Business

Falcone ‘steels’ away shares of Schuff International

It’s official: Phil Falcone has succeeded with his controversial tactic to take over a small but profꦜitable steel-fabrication company on the cheap.

The hard-charging hedge-fund tycoon disclosed Monda👍y that he has acquired more than 90 percent of Schuff International, whose construction projects have include🐽d the University of Phoenix Stadium and attractions at Walt Disney’s Epcot Center.

Under Delaware law, clearing 🔴that hurdle will allow Falcone to force remaining shareholders to sell their stock to him — a maneuver known as a “squeeze out.”

Falcone’s fund HC2 cleared the hurdle Oct. 29 through an “open-market t🌳ransaction” that increased its stake in Schuff to 90.6 percent, the fund said in♉ a Monday securities filing.

“We intend to execute a short-form merger as soon as practicable,” HC2 said in the filing. “Such sh𒅌ort-form ꧂merger will increase our ownership of Schuff shares to 100%.”

That’s despite protests from some Schuff investorꦜs, who have complained that Falcone’s tender at $31.50 severel🧔y undervalued the firm.

Schuff shares, traded on the loosely regulated over-the-counter market, have frequently traded above𝔍 the $31.50 mark in recent months, qualifying Falcon’s ten♕der as a “takeunder.”

Some holdout shareholꦜders still remain unhappy about the deal — so much so that a few intend to ask a Delaware judge to determine the true value of the stock, a source familiar with the plans told The Post.

The holdouts may even allege th♒at HC2 paid as much as $34 a share — more than the tender price — for🃏 a large block of the stock last week in order to get above the 90 percent threshold needed to make the deal final, this person said.

Falcone didn’t respond to requests for comment.