Direct Selling Acquisition Corp. - Quarter Report: 2023 June (Form 10-Q)

DIRECT SELLING ACQUISITION CORP.

Form 10-Q For the Quarter Ended June 30, 2023

Table of Contents

Item 2. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.

References to the “Company,” “Direct Selling Acquisition Corp.,” “our,” “us” or “we” refer to Direct Selling Acquisition Corp. References to our “management” or our “management team” refer to our officers and directors. The following discussion and analysis of the Company’s financial condition and results of operations should be read in conjunction with the unaudited interim condensed 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.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Exchange Act. We have based these forward-looking statements on our current expectations and projections about future events. These forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and assumptions about us that may cause our actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terminology such as “may,” “should,” “could,” “would,” “expect,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “continue,” or the negative of such terms or other similar expressions. Factors that might cause or contribute to such a discrepancy include, but are not limited to, those described in our other SEC filings.

Overview

We are a blank check company formed under the laws of the State of Delaware on March 9, 2021, for the purpose of effecting a merger, capital stock exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, reorganization or other similar Business Combination with one or more businesses. We intend to effectuate our Business Combination using cash from the proceeds of the Public Offering and the sale of the Private Placement Warrants, our capital stock, debt or a combination of cash, stock and debt.

We expect to continue to incur significant costs in the pursuit of our acquisition plans. We cannot assure you that our plans to complete a Business Combination will be successful.

On March 24, 2023 our stockholders voted to amend our amended and restated certificate of incorporation (the “Charter”) to extend the date (the “Termination Date”) by which we have to consummate a Business Combination (the “Charter Extension”) from March 28, 2023 (the “Original Termination Date”) to June 28, 2023 (the “Charter Extension Date”) and to allow the Company, without another stockholder vote, to elect to extend the Termination Date to consummate a Business Combination on a monthly basis up to nine times by an additional one month each time after the Charter Extension Date, by resolution of our board of directors (the “Board”), if requested by the Sponsor, and upon five days’ advance notice prior to the applicable Termination Date, until March 28, 2024 (each, an “Additional Charter Extension Date”) or a total of up to twelve months after the Original Termination Date, unless the closing of a Business Combination shall have occurred prior thereto (the “Extension Amendment Proposal”). For each monthly extension of the Charter Extension Date we will deposit $160,000 into the Trust Account. For the six months ended June 30, 2023, $640,000 was been deposited in the Trust Account to extend the Termination Date to July 28, 2023. On July 25, 2023, $160,000 was deposited in the Trust Account to extend the Termination Date to August 28, 2023.

In connection with the vote of our stockholders on March 24, 2023 to extend our Termination Date, the holders of 17,404,506 Class A common stock of the Company properly exercised their right to redeem their shares for an aggregate price of approximately $10.48 per share, for an aggregate redemption amount of $182,460,110. After the satisfaction of such redemptions, the balance in our trust account was $58,660,352 (including interest not previously released to the Company but net of expected franchise and income taxes payable).

Liquidity and Capital Resources

As of June 30, 2023, we had $1,209,140 in our operating bank account and working capital deficit of $4,334,138 (excluding income and Delaware franchise taxes).

In order to finance transaction costs in connection with a Business Combination or any extension of the deadline by which the Company must consummate its initial Business Combination or liquidate, the Sponsor or an affiliate of the Sponsor or certain of the Company’s officers and directors may, but are not obligated to, provide the Company Working Capital Loans. The Company has entered into promissory notes (“Promissory Notes”) with the Sponsor for a total of $3,135,719. These Notes bear no interest and are due upon liquidation or consummation of an initial Business Combination. If the Company completes an initial Business Combination, the Company would repay such loaned amounts out of the proceeds of the Trust Account released to the Company. Otherwise, such loans would be repaid only out of funds held outside the Trust Account. In the event that the initial Business Combination does not close, the Company may use a portion of the working capital held outside the Trust Account to repay such loaned amounts but no proceeds from the Trust Account would be used to repay such loaned amounts. Up to $1,500,000 of such loans may be convertible into warrants, at a price of $1.00 per warrant at the option of the lender.

