Calidi Biotherapeutics, Inc. - Quarter Report: 2023 March (Form 10-Q)

First Light Acquisition Group, Inc.

QUARTERLY REPORT ON FORM 10-Q

FOR THE QUARTER ENDED MARCH 31, 2023

Table of Contents

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References to the “Company,” “First Light Acquisition Group, Inc.,” “our,” “us” or “we” refer to First Light Acquisition Group, Inc. The following discussion and analysis of the Company’s financial condition and results of operations should be read in conjunction with the financial statements and the notes thereto contained elsewhere in this report. Certain information contained in the discussion and analysis set forth below includes forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties.

Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This Quarterly Report includes “forward-looking statements” that are not historical facts, and involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expected and projected. All statements, other than statements of historical fact included in this Quarterly Report including, without limitation, statements in this “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” regarding the Company’s financial position, business strategy and the plans and objectives of management for future operations, are forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”). Words such as “expect,” “believe,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “estimate,” “seek” and variations and similar words and expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements relate to future events or future performance, but reflect management’s current beliefs, based on information currently available. A number of factors could cause actual events, performance or results to differ materially from the events, performance and results discussed in the forward-looking statements. For information identifying important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements, please refer to the Risk Factors section of the Company’s final prospectus for its Initial Public Offering filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). The Company’s securities filings can be accessed on the EDGAR section of the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. Except as expressly required by applicable securities law, the Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Overview

We are a blank check company formed as a Delaware corporation whose business purpose is to effect a merger, capital stock exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses or entities.

Our sponsors are First Light Acquisition Group, LLC (“Sponsor”) and Metric Finance Holdings I, LLC (“Metric”), an affiliate of Guggenheim Securities, LLC. The registration statement for our Initial Public Offering was declared effective on September 9, 2021. On September 14, 2021, we consummated the Initial Public Offering of 23,000,000 units (the “Units” and, with respect to the Class A common stock included in the Units being offered, the “Class A common stock” or “public shares”), including the issuance of 3,000,000 Units as a result of the underwriter’s exercise of its over- allotment option, at $10.00 per Unit, generating gross proceeds of approximately $230 million, and incurring offering costs of approximately $22,517,064, consisting of $2,335,058 underwriter fees, $8,050,000 deferred underwriting commissions, $640,129 of actual offering costs, and $11,491,877 of excess fair value of Founder Shares.

Simultaneously with the closing of the Initial Public Offering, we consummated the private placement (“Private Placement”) of 3,397,155 warrants (each, a “Private Placement Warrant” and collectively, the “Private Placement Warrants”), at a price of $1.50 per Private Placement Warrant with our Sponsor, generating gross proceeds of approximately $5,095,733 million.

Following the closing of the Initial Public Offering, the full exercise of the over-allotment option and the sale of the Private Placement Warrants, an amount of $230 million ($10.00 per Unit) from the net proceeds of the sale of the Units in the Initial Public Offering and the sale of the Private Placement Warrants was placed in the Trust Account located in the United States, which is and will be invested in U.S. government securities, within the meaning set forth in Section 2(a)(16) of the Investment Company Act, with a maturity of 180 days or less or in any open-ended investment company that holds itself out as a money market fund selected by the Company meeting the conditions of Rule 2a-7 of the Investment Company Act, as determined by the Company, until the earlier of: (i) the completion of a Business Combination and (ii) the redemption of any Public Shares properly submitted in connection with a stockholder vote to amend the Company’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation. On September 13, 2022, the Company’s stockholders approved the Charter Amendment Proposal to extend the date by which the Company must consummate a business combination transaction from September 14, 2022 (the date which was 12 months from the closing date of the Company’s initial public offering of units) to December 14, 2022 (or up to September 14, 2023 if we were to exercise the three three-month extensions available to us pursuant to our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, of which one extension remains unexercised). In connection with the Charter Amendment Proposal, stockholders elected to redeem 18,871,976 shares of common stock. We have until September 14, 2023 to consummate a Business Combination (assuming we were to exercise the three three-month extensions available to us pursuant to our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, of which one extension remains unexercised). However, if we have not completed a Business Combination within the completion window, we will (i) cease all operations except for the purpose of winding up, (ii) as promptly as reasonably possible but not more than ten business days thereafter, redeem 100% of the public shares, at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the Trust Account, including interest earned and not previously released to us to pay our taxes, if any (less up to $100,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses), divided by the number of then issued and outstanding public shares, which redemption will completely extinguish the rights of the public shareholders as shareholders (including the right to receive further liquidating distributions, if any), and (iii) as promptly as reasonably possible following such redemption, subject to the approval of the Company’s remaining public shareholders and its Board of Directors, liquidate and dissolve, subject in each case to the Company’s obligations under Delaware law to provide for claims of creditors and the requirements of other applicable law.

