Sandbridge X2 Corp - Annual Report: 2021 (Form 10-K)
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
FORM
10-K
(Mark One)
☒ | ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 |
For the fiscal year ended December 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
Commission file number:001-40183
Sandbridge X2 Corp
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Delaware |
86-1544667 | |
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization) |
(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.) | |
725 5 th Avenue, 23rd FloorNew York, |
10022 | |
(Address of principal executive offices) |
(Zip Code) |
Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (212)
292-7870
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
Title of each class |
Trading Symbol |
Name of each exchange on which registered | ||
Units, each consisting of one share of Class A common stock, $0.0001 par value, and one-third of one redeemable warrant |
SBII.U |
New York Stock Exchange LLC | ||
Shares of Class A common stock included as part of the units |
SBII |
New York Stock Exchange LLC | ||
Redeemable warrants included as part of the units, each whole warrant exercisable for one share of Class A common stock at an exercise price of $11.50 |
SBII WS |
New York Stock Exchange LLC |
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act: None
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. ☐ Yes ☒ No
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act. ☐ Yes ☒ No
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, a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See 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 has filed a report on and attestation to its management’s assessment of the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting under Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (15 U.S.C. 7262(b)) by the registered public accounting firm that prepared or issued its audit report. ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule
12b-2
of the Exchange Act). ☒ Yes ☐ No The aggregate market value of the voting and non-voting common equity held by non-affiliates of the registrant, computed by reference to the price at which the Units were last sold on June 30, 2021, the last business day of the registrant’s most recently completed second fiscal quarter, was approximately $218.6 million. As of such date, only our Units were publicly traded.
As of March 30, 2022, there were
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CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
Some of the statements contained in this Annual Report on Form
10-K
(this “Annual Report” or “Form 10-K”)
may constitute “forward-looking statements” for purposes of the federal securities laws. Our forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding our or our management team’s expectations, hopes, beliefs, intentions or strategies regarding the future. In addition, any statements that refer to projections, forecasts or other characterizations of future events or circumstances, including any underlying assumptions, are forward-looking statements. The words “anticipate,” “believe,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “might,” “plan,” “possible,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “should,” “would” and similar expressions may identify forward-looking statements, but the absence of these words does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking. Forward-looking statements in this Form
10-K
may include, for example, statements about: • | our ability to select an appropriate target business or businesses; |
• | trends in the consumer sector and trends regarding consumer behavior, particularly as these trends relate to the types of brands and consumer experience customers are seeking; |
• | our ability to complete our initial business combination, particularly given competition from other blank check companies and financial and strategic buyers; |
• | our expectations around the performance of a prospective target business or businesses, including competitive prospects of the business following our initial business combination; |
• | our success in retaining or recruiting, or changes required in, our officers, key employees or directors following our initial business combination; |
• | our officers and directors allocating their time to other businesses and potentially having conflicts of interest with our business or in approving our initial business combination, as a result of which they would then receive expense reimbursements; |
• | our potential ability to obtain additional financing to complete our initial business combination; |
• | the number, variety and characteristics of prospective target businesses; |
• | our ability to consummate an initial business combination amidst the uncertainty resulting from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, and the effects of the ongoing pandemic on consumer behavior, the economy and any business or businesses with which we consummate our initial business combination; |
• | the ability of our officers and directors to generate a number of potential business combination opportunities; |
• | our public securities’ potential liquidity and trading; |
• | the use of proceeds not held in the trust account or available to us from interest income on the trust account balance; |
• | the trust account not being subject to claims of third parties; or |
• | our financial performance following the initial business combination. |
The forward-looking statements contained in this Form
10-K
are based on our current expectations and beliefs concerning future developments and their potential effects on us. There can be no assurance that future developments affecting us will be those that we have anticipated. These forward-looking statements involve a number of risks, uncertainties (some of which are beyond our control) or other assumptions that may cause actual results or performance to be materially different from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, those factors described under the heading “Risk Factors.” Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should any of our assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary in material respects from those projected in these forward-looking statements. We undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required under applicable securities laws. SUMMARY OF RISK FACTORS
Our business is subject to varying degrees of risk and uncertainty. Investors should consider the risks and uncertainties summarized below, as well as the risks and uncertainties discussed in Part I, Item 1A. “Risk Factors” of this Annual Report on Form
10-K.
If any of the following events occur, our business, financial condition and operating results may be materially adversely affected. Such risks include, but are not limited to: • | our being a company with no operating history and no revenues; |
• | our public stockholders may not be afforded an opportunity to vote on our proposed initial business combination; |
• | your only opportunity to affect the investment decision regarding a potential business combination may be limited to the exercise of your right to redeem your shares from us for cash; |
• | the ability of our public stockholders to exercise redemption rights could make our initial business combination difficult to enter into or unsuccessful; |
• | our ability to complete our initial business combination on favorable terms, within the allotted timeframe, or at all; |
• | our ability to obtain the economic resources necessary to complete the initial business combination; |
• | our officers and directors allocating their time to other businesses and potentially having conflicts of interest with our business or in approving our initial business combination; |
• | our success in retaining or recruiting the necessary officers, key employees or directors in connection with and following our initial business combination; |
• | certain of our securities becoming worthless in certain redemption scenarios; |
• | economically disadvantageous liquidation scenarios; |
• | limitations on access to the funds in the trust account by investors or third parties, as well as reductions in the funds available in the trust account under certain scenarios; |
• | potential liability arising out of certain distributions from the trust account; |
• | dilution of your investment in certain scenarios; |
• | our ability to consummate an initial business combination amidst the uncertainty resulting from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, and the effects of the ongoing pandemic on the climate sector, the economy and any business or businesses with which we consummate our initial business combination; |
• | our financial performance following the initial business combination; and |
• | the other risks and uncertainties discussed in “Risk Factors” and elsewhere in this Annual Report. |
PART I
References in this Form
10-K
to “we,” “us,” “Company” or “Sandbridge X2” refer to Sandbridge X2 Corp, a Delaware corporation. References to our “management” or our “management team” refer to our officers and directors, and references to our “sponsor” refer to Sandbridge X2 Holdings LLC, a Delaware limited liability company. References to our “initial stockholders” refer to our sponsor and any other holder of our founder shares prior to our initial public offering (or their permitted transferees, including members of our Sponsor). References to (i) “PIMCO” are to Pacific Investment Management Company LLC, (ii) the “PIMCO private fund” are to the member of our sponsor that is affiliated with PIMCO, (iii) “Sandbridge Capital” are to Sandbridge Capital, LLC and (iv) the “Sandbridge fund” are to the member of our sponsor that is affiliated with Sandbridge Capital. ITEM 1. |
BUSINESS. |
Introduction
We are blank check company incorporated on January 15, 2021 as a Delaware corporation and formed for the purpose of effecting a merger, capital stock exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses, which we refer to throughout this Annual Report as our initial business combination. We have not selected any specific business combination target. While we may pursue an initial business combination with a company in any sector, we intend to focus our search on the consumer sector and consumer-related businesses, which complements the expertise of our management team, directors and advisors.
We believe current market dynamics present an opportune moment for our sector focus. Prevailing trends prior to the
COVID-19
pandemic have only grown more pronounced. Digital adoption has meaningfully accelerated trends across an even broader cohort of customer demographics along with customer emphasis on sustainability, health and wellness, transparency, environmental awareness, and brand engagement and authenticity. The aforementioned trends, concurrent with e-commerce’s
ever-expanding importance, align with the domain expertise of our management team, directors and advisors. Our team identifies and partners with differentiated, purpose-driven brands that truly matter to and connect with their customers and which are effectively attached to modern business models that drive engagement with relevant brand messaging and distribution at a time when many legacy distribution models are challenged. Our team includes experienced industry operators and investors whose strategic
skill-set
can be employed to pursue significant value creation opportunities in this environment. We believe our team’s extended global network of relationships with brand operators and owners, built over the course of decades of experience growing and managing iconic consumer brands, will help us identify attractive potential business combination targets, and that the collective experience of our team will make us an attractive partner in the eyes of industry operators who value this competence and expertise. The Sandbridge fund and the PIMCO private fund are members of our sponsor.
Sandbridge Capital
Sandbridge Capital, LLC (“Sandbridge Capital”) is a leading global consumer focused investment firm with a global network and deep sector expertise, targeting high-growth, market-leading brands.
Sandbridge Capital’s primary target segments include modern consumer brands, disruptive consumer-based technologies, beauty and personal care, luxury, and health and wellness. Within these segments, Sandbridge Capital targets importantly differentiated authentic brands whose purpose-driven brand messaging typically slots within its overarching industry thesis. These brands must be strongly positioned to become #1 or #2 in their market niches with modern business models that enable them to seamlessly leverage online and offline convergence opportunities. Importantly, Sandbridge Capital’s thesis reflects the disruptive opportunity for innovative “2.0 brands” relative to the value erosion experienced by structurally challenged retail and other legacy concepts.
Sandbridge Capital’s differentiated domain expertise and industry relationships attract high-quality proprietary global deal flow, facilitate nuanced and informed investment analysis, and position the firm to implement strategies targeting transformative growth for the importantly differentiated brands with which it partners. Sandbridge Capital’s principals as a team have invested in 17 consumer brands, including Farfetch Ltd. (“Farfetch”), Mont Blanc Global Group Holdings S.a.r.l. (“Rossignol”), The RealReal, Inc. (“RealReal”), Thom Browne, Inc. (“Thom Browne”), Youth To The People Inc. (“Youth To The People”), Bonobos and ILIA, Inc. (“ILIA”), among others.