It is uncertain that we will be able to consummate an initial business combination within 12 months from the issuance date of these financial statements or obtain additional loans from the Sponsor. If an initial Business Combination is not consummated by the required date of August 28, 2023, there will be a mandatory liquidation and subsequent dissolution. In the event of a dissolution, we anticipate a shortfall of liquidity. Our anticipated shortfall of sufficient liquidity to meet our current and future estimated financial obligations raises substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern for a period of time within one year after the date that the accompanying financial statements are issued. We plan to address this uncertainty through loans and through consummation of our initial Business Combination. There is no assurance that loans will be available to us or that our plans to consummate an initial Business Combination will be successful.

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Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements

As of June 30, 2023, we did not have any off-balance sheet arrangements.

Risks and Uncertainties

Various social and political circumstances in the U.S. and around the world (including wars and other forms of conflict, rising trade tensions between the United States and China, and other uncertainties regarding actual and potential shifts in the U.S. and foreign trade, economic and other policies with other countries, terrorist acts, security operations and catastrophic events such as fires, floods, earthquakes, tornadoes, hurricanes and global health epidemics), may also contribute to increased market volatility and economic uncertainties or deterioration in the U.S. and worldwide. Specifically, the conflict between Russia and Ukraine and resulting market volatility could adversely affect the Company’s ability to complete a Business Combination. In response to the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, the U.S. and other countries have imposed sanctions or other restrictive actions against Russia. Any of the above factors, including sanctions, export controls, tariffs, trade wars and other governmental actions, could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s ability to complete a Business Combination and the value of the Company’s securities.

In addition, we depend on a variety of U.S. and multi-national financial institutions to provide us with banking services. The default or failure of one or more of the financial institutions that we rely on may adversely affect our business and financial condition, including our ability to successfully consummate a Business Combination.

We maintain the majority of our cash and cash equivalents in accounts with major U.S. and multi-national financial institutions, and our deposits at certain of these institutions exceed insured limits. Market conditions can impact the viability of these institutions. In the event of the failure of any of the financial institutions where we maintain our cash and cash equivalents, there can be no assurance that we would be able to access uninsured funds in a timely manner or at all. Any inability to access or delay in accessing these funds could adversely affect our liquidity, business and financial condition.

Inflation Reduction Act of 2022

On August 16, 2022, the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (the “IR Act”) was signed into law. The IR Act provides for, among other things, a new U.S. federal 1% excise tax on certain repurchases (including redemptions and economically similar transactions) of stock by publicly traded U.S. corporations on or after January 1, 2023. Because we are a Delaware corporation and our securities are trading on the New York Stock Exchange, we are a “covered corporation” within the meaning of the IR Act. The excise tax is imposed on the repurchasing corporation itself, not its stockholders from which shares are repurchased (although it may reduce the amount of cash distributable in a current or subsequent redemption). The amount of the excise tax is generally 1% of the fair market value of the shares repurchased, determined at the time of the repurchase. Corporations are permitted to net the fair market value of certain new stock issuances by such corporation against the fair market value of stock repurchases (or deemed repurchases) during the same taxable year to reduce or eliminate the amount of excise tax that would otherwise apply. In addition, certain exceptions apply to the excise tax. The U.S. Department of the Treasury (the “Treasury”) has authority to provide regulations and other guidance to carry out, and prevent the abuse or avoidance of, the excise tax.

On December 27, 2022, the Treasury published Notice 2023-2 as interim guidance until the publication of forthcoming proposed regulations on the excise tax. Nevertheless, it remains uncertain whether, and/or to what extent, the excise tax could apply to redemptions of our stock, including any redemptions in connection with a Business Combination, or in the event we do not consummate a Business Combination.

