HH&L Acquisition Co. - Quarter Report: 2021 March (Form 10-Q)
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 10-Q
☒ | QUARTERLY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 |
For the quarterly period ended March 31, 2021
OR
☐ | TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 |
For the transition period from to
HH&L Acquisition Co. |
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter) |
Cayman Islands |
| 001-40006 |
| N/A |
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization) | (Commission |
| (IRS Employer Identification No.) |
Suite 3508, One Exchange Square 8 Connaught Place (Address Of Principal Executive Offices) | N/A |
(852) 3752-2870 |
Registrant’s telephone number, including area code |
Not Applicable |
(Former name or former address, if changed since last report) |
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
Title of each class |
| Trading Symbol(s) |
| Name of each exchange on which registered |
Units, each consisting of one Class A ordinary share, $0.0001 par value, and one-half of one redeemable warrant |
| HHLA.U |
| The Share Exchange |
Class A ordinary shares included as part of the units |
| HHLA |
| The Share Exchange |
Redeemable warrants included as part of the units |
| HHLA WS |
| The Share Exchange |
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes ◻ No ⌧
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files). Yes ⌧ No ◻
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
Large accelerated filer | ◻ | Accelerated filer | ◻ |
Non-accelerated filer | ⌧ | Smaller reporting company | ☒ |
Emerging growth company | ☒ |
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act). Yes ☒ No ◻
As of May 24, 2021 41,400,000 Class A ordinary shares, par value $0.0001 per share, and 10,350,000 Class B ordinary shares, par value $0.0001 per share, were issued and outstanding, respectively.
HH&L ACQUISITION CO.
Form 10-Q
For the Three Months Ended March 31, 2021
Table of Contents
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PART I. FINANCIAL INFORMATION
Item 1.Condensed Financial Statements
HH&L ACQUISITION CO.
CONDENSED BALANCE SHEETS
| March 31, 2021 |
| December 31, 2020 | |||
(Unaudited) | ||||||
Assets | | | ||||
Current assets: | | | | | | |
Cash | $ | 774,220 | $ | 6,410 | ||
Prepaid expenses |
| 557,441 |
| 17,000 | ||
Total current assets | 1,331,661 | 23,410 | ||||
Deferred Offering Costs | — | 439,752 | ||||
Investments held in Trust Account | 414,003,388 | — | ||||
Total Assets | $ | 415,335,049 | $ | 463,162 | ||
| | |||||
Liabilities and Shareholder’s Equity |
|
|
|
| ||
Current liabilities: | | | ||||
Accounts payable | $ | 339,696 | $ | 116,374 | ||
Accrued expenses | 99,358 | 194,520 | ||||
Accounts payable - related party | 30,000 | — | ||||
Note payable - related party | — | 139,949 | ||||
Total current liabilities | 469,054 | 450,843 | ||||
Derivative warrant liabilities | 24,577,000 | — | ||||
Deferred underwriting commissions |
| 14,490,000 |
| — | ||
Total liabilities |
| 39,536,054 |
| 450,843 | ||
|
|
|
| |||
Commitments and Contingencies |
|
|
|
| ||
Class A ordinary shares, $0.0001 par value; 500,000,000 shares authorized; 37,079,899 shares subject to possible redemption at $10.00 per share at March 31, 2021 | 370,798,990 | — | ||||
|
|
|
| |||
Shareholder’s Equity |
|
|
|
| ||
Preferred shares, $0.0001 par value; 5,000,000 shares authorized; none issued and outstanding |
|
| ||||
Class A ordinary shares, $0.0001 par value; 500,000,000 shares authorized; 4,320,101 shares issued and (excluding 37,079,899 shares subject to possible redemption) at March 31, 2021 |
| 432 |
| — | ||
Class B ordinary shares, $0.0001 par value; 50,000,000 shares authorized; 10,350,000 shares issued and outstanding |
| 1,035 |
| 1,035 | ||
Additional paid-in capital |
| 9,473,215 |
| 23,965 | ||
Accumulated deficit |
| (4,474,677) |
| (12,681) | ||
Total shareholder’s equity |
| 5,000,005 |
| 12,319 | ||
Total Liabilities and Shareholder’s Equity | $ | 415,335,049 | $ | 463,162 |
(1) | The December 31, 2020 amount included up to 1,350,000 Class B ordinary shares subject to forfeiture if the over-allotment option was not exercised in full or in part by the underwriters. On February 9, the full amount of the over-allotment was exercised resulting in no forfeiture of shares (See Note 4 and 6). |
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these unaudited condensed financial statements.
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HH&L ACQUISITION CO.
UNAUDITED CONDENSED STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS
FOR THE THREE MONTHS ENDED MARCH 31, 2021
General and administrative expenses |
| $ | 309,214 |
Administrative expenses - related party | 30,000 | ||
Loss from operations | (339,214) | ||
|
| ||
Other (expense) income: |
| ||
Change in fair value of derivative warrant liabilities | (3,305,000) | ||
Financing cost - derivative warrant liabilities | (821,170) | ||
Net gain from investments held in Trust Account | 3,388 | ||
Net loss | $ | (4,461,996) | |
|
| ||
Basic and diluted weighted average shares outstanding of Class A ordinary shares | 41,400,000 | ||
Basic and diluted net income per ordinary share, Class A | $ | 0.00 | |
Basic and diluted weighted average shares outstanding of Class B ordinary shares | 9,765,000 | ||
Basic and diluted net loss per ordinary share, Class B | $ | (0.46) |
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these unaudited condensed financial statements.
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HH&L ACQUISITION CO.
CONDENSED STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY
FOR THE THREE MONTHS ENDED MARCH 31, 2021
(Unaudited)
Ordinary Shares | Additional | Total | |||||||||||||||||
Class A | Class B | Paid-in | Accumulated | Shareholders’ | |||||||||||||||
| Shares |
| Amount |
| Shares |
| Amount |
| Capital |
| Deficit |
| Equity | ||||||
Balance - December 31, 2020 | — | $ | — | 10,350,000 | $ | 1,035 | $ | 23,965 | $ | (12,681) | $ | 12,319 | |||||||
Sale of units in initial public offering, less fair value of derivative liabilities for public warrants | 41,400,000 | 4,140 | — | — | 399,919,860 | — | 399,924,000 | ||||||||||||
Offering costs | — | — | — | — | (22,759,328) | — | (22,759,328) | ||||||||||||
Excess cash received over the fair value of the private warrants | — | — | — | — | 3,084,000 | — | 3,084,000 | ||||||||||||
Shares subject to possible redemption | (37,079,899) | (3,708) | — | — | (370,795,282) | — | (370,798,990) | ||||||||||||
Net loss |
| — |
| — | — | — |
| — |
| (4,461,996) |
| (4,461,996) | |||||||
Balance - March 31, 2021 (unaudited) |
| 4,320,101 | $ | 432 | 10,350,000 | $ | 1,035 | $ | 9,473,215 | $ | (4,474,677) | $ | 5,000,005 |
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these unaudited condensed financial statements.
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HH&L ACQUISITION CO.
CONDENSED STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS
FOR THE THREE MONTHS ENDED March 31, 2021
(Unaudited)
Cash Flows from Operating Activities: |
|
| |
Net loss | $ | (4,461,996) | |
Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash used in operating activities: |
|
| |
Net gain from investments held in Trust Account | (3,388) | ||
Change in fair value of derivative warrant liabilities | 3,305,000 | ||
Financing cost - derivative warrant liabilities | 821,170 | ||
Changes in operating assets and liabilities: |
|
| |
Prepaid expenses | (540,441) | ||
Accounts payable |
| 223,322 | |
Accounts payable - related party | 30,000 | ||
Accrued expenses | 14,358 | ||
Net cash used in operating activities |
| (611,975) | |
Cash Flows from Investing Activities: | |||
Principal deposited in Trust Account | (414,000,000) | ||
Net cash used in investing activities | (414,000,000) | ||
|
| ||
Cash Flows from Financing Activities: |
|
| |
Proceeds received from initial public offering, gross | 414,000,000 | ||
Proceeds from private placement |
| 10,280,000 | |
Repayment of notes payable to related party |
| (185,116) | |
Offering costs paid | (8,715,099) | ||
Net cash provided by financing activities |
| 415,379,785 | |
|
| ||
Net change in cash |
| 767,810 | |
| |||
Cash - beginning of the period |
| 6,410 | |
Cash - end of the period | $ | 774,220 | |
|
|
| |
Supplemental disclosure of noncash investing and financing activities: | |||
Offering costs included in accrued expenses | $ | 85,000 | |
Offering costs included in notes payable | $ | 45,167 | |
Deferred underwriting commissions in connection with the initial public offering | $ | 14,490,000 | |
Initial value of Class A ordinary shares subject to possible redemption | $ | 395,556,560 | |
Change in value of Class A ordinary shares subject to possible redemption | $ | (24,757,570) |
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these unaudited condensed financial statements.
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Note 1 — Description of Organization and Business Operations
Organization and General
HH&L Acquisition Co. (the “Company”) was incorporated as a Cayman Islands exempted company on September 4, 2020. The Company was formed for the purpose of effecting a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, share purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses or entities (the “Business Combination”).
