive Officer)</TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="font-size:1pt">
<TD HEIGHT="16"></TD>
<TD HEIGHT="16" COLSPAN="2"></TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt">
<TD VALIGN="top"> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:1pt; border-bottom:1px solid #000000; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center">/s/ Eric L. Shuman</P></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" ALIGN="center">Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer</TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt">
<TD VALIGN="top" ALIGN="center">Eric L. Shuman</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" ALIGN="center">(Principal Financial Officer)</TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="font-size:1pt">
<TD HEIGHT="16"></TD>
<TD HEIGHT="16" COLSPAN="2"></TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt">
<TD VALIGN="top"> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:1pt; border-bottom:1px solid #000000; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center">/s/ Michael J. Dolan</P></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" ALIGN="center">Senior Vice President and Corporate Controller</TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt">
<TD VALIGN="top" ALIGN="center">Michael J. Dolan</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" ALIGN="center">(Principal Accounting Officer)</TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="font-size:1pt">
<TD HEIGHT="16"></TD>
<TD HEIGHT="16" COLSPAN="2"></TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt">
<TD VALIGN="top"> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:1pt; border-bottom:1px solid #000000; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center">/s/ Lawrence K. Fish</P></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" ALIGN="center">Chairman of the Board of Directors</TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt">
<TD VALIGN="top" ALIGN="center">Lawrence K. Fish</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom"></TD></TR></TABLE>

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<HR  SIZE="3" style="COLOR:#999999" WIDTH="100%" ALIGN="CENTER">


<TABLE CELLSPACING="0" CELLPADDING="0" WIDTH="100%" BORDER="0" STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt">


<TR>
<TD WIDTH="37%"></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="2%"></TD>
<TD WIDTH="58%"></TD></TR>

<TR STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:8pt">
<TD VALIGN="bottom" NOWRAP ALIGN="center"> <P STYLE="border-bottom:1.00pt solid #000000; width:33.30pt; font-size:8pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>Signature</B></P></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" NOWRAP ALIGN="center"> <P STYLE="border-bottom:1.00pt solid #000000; width:15.95pt; font-size:8pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>Title</B></P></TD></TR>


<TR STYLE="font-size:1pt">
<TD HEIGHT="16"></TD>
<TD HEIGHT="16" COLSPAN="2"></TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt">
<TD VALIGN="top"> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:1pt; border-bottom:1px solid #000000; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center">/s/ John R. McKernan, Jr.</P></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" ALIGN="center">Director</TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt">
<TD VALIGN="top" ALIGN="center">John R. McKernan, Jr.</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom"></TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="font-size:1pt">
<TD HEIGHT="16"></TD>
<TD HEIGHT="16" COLSPAN="2"></TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt">
<TD VALIGN="top"> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:1pt; border-bottom:1px solid #000000; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center">/s/ John F. Killian</P></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" ALIGN="center">Director</TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt">
<TD VALIGN="top" ALIGN="center">John F. Killian</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom"></TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="font-size:1pt">
<TD HEIGHT="16"></TD>
<TD HEIGHT="16" COLSPAN="2"></TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt">
<TD VALIGN="top"> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:1pt; border-bottom:1px solid #000000; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center">/s/ L. Gordon Crovitz</P></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" ALIGN="center">Director</TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt">
<TD VALIGN="top" ALIGN="center">L. Gordon Crovitz</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom"></TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="font-size:1pt">
<TD HEIGHT="16"></TD>
<TD HEIGHT="16" COLSPAN="2"></TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt">
<TD VALIGN="top"> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:1pt; border-bottom:1px solid #000000; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center">/s/ Jill A. Greenthal</P></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" ALIGN="center">Director</TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt">
<TD VALIGN="top" ALIGN="center">Jill A. Greenthal</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom"></TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="font-size:1pt">
<TD HEIGHT="16"></TD>
<TD HEIGHT="16" COLSPAN="2"></TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt">
<TD VALIGN="top"> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:1pt; border-bottom:1px solid #000000; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center">/s/ E. Rogers Novak, Jr.</P></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" ALIGN="center">Director</TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt">
<TD VALIGN="top" ALIGN="center">E. Rogers Novak, Jr.</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom"></TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="font-size:1pt">
<TD HEIGHT="16"></TD>
<TD HEIGHT="16" COLSPAN="2"></TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt">
<TD VALIGN="top"> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:1pt; border-bottom:1px solid #000000; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center">/s/ Jonathan F. Miller</P></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" ALIGN="center">Director</TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt">