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Results of Operations

Our entire activity from inception through March 31, 2023 relates to our formation, the Initial Public Offering and, since the closing of the Initial Public Offering, a search for a Business Combination candidate. We will not be generating any operating revenues until the closing and completion of our Business Combination at the earliest.

For the three months ended March 31, 2023, we had net loss of approximately $2.2 million, which consisted of $2.1 million in operating costs, a $0.6 million loss on the change in the fair value of forward purchase unit liability, a $0.1 million loss on the change in fair value of contingent interest liability, and a $0.1 million provision for income taxes, offset by a $0.1 million gain on the change in the fair value of warrant liability and $0.5 million earnings and unrealized gain on marketable securities held in the trust account.

For the three months ended March 31, 2022, we had net income of approximately $1.5 million, which consisted of $0.5 million in operating costs and a $0.1 million loss on the change in the fair value of the forward purchase unit liability, offset by a $2.1 million gain on the change in the fair value of warrant liability, interest income and unrealized gain on marketable securities held in the trust account.

Going Concern

As of March 31, 2023, the Company had $82,828 in operating cash and working capital deficit of $6,346,675.

The Company’s liquidity needs since September 14, 2021 had been satisfied through a payment from the Sponsor and Metric of $25,000 for Class B common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (“Class B common stock” and shares thereof, “Founder Shares”) (see Note 5 to the unaudited condensed financial statements included herein), the Initial Public Offering and the issuance of the Private Placement Warrants. Additionally, the Company drew on an unsecured promissory note to pay certain offering costs and unsecured promissory notes to pay for the Company’s extension and working capital needs.

The Company has incurred and expects to continue to incur significant costs in pursuit of its financing and acquisition plans. The Company lacks the financial resources it needs to sustain operations for a reasonable period of time, which is considered to be one year from the issuance date of the financial statements. Although no formal agreement exists, the Sponsor is committed to extend Working Capital Loans as needed. The Company cannot assure stockholders that its plans to consummate an initial Business Combination will be successful. In addition, management is currently evaluating the impact of the Russia-Ukraine war and rising interest rates and increased inflation and their macro-economic impact, and their effect on the Company’s financial position, results of its operations and/or search for a target company.

These factors, among others, raise substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern one year from the date these financial statements are issued. The financial statements do not include any adjustments that might result from the outcome of this uncertainty.

Contractual Obligations

We do not have any long-term debt, capital lease obligations, operating lease obligations or long-term liabilities as of March 31, 2023 other than an agreement for an optional payment to an affiliate of our sponsor a monthly fee of $10,000 for office space and administrative support to the Company. We began incurring these fees on September 13, 2021 and will continue to incur these fees monthly until the earlier of the completion of the business combination and the Company’s liquidation.

On September 13, 2022, the Company entered into promissory note agreements with the Sponsor and Metric (“Related Party Promissory Notes”) for an aggregate $490,000. The Related Party Promissory Notes are non-interest bearing and are payable on the earlier of the date on which a business combination is consummated or the date that the winding up of the Company is effective. As of March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, there is $490,000 outstanding under these agreements.

In November and December 2022, the Company entered into promissory note agreements with various parties (“Promissory Notes”) for an aggregate borrowing capacity of $990,000. The Promissory Notes include a zero interest bearing note, notes that accrue interest at a 50% rate per annum, and notes that have 100% interest payable upon the consummation of an initial Business Combination. The zero interest bearing notes and the notes that accrue interest at a 50% rate per annum are payable on the earliest to occur of (i) the date on which the Company consummates its initial Business Combination or (ii) the date that the winding up of the Company is effective. The notes that have 100% interest payable upon consummation of an initial Business combination are due and payable upon the consummation of the Company’s initial Business Combination. As of March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, the Company has drawn down an aggregate of $990,000 and $767,500, respectively, on the Promissory Notes. As of March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, the Company accrued $73,158 and $7,719 interest related to the 50% per annum interest rate Promissory Notes, respectively, and $134,269 and $32,865 for the contingent interest embedded derivative liability related to the 100% interest rate Promissory Notes, respectively, payable upon consummation of an initial Business Combination. The contingent interest liability is treated as an issuance cost and is recorded against a debt discount. The Promissory Notes are recorded net of debt discount, with the debt discount being amortized into the Promissory Note balance through the maturity date.