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Whether and to what extent we would be subject to the excise tax will depend on a number of factors, including (i) whether the redemption is treated as a repurchase of stock for purposes of the excise tax, (ii) the fair market value of the redemptions treated as repurchases in connection with a Business Combination, (iii) the structure of a Business Combination and whether any such transaction closes, (iv) the nature and amount of any private investment in public equity (“PIPE”) or other equity issuances in connection with a Business Combination (or otherwise issued not in connection with a Business Combination but issued within the same taxable year of a Business Combination), (v) whether we consummate a Business Combination, and (vi) the content of regulations and other guidance issued by the Treasury. It is possible that the Company will be subject to the excise tax with respect to any subsequent redemptions, including redemptions in connection with a Business Combination, that are treated as repurchases for this purpose (other than, pursuant to recently issued guidance from the Treasury, redemptions in complete liquidation of the Company). As mentioned, the excise tax is imposed on the repurchasing corporation itself, not the stockholders from which stock is repurchased. The imposition of the excise tax (including as a result of holders of public shares electing to exercise their redemption rights in connection with a Business Combination) could, however, reduce the amount of cash available to the Company to pay redemptions (or the cash contribution to the target business in connection with a Business combination, which could hinder the Company’s ability to complete a Business Combination or cause the other shareholders of the combined company to economically bear the impact of such excise tax).

Results of Operations

As of June 30, 2023, we had not commenced any operations. All activity for the period from March 9, 2021 (inception) through June 30, 2023 relates to our formation and the Public Offering, and, since the closing of the Public Offering, a search for a Business Combination candidate. We have neither engaged in any operations nor generated any revenues to date. We will not generate any operating revenues until after the completion of our initial Business Combination, at the earliest. We will generate non-operating income in the form of interest income on cash and cash equivalents from the proceeds derived from the Public Offering. We expect to incur increased expenses as a result of being a public company (for legal, financial reporting, accounting and auditing compliance), as well as for due diligence expenses.

For the three months ended June 30, 2023, we had net loss of $132,570, which consisted of operating costs amounting to $2,336,354 and provision for income tax of $140,829, partially offset by $1,624,000 of a change in fair value of warrant liability, interest income earned on investments held in the Trust Account of $707,397 and the Company’s operating bank interest income of $13,216.

For the three months ended June 30, 2022, we had net income of $3,417,688, which consisted of $3,480,000 of a change in fair value of warrant liability, interest income earned on investments held in the Trust Account of $317,003 and the Company’s operating bank interest income of $193, partially offset by operating costs amounting to $351,290 and provision for income tax of $28,218.

For the six months ended June 30, 2023, we had net income of $430,218, which consisted of interest income earned on investments held in the Trust Account of $3,157,684 and the Company’s operating bank interest income of $21,349, $696,000 of a change in fair value of warrant liability, partially offset by operating costs amounting to $2,798,331 and provision for income tax of $646,484.

For the six months ended June 30, 2022, we had net income of $8,446,312, which consisted of $9,280,000 of a change in fair value of warrant liability, interest income earned on investments held in the Trust Account of $337,883 and the Company’s operating bank interest income of $218, partially offset by operating costs amounting to $1,143,571 and provision for income tax of $28,218.

Contractual Obligations

We do not have any long-term debt obligations, capital lease obligations, operating lease obligations, purchase obligations or long-term liabilities.

Administrative Services Agreement

We agreed to pay our Sponsor $10,000 per month for office space, utilities and secretarial and administrative support services. Upon the earlier of the completion of the initial Business Combination or our liquidation, we will cease paying such monthly fees. For the three and six months ended June 30, 2023, $30,000 and $60,000 was incurred for the administrative service fee, respectively. For the three and six months ended June 30, 2022, $30,000 and $60,000 was incurred for the administrative service fee, respectively.