<TD VALIGN="top" ALIGN="center">Jonathan F. Miller</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom"></TD></TR>
</TABLE>

<p Style='page-break-before:always'>
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 <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>INDEX TO EXHIBITS </B></P>
<P STYLE="font-size:12pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
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<TR>
<TD></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="5%"></TD>
<TD WIDTH="92%"></TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:8pt">
<TD VALIGN="bottom" NOWRAP> <P STYLE="border-bottom:1.00pt solid #000000; width:26.60pt; font-size:8pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Exhibits</P></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;</TD></TR>


<TR STYLE="font-size:1pt">
<TD HEIGHT="8"></TD>
<TD HEIGHT="8" COLSPAN="2"></TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt">
<TD VALIGN="top" NOWRAP>&nbsp;&nbsp;4.1</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="top">Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Company (incorporated by reference from Exhibit 3.1 to Amendment No. 4 to the Company&#146;s Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed on October 25, 2013
(File No. 333-190356)).</TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="font-size:1pt">
<TD HEIGHT="8"></TD>
<TD HEIGHT="8" COLSPAN="2"></TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt">
<TD VALIGN="top" NOWRAP>&nbsp;&nbsp;4.2</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="top">Certificate of Amendment to Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Company (incorporated by reference from Exhibit 3.2 to Amendment No. 4 to the Company&#146;s Registration Statement on Form
S-1 filed on October 25, 2013 (File No. 333-190356)).</TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="font-size:1pt">
<TD HEIGHT="8"></TD>
<TD HEIGHT="8" COLSPAN="2"></TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt">
<TD VALIGN="top" NOWRAP>&nbsp;&nbsp;4.3</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="top">Amended and Restated By-laws of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Company (incorporated by reference from Exhibit 3.1 to the Company&#146;s current report on Form 8-K filed on November 19, 2013 (File No. 001-36166)).</TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="font-size:1pt">
<TD HEIGHT="8"></TD>
<TD HEIGHT="8" COLSPAN="2"></TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt">
<TD VALIGN="top" NOWRAP>&nbsp;&nbsp;5.1*</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="top">Opinion of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton &amp; Garrison LLP regarding the legality of the common stock.</TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="font-size:1pt">
<TD HEIGHT="8"></TD>
<TD HEIGHT="8" COLSPAN="2"></TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt">
<TD VALIGN="top" NOWRAP>10.1*</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="top">Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Company Employee Stock Purchase Plan.</TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="font-size:1pt">
<TD HEIGHT="8"></TD>
<TD HEIGHT="8" COLSPAN="2"></TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt">
<TD VALIGN="top" NOWRAP>10.2*</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="top">Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Company 2015 Omnibus Incentive Plan.</TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="font-size:1pt">
<TD HEIGHT="8"></TD>
<TD HEIGHT="8" COLSPAN="2"></TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt">
<TD VALIGN="top" NOWRAP>10.3*</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="top">Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Company 2015 Omnibus Incentive Plan Form of Time-Based Restricted Stock Unit Award Notice (Employees).</TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="font-size:1pt">
<TD HEIGHT="8"></TD>
<TD HEIGHT="8" COLSPAN="2"></TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt">
<TD VALIGN="top" NOWRAP>10.4*</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="top">Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Company 2015 Omnibus Incentive Plan Form of Performance-Based Restricted Stock Unit Award Notice (Employees).</TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="font-size:1pt">
<TD HEIGHT="8"></TD>
<TD HEIGHT="8" COLSPAN="2"></TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt">
<TD VALIGN="top" NOWRAP>23.1*</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="top">Consent of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, independent registered public accounting firm.</TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="font-size:1pt">
<TD HEIGHT="8"></TD>
<TD HEIGHT="8" COLSPAN="2"></TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt">
<TD VALIGN="top" NOWRAP>23.2*</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="top">Consent of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton &amp; Garrison LLP (included in Exhibit&nbsp;5.1).</TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="font-size:1pt">
<TD HEIGHT="8"></TD>
<TD HEIGHT="8" COLSPAN="2"></TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt">
<TD VALIGN="top" NOWRAP>24.1*</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="top">Power of Attorney (included on signature pages hereto).</TD></TR>
</TABLE>
</BODY></HTML>
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{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Co", "cik": "0001580156", "assigned-sic": "2731", "irs-number": "271566372", "state-of-incorporation": "DE", "fiscal-year-end": "1231"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "S-8", "act": "33", "file-number": "333-204519", "film-number": "15897398"}, "business-address": {"street1": "222 BERKELEY STREET", "city": "BOSTON", "state": "MA", "zip": "02116", "phone": "617-351-5000"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "222 BERKELEY STREET", "city": "BOSTON", "state": "MA", "zip": "02116"}, "former-company": {"former-conformed-name": "HMH Holdings (Delaware), Inc.", "date-changed": "20130626"}}
S-8
As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 29, 2015
Registration
No. 333-
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM
S-8
REGISTRATION STATEMENT
UNDER
THE
SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Company
(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)
Delaware
27-1566372
(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization)
(IRS Employer
Identification No.)