As of March 31, 2021, the Company had not commenced any operations. All activity for the period from September 4, 2020 (inception) through March 31, 2021 relates to the Company’s formation and the initial public offering (the “Initial Public Offering”) described below, and since its Initial Public Offering its search for a Business Combination. The Company will not generate any operating revenues until after the completion of its initial Business Combination, at the earliest. The Company generates non-operating income from its investments held in the Trust Account funded by the proceeds of the Initial Public Offering.
The Company’s sponsor is HH&L Investment Co., a Cayman exempted company (the “Sponsor”). The registration statement for the Company’s Initial Public Offering was declared effective on February 4, 2021. On February 9, 2021, the Company consummated its Initial Public Offering of 41,400,000 units (the “Units” and, with respect to the Class A ordinary shares included in the Units being offered, the “Public Shares”), including 5,400,000 additional Units to cover over-allotments (the “Over-Allotment Units”), at $10.00 per Unit, generating gross proceeds of $414.0 million, and incurring offering costs of approximately $23.7 million, of which approximately $14.5 million was for deferred underwriting commissions (Note 5).
Simultaneously with the closing of the Initial Public Offering, the Company consummated the private placement (“Private Placement”) of 10,280,000 warrants (each, a “Private Placement Warrant” and collectively, the “Private Placement Warrants”), at a price of $1.00 per Private Placement Warrant with the Sponsor, generating gross proceeds of approximately $10.3 million (Note 4).
Upon the closing of the Initial Public Offering and the Private Placement, a total of $414.0 million ($10.00 per Unit) of the net proceeds of the Initial Public Offering and certain of the proceeds of the Private Placement was placed in a trust account (“Trust Account”), located in the United States with Continental Share Transfer & Trust Company acting as trustee, and is invested only in United States “government securities” within the meaning of Section 2(a)(16) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, or the Investment Company Act, having a maturity of 185 days or less or in money market funds meeting certain conditions under Rule 2a-7 promulgated under the Investment Company Act which invest only in direct U.S. government treasury obligations, until the earlier of: (i) the completion of a Business Combination and (ii) the distribution of the Trust Account as described below.
The Company’s management has broad discretion with respect to the specific application of the net proceeds of the Initial Public Offering and the sale of Private Placement Warrants, although substantially all of the net proceeds are intended to be applied generally toward consummating a Business Combination. There is no assurance that the Company will be able to complete a Business Combination successfully. The Company must complete one or more initial Business Combinations having an aggregate fair market value of at least 80% of the assets held in the Trust Account (as defined below) (excluding the deferred underwriting commissions and taxes payable on income earned on the Trust Account) at the time of the agreement to enter into the initial Business Combination. Additionally, pursuant to NYSE rules, any business combination must be approved by a majority of our independent directors until the 80% of net assets test described above is satisfied. However, the Company will only complete a Business Combination if the post-transaction company owns or acquires 50% or more of the outstanding voting securities of the target or otherwise acquires a controlling interest in the target sufficient for it not to be required to register as an investment company under the Investment Company Act 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”).
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The Company will provide the holders of its Public Shares (the “Public Shareholders”)with the opportunity to redeem all or a portion of their Public Shares upon the completion of a Business Combination either (i) in connection with a shareholder meeting called to approve the Business Combination or (ii) by means of a tender offer. The decision as to whether the Company will seek shareholder approval of a Business Combination or conduct a tender offer will be made by the Company, solely in its discretion. The Public Shareholders will be entitled to redeem their Public Shares for a pro rata portion of the amount then in the Trust Account (initially anticipated to be $10.00 per Public Share). The per-share amount to be distributed to Public Shareholders who redeem their Public Shares will not be reduced by the deferred underwriting commissions the Company will pay to the underwriter (as discussed in Note 5). These Public Shares have been classified as temporary equity upon the completion of the Initial Public Offering in accordance with the Financial Accounting Standards Board’s (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) Topic 480 “Distinguishing Liabilities from Equity.” In such case, the Company will proceed with a Business Combination if the Company has net tangible assets of at least $5,000,001 upon such consummation of a Business Combination and a majority of the shares voted are voted in favor of the Business Combination. If a shareholder vote is not required by law and the Company does not decide to hold a shareholder vote for business or other legal reasons, the Company will, pursuant to the amended and restated memorandum and articles of association which the Company will be adopted upon the consummation of the Initial Public Offering (the “Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association”), conduct the redemptions pursuant to the tender offer rules of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) and file tender offer documents with the SEC prior to completing a Business Combination. If, however, shareholder approval of the transactions is required by law, or the Company decides to obtain shareholder approval for business or legal reasons, the Company will offer to redeem shares in conjunction with a proxy solicitation pursuant to the proxy rules and not pursuant to the tender offer rules. Additionally, each Public Shareholder may elect to redeem their Public Shares irrespective of whether they vote for or against the proposed transaction. If the Company seeks shareholder approval in connection with a Business Combination, the initial shareholders (as defined below) agreed to vote their Founder Shares (as defined below in Note 4) and any Public Shares purchased during or after the Initial Public Offering in favor of a Business Combination. Subsequent to the consummation of the Initial Public Offering, the Company will adopt an insider trading policy which will require insiders to: (i) refrain from purchasing shares during certain blackout periods and when they are in possession of any material non-public information and (ii) to clear all trades with the Company’s legal counsel prior to execution. In addition, the initial shareholders agreed to waive their redemption rights with respect to their Founder Shares and Public Shares in connection with the completion of a Business Combination.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association will provide that a Public Shareholder, together with any affiliate of such shareholder or any other person with whom such shareholder is acting in concert or as a “group” (as defined under Section 13 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”)), will be restricted from redeeming its shares with respect to more than an aggregate of 20% or more of the Class A ordinary shares sold in the Initial Public Offering, without the prior consent of the Company.
The Company’s Sponsor, officers and directors (the “initial shareholders”) agreed not to propose an amendment to the Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association (A) that would modify the substance or timing of the Company’s obligation to allow redemption in connection with the initial Business Combination or to redeem 100% of its Public Shares if the Company does not complete a Business Combination within 24 months from the closing of the Proposed Public Offering (the “Combination Period”) or (B) with respect to any other provision relating to shareholders’ rights or pre-initial Business Combination activity, unless the Company provides the Public Shareholders with the opportunity to redeem their Public Shares in conjunction with any such amendment.
If the Company is unable to complete a Business Combination within the Combination Period, the Company will (i) cease all operations except for the purpose of winding up, (ii) as promptly as reasonably possible but not more than
business days thereafter, redeem 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 (which interest shall be net of taxes payable and 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 Public Shareholders’ rights as shareholders (including the right to receive further liquidation distributions, if any) and (iii) as promptly as reasonably possible following such redemption, subject to the approval of the6
remaining shareholders and the board of directors, liquidate and dissolve, subject, in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii), to the Company’s obligations under Cayman Islands law to provide for claims of creditors and in all cases subject to the other requirements of applicable law.
The Company’s Sponsor, officers and directors have agreed to waive their liquidation rights with respect to the Founder Shares if the Company fails to complete a Business Combination within the Combination Period. However, if the Initial Shareholders or members of the Company’s management team acquire Public Shares in or after the Proposed Public Offering, they will be entitled to liquidating distributions from the Trust Account with respect to such Public Shares if the Company fails to complete a Business Combination within the Combination Period. The underwriters have agreed to waive their rights to its deferred underwriting commission (see Note 5) held in the Trust Account in the event the Company does not complete a Business Combination within in the Combination Period and, in such event, such amounts will be included with the other funds held in the Trust Account that will be available to fund the redemption of the Public Shares. In the event of such distribution, it is possible that the per share value of the residual assets remaining available for distribution (including Trust Account assets) will be only $10.00 per share initially held in the Trust Account. In order to protect the amounts held in the Trust Account, the Sponsor has agreed to be liable to the Company if and to the extent any claims by a vendor for services rendered or products sold to the Company, or a prospective target business with which the Company has discussed entering into a transaction agreement, reduce the amount of funds in the Trust Account. This liability will not apply with respect to any claims by a third party who executed a waiver of any right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to any monies held in the Trust Account or to any claims under the Company’s indemnity of the underwriters of the Proposed Public Offering against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). Moreover, in the event that an executed waiver is deemed to be unenforceable against a third party, the Sponsor will not be responsible to the extent of any liability for such third-party claims. The Company will seek to reduce the possibility that the Sponsor will have to indemnify the Trust Account due to claims of creditors by endeavoring to have all vendors, service providers (except for the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm), prospective target businesses or other entities with which the Company does business, execute agreements with the Company waiving any right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to monies held in the Trust Account.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
As of March 31, 2021, the Company had approximately $774,000 in its operating bank account and working capital of approximately $863,000.
The Company’s liquidity needs to date have been satisfied through a contribution of $25,000 from Sponsor to cover for certain expenses on behalf of the Company in exchange for the issuance of the Founder Shares (as defined in Note 4), a loan of approximately $185,000 from the Sponsor pursuant to the Note (as defined in Note 4), and the proceeds from the consummation of the Private Placement not held in the Trust Account. The Company repaid approximately $6,000 on February 9, 2021. On February 11, 2021, the Company paid the remaining balance of the Note. In addition, in order to finance transaction costs in connection with a Business Combination, 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 (see Note 5). As of March 31, 2021, there were no amounts outstanding under any Working Capital Loan.