The underwriter of the IPO is entitled to a deferred discount of $0.35 per Unit, or $8,050,000 in the aggregate. The deferred discount will become payable to the underwriter from the amounts held in the Trust Account solely in the event that we complete a Business Combination, subject to the terms of the underwriting agreement. On December 6, 2022, the underwriter waived its right to the deferred fee of $8,050,000 it was entitled to upon the consummation of the Business Combination. As such, the deferred underwriter fee payable has been reduced to zero as of December 31, 2022.

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Commitments and Contingencies

Registration and Shareholder Rights

The holders of the founder shares and Private Placement Warrants (and any shares of Class A common stock issuable upon the exercise of the Private Placement Warrants and warrants that may be issued upon conversion of the Working Capital Loans and upon conversion of the founder shares) will be entitled to registration rights pursuant to a registration rights and shareholder agreement dated September 9, 2021, requiring the Company to register such securities for resale (in the case of the founder shares, only after conversion to shares of Class A common stock). The holders of these securities will be entitled to make up to three demands, excluding short form demands, that the Company register such securities. In addition, the holders will have certain “piggy-back” registration rights with respect to registration statements filed subsequent to the completion of a Business Combination and rights to require the Company to register for resale such securities pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act. However, the registration and shareholder rights agreement provides that the Company will not permit any registration statement filed under the Securities Act to become effective until termination of the applicable lock-up period. The Company will bear the expenses incurred in connection with the filing of any such registration statements.

Underwriter agreement

The Company granted the underwriter a 45-day option from the date of the Initial Public Offering to purchase up to 3,000,000 additional Units to cover over-allotments at the Initial Public Offering price less the underwriting discount, which the underwriter has exercised. The underwriter was entitled to a cash underwriting discount of $2,335,058 in the aggregate, paid on the closing of the Initial Public Offering. In addition, the underwriter will be entitled to a deferred fee of $0.35 per Unit, or $8,050,000 in the aggregate. The deferred fee will become payable to the underwriter from the amounts held in the Trust Account solely in the event that the Company completes a Business Combination, subject to the terms of the underwriting agreement. On December 6, 2022, the underwriter waived its right to the deferred fee of $8,050,000 it was entitled to upon the consummation of the Business Combination. As such, the deferred underwriter fee payable has been reduced to zero as of December 31, 2022.

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Forward Purchase Agreement

In August 2021, the Company entered into a forward purchase agreement with Franklin Strategic Series—Franklin Small Cap Growth Fund (the “forward purchase agreement”), a Delaware statutory trust (“Franklin”), whereby Franklin has agreed to purchase (subject to certain conditions set forth therein) 5,000,000 shares of Class A common stock plus 2,500,000 forward purchase warrants, exercisable to purchase one share of Class A common stock at $11.50 per share, for an aggregate purchase price of $50,000,000, or $10.00 for one share of Class A common stock and one-half of one warrant, in a private placement to occur concurrently with the closing of the initial business combination. The obligations under the forward purchase agreement do not depend on whether any shares of Class A common stock are redeemed by the Company’s public stockholders.

Subject to certain conditions set forth in the forward purchase agreement, Franklin may transfer the rights and obligations under the forward purchase agreement, in whole or in part, to forward transferees, provided that upon such transfer the forward transferees assume the rights and obligations of Franklin under the forward purchase agreement. The proceeds from the sale of the forward purchase securities may be used as part of the consideration to the sellers in the Company’s initial Business Combination, for expenses in connection with its initial Business Combination or for working capital in the post-transaction company. However, Franklin retains the right to purchase shares under the agreement at a later date.

In connection with the Business Combination with Calidi, Franklin is not obligated under its forward purchase agreement to purchase the forward purchase shares and has informed the Company that it has determined not to purchase such shares in connection with the consummation of the Business Combination.

Critical Accounting Estimates

The preparation of financial statements and related disclosures in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements, and income and expenses during the periods reported. Actual results could materially differ from those estimates. We have identified the following critical accounting estimates.