222 Berkeley Street
Boston, MA 02116
(Address, including zip code, of Registrant's principal executive offices)
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Company Employee Stock Purchase Plan
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Company 2015 Omnibus Incentive Plan
(Full title of the plan)
William F.
Bayers, Esq.
Executive Vice President, Secretary and General Counsel
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Company
222 Berkeley Street
Boston, MA 02116
(617)
351-5000
(Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)
COPIES TO:
John
C. Kennedy, Esq.
Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP
1285 Avenue of the Americas
New York, New York 10019–6064
(212) 373-3000
Indicate by check mark whether
the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company. See the definitions of "large accelerated filer," "accelerated filer" and "smaller reporting
company" in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
Large accelerated filer
x
Accelerated filer
¨
Non-accelerated filer
¨
(Do not check if a smaller reporting company)
Smaller reporting company
¨
CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
Title of Securities
to be Registered
Amount to be
Registered (1)
Proposed Maximum
Offering Price Per
Share (6)
Proposed Maximum
Aggregate Offering
Price (6)
Amount of
Registration
Fee
Common stock, par value $0.01 per share
1,300,000 shares (2)
$24.69
$32,097,000.00
$3,729.67
Common stock, par value $0.01 per share
4,000,000 shares (3)
$24.69
$98,760,000.00
$11,475.91
Common stock, par value $0.01 per share
2,615,476 shares (3) (4)
$24.69
$64,576,102.44
$7,503.74 (7)
Common stock, par value $0.01 per share
10,604,071 shares (5)
$24.69
$261,814,512.99
$30,422.85
Total
18,519,547 shares
$457,247,615.43
$53,132.17 (7)
(1)
Pursuant to Rule 416 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this registration statement shall be deemed to cover any additional securities to be offered or issued from stock splits, stock dividends or similar
transactions.
(2)
Consists of shares of the registrant's common stock that are reserved for issuance under the Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Company Employee Stock Purchase Plan.
(3)
Consists of shares of the registrant's common stock that are reserved for issuance in respect of awards to be granted under the Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Company 2015 Omnibus Incentive Plan (the "
2015
Omnibus Incentive Plan
").
(4)
Consists of shares of the registrant's common stock that, as of the date of effectiveness of the 2015 Omnibus Incentive Plan (May 19, 2015), were available for issuance under the HMH Holdings (Delaware), Inc. 2012
Management Incentive Plan (the "
2012 MIP
") but were not issuable pursuant to any outstanding awards under the 2012 MIP. Pursuant to the terms of the 2015 Omnibus Incentive Plan, such shares are now authorized for issuance in respect
of awards to be granted under the 2015 Omnibus Incentive Plan.
(5)
Consists of shares of the registrant's common stock that, as of the date of effectiveness of the 2015 Omnibus Incentive Plan (May 19, 2015), were subject to outstanding awards under the 2012 MIP. Pursuant to the
terms of the 2015 Omnibus Incentive Plan, such shares will become available for issuance under the 2015 Omnibus Incentive Plan in the future if such shares would otherwise have become available again for issuance pursuant to future awards under the
2012 MIP.
(6)
Estimated pursuant to Rule 457(c) and Rule 457(h) solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee. The proposed maximum offering price per share and proposed maximum aggregate offering price are based on the
average of the high and low sale prices of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Company's common stock as reported by NASDAQ on May 21, 2015.