Based on the foregoing, management believes that the Company will have sufficient working capital and borrowing capacity from the Sponsor or an affiliate of the Sponsor, or certain of the Company’s officers and directors to meet its needs through the earlier of the consummation of a Business Combination or one year from this filing. Over this time period, the Company will be using these funds for paying existing accounts payable, identifying and evaluating prospective initial Business Combination candidates, performing due diligence on prospective target businesses, paying for travel expenditures, selecting the target business to merge with or acquire, and structuring, negotiating and consummating the Business Combination.
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Note 2 — Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
Basis of Presentation
The accompanying unaudited condensed financial statements are presented in U.S. dollars in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”) for financial information and pursuant to the rules and regulations of the SEC. Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and footnotes required by GAAP. In the opinion of management, the unaudited condensed financial statements reflect all adjustments, which include only normal recurring adjustments necessary for the fair statement of the balances and results for the periods presented. Operating results for the period for the three months ended March 31, 2021 are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected through December 31, 2021 or any future period.
On April 12, 2021, the Acting Director of the Division of Corporation Finance and Acting Chief Accountant of the SEC together issued a statement regarding the accounting and reporting considerations for warrants issued by special purpose acquisition companies entitled “Staff Statement on Accounting and Reporting Considerations for Warrants Issued by Special Purpose Acquisition Companies (“SPACs”)” (the “SEC Statement”). Specifically, the SEC Statement focused on certain settlement terms and provisions related to certain tender offers following a business combination, which terms are similar to those contained in the warrant agreement governing the Company’s warrants. As a result of the SEC Statement, the Company reevaluated the accounting treatment of (i) the 20,700,000 redeemable warrants (the “Public Warrants”) that were included in the units issued by the Company in its Initial Public Offering and (ii) the 10,280,000 redeemable warrants that were issued to the Company’s sponsor in a private placement that closed concurrently with the closing of the Initial Public Offering (together with the Public Warrants, the “Warrants”). The Company previously accounted for the Warrants as components of equity.
In further consideration of the guidance in Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 815-40, Derivatives and Hedging — Contracts in Entity’s Own Equity (“ASC 815”), the Company concluded that a provision in the warrant agreement related to certain tender or exchange offers precludes the Warrants from being accounted for as components of equity. As the Warrants meet the definition of a derivative as contemplated in ASC 815, the Warrants should be recorded as derivative liabilities on the balance sheet and measured at fair value at inception (on the date of the Initial Public Offering) and at each reporting date in accordance with ASC 820, Fair Value Measurement, with changes in fair value recognized in the Statements of Operations in the period of change. As of a result of the reassessment, the Company identified an error in its accounting treatment for both its public and private warrants (Warrants) as presented in its audited balance sheet as of February 9, 2021 included in its Current Report on Form 8-K. The Warrants were reflected as a component of equity as opposed to liabilities on the balance sheet. Pursuant to Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 250, Accounting Changes and Error Corrections issued by the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) and Staff Accounting Bulletin 99, "Materiality") ("SAB 99") issued by the SEC, the Company determined the impact of the error was immaterial. The impact of the error correction is reflected in the unaudited condensed financial statements contained herein which resulted in a $21.3 million increase to the derivative warrant liabilities line item and offsetting decrease to the Class A ordinary share subject to possible redemption mezzanine equity line item, and an increase in additional paid-in capital of $0.8 million and decrease in retained earnings of $0.8 million, recorded as part of the activity in the three months ended March 31, 2021 as reported herein. There would have been no change to total shareholder’s equity as reported.
Emerging Growth Company
The Company is an “emerging growth company,” as defined in Section 2(a) of the Securities Act, as modified by the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012 (the “JOBS Act”), and it may take advantage of certain exemptions from various reporting requirements that are applicable to other public companies that are not emerging growth companies including, but not limited to, not being required to comply with the independent registered public accounting firm attestation requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation in its periodic reports and proxy statements, and exemptions from the requirements of holding a nonbinding
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advisory vote on executive compensation and shareholder approval of any golden parachute payments not previously approved.
Further, Section 102(b)(1) of the JOBS Act exempts emerging growth companies from being required to comply with new or revised financial accounting standards until private companies (that is, those that have not had a Securities Act registration statement declared effective or do not have a class of securities registered under the Exchange Act) are required to comply with the new or revised financial accounting standards. The JOBS Act provides that an emerging growth company can elect to opt out of the extended transition period and comply with the requirements that apply to non-emerging growth companies but any such an election to opt out is irrevocable. The Company has elected not to opt out of such extended transition period, which means that when a standard is issued or revised and it has different application dates for public or private companies, the Company, as an emerging growth company, can adopt the new or revised standard at the time private companies adopt the new or revised standard. This may make comparison of the Company’s financial statement with another public company that is neither an emerging growth company nor an emerging growth company that has opted out of using the extended transition period difficult or impossible because of the potential differences in accounting standards used.
Concentration of Credit Risk
Financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to concentrations of credit risk consist of cash accounts in a financial institution, which, at times, may exceed the Federal Depository Insurance Corporation coverage limits of $250,000. As of March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, the Company has not experienced losses on these accounts and management believes the Company is not exposed to significant risks on such accounts.
Cash and Cash Equivalents
The Company considers all short-term investments with an original maturity of three months or less when purchased to be cash equivalents. The Company had no cash equivalents held outside the Trust Account as of March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020.
Investments Held in Trust Account
The Company’s portfolio of investments is comprised solely of U.S. government securities, within the meaning set forth in Section 2(a)(16) of the Investment Company Act, with a maturity of 185 days or less, or investments in money market funds that invest in U.S. government securities, or a combination thereof. The Company’s investments held in the Trust Account are classified as trading securities. Trading securities are presented on the condensed balance sheet at fair value at the end of each reporting period. Gains and losses resulting from the change in fair value of these securities is included in investment income on Trust Account in the accompanying unaudited condensed statement of operations. The estimated fair values of investments held in the Trust Account are determined using available market information.
Use of Estimates
The preparation of financial statement in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires the Company’s management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statement. Actual results could differ from those estimates.
Fair Value Measurements
Fair value is defined as the price that would be received for sale of an asset or paid for transfer of a liability, in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. GAAP establishes a three-tier fair value hierarchy, which prioritizes the inputs used in measuring fair value. The hierarchy gives the highest priority to unadjusted quoted prices in
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active markets for identical assets or liabilities (Level 1 measurements) and the lowest priority to unobservable inputs (Level 3 measurements). These tiers include:
● | Level 1, defined as observable inputs such as quoted prices (unadjusted) for identical instruments in active markets; |
● | Level 2, defined as inputs other than quoted prices in active markets that are either directly or indirectly observable such as quoted prices for similar instruments in active markets or quoted prices for identical or similar instruments in markets that are not active; and |
● | Level 3, defined as unobservable inputs in which little or no market data exists, therefore requiring an entity to develop its own assumptions, such as valuations derived from valuation techniques in which one or more significant inputs or significant value drivers are unobservable. |
In some circumstances, the inputs used to measure fair value might be categorized within different levels of the fair value hierarchy. In those instances, the fair value measurement is categorized in its entirety in the fair value hierarchy based on the lowest level input that is significant to the fair value measurement.
As of March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020 the carrying values of cash, prepaid expenses, accounts payable, and accrued expenses approximate their fair values due to the short-term nature of the instruments. The Company’s investments held in Trust Account is comprised of investments in U.S. Treasury securities with an original maturity of 185 days or less and are recognized at fair value. The fair value of the investments held in Trust Account is determined using quoted prices in active markets.
Offering Costs Associated with the Initial Public Offering
Offering costs consisted of legal, accounting, underwriting fees and other costs incurred through the Initial Public Offering that were directly related to the Initial Public Offering. Offering costs are allocated to the separable financial instruments issued in the Initial Public Offering based on a relative fair value basis, compared to total proceeds received. Offering costs associated with warrant liabilities are expensed as incurred, presented as non-operating expenses in the accompanying condensed statement of operations. Offering costs associated with the Class A ordinary shares were charged to shareholders’ equity upon the completion of the Initial Public Offering. Of the total offering costs of the Initial Public Offering, approximately $821,000 was charged to expense in offering costs associated with warrant liabilities and $22.8 million was charged to shareholders’ equity.
Class A Ordinary Shares Subject to Possible Redemption
The Company accounts for its Class A ordinary shares subject to possible redemption in accordance with the guidance in ASC Topic 480 “Distinguishing Liabilities from Equity.” Class A ordinary shares subject to mandatory redemption (if any) are classified as liability instruments and are measured at fair value. Conditionally redeemable Class A ordinary shares (including Class A ordinary shares that feature redemption rights that are either within the control of the holder or subject to redemption upon the occurrence of uncertain events not solely within the Company’s control) are classified as temporary equity. At all other times, Class A ordinary shares are classified as shareholders’ equity. The Company’s Class A ordinary shares feature certain redemption rights that are considered to be outside of the Company’s control and subject to the occurrence of uncertain future events. Accordingly, at March 31, 2021, 37,079,899 Class A ordinary shares subject to possible redemption are presented as temporary equity, outside of the shareholders’ equity section of the Company’s condensed balance sheet.