PIMCO
The PIMCO private fund, a member of our sponsor, is managed by PIMCO, one of the world’s premier fixed income investment managers. For 50 years, PIMCO has worked relentlessly to help millions of investors achieve their objectives—regardless of shifting market conditions. Today, PIMCO has offices around the world and more than 3,000 professionals committed to its mission: delivering superior
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investment returns, solutions and service to its clients. PIMCO’s alternatives platform combines the firm’s time-tested investment process with opportunistic approaches to marketable and private credit, global real estate, macroeconomic, and quantitative strategies. As of December 31, 2021, PIMCO had approximately $2.2 trillion in assets under management, including over $40 billion in alternatives strategies. PIMCO is owned by Allianz S.E., a leading global diversified financial services provider.
Our Management Team
Our Company is led by Ken Suslow, our Chief Executive Officer and Chairman, Richard Henry, our Chief Financial Officer, and Joe Lamastra, our Chief Operating Officer, who are supported by the broader Sandbridge team, as well as our directors and advisors. For more information on our management team, please read Item 10 “Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance” below.
Business Strategy & Competitive Strengths
The coronavirus pandemic has served to both heighten and accelerate the highly dislocative trends that began impacting the global consumer retail landscape well in advance of our current moment. We believe the resulting economic reality has pushed forward by years the substantial opportunity set for modern brands with similarly modern business models. We expect these brands will inevitably continue to garner large market share gains at the expense of their challenged legacy retail competitors. We believe these trends underscore a long-term fundamental shift in consumer behavior, one that will force global brands to revise and refresh their strategic agenda, refocus their distribution and supply chains, and favor brand storytelling and authentic messaging over the simple selling of generic product stacked high and wide on retail shelves. These represent just a few of the issues that legacy brands must swiftly confront in order to survive, and ultimately thrive, in the present consumer environment.
Furthermore, we believe the ongoing “barbell effect”, whereby consumers increasingly gravitate to a pronounced mix of a favored coterie of luxury experiences at the high end of the discretionary scale, combined with substantial purchasing of deep value offerings, at the expense of those stuck in the middle, will continue. As such, we see substantial opportunities to execute upon our targeted sector focus and partnership criteria to align with the defining trends impacting the consumer industry today, and for the foreseeable future. These include (a) the acceleration of category disruption, (b) the rapid growth of modern “2.0 brands,” and (c) heightened adoption of digital and
e-commerce.
Above all, we always pause to ask the simple question: “If this brand didn’t exist, would it truly be missed? Said another way, is this brand importantly differentiated in a world where sameness and homogeneity predominate?” Thus, when the right circumstances arise, we can engage our expertise as dedicated industry investors and operators to pursue a potential business combination with these special brands with the aim to create future value for our stockholders.
Based on our collective experience, we believe that brands must have a strong omni-channel approach so as to be best positioned to, at once, both deliver excellence to, and engagement with, their consumers. We believe an increasingly engaged consumer will remain ever more digitally connected well into the future. We believe legacy distribution channels will continue to struggle and thus, are highly focused on increasingly digitalized consumption in tandem with the ongoing convergence of physical and online channels. We believe that innovative brands with modern approaches to operating their businesses will continue to take share from legacy incumbents given their pronounced focus on nimble multi-channel strategies that better appeal to, and conform with, the continued shifts in the global consumer landscape.
The aforementioned shifts in consumer behavior help to support the basis of our investment thesis; additionally, within the modern brand firmament, we believe certain sectors remain particularly well positioned given the confluence of factors, both brand specific and otherwise, and that are well aligned with our investing expertise. These include, but are not limited to: (a) “2.0” consumer digital platforms and technologies, (b) beauty and personal care, (c) luxury, and (d) health and wellness.
“2.0” Consumer Digital Platforms and Technologies
Just as the Great Recession shaped subsequent consumer behavior, the pandemic has significantly altered consumer purchasing behavior yet again, representing a key inflection point that has catalyzed a steeper digital adoption curve. Accordingly, digital “2.0” brands, such as asset-light marketplace models, digital commerce enablers, and customer data analytics providers, have become more valuable as we continue down this highly connected path. As such, leveraging technology and modern distribution channels are now more critical than ever for businesses to remain relevant in the post pandemic landscape. This in turn results in more nascent, tech-enabled solution categories gaining ever stronger momentum while also presenting highly attractive transaction opportunities.
Beauty and Personal Care
We believe that the beauty and personal care industry – a large and growing market globally – represents a diverse, attractive field of investment opportunities, as ongoing shifts in consumer preferences combine with demographic trends to drive disruption in the space. Skincare, in particular, has been a conduit for growth, and is projected to continue to grow in the coming years; much of this growth is being led by the Asia Pacific region, with China representing an especially large and flourishing market.
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Key trends in the space include a movement to organic, cosmetics, with natural and organic personal care product sales projected to grow robustly in the coming years. This accompanies a general shift toward consumer demand for transparency around ingredients and responsible sourcing. Additionally, digitally native platforms within beauty and personal care have been and continue to be important drivers of innovation, brand messaging, and global growth.
“farm-to-face”
The global pandemic has accelerated a number of existing trends, including increased focus on already-growing brands and an acceleration in demand for “self-care” categories, which is expected to persist as consumers establish new care routines and discover new products online.
direct-to-consumer
Luxury
The luxury goods sector has a global reach that has powered its growth over the past decade, and it has demonstrated the potential to further expand and evolve. The global pandemic has accelerated fundamental changes associated with broader industry shifts, including greater consumer adoption of digital shopping, the need for reinvention of the luxury supply chain and heightened environmental and social consciousness among consumers. The rapid movement to online purchasing during the pandemic has reinforced the critical nature of investments in the creation of omni-channel customer experiences. While consumers will still visit physical stores, we believe they will be actively seeking omni-channel experiences and brand narratives that resonate with them as differentiators in the broader landscape. Further, in today’s highly dynamic environment, luxury goods players can position the pandemic as a catalyst for supply chain reinvention, as the industry becomes more flexible and reactive to trends. We believe the need for faster decision-making processes, the need for evolution of inefficient legacy processes and the adoption of advanced analytics are important factors as brands reinvent their customer experience. Lastly, increasing consumer focus and discernment regarding differentiated products from heritage brands will likely continue to drive purchasing behavior, elevating the continued importance of brand messaging and loyalty. We believe there is significant opportunity to partner with the select brands that are on the forefront of these trends, particularly given the current dislocations in the global market for luxury goods.
Health and Wellness
The coronavirus pandemic has continued to accelerate the shift in consumers’ demand for health and wellness, as consumers are increasingly undertaking basic preventative measures, adopting healthy lifestyles and seeking products and services that support overall wellbeing. The home has become the wellness hub for consumers during the pandemic, and demand for digital health and remote healthcare is expected to rise. Furthermore, consumers are increasingly focused on the “clean” and “conscious” attributes of wellness products, and brands with more transparent narratives and those that align with intrinsic personal values are better poised to resonate strongly. Such purpose-driven brands that connect with their consumer are key, and consumers will accordingly turn to products that they trust and know best. As a result, certain health and wellness brands will be significantly better positioned to drive enhanced user engagement and relevance. Top influence criteria in wellness purchases, including digital engagement, emphasize the importance of brands capturing these trends. We see significant opportunities in the shifting consumer landscape catering to consumer demands for simplicity and overall wellbeing.
We believe that the transformational forces underpinning the consumer landscape have demonstrable intermediate and long-term momentum, and will therefore be a core focus of our team as we pursue a business combination. As such, we are acutely focused on the market share shifts that have accelerated in the current environment. This has only heightened the importance of a strong operational focus on ensuring a seamless consumer experience that effectively leverages multiple distribution channels given the ever more rapid convergence of physical and digital distribution platforms. Given the above thesis, we will target next-generation brands and platforms in categories that we view as particularly vulnerable to disruption.
We believe that our team’s collective experience and expertise over the years positions us well to identify potential business combination opportunities that are aligned with the aforementioned dynamics, thereby offering the potential for strong growth over time. Along these lines, our team has a strong track record of partnering with, and investing in, leading global brands, including The RealReal, Farfetch, Thom Browne and Rossignol, among many others.
We believe the depth of our team’s specialized consumer sector expertise and deep industry relationships will be an important differentiator in attracting high-quality and predominately proprietary global deal flow, and will facilitate thorough and nuanced analysis of potential business combination opportunities and position us well to assist potential business combination counterparties with the design and execution of transformative global growth strategies.
Our acquisition strategy will leverage the Sandbridge fund’s and the PIMCO private fund’s networks of proprietary deal sourcing where we believe a combination of collective industry expertise and strategic relationships may provide us with attractive business combination opportunities. Additionally, we expect that deep relationships resulting from years of experience with both public and private consumer companies may bolster our access to potentially attractive business combination opportunities.
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Our goal is to collaborate with an importantly differentiated brand that will benefit from access to the capital markets, a deep network of highly experienced industry talent, and a proprietary value-creation playbook designed for the modern brand landscape. We plan to employ a fundamental acquisition framework that seeks out enduringly important brands with the potential for substantial equity value appreciation over time.