(7)
Pursuant to Rule 457(p) under the Securities Act, the registrant is applying the filing fee of $5002.00 associated with certain unsold securities under a prior Registration Statement on Form S-8 (Registration
No. 333-192404) (relating to common stock issuable under the 2012 MIP), filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 19, 2013, to partially offset the entire registration fee of $53,132.17 that would otherwise be due in
connection with this registration statement, reducing it down to $48,130.17.
EXPLANATORY NOTE
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Company (the "
Company
") has prepared this registration statement in accordance with the
requirements of Form S-8 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "
Securities Act
"), to register 18,519,547 shares of its common stock, par value $0.01 per share (the "common stock"), consisting of:
(i) 1,300,000 shares that are available for issuance under the Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Company Employee Stock Purchase Plan (the "
Employee Stock Purchase Plan
"); and (ii) 17,219,547 shares that (as of May 19, 2015)
are or may become available for issuance under the Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Company 2015 Omnibus Incentive Plan (the "
2015 Omnibus Incentive Plan
").
PART I
INFORMATION
REQUIRED IN THE SECTION 10(a) PROSPECTUS
Item 1.
Plan Information
.
The document(s) containing the information specified in
Part I of Form S-8 will be sent or given to participants in the Employee Stock Purchase Plan and the 2015 Omnibus Incentive Plan as specified by Rule 428(b)(1) under the Securities Act. Such documents are not being filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission (the "
Commission
") but constitute, along with the documents incorporated by reference into this registration statement, a prospectus that meets the requirements of Section 10(a) of the Securities Act.
Item 2.
Registrant Information and Employee Plan Annual Information
.
The Company
will furnish without charge to each person to whom a prospectus is delivered, upon the written or oral request of such person, a copy of any and all of the documents incorporated herein by reference in Item 3 of Part II of this
registration statement, other than exhibits to such documents (unless such exhibits are specifically incorporated by reference to the information that is incorporated). Those documents are incorporated by reference in the Section 10(a)
prospectus. The Company will also furnish without charge to each person to whom the prospectus is delivered, upon written or oral request, all other documents required to be delivered to employees pursuant to Rule 428(b). Requests should be directed
to Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Company, 222 Berkeley Street, Boston, MA 02116, Attention: General Counsel, telephone number (617) 351-5000.
PART II
INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT
Item 3.
Incorporation of Documents by Reference
The following documents filed
with the Commission by the Company are incorporated by reference in this registration statement:
a)
The Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for its fiscal year ended December 31, 2014, filed with the Commission on February 26, 2015 (the "
Annual Report
");
b)
The description of the common stock set forth in the Company's Registration Statement on Form 8-A, filed pursuant to Section 12 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "
Exchange
Act
"), on November 1, 2013, and any amendment or report filed for the purpose of updating any such description; and
c)
All other reports filed by the Company pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act since the end of the fiscal year covered by the Company's Annual Report.
In addition, all reports and documents filed by us pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act subsequent to the
date hereof and prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment which indicates that all securities offered hereby have been sold or which deregisters all securities then remaining unsold, shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference herein and
made a part hereof from the date of the filing of such documents.
Any statement contained in a document incorporated or deemed to be
incorporated by reference herein shall be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes of this registration statement to the extent that a statement contained in this registration statement or in any other subsequently filed document that also
is or is deemed to be incorporated by reference in this registration statement modifies or supersedes such statement. Any such statement so modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this
registration statement.
Item 4.
Description of Securities
Not Applicable.
Item 5.
Interests of Named Experts and Counsel
Not Applicable.
Item 6.
Indemnification of Directors and Officers
Section 145(a) of the Delaware
General Corporation Law provides, in general, that a corporation shall have the power to indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether
civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, other than an action by or in the right of the corporation, because the person is or was a director or officer of the corporation. Such indemnity may be against expenses (including attorneys'
fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by the person in connection with such action, suit or proceeding, if the person acted in good faith and in a manner the person reasonably believed to be in or
not opposed to the best interests of the corporation and if, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, the person did not have reasonable cause to believe the person's conduct was unlawful.