Registration Rights

The holders of the (i) founder shares, which were issued in a private placement prior to the closing of the Public Offering, (ii) Private Placement Warrants, which were issued in a private placement simultaneously with the closing of the Public Offering and the shares of Class A common stock underlying such Private Placement Warrants and (iii) Private Placement Warrants that may be issued upon conversion of Working Capital Loans will have registration rights to require the Company to register a sale of any of the Company’s securities held by them pursuant to a registration rights agreement signed on the effective date of the Public Offering. The holders of these securities are entitled to make up to three demands, excluding short form demands, that the Company register such securities. In addition, the holders have certain “piggy-back” registration rights with respect to registration statements filed subsequent to the Company’s completion of the initial Business Combination. The Company will bear the expenses incurred in connection with the filing of any such registration statements.

Underwriting Agreement

The underwriters are entitled to a deferred underwriting discount of 3.5% or $8,050,000 of the gross proceeds of the Public Offering held in the Trust Account upon the completion of the Company’s initial Business Combination subject to the terms of the underwriting agreement.

Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates

We describe our significant accounting policies in Note 2—Significant Accounting Policies, of the Notes to Financial Statements included in this report. Our audited financial statements have been prepared in accordance with GAAP. Certain of our accounting policies require that the Company’s management apply significant judgments in defining the appropriate assumptions integral to financial estimates. On an ongoing basis, the Company’s management reviews the accounting policies, assumptions, estimates and judgments to ensure that our financial statements are presented fairly and in accordance with GAAP. Judgments are based on historical experience, terms of existing contracts, industry trends and information available from outside sources, as appropriate. However, by their nature, judgments are subject to an inherent degree of uncertainty, and, therefore, actual results could differ from our estimates.

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Item 3. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk.

We are a smaller reporting company as defined by Rule 12b-2 under the Exchange Act and are not required to provide the information otherwise required under this item.

Item 4. Controls and Procedures.

Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures

Disclosure controls and procedures are designed with the objective of ensuring that information required to be disclosed in our reports filed under the Exchange Act, such as this Report, is recorded, processed, summarized, and reported within the time period specified in the SEC’s rules and forms. Disclosure controls and procedures are also designed with the objective of ensuring that such information is accumulated and communicated to our management, including the chief executive officer and chief financial officer, as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure.

Our management evaluated, with the participation of our chief executive officer and chief financial officer (our “Certifying Officers”), the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures as of June 30, 2023, pursuant to Rule 13a-15(b) under the Exchange Act. Based upon that evaluation, our Certifying Officers concluded that, as of June 30, 2023, our disclosure controls and procedures were effective.

We do not expect that our disclosure controls and procedures will prevent all errors and all instances of fraud. Disclosure controls and procedures, no matter how well conceived and operated, can provide only reasonable, not absolute, assurance that the objectives of the disclosure controls and procedures are met. Further, the design of disclosure controls and procedures must reflect the fact that there are resource constraints, and the benefits must be considered relative to their costs. Because of the inherent limitations in all disclosure controls and procedures, no evaluation of disclosure controls and procedures can provide absolute assurance that we have detected all our control deficiencies and instances of fraud, if any. The design of disclosure controls and procedures also is based partly on certain assumptions about the likelihood of future events, and there can be no assurance that any design will succeed in achieving its stated goals under all potential future conditions.

Changes in Internal Control over Financial Reporting

There were no changes in our internal control over financial reporting (as such term is defined in Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f) under the Exchange Act) during the most recent fiscal quarter that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.

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PART II. OTHER INFORMATION

Item 1. Legal Proceedings.

None.

Item 1A. Risk Factors.

As of the date of this Quarterly Report, there have been no material changes to the risk factors disclosed in our Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on March 31, 2023. We may disclose changes to such factors or disclose additional factors from time to time in our future filings with the SEC.

Item 2. Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds.

None

Item 3. Defaults Upon Senior Securities.

None.

Item 4. Mine Safety Disclosures.

Not Applicable.

Item 5. Other Information.

None.

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Item 6. Exhibits

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

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PART III. 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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