Warrant Liability

The Company accounts for the 14,897,155 warrants issued in connection with the Initial Public Offering and the Private Placement Warrants (collectively, the “Warrants”) as either equity-classified or liability-classified instruments based on an assessment of the Warrant’s specific terms and applicable authoritative guidance in ASC 480 and ASC 815, “Derivatives and Hedging” (“ASC 815”). The assessment considers whether the warrants are freestanding financial instruments pursuant to ASC 480, meet the definition of a liability pursuant to ASC 480, and whether the warrants meet all of the requirements for equity classification under ASC 815, including whether the warrants are indexed to the company’s own common stock, among other conditions for equity classification. This assessment, which requires the use of professional judgment, is conducted at the time of warrant issuance and as of each subsequent quarterly period end date while the warrants are outstanding. The Warrants were determined to be liability-classified instruments which are measured at fair value with changes in the fair value at subsequent reporting dates recorded to the statement of operations. The Company transferred Public Warrants from a Level 3 financial measurement to a Level 1 measurement for the period from March 24, 2021 (inception) through December 31, 2021 as a result of the Public Warrants detaching from the Units and becoming separately tradable with quoted prices observable in active markets. The Company transferred Private Placement Warrants from a Level 3 measurement to a Level 2 measurement during the year ended December 31, 2022 as the valuation inputs are largely driven by the fair value of the Public Warrants for which quoted prices are observable in active markets.

Forward Purchase Units

The company accounts for the 5,000,000 forward purchase units in accordance with ASC Topic 815 as a liability-classified instrument at fair value with changes in fair value at subsequent reporting dates recorded to the statement of operations. The forward purchase agreement is a plain vanilla forward contract with delivery of the Units and payment contingent on the consummation of an acquisition. The value per forward purchase unit is equal to the probability of an acquisition occurring, multiplied by the value of the unit at the initial public offering date, multiplied by (1 - exp(-rt)) where r is the risk-free rate of interest and t is the time to acquisition. The forward purchase units are classified as Level 3 measurements as of March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022.

Contingent Interest Liability

The Company accounts for interest on promissory notes that are payable upon a successful business combination in accordance with ASC Topic 470, “Debt” and ASC 815. The contingent interest meets the criteria of an embedded derivative which requires bifurcation and separate accounting as a liability-classified instrument at fair value with changes in the fair value at subsequent reporting dates recorded to the statement of operations. The contingent interest liability is also treated as an issuance cost of the promissory notes and is recorded against a debt discount. The contingent interest liability is classified as a Level 3 measurement as of March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022 as valuation inputs are largely driven by the timing and probability of a successful business combination.

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Recent Accounting Pronouncements

Refer to Recent Accounting Pronouncements disclosure in Note 2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies in the notes to the financial statements.

Not required for smaller reporting companies.

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Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures

Disclosure controls and procedures are designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by us in our Exchange Act reports is recorded, processed, summarized, and reported within the time periods specified in the SEC’s rules and forms, and that such information is accumulated and communicated to our management, including our principal executive officer and principal financial officer or persons performing similar functions, as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure.

As required by Rules 13a-15 and 15d-15 under the Exchange Act, our Chief Executive Officers and Chief Financial Officer carried out an evaluation of the effectiveness of the design and operation of our disclosure controls and procedures as of March 31, 2023. Based upon their evaluation, our Chief Executive Officers and Chief Financial Officer concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) under the Exchange Act) were not effective, due to the previously disclosed material weakness in our internal control over financial reporting related to the fact that the Company has not yet designed and maintained effective controls relating to the accounting for derivatives and presentation of our statement of cash flows due to the lack of a sufficient number of trained professionals with an appropriate level of accounting knowledge, training and experience to appropriately analyze, record and disclose accounting matters timely and accurately. As a result, we performed additional analysis as deemed necessary to ensure that our financial statements were prepared in accordance with GAAP. Accordingly, management believes that the financial statements included in this Quarterly Report present fairly in all material respects our financial position, results of operations and cash flows for the period presented.