3
Section 145(b) of the Delaware General Corporation Law provides, in general, that a
corporation shall have the power to indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action or suit by or in the right of the corporation to procure a judgment in its favor
because the person is or was a director or officer of the corporation, against any expenses (including attorneys' fees) actually and reasonably incurred by the person in connection with the defense or settlement of such action or suit if the
person acted in good faith and in a manner the person reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation, except that no indemnification shall be made in respect of any claim, issue or matter as to which such person
shall have been adjudged to be liable to the corporation unless and only to the extent that the Court of Chancery or the court in which such action or suit was brought shall determine upon application that, despite the adjudication of liability but
in view of all the circumstances of the case, such person is fairly and reasonably entitled to be indemnified for such expenses which the Court of Chancery or such other court shall deem proper.
Section 145(g) of the Delaware General Corporation Law provides, in general, that a corporation shall have the power to purchase and
maintain insurance on behalf of any person who is or was a director or officer of the corporation against any liability asserted against the person in any such capacity, or arising out of the person's status as such, whether or not the
corporation would have the power to indemnify the person against such liability under the provisions of the law. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, a director will
not be liable to us or our stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation also provides that we will indemnify and hold harmless each director and officer to the
fullest extent permitted by applicable law.
The foregoing statements are subject to the detailed provisions of Section 145 of the
Delaware General Corporation Law and our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated by-laws.
Section 102 of the Delaware General Corporation Law permits the limitation of directors' personal liability to the corporation or
its stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duties as a director except for: (i) any breach of the director's duty of loyalty to the corporation or its stockholders; (ii) acts or omissions not in good faith or which
involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of the law; (iii) breaches under Section 174 of the Delaware General Corporation Law, which relates to unlawful payments of dividends or unlawful stock repurchase or redemptions; and
(iv) any transaction from which the director derived an improper personal benefit.
Reference is made to Item 9 for our
undertakings with respect to indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act.
We maintain directors' and
officers' liability insurance for our officers and directors.
We have entered into an indemnification agreement with certain of our
executive officers and each of our directors that provides, in general, that we will indemnify them to the fullest extent permitted by law in connection with their service to us or on our behalf.
4
Item 7.
Exemption from Registration Claimed
Not Applicable.
Item 8.
Exhibits
Exhibits
4.1
Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Company (incorporated by reference from Exhibit 3.1 to Amendment No. 4 to the Company's Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed on October 25, 2013
(File No. 333-190356)).
4.2
Certificate of Amendment to Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Company (incorporated by reference from Exhibit 3.2 to Amendment No. 4 to the Company's Registration Statement on Form
S-1 filed on October 25, 2013 (File No. 333-190356)).
4.3
Amended and Restated By-laws of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Company (incorporated by reference from Exhibit 3.1 to the Company's current report on Form 8-K filed on November 19, 2013 (File No. 001-36166)).
5.1*
Opinion of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP regarding the legality of the common stock.
10.1*
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Company Employee Stock Purchase Plan.
10.2*
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Company 2015 Omnibus Incentive Plan.
10.3*
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Company 2015 Omnibus Incentive Plan Form of Time-Based Restricted Stock Unit Award Notice (Employees).
10.4*
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Company 2015 Omnibus Incentive Plan Form of Performance-Based Restricted Stock Unit Award Notice (Employees).
23.1*
Consent of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, independent registered public accounting firm.
23.2*
Consent of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1).
24.1*
Power of Attorney (included on signature pages hereto).
*
Filed herewith.
Item 9.
Undertakings
The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:
(a)(1)
To file during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement:
(i)
to include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act;
5
(ii)
to reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a
fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in the volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which
was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price
represent no more than a 20% change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the "Calculation of Registration Fee" table in the effective registration statement;
(iii)
to include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or any material change to such information in the registration statement;
Provided, however, that,
paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii) above do not apply if the information required to
be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in reports filed with or furnished to the Commission by us pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act that are incorporated by reference in the
registration statement;
(2)
That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the
offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.
(3)
To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered hereby which remain unsold at the termination of the offering.
(4)
That, for the purpose of determining liability of the registrant under the Securities Act to any purchaser in the initial distribution of the securities, the undersigned registrant undertakes that in a primary offering
of securities of the undersigned registrant pursuant to this registration statement, regardless of the underwriting method used to sell the securities to the purchaser, if the securities are offered or sold to such purchaser by means of any of the
following communications, the undersigned registrant will be a seller to the purchaser and will be considered to offer or sell such securities to such purchaser:
(i)
any preliminary prospectus or prospectus of the undersigned registrant relating to the offering required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424;
(ii)
any free writing prospectus relating to the offering prepared by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant or used or referred to by the undersigned registrant;
(iii)
the portion of any other free writing prospectus relating to the offering containing material information about the undersigned registrant or its securities provided by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant; and
(iv)
any other communication that is an offer in the offering made by the undersigned registrant to the purchaser.