The management team along with its board of directors and advisors have experience in:
• | strategically investing in leading private and public consumer and consumer-related companies; |
• | operating public and private companies, helping to position companies for accelerated growth (organically and through strategic transactions), helping to define corporate strategy, and identifying, mentoring and recruiting top-tier talent; |
• | growing companies, both organically and through strategic transactions, expanding product portfolios and effectively broadening geographic footprints; |
• | fostering relationships with founders, investors, capital providers, and experienced management teams; |
• | sourcing, structuring, acquiring and selling businesses; and |
• | accessing public and private capital markets to optimize capital structure, including financing businesses and helping companies transition ownership structures. |
Following the completion of our initial public offering, we have been in communication with our team’s networks of deal sourcing relationships and are pursuing and reviewing potential opportunities.
Our Acquisition Criteria
Our primary target consumer segments include modern consumer brands, disruptive consumer-based technologies, beauty and personal care, luxury, and health and wellness. Within these segments we plan to target authentic, importantly differentiated brands whose positioning dovetails with our broader industry thesis, and that are already leading players in their market niche, while effectively leveraging offline and digital convergence synergies. Importantly, our overriding thesis reflects our view that there will be continued erosion of structurally challenged retail concepts attached to attendant disruptive opportunities for innovative “2.0 brands.”
We will utilize the following criteria and guidelines in evaluating acquisition opportunities, though we may decide to enter into a business combination with a target business that does not meet one or more of these criteria and guidelines:
• | thematically aligned modern business model; |
• | beneficiary of accelerated digital and omni-channel transformation; |
• | importantly differentiated offering; |
• | strong enduring brand positioned for growth; |
• | solid leadership team that can benefit from our team’s knowledge of the consumer sector and proven track record of operational expertise; and |
• | attractive risk/reward return opportunity for our stockholders. |
These criteria and guidelines are not intended to be exhaustive. Any evaluation relating to the merits of a particular initial business combination may or may not be based, to the extent relevant, on these general criteria and guidelines as well as other considerations, factors, criteria and guidelines that our management and board of directors may deem relevant.
Acquisition Process
In evaluating a prospective target business, we expect to conduct a thorough due diligence review that will encompass, among other things, meetings with incumbent management and key employees, document reviews and inspection of facilities, as well as a review of financial, operational, legal and other information that is made available to us. We will also utilize our operational and capital planning experience.
We are not prohibited from pursuing an initial business combination with a company that is affiliated with our sponsor, officers, directors or other affiliates. In the event we seek to complete our initial business combination with a company that is affiliated with our sponsor, any of our officers or directors or any of our other affiliates, we, or a committee of disinterested directors, will obtain an opinion that our initial business combination is fair to us from a financial point of view from either an independent investment banking firm or an independent accounting firm.
Members of our management team directly or indirectly own our founder shares and/or private placement warrants and, accordingly, may have a conflict of interest in determining whether a particular target business is an appropriate business with which to effectuate our initial business combination. Further, each of our officers and directors may have a conflict of interest with respect to evaluating a particular business combination, including if the retention or resignation of any such officer or director were to be included by a target business as a condition to any agreement with respect to our initial business combination.
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Initial Business Combination
As required by the NYSE rules, our initial business combination will be approved by a majority of our independent directors. The NYSE rules also require that we must complete our initial business combination with one or more businesses that together have an aggregate fair market value of at least 80% of the net assets held in the trust account (excluding the deferred underwriting commissions and taxes payable) at the time of our signing a definitive agreement in connection with our initial business combination. We refer to this as the 80% of net assets test. Our board of directors will make the determination as to the fair market value of our initial business combination. The fair market value of the target or targets will be determined by our board of directors based upon one or more standards generally accepted by the financial community (such as actual and potential sales, earnings, cash flow and/or book value). Even though our board of directors will rely on generally accepted standards, our board of directors will have discretion to select the standards employed. In addition, the application of the standards generally involves a substantial degree of judgment. Accordingly, investors will be relying on the business judgment of the board of directors in evaluating the fair market value of the target or targets. The proxy solicitation materials or tender offer documents used by us in connection with any proposed transaction will provide public stockholders with our analysis of our satisfaction of the 80% of net assets test, as well as the basis for our determinations. If our board of directors is not able to independently determine the fair market value of our initial business combination, we will obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm or another independent entity that commonly renders valuation opinions with respect to the satisfaction of the 80% of net assets test. While we consider it unlikely that our board of directors will not be able to make an independent determination of the fair market value of our initial business combination, it may be unable to do so if it is less familiar or experienced with the business of a particular target or if there is a significant amount of uncertainty as to the value of a target’s assets or prospects. In addition, we have agreed not to enter into a definitive agreement regarding an initial business combination without the prior consent of our sponsor and the PIMCO private fund.
We may, at our option, pursue an acquisition opportunity jointly with one or more parties affiliated with Sandbridge Capital or PIMCO, including, without limitation, officers and partners of Sandbridge Capital or PIMCO, investment funds, accounts,
co-investment
vehicles and other entities managed by affiliates of Sandbridge Capital or PIMCO, including the PIMCO private fund, and/or investors in funds, accounts, co-investment
vehicles and other entities managed by affiliates of Sandbridge Capital or PIMCO. Any such party may co-invest
with us in the target business at the time of our initial business combination, or we could raise additional proceeds to complete the acquisition by issuing equity or debt to such parties. The amount and other terms and conditions of any such joint acquisition or equity issuance would be determined at the time thereof. We may structure our initial business combination either (i) in such a way so that the post-transaction company in which our public stockholders own shares will own or acquire 100% of the equity interests or assets of the target business or businesses, or (ii) in such a way so that the post-transaction company owns or acquires less than 100% of such interests or assets of the target business in order to meet certain objectives of the target management team or stockholders, or for other reasons. However, we will only complete an initial 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 of 1940, as amended, or the “Investment Company Act.” Even if the post-transaction company owns or acquires 50% or more of the voting securities of the target, our stockholders prior to the initial business combination may collectively own a minority interest in the post-transaction company, depending on valuations ascribed to the target and us in the initial business combination. For example, we could pursue a transaction in which we issue a substantial number of new shares in exchange for all of the outstanding capital stock of a target. In this case, we would acquire a 100% controlling interest in the target. However, as a result of the issuance of a substantial number of new shares, our stockholders immediately prior to our initial business combination could own less than a majority of our outstanding shares subsequent to our initial business combination. If less than 100% of the equity interests or assets of a target business or businesses are owned or acquired by the post-transaction company, the portion of such business or businesses that is owned or acquired is what will be taken into account for purposes of the NYSE’s 80% of net assets test. If the initial business combination involves more than one target business, the 80% of net assets test will be based on the aggregate value of all of the transactions and we will treat the target businesses together as the initial business combination for purposes of a tender offer or for seeking stockholder approval, as applicable.
Sources of Target Businesses
We anticipate that target business candidates will be brought to our attention from various sources, including our global networks, as well as other sources such as investment bankers and investment professionals. Target businesses may be brought to our attention by such unaffiliated sources as a result of being solicited by us through calls or mailings. These sources may also introduce us to target businesses in which they think we may be interested on an unsolicited basis, since many of these sources will have read our Registration Statement on Form
S-1
(No. 333-253203),
which the SEC declared effective on March 9, 2021, and know what types of businesses we are targeting. Our sponsor, officers and directors and their respective affiliates may also bring to our attention target business candidates that they become aware of through their business contacts as a result of formal or informal inquiries or discussions they may have. We have and expect to continue to engage the services of professional firms or other individuals that specialize in business acquisitions, for which we are and would be obligated to pay consulting, advisory and other fees or compensation. Neither our sponsor nor any of our existing officers or directors, or any entity with which our sponsor or officers are affiliated, will be paid any finder’s fee, reimbursement, consulting fee, monies in respect of any payment of a loan or other compensation by the company prior to, or in connection with any services rendered for any services they 5
render in order to effectuate, the completion of our initial business combination (regardless of the type of transaction that it is). Although none of our sponsor, officers or directors, or any of their respective affiliates, will be allowed to receive any compensation, finder’s fees or consulting fees from a prospective business combination target in connection with a contemplated initial business combination, we do not have a policy that prohibits our sponsor, officers or directors, or any of their respective affiliates, from negotiating for the reimbursement of expenses by a target business. We have agreed to pay an affiliate of our sponsor a total of $10,000 per month for office space, utilities and secretarial and administrative support and to reimburse our sponsor for any expenses related to identifying, investigating and completing an initial business combination. Some of our officers and directors may enter into employment or consulting agreements with the post-transaction company following our initial business combination. The presence or absence of any such fees or arrangements will not be used as a criterion in our selection process of an initial business combination candidate.
out-of-pocket
out-of-pocket
We are not prohibited from pursuing an initial business combination with a company that is affiliated with our sponsor, officers or directors, or their respective affiliates. In the event we seek to complete our initial business combination with a company that is affiliated with our sponsor, officers or directors, or their respective affiliates, we, or a committee of disinterested directors, if required by applicable law or based upon the decision of our board of directors or a committee thereof, will obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm or an independent accounting firm that our initial business combination is fair to our company from a financial point of view. We are not required to obtain such an opinion in any other context.
If any of our officers or directors becomes aware of an initial business combination opportunity that falls within the line of business of any entity to which he or she has
pre-existing
fiduciary or contractual obligations, he or she may be required to present such business combination opportunity to such entity prior to presenting such business combination opportunity to us. Our officers and directors currently have certain relevant fiduciary duties or contractual obligations that may take priority over their duties to us. Effecting Our Initial Business Combination
We are not presently engaged in, and we will not engage in, any operations for an indefinite period of time following our initial public offering. We intend to effectuate our initial business combination using cash from the proceeds of our initial public offering and the private placement of the private placement warrants, the proceeds of the sale of our shares in connection with our initial business combination (pursuant to forward purchase agreements or backstop agreements we may enter into following the consummation of our initial public offering or otherwise), shares issued to the owners of the target, debt issued to bank or other lenders or the owners of the target, or a combination of the foregoing. We may seek to complete our initial business combination with a company or business that may be financially unstable or in its early stages of development or growth, which would subject us to the numerous risks inherent in such companies and businesses.