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Income Taxes
FASB ASC 740, “Income Taxes,” prescribes a recognition threshold and a measurement attribute for the financial statement recognition and measurement of tax positions taken or expected to be taken in a tax return. For those benefits to be recognized, a tax position must be more likely than not to be sustained upon examination by taxing authorities. There were
unrecognized tax benefits as of March 31, 2021. The Company’s management determined that the Cayman Islands is the Company’s only major tax jurisdiction. The Company recognizes accrued interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits as income tax expense. amounts were accrued for the payment of interest and penalties as of March 31, 2021. The Company is currently not aware of any issues under review that could result in significant payments, accruals or material deviation from its position. The Company is subject to income tax examinations by major taxing authorities since inception.There is currently no taxation imposed on income by the Government of the Cayman Islands. In accordance with Cayman income tax regulations, income taxes are not levied on the Company. Consequently, income taxes are not reflected in the Company’s unaudited condensed financial statement. The Company’s management does not expect that the total amount of unrecognized tax benefits will materially change over the next twelve months.
Net loss per ordinary share
Net income (loss) per share is computed by dividing net income (loss) by the weighted-average number of ordinary share outstanding during the period. The Company has not considered the effect of the warrants sold in the Initial Public Offering and the Private Placement to purchase up to an aggregate of 30,980,000 shares of the Company’s Class A ordinary share in the calculation of the diluted income per share, since their inclusion would be anti-dilutive under the treasury stock method. As a result, diluted earnings per share is the same as basic earnings per share for the period presented.
The Company’s unaudited condensed statements of operations include a presentation of income (loss) per ordinary share subject to redemption in a manner similar to the two-class method of income (loss) per share. Net income per share, basic and diluted for Class A ordinary shares is calculated by dividing the net gain on investment held in Trust Account of approximately $3,000, by the weighted average number of Class A ordinary shares outstanding for the three months ended March 31, 2021. Net loss per share, basic and diluted for Class B ordinary shares is calculated by dividing the net loss of approximately $4.5 million for the three months ended March 31, 2021, less income attributable to Class A ordinary share of $3,000 by the weighted average number of Class B ordinary share outstanding for the period.
Derivative warrant liabilities
The Company does not use derivative instruments to hedge exposures to cash flow, market, or foreign currency risks. The Company evaluates all of its financial instruments, including issued stock purchase warrants, to determine if such instruments are derivatives or contain features that qualify as embedded derivatives, pursuant to ASC 480 and ASC 815-15. The classification of derivative instruments, including whether such instruments should be recorded as liabilities or as equity, is re-assessed at the end of each reporting period.
The Company accounts for its 30,980,000 warrants issued in connection with its Initial Public Offering (20,700,000) and Private Placement (10,280,000) as derivative warrant liabilities in accordance with ASC 815-40. Accordingly, the Company recognizes the warrant instruments as liabilities at fair value and adjusts the instruments to fair value at each reporting period. The liabilities are subject to re-measurement at each balance sheet date until exercised, and any change in fair value is recognized in the Company’s statements of operations. The fair value of warrants issued by the Company in connection with the Public Offering and Private Placement have initially been estimated using Monte-Carlo simulations at each measurement date. The Private Placement warrants continue to be estimated using Monte Carlo simulations. As of March 31, 2021, the fair value of the Public Warrants are estimated at their listed public trading price.
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Recent Accounting Pronouncements
In August 2020, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2020-06, Debt—Debt with Conversion and Other Options (Subtopic 470-20) and Derivatives and Hedging—Contracts in Entity’s Own Equity (Subtopic 815-40): Accounting for Convertible Instruments and Contracts in an Entity’s Own Equity (“ASU 2020-06”), which simplifies accounting for convertible instruments by removing major separation models required under current GAAP. The ASU also removes certain settlement conditions that are required for equity-linked contracts to qualify for the derivative scope exception, and it simplifies the diluted earnings per share calculation in certain areas. The Company adopted ASU 2020-06 on January 1, 2021. Adoption of the ASU did not impact the Company’s financial position, results of operations or cash flows.
Management does not believe that any other recently issued, but not yet effective, accounting standards if currently adopted would have a material effect on the accompanying financial statement.
Note 3 — Initial Public Offering
On February 9, 2021, the Company consummated its Initial Public Offering of 41,400,000 Units, including 5,400,000 Over-Allotment Units, at $10.00 per Unit, generating gross proceeds of $414.0 million, and incurring offering costs of approximately $23.7 million, of which approximately $14.5 million was for deferred underwriting commissions.
Each Unit consists of one Class A ordinary share, and
of one redeemable warrant (each, a “Public Warrant”). Each Public Warrant entitles the holder to purchase one Class A ordinary share at a price of $11.50 per share, subject to adjustment (see Note 6).Note 4 — Related Party Transactions
Founder Shares
On September 7, 2020, the Sponsor paid $25,000, or approximately $0.002 per share, to cover certain expenses on behalf of the Company in exchange for issuance of 14,375,000 Class B ordinary shares, par value $0.0001 (the “Founder Shares”). On January 20, 2021, the Sponsor returned 5,750,000 Founder Shares for no consideration. On February 4, 2021, the sponsor transferred an aggregate of 66,000 of its founder shares, or 22,000 each to the Company’s independent directors for their board service for no cash consideration. These shares are not subject to forfeiture. Also on February 4, 2021, the Company effected a share dividend of 1,725,000 Class B ordinary shares, resulting in an aggregate of 10,350,000 Class B ordinary shares outstanding. The Sponsor had agreed to forfeit up to 1,350,000 Founder Shares to the extent that the over-allotment option was not exercised in full by the underwriters. The forfeiture would be adjusted to the extent that the over-allotment option was not exercised in full by the underwriters so that the Founder Shares will represent 20.0% of the Company’s issued and outstanding shares after the Proposed Public Offering. If the Company increased or decreased the size of the offering, the Company would have effected a share capitalization or share contribution back to capital, as applicable, immediately prior to the consummation of the Proposed Public Offering in such amount as to maintain the Founder Share ownership of the Company’s shareholders prior to the Proposed Public Offering at 20.0% of the Company’s issued and outstanding ordinary shares upon the consummation of the Proposed Public Offering. The over-allotment was exercised, as such no shares are subject to forfeiture.
The Initial Shareholders will agree, subject to limited exceptions, not to transfer, assign or sell any of their Founder Shares until the earlier to occur of: (i) one year after the completion of the initial Business Combination or (ii) the date following the completion of the initial Business Combination on which the Company completes a liquidation, merger, share exchange or other similar transaction that results in all of the shareholders having the right to exchange their ordinary shares for cash, securities or other property. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the closing price of the Class A ordinary shares equals or exceeds $12.00 per share (as adjusted for share sub-divisions, share capitalizations, reorganizations, recapitalizations
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and the like) for any 20 trading days within any 30-trading day period commencing at least 150 days after the initial Business Combination, the Founder Shares will be released from the lockup.
Private Placement Warrants
Simultaneously with the closing of the Initial Public Offering, the Company consummated the Private Placement of 10,280,000 Private Placement Warrants, at a price of $1.00 per Private Placement Warrant with the Sponsor, generating gross proceeds of approximately $10.3 million.
Each whole Private Placement Warrant is exercisable for one whole Class A ordinary share at a price of $11.50 per share. A portion of the proceeds from the Private Placement Warrants was added to the proceeds from the Initial Public Offering held in the Trust Account. If the Company does not complete a Business Combination within the Combination Period, the Private Placement Warrants will expire worthless. The Private Placement Warrants will be non-redeemable and exercisable on a cashless basis so long as they are held by the Sponsor or its permitted transferees.
The Sponsor and the Company’s officers and directors agreed, subject to limited exceptions, not to transfer, assign or sell any of their Private Placement Warrants until 30 days after the completion of the initial Business Combination.
Related Party Loans
On September 7, 2020, the Sponsor agreed to loan the Company an aggregate of up to $300,000 to cover for expenses related to the Initial Public Offering pursuant to a promissory note (the “Note”). This loan was non-interest bearing and payable upon the completion of the Initial Public Offering. As of February 9, 2021, the Company borrowed approximately $185,000 under the Note. On February 9, 2021, the Company repaid approximately $6,000 to the Sponsor. On February 11, 2021, the Company paid the remaining balance of the Note.
In order to finance transaction costs in connection with a Business Combination, the Sponsor or an affiliate of the Sponsor, or certain of the Company’s officers and directors may, but are not obligated to, loan the Company funds as may be required (“Working Capital Loans”). If the Company completes a Business Combination, the Company would repay the Working Capital Loans out of the proceeds of the Trust Account released to the Company. Otherwise, the Working Capital Loans would be repaid only out of funds held outside the Trust Account. In the event that a Business Combination does not close, the Company may use a portion of the proceeds held outside the Trust Account to repay the Working Capital Loans but no proceeds held in the Trust Account would be used to repay the Working Capital Loans. Except for the foregoing, the terms of such Working Capital Loans, if any, have not been determined and no written agreements exist with respect to such loans. The Working Capital Loans would either be repaid upon consummation of a Business Combination, without interest, or, at the lender’s discretion, up to $1.5 million of such Working Capital Loans may be convertible into warrants of the post Business Combination entity at a price of $1.00 per warrant. The warrants would be identical to the Private Placement Warrants. As of March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, the Company had no borrowings under the Working Capital Loans.