Remediation Activities

Following the determination of the material weaknesses, our Chief Financial Officer performed additional post-closing review procedures including consulting with subject matter experts related to the accounting for derivatives and marketable securities. The Company’s management has also retained an additional consultant to provide additional review and subject matter expertise. The Company’s management has expended, and will continue to expend, a substantial amount of effort and resources for the remediation and improvement of our internal control over financial reporting. While we have processes to properly identify and evaluate the appropriate accounting technical pronouncements and other literature for all significant or unusual transactions, we have improved, and will continue to improve, these processes to ensure that the nuances of such transactions are effectively evaluated in the context of the increasingly complex accounting standards. We plan to continue to enhance our review procedures of evaluating and implementing the accounting standards that apply to our financial statements, including through additional analyses by our personnel and third-party professionals with whom we consult regarding complex accounting. The elements of our remediation plan can only be accomplished over time, and we can offer no assurance that these initiatives will ultimately have the intended effects.

Changes in Internal Control over Financial Reporting

Other than the matters discussed above, there was no change in our internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f) under the Exchange Act) that occurred during the fiscal quarter ended March 31, 2023 that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.

PART II. OTHER INFORMATION

None.

There have been no material changes in our risk factors from those disclosed in “Part I. Item 1A. Risk Factors” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022, except as described below.

Adverse developments affecting the financial services industry, including events or concerns involving liquidity, defaults or non-performance by financial institutions, could adversely affect our business, financial condition, or our prospects.

The funds in our operating account and our Trust Account are held in banks or other financial institutions. Our cash held in non-interest bearing and interest-bearing accounts exceed any applicable Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) insurance limits. Should events, including limited liquidity, defaults, non-performance or other adverse developments occur with respect to the banks or other financial institutions that hold our funds, or that affect financial institutions or the financial services industry generally, or concerns or rumors about any events of these kinds or other similar risks, our liquidity may be adversely affected. For example, in response to the rapidly declining financial condition of regional banks Silicon Valley Bank, First Republic Bank and Signature Bank, the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation closed Silicon Valley Bank and First Republic Bank on March 10, 2023 and May 1, 2023, respectively, and the New York State Department of Financial Services closed Signature Bank on March 12, 2023. The FDIC was then appointed as receiver for each bank. Although we did not have any funds in Silicon Valley Bank, Signature Bank, First Republic Bank or other institutions that have been closed we cannot guarantee that the banks or other financial institutions that hold our funds will not experience similar issues.

In addition, investor concerns regarding the U.S. or international financial systems could result in less favorable commercial financing terms, including higher interest rates or costs and tighter financial and operating covenants, or systemic limitations on access to credit and liquidity sources, thereby making it more difficult for us to acquire financing on terms favorable to us in connection with a potential business combination, or at all, and could have material adverse impacts on our liquidity, financial condition, and our prospects. Our business may be adversely impacted by these developments in ways that we cannot predict at this time, there may be additional risks that we have not yet identified, and we cannot guarantee that we will be able to avoid negative consequences directly or indirectly from any failure of one or more banks or other financial institutions.

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On September 14, 2021, simultaneously with the consummation of the closing of the Offering, the Company consummated the private placement of an aggregate of 3,397,155 Private Placement Warrants (the “Private Warrants”) to certain funds and accounts managed by First Light Acquisition Group, LLC, the sponsor of the Company (the “Sponsor”) and Metric Finance Holdings I, LLC (“Metric”), at a price of $1.50 per Private Warrant, generating total gross proceeds of $5,095,733. No underwriting discounts or commissions were paid with respect to such sale. The issuance of the Private Warrants was made pursuant to the exemption from registration contained in Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

The Private Placement Warrants are identical to the Public Warrants underlying the Units being sold in the Initial Public Offering, except that the Private Placement Warrants and the shares of Class A common stock issuable upon the exercise of the Private Placement Warrants are not transferable, assignable or saleable until 30 days after the completion of a Business Combination, subject to certain limited exceptions. Additionally, the Private Placement Warrants are exercisable for cash or on a cashless basis, at the holder’s option, and are non-redeemable so long as they are held by the initial purchasers or their permitted transferees (except for a number of shares of Class A common stock as described above under Redemption of warrants for Class A common stock). If the Private Placement Warrants are held by someone other than the initial purchasers or their permitted transferees, the Private Placement Warrants will be redeemable by the Company in all redemption scenarios and exercisable by such holders on the same basis as the Public Warrants.

None.

None.

None.

The exhibits on the Exhibit Index to this Form 10-Q are incorporated by reference herein.

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EXHIBIT INDEX

The following exhibits are filed as part of, or incorporated by reference into, this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q.

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SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.

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