If our initial business combination is paid for using equity or debt securities, or not all of the funds released from the trust account are used for payment of the consideration in connection with our initial business combination or used for redemptions of our Class A common stock, we may apply the balance of the cash released to us from the trust account for general corporate purposes, including for maintenance or expansion of operations of the post-transaction company, the payment of principal or interest due on indebtedness incurred in completing our initial business combination, to fund the purchase of other companies or for working capital.
We may seek to raise additional funds through a private offering of debt or equity securities in connection with the completion of our initial business combination, and we may effectuate our initial business combination using the proceeds of such offering rather than using the amounts held in the trust account. In addition, we intend to target businesses larger than we could acquire with the net proceeds of our initial public offering and the sale of the private placement warrants, and may as a result be required to seek additional financing to complete such proposed initial business combination. Subject to compliance with applicable securities laws, we would expect to complete such financing only simultaneously with the completion of our initial business combination. In the case of an initial business combination funded with assets other than the trust account assets, our proxy materials or tender offer documents disclosing the initial business combination would disclose the terms of the financing and, only if required by law, we would seek stockholder approval of such financing. There are no prohibitions on our ability to raise funds privately or through loans in connection with our initial business combination. At this time, we are not a party to any arrangement or understanding with any third party with respect to raising any additional funds through the sale of securities, the incurrence of debt or otherwise.
Selection of a Target Business and Structuring of Our Initial Business Combination
As required by the NYSE rules, our initial business combination will be approved by a majority of our independent directors. The NYSE rules also require that we must complete our initial business combination with one or more businesses that together have an aggregate fair market value of at least 80% of the net assets held in the trust account (excluding the deferred underwriting commissions and taxes payable) at the time of our signing a definitive agreement in connection with our initial business combination. The fair market value of the target or targets will be determined by our board of directors based upon one or more standards generally accepted by the financial community (such as actual and potential sales, earnings, cash flow and/or book value). Even though our board of directors will rely on generally accepted standards, our board of directors will have discretion to select the standards employed. In addition, the application of the standards generally involves a substantial degree of judgment. Accordingly, investors will be relying on the business judgment of the board
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of directors in evaluating the fair market value of the target or targets. The proxy solicitation materials or tender offer documents used by us in connection with any proposed transaction will provide public stockholders with our analysis of our satisfaction of the 80% of net assets test, as well as the basis for our determinations. If our board of directors is not able to independently determine the fair market value of our initial business combination, we will obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm or another independent entity that commonly renders valuation opinions with respect to the satisfaction of such criteria. While we consider it unlikely that our board of directors will not be able to make an independent determination of the fair market value of our initial business combination, it may be unable to do so if it is less familiar or experienced with the business of a particular target or if there is a significant amount of uncertainty as to the value of a target’s assets or prospects. We do not currently intend to purchase multiple businesses in unrelated industries in conjunction with our initial business combination. Subject to this requirement, our management will have virtually unrestricted flexibility in identifying and selecting one or more prospective target businesses, although we will not be permitted to effectuate our initial business combination with another blank check company or a similar company with nominal operations.
In any case, we will only complete an initial business combination in which we own or acquire 50% or more of the outstanding voting securities of the target or otherwise acquire a controlling interest in the target sufficient for it not to be required to register as an investment company under the Investment Company Act. If we own or acquire less than 100% of the equity interests or assets of a target business or businesses, the portion of such business or businesses that are owned or acquired by the post-transaction company is what will be taken into account for purposes of the NYSE’s 80% of net assets test. There is no basis for investors in our equity to evaluate the possible merits or risks of any target business with which we may ultimately complete our initial business combination.
To the extent we effect our initial business combination with a company or business that may be financially unstable or in its early stages of development or growth we may be affected by numerous risks inherent in such company or business. Although our management will endeavor to evaluate the risks inherent in a particular target business, we cannot assure you that we will properly ascertain or assess all significant risk factors.
In evaluating a prospective business target, we expect to conduct a thorough due diligence review, which may encompass, among other things, meetings with incumbent management and key employees, document reviews, interviews of customers and suppliers, inspection of facilities, as well as a review of financial and other information that will be made available to us.
The time required to select and evaluate a target business and to structure and complete our initial business combination, and the costs associated with this process, are not currently ascertainable with any degree of certainty. Any costs incurred with respect to the identification and evaluation of a prospective target business with which our initial business combination is not ultimately completed will result in our incurring losses and will reduce the funds we can use to complete another business combination. In connection with the evaluation of and negotiation with a potential target business for our initial business combination, we incurred and paid $1,433,491 in costs during the period from January 15, 2021 (inception) through December 31, 2021.
In addition, we have agreed not to enter into a definitive agreement regarding an initial business combination without the prior consent of our sponsor and the PIMCO private fund.
Lack of Business Diversification
For an indefinite period of time after the completion of our initial business combination, the prospects for our success may depend entirely on the future performance of a single business. Unlike other entities that have the resources to complete business combinations with multiple entities in one or several industries, it is probable that we will not have the resources to acquire multiple businesses. In addition, we intend to focus our search for an initial business combination in a single industry. By completing our initial business combination with only a single entity, our lack of diversification may subject us to negative economic, competitive and regulatory developments, any or all of which may have a substantial adverse impact on the particular industry in which we operate after our initial business combination and cause us to depend on the marketing and sale of a limited number of products or services.
Post-Combination Management Team
Although we intend to closely scrutinize the management of a prospective target business when evaluating the desirability of effecting our initial business combination with that business, our assessment of the target business’ management may not prove to be correct. In addition, the future management may not have the necessary skills, qualifications or abilities to manage a public company. Furthermore, the future role of members of our management team, if any, in the target business cannot presently be stated with any certainty. The determination as to whether any of the members of our management team will remain with the combined company will be made at the time of our initial business combination. While it is possible that one or more of our directors will remain associated in some capacity with us following our initial business combination, it is unlikely that any of them will devote their full efforts to our affairs subsequent to our initial business combination. Moreover, we cannot assure you that members of our management team will have significant experience or knowledge relating to the operations of the particular target business.
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We cannot assure you that any of our key personnel will remain in senior management or advisory positions with the combined company. The determination as to whether any of our key personnel will remain with the combined company will be made at the time of our initial business combination.
Following an initial business combination, we may seek to recruit additional managers to supplement the incumbent management of the target business. We cannot assure you that we will have the ability to recruit additional managers, or that additional managers will have the requisite skills, knowledge or experience necessary to enhance the incumbent management.
Stockholders May Not Have the Ability to Approve Our Initial Business Combination
We may conduct redemptions without a stockholder vote pursuant to the tender offer rules of the SEC. However, we will seek stockholder approval if it is required by law or applicable stock exchange rule, or we may decide to seek stockholder approval for business or other reasons. Presented in the table below is a graphic explanation of the types of initial business combinations we may consider and whether stockholder approval is currently required under Delaware law for each such transaction.
Type of Transaction |
Whether Stockholder Approval is Required | |
Purchase of assets | No | |
Purchase of stock of target not involving a merger with the company | No | |
Merger of target into a subsidiary of the company | No | |
Merger of the company with a target | Yes |
Under the NYSE’s listing rules, stockholder approval would be required for our initial business combination if, for example:
• | we issue shares of Class A common stock that will either (a) be equal to or in excess of 20% of the number of shares of our Class A common stock then outstanding or (b) have voting power equal to or in excess of 20% of the voting power then outstanding; |
• | any of our directors, officers or substantial security holders (as defined by the NYSE rules) has a 5% or greater interest, directly or indirectly, in the target business or assets to be acquired and if the number of shares of common stock to be issued, or if the number of shares of common stock into which the securities may be convertible or exercisable, exceeds either (a) 1% of the number of shares of common stock or 1% of the voting power outstanding before the issuance in the case of any of our directors and officers or (b) 5% of the number of shares of common stock or 5% of the voting power outstanding before the issuance in the case of any substantial security holders; or |
• | the issuance or potential issuance of common stock will result in our undergoing a change of control. |
The decision as to whether we will seek stockholder approval of a proposed business combination in those instances in which stockholder approval is not required by law will be made by us, solely in our discretion, and will be based on business and legal reasons, which include a variety of factors, including, but not limited to:
• | the timing of the transaction, including in the event we determine stockholder approval would require additional time and there is either not enough time to seek stockholder approval or doing so would place the company at a disadvantage in the transaction or result in other additional burdens on the company; |
• | the expected cost of holding a stockholder vote; |
• | the risk that the stockholders would fail to approve the proposed business combination; |
• | other time and budget constraints of the company; and |
• | additional legal complexities of a proposed business combination that would be time-consuming and burdensome to present to stockholders. |
Permitted Purchases of Our Securities
If we seek stockholder approval of our initial business combination and we do not conduct redemptions in connection with our initial business combination pursuant to the tender offer rules, our sponsor, directors, officers and their respective affiliates may purchase public shares or public warrants in privately negotiated transactions or in the open market either prior to or following the completion of our initial business combination. There is no limit on the number of shares our sponsor, directors, officers or their respective affiliates may purchase in such transactions, subject to compliance with applicable law and the NYSE rules. However, they have no current commitments, plans or intentions to engage in such transactions and have not formulated any terms or conditions for any such transactions. If they engage in such transactions, they will not make any such purchases when they are in possession of any material
non-public
information not disclosed to the seller or if such purchases are prohibited by Regulation M under the Exchange Act. We do not currently anticipate that such purchases, if any, would constitute a tender offer subject to the tender offer rules under the Exchange Act or a going-private transaction subject to the going-private rules under the Exchange Act; however, if the purchasers determine at the time of any such purchases that the purchases are subject to such rules, the purchasers will comply with such rules. Any such purchases will be reported pursuant to Section 13 and Section 16 of the Exchange Act to the extent such purchasers are subject to such reporting requirements. None of the funds held in the trust account will be used to purchase public shares or public warrants in such transactions prior to completion of our initial business combination. 8
The purpose of any such purchases of shares could be to vote such shares in favor of the initial business combination and thereby increase the likelihood of obtaining stockholder approval of the initial business combination or to satisfy a closing condition in an agreement with a target that requires us to have a minimum net worth or a certain amount of cash at the closing of our initial business combination, where it appears that such requirement would otherwise not be met. The purpose of any such purchases of public warrants could be to reduce the number of public warrants outstanding or to vote such warrants on any matters submitted to the warrant holders for approval in connection with our initial business combination. Any such purchases of our securities may result in the completion of our initial business combination that may not otherwise have been possible. In addition, if such purchases are made, the public “float” of our shares of Class A common stock or warrants may be reduced and the number of beneficial holders of our securities may be reduced, which may make it difficult to maintain or obtain the quotation, listing or trading of our securities on a national securities exchange.