Administrative Service Agreement
Commencing on the date the Company’s securities are first listed on the New York Share Exchange, the Company agreed to pay the Sponsor a total of $15,000 per month for office space, utilities, secretarial and administrative services provided to the Company. Upon completion of the initial Business Combination or the Company’s liquidation, the Company will cease paying these monthly fees. The Company incurred approximately $30,000 in administrative expenses under the agreement, which is recognized in the accompanying unaudited condensed statement of operation for the three months ended March 31, 2021 within administrative expenses - related party. As of March 31, 2021, there was $30,000 in accounts payable – related party outstanding, as reflected in the accompanying unaudited condensed balance sheet.
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Note 5 — Commitments and Contingencies
Registration and Shareholder Rights
The holders of (i) Founder Shares, (ii) Private Placement Warrants (and the Class A ordinary shares underlying such Private Placement Warrants), and (iii) private placement warrants that may be issued upon conversion of Working Capital Loans are entitled to registration rights pursuant to a registration and shareholder rights agreement signed upon consummation of the Initial Public Offering. These holders are entitled to certain demand and “piggyback” registration rights. 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 the termination of the applicable lock-up period for the securities to be registered. The Company will bear the expenses incurred in connection with the filing of any such registration statements.
Underwriting Agreement
The Company granted the underwriter a 45-day option from the date of the final prospectus relating to the Initial Public Offering to purchase up to 5,400,000 additional Units to cover over-allotments, if any, at the Initial Public Offering price less the underwriting discounts and commissions. On February 9, 2021, the underwriter fully exercised its over-allotment option.
The underwriter was entitled to an underwriting discount of $0.20 per unit, or approximately $8.3 million in the aggregate, paid upon the closing of the Initial Public Offering. In addition, $0.35 per unit, or approximately $14.5 million in the aggregate will be payable to the underwriter for deferred underwriting commissions. 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.
Risks and Uncertainties
Management continues to evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the industry and has concluded that while it is reasonably possible that the virus could have a negative effect on the Company’s financial position, results of its operations and/or search for a target company, the specific impact is not readily determinable as of the date of these unaudited condensed financial statements. The financial statements do not include any adjustments that might result from the outcome of this uncertainty.
Note 6 — Derivative Warrant Liabilities
As of March 31, 2021, the Company has 14,076,000 and 10,280,000 Public Warrants and Private Placement Warrants, respectively, outstanding. As of December 31, 2020, there were no warrants outstanding.
The Public Warrants will become exercisable at $11.50 per share on the later of (a) 30 days after the completion of the initial Business Combination or (b) 12 months from the closing of the Proposed Public Offering; provided in each case that the Company has an effective registration statement under the Securities Act covering the Class A ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants and a current prospectus relating to them is available (or the Company permits holders to exercise their warrants on a cashless basis and such cashless exercise is exempt from registration under the Securities Act). The Company has agreed that as soon as practicable, but in no event later than 15 business days after the closing of the initial Business Combination, the Company will use commercially reasonable efforts to file with the SEC and have an effective registration statement covering the Class A ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants and to maintain a current prospectus relating to those Class A ordinary shares until the warrants expire or are redeemed, as specified in the warrant agreement. If a registration statement covering the Class A ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants is not effective by the 60th business day after the closing of the initial Business Combination,
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warrant holders may, until such time as there is an effective registration statement and during any period when the Company will have failed to maintain an effective registration statement, exercise warrants on a “cashless basis” in accordance with Section 3(a)(9) of the Securities Act or another exemption. Notwithstanding the above, if the Class A ordinary shares are at the time of any exercise of a warrant not listed on a national securities exchange such that they satisfy the definition of a “covered security” under Section 18(b)(1) of the Securities Act, the Company may, at its option, require holders of Public Warrants who exercise their warrants to do so on a “cashless basis” in accordance with Section 3(a)(9) of the Securities Act and, in the event the Company so elects, it will not be required to file or maintain in effect a registration statement, and in the event the Company does not so elect, it will use commercially reasonable efforts to register or qualify the shares under applicable blue sky laws to the extent an exemption is not available.
The warrants will expire five years after the completion of a Business Combination or earlier upon redemption or liquidation.
The exercise price and number of ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants may be adjusted in certain circumstances including in the event of a share dividend, or recapitalization, reorganization, merger or consolidation. In addition, if (x) the Company issues additional Class A ordinary shares or equity-linked securities for capital-raising purposes in connection with the closing of the initial Business Combination at an issue price or effective issue price of less than $9.20 per Class A ordinary share (with such issue price or effective issue price to be determined in good faith by the board of directors and, in the case of any such issuance to the Initial Shareholders or their affiliates, without taking into account any Founder Shares held by the initial shareholders or such affiliates, as applicable, prior to such issuance) (the “Newly Issued Price”), (y) the aggregate gross proceeds from such issuances represent more than 60% of the total equity proceeds, plus interest thereon, available for the funding of the initial Business Combination on the date of the consummation of the initial Business Combination (net of redemptions), and (z) the volume-weighted average trading price of the Class A ordinary shares during the 10-trading day period starting on the trading day prior to the day on which the Company consummates the initial Business Combination (such price, the “Market Value”) is below $9.20 per share, then the exercise price of the warrants will be adjusted (to the nearest cent) to be equal to 115% of the higher of the Market Value and the Newly Issued Price, the $18.00 per share redemption trigger price described below will be adjusted (to the nearest cent) to be equal to 180% of the higher of the Market Value and the Newly Issued Price, and the $10.00 per share redemption trigger price described below will be adjusted (to the nearest cent) to be equal to the higher of the Market Value and the Newly Issued Price”.
The Private Placement Warrants are identical to the Public Warrants underlying the Units sold in the Proposed Public Offering, except that the Private Placement Warrants and the ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the Private Placement Warrants, so long as they are held by the Sponsor or its permitted transferees, (i) will not be redeemable by the Company, (ii) may not (including the Class A ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of these warrants), subject to certain limited exceptions, be transferred, assigned or sold by the holders until 30 days after the completion of the initial Business Combination, (iii) may be exercised by the holders on a cashless basis and (iv) will be entitled to registration rights. If the Private Placement Warrants are held by holders other than the Sponsor or its permitted transferees, the Private Placement Warrants will be redeemable by the Company and exercisable by the holders on the same basis as the Public Warrants.
Once the warrants become exercisable, the Company may call the Public Warrants for redemption (except with respect to the Private Placement Warrants):
● | in whole and not in part; |
● | at a price of $0.01 per warrant; |
● | upon a minimum of 30 days’ prior written notice of redemption; and |
● | if, and only if, the closing price of the Class A ordinary shares equals or exceeds $18.00 per share (as adjusted) for any 20 trading days within a 30-trading day period ending on the third trading day prior to the date on which the Company sends the notice of redemption to the warrant holders. |
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If the Company calls the warrants for redemption as described above, the Company will have the option to require any holder that wishes to exercise his, her or its warrant to do so on a “cashless basis.” In no event will the Company be required to net cash settle any Warrant. If the Company is unable to complete a Business Combination within the Combination Period and the Company liquidates the funds held in the Trust Account, holders of Warrants will not receive any of such funds with respect to their Warrants, nor will they receive any distribution from the Company’s assets held outside of the Trust Account with the respect to such Warrants. Accordingly, the Warrants may expire worthless.
Note 7 — Shareholders’ Equity
Preference Shares—The Company is authorized to issue 5,000,000 preference shares with such designations, voting and other rights and preferences as may be determined from time to time by the Company’s board of directors. As of March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, there were no preference shares issued or outstanding.
Class A Ordinary Shares— The Company is authorized to issue 500,000,000 Class A ordinary shares with a par value of $0.0001 per share. As of March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, there were 4,320,101 and 0 Class A ordinary shares or , excluding 37,079,899 and 0 Class A ordinary shares subject to possible redemption, respectively.
Class B Ordinary Shares— The Company is authorized to issue 50,000,000 Class B ordinary shares with a par value of $0.0001 per share. On September 7, 2020, the Company issued 14,375,000 Class B ordinary shares to the Sponsor. On January 20, 2021, the Sponsor returned 5,750,500 Founder Shares for no consideration. On February 4, 2021, the Company effected a share dividend of 1,725,000 Class B ordinary shares, resulting in an aggregate of 10,350,000 Class B ordinary shares outstanding. Up to 1,350,000 shares were subject to forfeiture to the Company for no consideration to the extent that the underwriters' over-allotment option was not exercised in full or in part, so that the Initial Shareholders will collectively own 20% of the Company’s issued and outstanding ordinary shares after the Proposed Public Offering. On February 9, 2020, as the underwriters exercised the full amount of the over-allotment, there were 10,350,000 Class B ordinary shares and outstanding, with no shares subject to forfeiture.