6
(b)
The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the registrant's annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or
Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan's annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act) that is incorporated by reference in this registration statement shall be
deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering hereof.
(c)
Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the Company pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the Company
has been advised that in the opinion of the Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other
than the payment by the Company of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the Company in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in
connection with the securities being registered, the Company will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by
it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.
7
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets
all of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Boston, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, on the 29th day of
May, 2015.
H
OUGHTON
M
IFFLIN
H
ARCOURT
C
OMPANY
By:
/s/ Linda K. Zecher
Name:
Linda K. Zecher
Title:
President, Chief Executive Officer and Director
POWER OF ATTORNEY
KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that each individual whose signature appears below hereby constitutes and appoints each of Linda K.
Zecher, Eric L. Shuman or William F. Bayers, acting singly, his true and lawful agent, proxy and attorney-in-fact, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for him and in his name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to
(i) act on, sign and file with the Commission any and all amendments (including post-effective amendments) to this registration statement, together with all schedules and exhibits thereto and any subsequent registration statement filed pursuant
to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, together with all schedules and exhibits thereto, (ii) act on, sign and file such certificates, instruments, agreements and other documents as may be necessary or appropriate in connection therewith,
(iii) act on and file any supplement to any prospectus included in this registration statement or any such amendment or any subsequent registration statement filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, and (iv) take any and all
actions which may be necessary or appropriate in connection therewith, granting unto such agents, proxies and attorneys-in-fact, and each of them, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing necessary or appropriate to be
done, as fully for all intents and purposes as he might or could do in person, hereby approving, ratifying and confirming all that such agents, proxies and attorneys-in-fact or any of their substitutes may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue
thereof.
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this registration statement has been signed below on May 29,
2015, by the following persons in the capacities indicated.
Signature
Title
/s/ Linda K. Zecher
President, Chief Executive Officer and Director
Linda K. Zecher
(Principal Executive Officer)
/s/ Eric L. Shuman
Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
Eric L. Shuman
(Principal Financial Officer)
/s/ Michael J. Dolan
Senior Vice President and Corporate Controller
Michael J. Dolan
(Principal Accounting Officer)
/s/ Lawrence K. Fish
Chairman of the Board of Directors
Lawrence K. Fish
Signature
Title
/s/ John R. McKernan, Jr.
Director
John R. McKernan, Jr.
/s/ John F. Killian
Director
John F. Killian
/s/ L. Gordon Crovitz
Director
L. Gordon Crovitz
/s/ Jill A. Greenthal
Director
Jill A. Greenthal
/s/ E. Rogers Novak, Jr.
Director
E. Rogers Novak, Jr.
/s/ Jonathan F. Miller
Director
Jonathan F. Miller
INDEX TO EXHIBITS
Exhibits
4.1
Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Company (incorporated by reference from Exhibit 3.1 to Amendment No. 4 to the Company's Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed on October 25, 2013
(File No. 333-190356)).
4.2
Certificate of Amendment to Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Company (incorporated by reference from Exhibit 3.2 to Amendment No. 4 to the Company's Registration Statement on Form
S-1 filed on October 25, 2013 (File No. 333-190356)).
4.3
Amended and Restated By-laws of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Company (incorporated by reference from Exhibit 3.1 to the Company's current report on Form 8-K filed on November 19, 2013 (File No. 001-36166)).
5.1*
Opinion of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP regarding the legality of the common stock.
10.1*
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Company Employee Stock Purchase Plan.
10.2*
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Company 2015 Omnibus Incentive Plan.
10.3*
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Company 2015 Omnibus Incentive Plan Form of Time-Based Restricted Stock Unit Award Notice (Employees).
10.4*
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Company 2015 Omnibus Incentive Plan Form of Performance-Based Restricted Stock Unit Award Notice (Employees).
23.1*
Consent of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, independent registered public accounting firm.
23.2*
Consent of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1).
24.1*
Power of Attorney (included on signature pages hereto).