Our sponsor, officers, directors and/or their affiliates anticipate that they may identify the stockholders with whom our sponsor, officers, directors or their affiliates may pursue privately negotiated purchases by either the stockholders contacting us directly or by our receipt of redemption requests submitted by stockholders following our mailing of proxy materials in connection with our initial business combination. To the extent that our sponsor, officers, directors, advisors or their affiliates enter into a private purchase, they would identify and contact only potential selling stockholders who have expressed their election to redeem their shares for a pro rata share of the trust account or vote against our initial business combination, whether or not such stockholder has already submitted a proxy with respect to our initial business combination. Our sponsor, officers, directors, advisors or their affiliates will only purchase public shares if such purchases comply with Regulation M under the Exchange Act and the other federal securities laws.
Any purchases by our sponsor, officers, directors and/or their affiliates who are affiliated purchasers under Rule
10b-18
under the Exchange Act will only be made to the extent such purchases are able to be made in compliance with Rule 10b-18,
which is a safe harbor from liability for manipulation under Section 9(a)(2) and Rule 10b-5
of the Exchange Act. Rule 10b-18
has certain technical requirements that must be complied with in order for the safe harbor to be available to the purchaser. Our sponsor, officers, directors and/or their affiliates will not make purchases of common stock if the purchases would violate Section 9(a)(2) or Rule 10b-5
of the Exchange Act. Any such purchases will be reported pursuant to Section 13 and Section 16 of the Exchange Act to the extent such purchases are subject to such reporting requirements. Redemption Rights for Public Stockholders upon Completion of our Initial Business Combination or Certain Stockholder Votes to Amend our Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation
We will provide our public stockholders with the opportunity to redeem all or a portion of their shares of Class A common stock upon (i) the completion of our initial business combination or (ii) a stockholder vote to approve an amendment to our amended and restated certificate of incorporation (A) to modify the substance or timing of our obligation to allow redemption in connection with our initial business combination or to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of our initial public offering (by March 12, 2023) or (B) with respect to any other provision relating to stockholders’ rights or
pre-initial
business combination activity. Such redemptions, if any, will be made at a per-share
price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account as of two business days prior to the event triggering the right to redeem, including interest earned on the funds held in the trust account and not previously released to us to pay our franchise and income taxes, divided by the number of then outstanding public shares, subject to the limitations described herein. The amount in the trust account is initially anticipated to be approximately $10.00 per public share. The per-share
amount we will distribute to investors who properly redeem their shares will not be reduced by the deferred underwriting commissions we will pay to the underwriters. The redemption rights will include the requirement that a beneficial holder must identify itself in order to validly redeem its public shares. There will be no redemption rights upon the completion of our initial business combination with respect to our warrants. Our initial stockholders and the members of our sponsor have entered into a letter agreement with us, pursuant to which they have agreed to waive their redemption rights with respect to any founder shares and any public shares held by them in connection with the completion of our initial business combination or a stockholder vote to approve an amendment to our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, as described above. Manner of Conducting Redemptions in Conjunction with a Stockholder Vote on our Initial Business Combination
We will provide our public stockholders with the opportunity to redeem all or a portion of their shares of Class A common stock upon the completion of our initial business combination either (i) in connection with a stockholder meeting called to approve the initial business combination or (ii) by means of a tender offer. The decision as to whether we will seek stockholder approval of a proposed initial business combination or conduct a tender offer will be made by us, solely in our discretion, and will be based on a variety of factors such as the timing of the transaction and whether the terms of the transaction would require us to seek stockholder approval under the law or stock exchange listing requirement. Under the NYSE rules, asset acquisitions and stock purchases would not typically require stockholder approval while direct mergers with our company where we do not survive and any transactions where we issue more than 20% of our outstanding common stock or seek to amend our amended and restated certificate of incorporation would require stockholder approval. If we structure an
9
initial business combination with a target company in a manner that requires stockholder approval, we will not have discretion as to whether to seek a stockholder vote to approve the proposed initial business combination. We may conduct redemptions without a stockholder vote pursuant to the tender offer rules of the SEC unless stockholder approval is required by law or stock exchange listing requirements or we choose to seek stockholder approval for business or other reasons. So long as we obtain and maintain a listing for our securities on the NYSE, we will be required to comply with such rules.
If a stockholder vote is not required and we do not decide to hold a stockholder vote for business or other reasons, we will, pursuant to our amended and restated certificate of incorporation:
• | conduct the redemptions pursuant to Rule 13e-4 and Regulation 14E of the Exchange Act, which regulate issuer tender offers, and |
• | file tender offer documents with the SEC prior to completing our initial business combination which contain substantially the same financial and other information about the initial business combination and the redemption rights as is required under Regulation 14A of the Exchange Act, which regulates the solicitation of proxies. |
Upon the public announcement of our initial business combination, we or our sponsor will terminate any plan established in accordance with Rule
10b5-1
to purchase shares of our Class A common stock in the open market if we elect to redeem our public shares through a tender offer, to comply with Rule 14e-5
under the Exchange Act. In the event we conduct redemptions pursuant to the tender offer rules, our offer to redeem will remain open for at least 20 business days, in accordance with Rule
14e-1(a)
under the Exchange Act, and we will not be permitted to complete our initial business combination until the expiration of the tender offer period. In addition, the tender offer will be conditioned on public stockholders not tendering more than a specified number of public shares which are not purchased by our sponsor, which number will be based on the requirement that we may not redeem public shares in an amount that would cause our net tangible assets to be less than $5,000,001 upon consummation of our initial business combination and after payment of deferred underwriting commissions (so that we are not subject to the SEC’s “penny stock” rules) or any greater net tangible asset or cash requirement which may be contained in the agreement relating to our initial business combination. If public stockholders tender more shares than we have offered to purchase, we will withdraw the tender offer and not complete the initial business combination. If, however, stockholder approval of the transaction is required by law or stock exchange listing requirements, or we decide to obtain stockholder approval for business or other reasons, we will, pursuant to our amended and restated certificate of incorporation:
• | conduct the redemptions in conjunction with a proxy solicitation pursuant to Regulation 14A of the Exchange Act, which regulates the solicitation of proxies, and not pursuant to the tender offer rules, and |
• | file proxy materials with the SEC. |
In the event that we seek stockholder approval of our initial business combination, we will distribute proxy materials and, in connection therewith, provide our public stockholders with the redemption rights described above upon completion of the initial business combination.
If we seek stockholder approval, we will complete our initial business combination only if a majority of the outstanding shares of common stock voted are voted in favor of the initial business combination. A quorum for such meeting will consist of the holders present in person or by proxy of shares of outstanding capital stock of the company representing a majority of the voting power of all outstanding shares of capital stock of the company entitled to vote at such meeting. Our initial stockholders will count toward this quorum and pursuant to the letter agreement, our initial stockholders and the members of our sponsor have agreed to vote their founder shares and any public shares purchased during or after our initial public offering (including in open market and privately negotiated transactions) in favor of our initial business combination. For purposes of seeking approval of the majority of our outstanding shares of common stock voted,
non-votes
will have no effect on the approval of our initial business combination once a quorum is obtained. The shares held by our sponsor, the members of our sponsor, our other initial stockholders and our other directors and officers that are obligated to vote in favor of our initial business combination represent approximately 27% of the voting power of Sandbridge. Accordingly, if we seek stockholder approval of our initial business combination, the agreement by our initial stockholders and the members of our sponsor to vote in favor of our initial business combination will increase the likelihood that we will receive the requisite stockholder approval for such initial business combination. We intend to give approximately 30 days (but not less than 10 days nor more than 60 days) prior written notice of any such meeting, if required, at which a vote shall be taken to approve our initial business combination. These quorum and voting thresholds, and the voting agreements of our initial stockholders and the members of our sponsor, may make it more likely that we will consummate our initial business combination. Each public stockholder may elect to redeem its public shares irrespective of whether they vote for or against the proposed transaction. 10
Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that in no event will we redeem our public shares in an amount that would cause our net tangible assets to be less than $5,000,001 upon consummation of our initial business combination and after payment of deferred underwriting commissions (so that we are not subject to the SEC’s “penny stock” rules) or any greater net tangible asset or cash requirement which may be contained in the agreement relating to our initial business combination. For example, the proposed initial business combination may require: (i) cash consideration to be paid to the target or its owners, (ii) cash to be transferred to the target for working capital or other general corporate purposes or (iii) the retention of cash to satisfy other conditions in accordance with the terms of the proposed initial business combination. In the event the aggregate cash consideration we would be required to pay for all shares of Class A common stock that are validly submitted for redemption plus any amount required to satisfy cash conditions pursuant to the terms of the proposed initial business combination exceed the aggregate amount of cash available to us, we will not complete the initial business combination or redeem any shares, and all shares of Class A common stock submitted for redemption will be returned to the holders thereof.