Holders of the Class A ordinary shares and holders of the Class B ordinary shares will vote together as a single class on all matters submitted to a vote of the Company’s shareholders, except as required by law.
The Class B ordinary shares will automatically convert into Class A ordinary shares concurrently with or immediately following the consummation of the initial Business Combination on a one-for-one basis, subject to adjustment for share splits, share capitalizations, reorganizations, recapitalizations and the like, and subject to further adjustment as provided herein. In the case that additional Class A ordinary shares or equity-linked securities are issued or deemed issued in connection with the initial Business Combination, the number of Class A ordinary shares issuable upon conversion of all Founder Shares will equal, in the aggregate, 20% of the total number of Class A ordinary shares outstanding after such conversion (after giving effect to any redemptions of Class A ordinary shares by Public Shareholders), including the total number of Class A ordinary shares issued, or deemed issued or issuable upon conversion or exercise of any equity-linked securities or rights issued or deemed issued, by the Company in connection with or in relation to the consummation of the initial Business Combination, excluding any Class A ordinary shares or equity-linked securities exercisable for or convertible into Class A ordinary shares issued, or to be issued, to any seller in the initial Business Combination and any Private Placement Warrants issued to the Sponsor, officers or directors upon conversion of Working Capital Loans; provided that such conversion of Founder Shares will never occur on a less than one-for-one basis
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Note 8 — Fair Value Measurements
The following table presents information about the Company’s financial liabilities that are measured at fair value on a recurring basis as of March 31, 2021 and indicates the fair value hierarchy of the valuation techniques that the Company utilized to determine such fair value.
Fair Value Measured as of March 31, 2021 | |||||||||
|
| Quoted Prices in |
| Significant Other | Significant Other | ||||
Active Markets | Observable Inputs | Unobservable Inputs | |||||||
Description | (Level 1) | (Level 2) | (Level 3) | ||||||
Assets: | |||||||||
Investments held in Trust Account | $ | 414,003,388 | $ | — | $ | — | |||
Liabilities: | |||||||||
Derivative warrant liabilities - Public warrant | $ | 16,353,000 | $ | — | $ | — | |||
Derivative warrant liabilities - Private warrant | $ | — | $ | — | $ | 8,224,000 |
Transfers to/from Levels 1, 2, and 3 are recognized at the beginning of the reporting period. The estimated fair value of the Public Warrants transferred from a Level 3 measurement to a Level 1 measurement as of March 31, 2021 as the Public Warrants starting trading on March 30, 2021.
The Company utilized a Monte-Carlo simulation to estimate the fair value of the warrants initially and subsequently for the Private Warrants, with changes in fair value recognized in the statements of operations. At March 31, 2021, the fair value of the Public Warrants was measured using the public trading price as the Public Warrants started to trade prior to March 31, 2021. For the three months ended March 31, 2021, the Company recognized a total charge from an increase in the fair value of liabilities of approximately $3.3 million presented as change in fair value of derivative warrant liabilities on the accompanying statements of operations.
The change in the fair value of the derivative warrant liabilities measured with Level 3 inputs for three months ended March 31, 2021 is summarized as follows:
Derivative warrant liabilities at January 1, 2021 | $ | — | |
Issuance of Public and Private Warrants - Level 3 |
| 21,272,000 | |
Transfer of Public Warrants to Level 1 Measurement | (14,076,000) | ||
Change in fair value of derivative warrant liabilities - Level 3 | 1,028,000 | ||
Derivative warrant liabilities at March 31, 2021 - Level 3 | $ | 8,224,000 |
The estimated fair value of the derivative warrant liabilities has been determined using Level 3 inputs. Inherent in a Monte-Carlo simulation are assumptions related to expected stock-price volatility, expected life and risk-free interest rate. The Company estimates the volatility of its ordinary shares based on historical volatility of select peer companies that matches the expected remaining life of the warrants. The risk-free interest rate is based on the U.S. Treasury zero-coupon yield curve on the grant date for a maturity similar to the expected remaining life of the warrants. The expected life of the warrants is assumed to be equivalent to their remaining contractual term.
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The following table provides quantitative information regarding the Level 3 fair value measurements inputs as their measurement dates:
| As of February 9, 2021 |
| As of March 31, 2021 |
| |||
Volatility |
| 12.90 | % | 12.70 | % | ||
Exercise price | $ | 11.50 | $ | 11.50 | |||
Stock price | $ | 9.66 | $ | 9.75 | |||
Expected life of the options to convert | 6.50 | 6.36 | |||||
Risk-free rate | 0.74 | % | 1.25 | % | |||
Dividend yield | 0 | % | 0 | % |
Note 9 — Subsequent Events
The Company evaluated subsequent events and transactions that occurred up to the date unaudited condensed financial statements were available to be issued. Based upon this review, the Company determined that, except for the appointment of Derek Nelsen Sulger as disclosed in Part II – Other Information, Item 5 Other Information – Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers, there have been no events that have occurred that would require adjustments to the disclosures in the unaudited condensed financial statements.
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Item 2. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.
References to the “Company,” “HH&L Acquisition Co.,” “HH&L Acquisition,” “our,” “us” or “we” refer to HH&L Acquisition Co. 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 incorporated as a Cayman Islands exempted company on September 4, 2020. We were formed for the purpose of effecting a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, share purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses (the “Business Combination”). We are an emerging growth company and, as such, we are subject to all of the risks associated with emerging growth companies.
Our sponsor is HH&L Investment Co., a Cayman exempted company (the “Sponsor”). The registration statement for our Initial Public Offering was declared effective on February 4, 2021. On February 9, 2021, we consummated our Initial Public Offering of 41,400,000 units (the “Units” and, with respect to the Class A ordinary shares included in the Units being offered, the “Public Shares”), including 5,400,000 additional Units to cover over-allotments (the “Over-Allotment Units”), at $10.00 per Unit, generating gross proceeds of $414.0 million, and incurring offering costs of approximately $23.7 million, of which approximately $14.5 million was for deferred underwriting commissions (Note 5).
Simultaneously with the closing of the Initial Public Offering, we consummated the private placement (“Private Placement”) of 10,280,000 warrants (each, a “Private Placement Warrant” and collectively, the “Private Placement Warrants”), at a price of $1.00 per Private Placement Warrant with the Sponsor, generating gross proceeds of approximately $10.3 million (Note 4).
Upon the closing of the Initial Public Offering and the Private Placement, a total of $414.0 million ($10.00 per Unit) of the net proceeds of the Initial Public Offering and certain of the proceeds of the Private Placement was placed in a trust account (“Trust Account”), located in the United States with Continental Share Transfer & Trust Company acting as trustee, and will be invested only in United States “government securities” within the meaning of Section 2(a)(16) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, or the Investment Company Act, having a maturity of 185 days or less or in money market funds meeting certain conditions under Rule 2a-7 promulgated under the Investment Company Act which invest only in direct U.S. government treasury obligations, until the earlier of: (i) the completion of a Business Combination and (ii) the distribution of the Trust Account as described below.
Our management has broad discretion with respect to the specific application of the net proceeds of the Initial Public Offering and the sale of Private Placement Warrants, although substantially all of the net proceeds are intended to be applied generally toward consummating a Business Combination. There is no assurance that we will be able to complete a Business Combination successfully. We must complete one or more initial Business Combinations having an aggregate fair market value of at least 80% of the assets held in the Trust Account (as defined below) (excluding the deferred
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underwriting commissions and taxes payable on income earned on the Trust Account) at the time of the agreement to enter into the initial Business Combination. Additionally, pursuant to NYSE rules, any business combination must be approved by a majority of our independent directors until the 80% of net assets test described above is satisfied. However, we will only complete a Business Combination if the post-transaction company owns or acquires 50% or more of the outstanding voting securities of the target or otherwise acquires a controlling interest in the target sufficient for it not to be required to register as an investment company under the Investment Company Act 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”).
If we are unable to complete a Business Combination within the Combination Period, 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 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 (which interest shall be net of taxes payable and 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 Public Shareholders’ rights as shareholders (including the right to receive further liquidation distributions, if any) and (iii) as promptly as reasonably possible following such redemption, subject to the approval of the remaining shareholders and the board of directors, liquidate and dissolve, subject, in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii), to our obligations under Cayman Islands law to provide for claims of creditors and in all cases subject to the other requirements of applicable law.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
As of March 31, 2021, we had approximately $774,000 in our operating bank account, and working capital of approximately $863,000.
Our liquidity needs to date have been satisfied through a contribution of $25,000 from Sponsor to cover for certain expenses on our behalf in exchange for the issuance of the Founder Shares (as defined in Note 4), a loan of approximately $185,000 from the Sponsor pursuant to the Note (as defined in Note 4), and the proceeds from the consummation of the Private Placement not held in the Trust Account. We repaid approximately $6,000 on February 9, 2021. On February 11, 2021, we paid the remaining balance of the Note. In addition, in order to finance transaction costs in connection with a Business Combination, the Sponsor or an affiliate of the Sponsor, or certain of our officers and directors may, but are not obligated to, provide us Working Capital Loans (see Note 5). As of March 31, 2021, there were no amounts outstanding under any Working Capital Loan.
Based on the foregoing, management believes that we will have sufficient working capital and borrowing capacity from our Sponsor or an affiliate of our Sponsor, or certain of our officers and directors to meet its needs through the earlier of the consummation of a Business Combination or one year from this filing. Over this time period, we will be using these funds for paying existing accounts payable, identifying and evaluating prospective initial Business Combination candidates, performing due diligence on prospective target businesses, paying for travel expenditures, selecting the target business to merge with or acquire, and structuring, negotiating and consummating the Business Combination.
Management continues to evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the industry and has concluded that while it is reasonably possible that the virus could have a negative effect on our financial position, results of our operations and/or search for a target company, the specific impact is not readily determinable as of the date of the financial statements. The financial statements do not include any adjustments that might result from the outcome of this uncertainty.
Results of Operations
Our entire activity since inception up to March 31, 2021 was in preparation for our formation and the Initial Public Offering and since the Initial Public Offering a search for a target company for a Business Combination. We will not be generating any operating revenues until the closing and completion of our initial Business Combination.
For the three months ended March 31, 2021, we had net loss of approximately $4,462,000 which consisted of approximately $309,000 in general and administrative expenses, approximately $30,000 in general and administrative
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expenses for costs incurred with our Sponsor, an approximately $3,305,000 loss from change in fair value of warrant liabilities, and approximately $821,000 of financing costs – derivative warrant liabilities, which was partially offset by approximately $3,000 net gain on investments held in the Trust Account.
Contractual Obligations
Administrative Support Agreement
We agreed to pay the Sponsor a total of $15,000 per month, commencing on the effective date of the Initial Public Offering, for office space, utilities, secretarial and administrative support services provided to members of the management team. Upon completion of the initial Business Combination or our liquidation, we will cease paying these monthly fees.
We incurred approximately $30,000 in general and administrative expenses in the accompanying unaudited condensed statements of operations for the three months ended March 31, 2021.
Registration Rights
The holders of Founder Shares, Private Placement Warrants, Forward Purchase Securities and warrants that may be issued upon conversion of Working Capital Loans, if any, are entitled to registration rights pursuant to a registration rights agreement. These holders will be entitled to certain demand and “piggyback” registration rights. However, the registration rights agreement provides that we will not permit any registration statement filed under the Securities Act to become effective until the termination of the applicable lock-up period for the securities to be registered. We will bear the expenses incurred in connection with the filing of any such registration statements.
Underwriting Agreement
We granted the underwriters a 45-day option from the final prospectus relating to the Initial Public Offering to purchase up to 5,400,000 additional Units to cover over-allotments, if any, at the Initial Public Offering price less the underwriting discounts and commissions. On July 28, 2020, the underwriters fully exercised their over-allotment option.
The underwriters were entitled to an underwriting discount of $0.20 per unit, or approximately $8.9 million in the aggregate, paid upon the closing of the Initial Public Offering. In addition, $0.35 per unit, or approximately $14.5 million in the aggregate will be payable to the underwriters for deferred underwriting commissions. The deferred fee will become payable to the underwriters 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.
Critical Accounting Policies
Class A ordinary shares subject to possible redemption
We account for our Class A ordinary shares subject to possible redemption in accordance with the guidance in ASC Topic 480 “Distinguishing Liabilities from Equity.” Shares of Class A ordinary shares subject to mandatory redemption (if any) are classified as liability instruments and are measured at fair value. Shares of conditionally redeemable Class A ordinary shares (including Class A ordinary shares that feature redemption rights that are either within the control of the holder or subject to redemption upon the occurrence of uncertain events not solely within our control) are classified as temporary equity. At all other times, shares of Class A ordinary shares are classified as shareholders’ equity. Our Class A ordinary shares feature certain redemption rights that are considered to be outside of our control and subject to the occurrence of uncertain future events. Accordingly, at March 31, 2021, 37,079,899 shares of Class A ordinary shares subject to possible redemption are presented as temporary equity, outside of the shareholders’ equity section of our condensed balance sheet.
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Net loss per ordinary share
Net income (loss) per ordinary share is computed by dividing net income (loss) by the weighted-average number of ordinary shares outstanding during the period. We have not considered the effect of the warrants sold in the Initial Public Offering and private placement to purchase an aggregate of 30,980,000 shares in the calculation of diluted loss per share, since the exercise of the warrants are contingent upon the occurrence of future events and the inclusion of such warrants would be anti-dilutive.
Our unaudited condensed statements of operations include a presentation of income (loss) per ordinary share subject to redemption in a manner similar to the two-class method of income (loss) per share. Net income per share, basic and diluted for Class A ordinary shares is calculated by dividing the net gain on investments held in the Trust Account of approximately $3,000, by the weighted average number of Class A ordinary share outstanding for the three months ended March 31, 2021. Net loss per share, basic and diluted for Class B ordinary shares is calculated by dividing the net loss of approximately $4.5 million for the three months ended March 31, 2021 and 2020, less income attributable to Class A ordinary shares of approximately $3,000, by the weighted average number of Class B ordinary shares outstanding for the period.
Derivative Warrant Liabilities
We do not use derivative instruments to hedge exposures to cash flow, market, or foreign currency risks. We evaluate all of our financial instruments, including issued stock purchase warrants, to determine if such instruments are derivatives or contain features that qualify as embedded derivatives, pursuant to ASC 480 and ASC 815-15. The classification of derivative instruments, including whether such instruments should be recorded as liabilities or as equity, is re-assessed at the end of each reporting period.
We issued 30,980,000 issued in connection with our Initial Public Offering (20,700,000) and Private Placement (10,280,000) which are recognized as derivative liabilities in accordance with ASC 815-40. Accordingly, we recognize the warrant instruments as liabilities at fair value and adjust the instruments to fair value at each reporting period. The liabilities are subject to re-measurement at each balance sheet date until exercised, and any change in fair value is recognized in our statements of operations. The fair value of warrants issued in connection with the Public Offering and Private Placement were initially estimated using Monte-Carlo simulations. As of March 31, 2021, the fair value of the Public Warrants were measured at their listed trading price as they began to be separately listed and traded in March 2021. The fair value of the Private Placement warrants continue to be valued using Monte Carlo simulations.
Recent Accounting Pronouncements
In August 2020, the FASB issued ASU No. 2020-06, Debt—Debt with Conversion and Other Options (Subtopic 470-20) and Derivatives and Hedging—Contracts in Entity’s Own Equity (Subtopic 815-40): Accounting for Convertible Instruments and Contracts in an Entity’s Own Equity (“ASU 2020-06”), which simplifies accounting for convertible instruments by removing major separation models required under current GAAP. The ASU also removes certain settlement conditions that are required for equity-linked contracts to qualify for the derivative scope exception, and it simplifies the diluted earnings per share calculation in certain areas. We adopted ASU 2020-06 on January 1, 2021. Adoption of the ASU did not impact our financial position, results of operations or cash flows.
Management does not believe that any other recently issued, but not yet effective, accounting standards if currently adopted would have a material effect on the accompanying unaudited condensed financial statements.
Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements
As of March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, we did not have any off-balance sheet arrangements as defined in Item 303(a)(4)(ii) of Regulation S-K.
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JOBS Act
The Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012 (the “JOBS Act”) contains provisions that, among other things, relax certain reporting requirements for qualifying public companies. We qualify as an “emerging growth company” and under the JOBS Act are allowed to comply with new or revised accounting pronouncements based on the effective date for private (not publicly traded) companies. We are electing to delay the adoption of new or revised accounting standards, and as a result, we may not comply with new or revised accounting standards on the relevant dates on which adoption of such standards is required for non-emerging growth companies. As a result, the financial statements may not be comparable to companies that comply with new or revised accounting pronouncements as of public company effective dates.
Additionally, we are in the process of evaluating the benefits of relying on the other reduced reporting requirements provided by the JOBS Act. Subject to certain conditions set forth in the JOBS Act, if, as an “emerging growth company,” we choose to rely on such exemptions we may not be required to, among other things, (i) provide an auditor’s attestation report on our system of internal controls over financial reporting pursuant to Section 404, (ii) provide all of the compensation disclosure that may be required of non-emerging growth public companies under the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, (iii) comply with any requirement that may be adopted by the PCAOB regarding mandatory audit firm rotation or a supplement to the auditor’s report providing additional information about the audit and the financial statements (auditor discussion and analysis) and (iv) disclose certain executive compensation related items such as the correlation between executive compensation and performance and comparisons of the CEO’s compensation to median employee compensation. These exemptions will apply for a period of five years following the completion of our Initial Public Offering or until we are no longer an “emerging growth company,” whichever is earlier.
Item 3. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk
We are a smaller reporting company as defined by Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act and are not required to provide the information otherwise required under this item. As of March 31, 2021, we were not subject to any market or interest rate risk. The net proceeds of the Initial Public Offering, including amounts in the Trust Account, will be invested in U.S. government securities with a maturity of 185 days or less or in money market funds that meet certain conditions under Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, that invest only in direct U.S. government treasury obligations. Due to the short-term nature of these investments, we believe there will be no associated material exposure to interest rate risk.