Limitation on Redemption upon Completion of our Initial Business Combination if We Seek Stockholder Approval
Notwithstanding the foregoing, if we seek stockholder approval of our initial business combination and we do not conduct redemptions in connection with our initial business combination pursuant to the tender offer rules, our amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that a public stockholder, together with any affiliate of such stockholder or any other person with whom such stockholder is acting in concert or as a “group” (as defined under Section 13 of the Exchange Act), will be restricted from seeking redemption rights with respect to more than an aggregate of 15% of the shares sold in our initial public offering, which we refer to as the “Excess Shares.” Such restriction shall also be applicable to our affiliates. We believe this restriction will discourage stockholders from accumulating large blocks of shares, and subsequent attempts by such holders to use their ability to exercise their redemption rights against a proposed initial business combination as a means to force us or our management to purchase their shares at a significant premium to the then-current market price or on other undesirable terms. Absent this provision, a public stockholder holding more than an aggregate of 15% of the shares sold in our initial public offering could threaten to exercise its redemption rights if such holder’s shares are not purchased by us or our management at a premium to the then-current market price or on other undesirable terms. By limiting our stockholders’ ability to redeem no more than 15% of the shares sold in our initial public offering without our prior consent, we believe we will limit the ability of a small group of stockholders to unreasonably attempt to block our ability to complete our initial business combination, particularly in connection with an initial business combination with a target that requires as a closing condition that we have a minimum net worth or a certain amount of cash. However, we would not be restricting our stockholders’ ability to vote all of their shares (including Excess Shares) for or against our initial business combination.
Tendering Stock Certificates in Connection with a Tender Offer or Redemption Rights
We may require our public stockholders seeking to exercise their redemption rights, whether they are record holders or hold their shares in “street name,” to either tender their certificates to our transfer agent prior to the date set forth in the tender offer documents or proxy materials mailed to such holders, or up to two business days prior to the initial vote on the proposal to approve the initial business combination in the event we distribute proxy materials, or to deliver their shares to the transfer agent electronically using The Depository Trust Company’s DWAC (Deposit/Withdrawal At Custodian) System, at the holder’s option. The tender offer or proxy materials, as applicable, that we will furnish to holders of our public shares in connection with our initial business combination will indicate whether we are requiring public stockholders to satisfy such delivery requirements, which may include the requirement that a beneficial holder must identify itself in order to validly redeem its public shares. Accordingly, a public stockholder would have from the time we send out our tender offer materials until the close of the tender offer period, or up to two days prior to the vote on the initial business combination if we distribute proxy materials, as applicable, to tender its shares if it wishes to seek to exercise its redemption rights. Given the relatively short exercise period, it is advisable for stockholders to use electronic delivery of their public shares.
There is a nominal cost associated with the above-referenced tendering process and the act of certificating the shares or delivering them through the DWAC System. The transfer agent will typically charge the tendering broker $80.00 and it would be up to the broker whether or not to pass this cost on to the redeeming holder. However, this fee would be incurred regardless of whether or not we require holders seeking to exercise redemption rights to tender their shares. The need to deliver shares is a requirement of exercising redemption rights regardless of the timing of when such delivery must be effectuated.
The foregoing is different from the procedures used by many blank check companies. In order to perfect redemption rights in connection with their business combinations, many blank check companies would distribute proxy materials for the stockholders’ vote on an initial business combination, and a holder could simply vote against a proposed initial business combination and check a box on the proxy card indicating such holder was seeking to exercise his or her redemption rights. After the initial business combination was approved, the company would contact such stockholder to arrange for him or her to deliver his or her certificate to verify ownership. As a result, the stockholder then had an “option window” after the completion of the initial business combination during which he or she could monitor the price of the company’s stock in the market. If the price rose above the redemption price, he or she could sell his or her shares in the open market before actually delivering his or her shares to the company for cancellation. As a result, the redemption rights, to which stockholders were aware they needed to commit before the stockholder meeting, would become “option” rights surviving past the completion of the initial business combination until the redeeming holder delivered its certificate. The requirement for physical or electronic delivery prior to the meeting ensures that a redeeming holder’s election to redeem is irrevocable once the initial business combination is approved.
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Any request to redeem such shares, once made, may be withdrawn at any time up to the date set forth in the tender offer materials or the date of the stockholder meeting set forth in our proxy materials, as applicable. Furthermore, if a holder of a public share delivered its certificate in connection with an election of redemption rights and subsequently decides prior to the applicable date not to elect to exercise such rights, such holder may simply request that the transfer agent return the certificate (physically or electronically). It is anticipated that the funds to be distributed to holders of our public shares electing to redeem their shares will be distributed promptly after the completion of our initial business combination.
If our initial business combination is not approved or completed for any reason, then our public stockholders who elected to exercise their redemption rights would not be entitled to redeem their shares for the applicable pro rata share of the trust account. In such case, we will promptly return any certificates delivered by public holders who elected to redeem their shares.
If our initial proposed initial business combination is not completed, we may continue to try to complete an initial business combination with a different target until 24 months from the closing of our initial public offering (March 12, 2023) or during any Extension Period.
Redemption of Public Shares and Liquidation If No Initial Business Combination
Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that we will have only 24 months from the closing of our initial public offering (March 12, 2023) to complete our initial business combination. If we do not complete our initial business combination within such
24-month
period or any Extension 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 earned on the funds held in the trust account and not previously released to us to pay our franchise and income taxes (less up to $100,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses), divided by the number of then outstanding public shares, which redemption will completely extinguish public stockholders’ rights as stockholders (including the right to receive further liquidating distributions, if any), subject to applicable law, and (iii) as promptly as reasonably possible following such redemption, subject to the approval of our remaining stockholders and our board of directors, dissolve and liquidate, subject in each case to our obligations under Delaware law to provide for claims of creditors and the requirements of other applicable law. There will be no redemption rights or liquidating distributions with respect to our warrants, which will expire worthless if we fail to complete our initial business combination within the 24-month
time period. Our initial stockholders and the members of our sponsor have entered into a letter agreement with us, pursuant to which they have waived their rights to liquidating distributions from the trust account with respect to any founder shares held by them if we fail to complete our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of our initial public offering (by March 12, 2023) or during any Extension Period. However, if our initial stockholders or members of our sponsor acquire public shares in or after our initial public offering, they will be entitled to liquidating distributions from the trust account with respect to such public shares if we fail to complete our initial business combination within the allotted
24-month
time period. Our initial stockholders and the members of our sponsor have agreed, pursuant to a written agreement with us, that they will not propose any amendment to our amended and restated certificate of incorporation (i) to modify the substance or timing of our obligation to allow redemption in connection with our initial business combination or to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of our initial public offering (by March 12, 2023) or (ii) with respect to any other provision relating to stockholders’ rights or
pre-initial
business combination activity, unless we provide our public stockholders with the opportunity to redeem their shares of Class A common stock upon approval of any such amendment at a per-share
price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account including interest earned on the funds held in the trust account and not previously released to us to pay our franchise and income taxes divided by the number of then outstanding public shares. However, we may not redeem our public shares in an amount that would cause our net tangible assets to be less than $5,000,001 upon consummation of our initial business combination and after payment of deferred underwriting commissions (so that we are not subject to the SEC’s “penny stock” rules). If this optional redemption right is exercised with respect to an excessive number of public shares such that we cannot satisfy the net tangible asset requirement (described above), we would not proceed with the amendment or the related redemption of our public shares at such time. We expect that all costs and expenses associated with implementing our plan of dissolution, as well as payments to any creditors, will be funded from amounts remaining out of the $587,754 of proceeds held outside the trust account, although we cannot assure you that there will be sufficient funds for such purpose. We will depend on sufficient interest being earned on the proceeds held in the trust account to pay any tax obligations we may owe. However, if those funds are not sufficient to cover the costs and expenses associated with implementing our plan of dissolution, to the extent that there is any interest accrued in the trust account not required to pay taxes on interest income earned on the trust account balance, we may request the trustee to release to us an additional amount of up to $100,000 of such accrued interest to pay those costs and expenses.