We have not engaged in any hedging activities since our inception and we do not expect to engage in any hedging activities with respect to the market risk to which we are exposed.
Item 4. Controls and Procedures
On April 12, 2021, the staff at the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) issued a statement on Accounting and Reporting Considerations for Warrants Issued by Special Purpose Acquisition Companies (“SPACs”) (the “SEC Statement”). In the SEC Statement, the SEC staff noted that certain provisions in the typical SPAC warrant agreement may require that the warrants be classified as a liability measured at fair value, with changes in fair value reported each period in earnings, as compared to the historical treatment of the warrants as equity, which has been the practice of most SPACs, including us. We had previously classified our private placement warrants and public warrants as equity (for a full description of our private placement warrants and public warrants, refer to the registration statement on Amendment No.1 to Form S-1 (File No. 333-252254), filed in connection with the Company’s initial public offering, declared effective by the SEC on February 4, 2021).
After considering the SEC Statement, we concluded that there were misstatements in the February 9, 2021 audited closing balance sheet we filed with the SEC on Form 8-K on February 16, 2021. Based on the guidance in Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 815-40, “Derivatives and Hedging — Contracts in Entity’s Own Equity”, we concluded that provisions in the warrant agreement preclude the warrants from being accounted for as components of equity. As the warrants meet the definition of a derivative as contemplated in ASC 815, the warrants should have been recorded as derivative liabilities on the balance sheet and measured at fair value at inception and at each reporting date in accordance
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with ASC 820, “Fair Value Measurement”, with changes in fair value recognized in the statement of operations in the period of change. Further, ASC 815 requires that upfront costs and fees related to items for which the fair value option is elected (our warrant liabilities) should have been recognized as expense as incurred.
We have corrected the accounting for the warrants in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q. The effect of the restatement on specific line has been discussed in the Notes to unaudited condensed Financial Statements.
Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures
In connection with the restatement of our February 9, 2021 audited closing balance sheet, our management reassessed the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures as of March 31, 2021. As a result of that reassessment and in light of the SEC Statement, our management determined that our disclosure controls and procedures as of March 31, 2021 were not effective solely as a result of its classification of the warrants as components of equity instead of as derivative liabilities. Due solely to the events that led to our restatement, management has made changes in internal controls related to the accounting for warrants issued in connection with our initial public offering. In light of the material weakness that we identified, we performed additional analysis as deemed necessary to ensure that our unaudited condensed financial statements for the three months ended March 31, 2021, were prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles. Accordingly, management believes that the unaudited condensed financial statements included in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q present fairly in all material respects our financial position, results of operations and cash flows for the period presented.
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, as the circumstances that led to the restatement of our previously filed financial statements described above had not yet been identified. In light of the restatement of the previously filed financial statements, we plan to enhance our processes to identify and appropriately apply applicable accounting requirements to better evaluate and understand the nuances of the complex accounting standards that apply to our financial statements. Our plans at this time include providing enhanced access to accounting literature, research materials and documents and increased communication among our personnel and third-party professionals with whom we consult regarding complex accounting applications. 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.
PART II - OTHER INFORMATION
Item 1. Legal Proceedings
None.
Item 1A. Risk Factors
As of the date of this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, there have been no material changes to the risk factors disclosed in our Form 10-K filed with the SEC on February 8, 2021, except for the below risk factor. We may disclose changes to such factors or disclose additional factors from time to time in our future filings with the SEC.
The securities in which we invest the funds held in the trust account could bear a negative rate of interest, which could reduce the value of the assets held in trust such that the per-share redemption amount received by public shareholders may be less than $10.00 per share.
The proceeds held in the trust account will be invested only in U.S. government treasury obligations with a maturity of 185 days or less or in money market funds meeting certain conditions under Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act, which invest only in direct U.S. government treasury obligations. While short-term U.S. government treasury
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obligations currently yield a positive rate of interest, they have briefly yielded negative interest rates in recent years. Central banks in Europe and Japan pursued interest rates below zero in recent years, and the Open Market Committee of the Federal Reserve has not ruled out the possibility that it may in the future adopt similar policies in the United States. In the event that we are unable to complete our initial business combination or make certain amendments to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, our public shareholders are entitled to receive their pro-rata share of the proceeds held in the trust account, plus any interest income, net of income taxes paid or payable (less, in the case we are unable to complete our initial business combination, $100,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses). Negative interest rates could reduce the value of the assets held in trust such that the per-share redemption amount received by public shareholders may be less than $10.00 per share.
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.
Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers.
On May 19, 2021, the board of directors (the “Board”) of HH&L Acquisition Co. (the “Company”) appointed Derek Nelsen Sulger to the Board. Mr. Sulger was appointed to serve as a Class I director with a term expiring at the Company’s first annual meeting of shareholders.
The Board appointed Mr. Sulger, who was determined to be an “independent director” as defined in the applicable rules of The New York Stock Exchange, to the Board’s Audit Committee.
Derek Nelsen Sulger is chairman and partner of Lunar, a buyout firm that invests, owns and controls numerous businesses focused on delivering premium offerings to Chinese consumers in food, apparel, wellness and technology since 2000. He currently serves as chairman or director of several companies owned or controlled by Lunar. Mr. Sulger founded Lunar in 1999 in Shanghai alongside several startups, including Linktone (NASDAQ:LTON), a NASDAQ-listed mobile internet businesses, Intrinsic, a telecommunications software business, and SmartPay Jieyin, a mobile payments business.
He is recognized as one of the earliest successful Chinese “new wave” entrepreneurs, and his company, Linktone, is recognized in the Chinese Internet Museum as the “leader of the second wave” of Chinese publicly listed businesses.
Mr. Sulger began his career with Goldman Sachs in New York and London in 1993 and served as an executive director in the Fixed Income and J Aron divisions from 1993 to 2000.
Mr. Sulger received his bachelor’s degree from Harvard University in 1993. He also serves as a member of the board of overseers of Harvard and Radcliffe Rowing and an executive director of Hong Kong Venture Capital Association. In addition, he serves as co-chairman of the board of trustees of the UCCA Center for Contemporary Art, China’s leading independent contemporary arts institution.
On May 19, 2021, the Company entered into an indemnity agreement (the “Indemnity Agreement”) with Mr. Sulger, pursuant to which the Company has agreed to provide contractual indemnification, in addition to the indemnification
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provided in the Company’s Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association, against liabilities that may arise by reason of their respective service on the Board, and to advance expenses incurred as a result of any proceeding against either of them as to which either could be indemnified, in the form previously filed as Exhibit 10.5 to the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333- 252254) for its initial public offering, initially filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on January 20, 2021 (as amended, the “Registration Statement”).
On May 19, 2021, the Company entered into a joinder agreement with Mr. Sulger (the “Joinder Agreement”), pursuant to which Mr. Sulger (i) agreed to become a party to the letter agreement previously entered into by and between the Company and each of its other officers and directors in connection with the Company’s initial public offering and (ii) in the case of Skyview Enterprises Limited, an affiliate of Mr. Sulger, agreed to become a party to the registration rights agreement entered into by and among the Company and each of the holders party thereto in connection with the Company’s initial public offering.
The foregoing descriptions of the Indemnity Agreement and the Joinder Agreement do not purport to be complete and are qualified in their entireties by reference to the form of indemnity agreement and the Joinder Agreement, copies of which are attached as Exhibit 10.5 to the Registration Statement and Exhibit 10.1 hereto, respectively, and are incorporated herein by reference.
On May 19, 2021, HH&L Investment Co., the Company’s sponsor, transferred 22,000 Class B ordinary shares of the Company to Skyview Enterprises Limited, an affiliate of Mr. Sulger, in consideration of Mr. Sulger’s agreement to serve as a director on the Company’s board of directors.
Other than the foregoing, Mr. Sulger is not party to any arrangement or understanding with any person pursuant to which he was appointed as director, nor is he party to any transactions required to be disclosed under Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K involving the Company.
Item 6. Exhibits.
Exhibit |
| Description |
10.1 | Joinder Agreement, dated May 19, 2021, by and between the Company and Derek Nelsen Sulger. | |
31.1* | ||
31.2* | ||
32.1* | ||
32.2* | ||
101.INS | XBRL Instance Document | |
101.SCH | XBRL Taxonomy Extension Schema Document | |
101.CAL | XBRL Taxonomy Extension Calculation Linkbase Document | |
101.DEF | XBRL Taxonomy Extension Definition Linkbase Document | |
101.LAB | XBRL Taxonomy Extension Label Linkbase Document | |
101.PRE | XBRL Taxonomy Extension Presentation Linkbase Document |
* | These certifications are furnished to the SEC pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and are deemed not filed for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, nor shall they be deemed incorporated by reference in any filing under the Securities Act of 1933, except as shall be expressly set forth by specific reference in such filing. |
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SIGNATURE
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 hereunto duly authorized.
Dated: May 24, 2021 | HH&L ACQUISITION CO. | |
By: | /s/ Richard Qi Li | |
Name: | Richard Qi Li | |
Title: | Chief Executive Officer (Principal Executive Officer) |
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