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If we were to expend all of the net proceeds of our initial public offering and the sale of the private placement warrants, other than the proceeds deposited in the trust account, and without taking into account interest, if any, earned on the trust account, the
per-share
redemption amount received by stockholders upon our dissolution would be approximately $10.00. The proceeds deposited in the trust account could, however, become subject to the claims of our creditors which would have higher priority than the claims of our public stockholders. We cannot assure you that the actual per-share
redemption amount received by stockholders will not be substantially less than $10.00. Under Section 281(b) of the DGCL, our plan of dissolution must provide for all claims against us to be paid in full or make provision for payments to be made in full, as applicable, if there are sufficient assets. These claims must be paid or provided for before we make any distribution of our remaining assets to our stockholders. While we intend to pay such amounts, if any, we cannot assure you that we will have funds sufficient to pay or provide for all creditors’ claims. Although we will seek to have all vendors, service providers, prospective target businesses or other entities with which we do business execute agreements with us waiving any right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to any monies held in the trust account for the benefit of our public stockholders, there is no guarantee that they will execute such agreements or even if they execute such agreements that they would be prevented from bringing claims against the trust account including but not limited to fraudulent inducement, breach of fiduciary responsibility or other similar claims, as well as claims challenging the enforceability of the waiver, in each case in order to gain an advantage with respect to a claim against our assets, including the funds held in the trust account. If any third party refuses to execute an agreement waiving such claims to the monies held in the trust account, our management will perform an analysis of the alternatives available to it and will only enter into an agreement with a third party that has not executed a waiver if management believes that such third party’s engagement would be significantly more beneficial to us than any alternative. Examples of possible instances where we may engage a third party that refuses to execute a waiver include the engagement of a third-party consultant whose particular expertise or skills are believed by management to be significantly superior to those of other consultants that would agree to execute a waiver or in cases where management is unable to find a service provider willing to execute a waiver. WithumSmith+Brown, PC, our independent registered public accounting firm, and the underwriters of the initial public offering will not execute agreements with us waiving such claims to the monies held in the trust account.
In addition, there is no guarantee that such entities will agree to waive any claims they may have in the future as a result of, or arising out of, any negotiations, contracts or agreements with us and will not seek recourse against the trust account for any reason. Our sponsor has agreed that it will be liable to us if and to the extent any claims by a third party for services rendered or products sold to us, or a prospective target business with which we have entered into a written letter of intent, confidentiality or similar agreement or business combination agreement, reduce the amount of funds in the trust account to below the lesser of (i) $10.00 per public share and (ii) the actual amount per public share held in the trust account as of the date of the liquidation of the trust account, if less than $10.00 per share due to reductions in the value of the trust assets, less taxes payable, provided that such liability will not apply to any claims by a third party or prospective target business who executed a waiver of any and all rights to the monies held in the trust account (whether or not such waiver is enforceable) nor will it apply to any claims under our indemnity of the underwriters of our initial public offering against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act. However, we have not asked our sponsor to reserve for such indemnification obligations, nor have we independently verified whether our sponsor has sufficient funds to satisfy its indemnity obligations and believe that our sponsor’s only assets are securities of our company. Therefore, we cannot assure you that our sponsor would be able to satisfy those obligations. None of our officers, directors or members of our sponsor will indemnify us for claims by third parties including, without limitation, claims by vendors and prospective target businesses.
In the event that the proceeds in the trust account are reduced below (i) $10.00 per public share or (ii) such lesser amount per public share held in the trust account as of the date of the liquidation of the trust account, due to reductions in value of the trust assets, in each case net of the amount of interest which may be withdrawn to pay taxes, and our sponsor asserts that it is unable to satisfy its indemnification obligations or that it has no indemnification obligations related to a particular claim, our independent directors would determine whether to take legal action against our sponsor to enforce its indemnification obligations. While we currently expect that our independent directors would take legal action on our behalf against our sponsor to enforce its indemnification obligations to us, it is possible that our independent directors in exercising their business judgment may choose not to do so if, for example, the cost of such legal action is deemed by the independent directors to be too high relative to the amount recoverable or if the independent directors determine that a favorable outcome is not likely. We have not asked our sponsor to reserve for such indemnification obligations and we cannot assure you that our sponsor would be able to satisfy those obligations. Accordingly, we cannot assure you that due to claims of creditors the actual value of the
per-share
redemption price will not be less than $10.00 per public share. We will seek to reduce the possibility that our sponsor will have to indemnify the trust account due to claims of creditors by endeavoring to have all vendors, service providers (other than our independent registered public accounting firm), prospective target businesses or other entities with which we do business execute agreements with us waiving any right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to monies held in the trust account. Our sponsor will also not be liable as to any claims under our indemnity of the underwriters of our initial public offering against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act. As of December 31, 2021 we had access to $587,754 from the proceeds of our initial public offering and the sale of the private placement warrants with which to pay any such potential claims (including costs and expenses incurred in connection with our liquidation, currently estimated to be no more than approximately $100,000). In the event that we liquidate and it is subsequently determined that the reserve for claims and liabilities is
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insufficient, stockholders who received funds from our trust account could be liable for claims made by creditors; however, such liability will not be greater than the amount of funds from our trust account received by any such stockholder.
Under the DGCL, stockholders may be held liable for claims by third parties against a corporation to the extent of distributions received by them in a dissolution. The pro rata portion of our trust account distributed to our public stockholders upon the redemption of our public shares in the event we do not complete our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of our initial public offering (by March 12, 2023) or during any Extension Period may be considered a liquidating distribution under Delaware law. If the corporation complies with certain procedures set forth in Section 280 of the DGCL intended to ensure that it makes reasonable provision for all claims against it, including a
60-day
notice period during which any third-party claims can be brought against the corporation, a 90-day
period during which the corporation may reject any claims brought, and an additional 150-day
waiting period before any liquidating distributions are made to stockholders, any liability of stockholders with respect to a liquidating distribution is limited to the lesser of such stockholder’s pro rata share of the claim or the amount distributed to the stockholder, and any liability of the stockholder would be barred after the third anniversary of the dissolution. Furthermore, if the pro rata portion of our trust account distributed to our public stockholders upon the redemption of our public shares in the event we do not complete our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of our initial public offering (by March 12, 2023) or during any Extension Period, is not considered a liquidating distribution under Delaware law and such redemption distribution is deemed to be unlawful (potentially due to the imposition of legal proceedings that a party may bring or due to other circumstances that are currently unknown), then pursuant to Section 174 of the DGCL, the statute of limitations for claims of creditors could then be six years after the unlawful redemption distribution, instead of three years, as in the case of a liquidating distribution. If we do not complete our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of our initial public offering (by March 12, 2023) or during any Extension 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 earned on the funds held in the trust account and not previously released to us to pay our franchise and income taxes (less up to $100,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses), divided by the number of then outstanding public shares, which redemption will completely extinguish public stockholders’ rights as stockholders (including the right to receive further liquidating distributions, if any), subject to applicable law, and (iii) as promptly as reasonably possible following such redemption, subject to the approval of our remaining stockholders and our board of directors, dissolve and liquidate, subject in each case to our obligations under Delaware law to provide for claims of creditors and the requirements of other applicable law. Accordingly, it is our intention to redeem our public shares as soon as reasonably possible following our 18th month and, therefore, we do not intend to comply with those procedures. As such, our stockholders could potentially be liable for any claims to the extent of distributions received by them (but no more) and any liability of our stockholders may extend well beyond the third anniversary of such date. Because we will not be complying with Section 280, Section 281(b) of the DGCL requires us to adopt a plan, based on facts known to us at such time that will provide for our payment of all existing and pending claims or claims that may be potentially brought against us within the subsequent ten years. However, because we are a blank check company, rather than an operating company, and our operations will be limited to searching for prospective target businesses to acquire, the only likely claims to arise would be from our vendors (such as lawyers, investment bankers, etc.) or prospective target businesses. As described above, pursuant to the obligation contained in our underwriting agreement, we will seek to have all vendors, service providers (other than our independent registered public accounting firm), prospective target businesses or other entities with which we do business execute agreements with us waiving any right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to any monies held in the trust account. As a result of this obligation, the claims that could be made against us are significantly limited and the likelihood that any claim that would result in any liability extending to the trust account is remote. Further, our sponsor may be liable only to the extent necessary to ensure that the amounts in the trust account are not reduced below (i) $10.00 per public share or (ii) such lesser amount per public share held in the trust account as of the date of the liquidation of the trust account, due to reductions in value of the trust assets, in each case net of the amount of interest withdrawn to pay taxes and will not be liable as to any claims under our indemnity of the underwriters of our initial public offering against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act. In the event that an executed waiver is deemed to be unenforceable against a third party, our sponsor will not be responsible to the extent of any liability for such third-party claims.
If we file a bankruptcy petition or an involuntary bankruptcy petition is filed against us that is not dismissed, the proceeds held in the trust account could be subject to applicable bankruptcy law, and may be included in our bankruptcy estate and subject to the claims of third parties with priority over the claims of our stockholders. To the extent any bankruptcy claims deplete the trust account, we cannot assure you we will be able to return $10.00 per share to our public stockholders. Additionally, if we file a bankruptcy petition or an involuntary bankruptcy petition is filed against us that is not dismissed, any distributions received by stockholders could be viewed under applicable debtor/creditor and/or bankruptcy laws as either a “preferential transfer” or a “fraudulent conveyance.” As a result, a bankruptcy court could seek to recover some or all amounts received by our stockholders. Furthermore, our board of directors may be viewed as having breached its fiduciary duty to our creditors and/or may have acted in bad faith, thereby exposing itself and our company to claims of punitive damages, by paying public stockholders from the trust account prior to addressing the claims of creditors. We cannot assure you that claims will not be brought against us for these reasons.
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Our public stockholders will be entitled to receive funds from the trust account only upon the earlier to occur of: (i) the completion of our initial business combination, (ii) the redemption of any public shares properly tendered in connection with a stockholder vote to amend any provisions of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation (A) to modify the substance or timing of our obligation to allow redemption in connection with our initial business combination or to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of our initial public offering (by March 12, 2023) or (B) with respect to any other provision relating to stockholders’ rights or
pre-initial
business combination activity, and (iii) the redemption of all of our public shares if we do not complete our business combination within 24 months from the closing of our initial public offering (by March 12, 2023) or during any Extension Period, subject to applicable law. In no other circumstances will a stockholder have any right or interest of any kind to or in the trust account. In the event we seek stockholder approval in connection with our initial business combination, a stockholder’s voting in connection with the initial business combination alone will not result in a stockholder’s redeeming its shares to us for an applicable pro rata share of the trust account. Such stockholder must have also exercised its redemption rights as described above. These provisions of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, like all provisions of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, may be amended with a stockholder vote. Competition
In identifying, evaluating and selecting a target business for our initial business combination, we may encounter competition from other entities having a business objective similar to ours, including other blank check companies , private equity groups and leveraged buyout funds, and operating businesses seeking strategic business combinations. Many of these entities are well established and have extensive experience identifying and effecting business combinations directly or through affiliates. Moreover, many of these competitors possess greater financial, technical, human and other resources than we do. Our ability to acquire larger target businesses will be limited by our available financial resources. This inherent limitation may give others with greater resources an advantage in pursuing the initial business combination of a target business. Furthermore, our obligation to pay cash in connection with our public stockholders who exercise their redemption rights may reduce the resources available to us for our initial business combination and our outstanding warrants, and the future dilution they potentially represent, may not be viewed favorably by certain target businesses. Either of these factors may place us at a competitive disadvantage in successfully negotiating an initial business combination.
Employees
We currently have three officers. These individuals are not obligated to devote any specific number of hours to our matters but they intend to devote as much of their time as they deem necessary to our affairs until we have completed our initial business combination. The amount of time they will devote in any time period will vary based on whether a target business has been selected for our initial business combination and the stage of the initial business combination process we are in. We do not intend to have any full-time employees prior to the completion of our initial business combination.
Corporate Information
We were incorporated in 2021 as a Delaware corporation. Our principal executive offices are located at 725 5 Our internet site is www.sandbridgex2.com. We routinely make available important information free of charge, including copies of our Annual Reports on Form
th
Ave., 23rd
Floor, New York, NY 10022, and our telephone number is 212-292-7870.
10-K,
Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q,
Current Reports on Form 8-K
and amendments to those reports filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, as soon as reasonably practicable after such reports are electronically filed with, or furnished to, the SEC. ITEM 1A. |
RISK FACTORS. |
An investment in our securities involves a high degree of risk. The statements in this section describe the major risks to our business and should be considered carefully. If any of the following events occur, our business, financial condition and operating results may be materially adversely affected. In that event, the trading price of our securities could decline, and you could lose all or part of your investment.
Risks Relating to our Business, Business Strategy, and Ability to Consummate a Business Combination
We are a newly formed company with no operating history and no revenues, and you have no basis on which to evaluate our ability to achieve our business objective.
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We are a newly incorporated blank check company with no operating results. Because we lack an operating history, you have no basis upon which to evaluate our ability to achieve our business objective of completing our initial business combination with one or more target businesses. We may be unable to complete our initial business combination. If we fail to complete our initial business combination, we will never generate any operating revenues.
Since only holders of our founder shares have the right to vote on the election of directors, the NYSE may consider us to be a ‘controlled company’ within the meaning of the NYSE rules and, as a result, we may qualify for exemptions from certain corporate governance requirements.
Only holders of our founder shares have the right to vote on the election of directors. As a result, the NYSE may consider us to be a ‘controlled company’ within the meaning of the NYSE corporate governance standards. Under the NYSE corporate governance standards, a company of which more than 50% of the voting power is held by an individual, group or another company is a ‘controlled company’ and may elect not to comply with certain corporate governance requirements, including the requirements that:
• | we have a board that includes a majority of ‘independent directors,’ as defined under the rules of the NYSE; |
• | we have a compensation committee of our board that is comprised entirely of independent directors with a written charter addressing the committee’s purpose and responsibilities; and |
• | we have a nominating and corporate governance committee of our board that is comprised entirely of independent directors with a written charter addressing the committee’s purpose and responsibilities. |
We do not intend to utilize these exemptions and intend to comply with the corporate governance requirements of the NYSE, subject to applicable
phase-in
rules. However, if we determine in the future to utilize some or all of these exemptions, you will not have the same protections afforded to stockholders of companies that are subject to all of the NYSE corporate governance requirements. Our public stockholders may not be afforded an opportunity to vote on our proposed initial business combination, which means we may complete our initial business combination even though a majority of our public stockholders do not support such a combination.
We may choose not to hold a stockholder vote to approve our initial business combination unless the initial business combination would require stockholder approval under applicable law or stock exchange listing requirements or if we decide to hold a stockholder vote for business or other reasons. Except as required by law, the decision as to whether we will seek stockholder approval of a proposed initial business combination or will allow stockholders to sell their shares to us in a tender offer will be made by us, solely in our discretion, and will be based on a variety of factors, such as the timing of the transaction and whether the terms of the transaction would otherwise require us to seek stockholder approval. Accordingly, we may complete our initial business combination even if holders of a majority of our public shares do not approve of the initial business combination we complete. Please see the section in Part I, Item 1, entitled “Stockholders May Not Have the Ability to Approve Our Initial Business Combination” for additional information.
If we seek stockholder approval of our initial business combination, our initial stockholders and the members of our sponsor have agreed to vote in favor of such initial business combination, regardless of how our public stockholders vote.
Pursuant to the letter agreement, our initial stockholders and the members of our sponsor have agreed to vote their founder shares, as well as any public shares they hold, in favor of our initial business combination. The shares held by our sponsor, the members of our sponsor, our other initial stockholders and our other directors and officers that are obligated to vote in favor of our initial business combination represent approximately 27% of the voting power of Sandbridge. Accordingly, if we seek stockholder approval of our initial business combination, the agreement by our initial stockholders and the members of our sponsor to vote in favor of our initial business combination will increase the likelihood that we will receive the requisite stockholder approval for such initial business combination.
Your only opportunity to affect the investment decision regarding a potential business combination will be limited to the exercise of your right to redeem your shares from us for cash, unless we seek stockholder approval of the initial business combination.
You may not be provided with an opportunity to evaluate the specific merits or risks of our initial business combination. Since our board of directors may complete an initial business combination without seeking stockholder approval, public stockholders may not have the right or opportunity to vote on the initial business combination, unless we seek such stockholder vote.
Accordingly, if we do not seek stockholder approval, your only opportunity to affect the investment decision regarding a potential business combination may be limited to exercising your redemption rights within the period of time (which will be at least 20 business days) set forth in our tender offer documents mailed to our public stockholders in which we describe our initial business combination.
We do not have a specified maximum redemption threshold. The absence of such a redemption threshold may make it possible for us to complete an initial business combination with which a substantial majority of our stockholders do not agree.
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Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation does not provide a specified maximum redemption threshold, except that in no event will we redeem our public shares in an amount that would cause our net tangible assets to be less than $5,000,001 upon consummation of our initial business combination and after payment of deferred underwriting commissions (such that we are not subject to the SEC’s “penny stock” rules) or any greater net tangible asset or cash requirement which may be contained in the agreement relating to our initial business combination. As a result, we may be able to complete our initial business combination even though a substantial majority of our public stockholders do not agree with the transaction and have redeemed their shares or, if we seek stockholder approval of our initial business combination and do not conduct redemptions in connection with our initial business combination pursuant to the tender offer rules, have entered into privately negotiated agreements to sell their shares to our sponsor, officers, directors, advisors or their affiliates. In the event the aggregate cash consideration we would be required to pay for all shares of Class A common stock that are validly submitted for redemption plus any amount required to satisfy cash conditions pursuant to the terms of the proposed initial business combination exceed the aggregate amount of cash available to us, we will not complete the initial business combination or redeem any shares, all shares of Class A common stock submitted for redemption will be returned to the holders thereof, and we instead may search for an alternate business combination.
Our initial stockholders may exert a substantial influence on actions requiring a stockholder vote, potentially in a manner that you do not support.
Our initial stockholders own approximately 27% of the voting power of Sandbridge. Accordingly, they may exert a substantial influence on actions requiring a stockholder vote, potentially in a manner that you do not support, including amendments to our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and approval of major corporate transactions. Factors that would be considered in making such additional purchases would include consideration of the current trading price of our Class A common stock. In addition, prior to our initial business combination, our initial stockholders will have the right to appoint all of our directors and may remove members of the board of directors for any reason. Holders of our public shares will have no right to vote on the appointment of directors during such time. These provisions of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation may only be amended by a resolution passed by holders of a majority of the founder shares, with the consent of the Sandbridge fund and the PIMCO private fund. As a result, you will not have any influence over the appointment of directors prior to our initial business combination. All of our directors were appointed by our initial stockholders for
two-year
terms. In addition, we have agreed not to enter into a definitive agreement regarding an initial business combination without the prior consent of the Sandbridge fund and the PIMCO private fund. Accordingly, our initial stockholders will continue to exert control at least until the completion of our initial business combination. The ability of our public stockholders to exercise redemption rights with respect to a large number of our shares could increase the probability that our initial business combination would be unsuccessful and that you would have to wait for liquidation in order to redeem your stock.
If our initial business combination agreement requires us to use a portion of the cash in the trust account to pay the purchase price, or requires us to have a minimum amount of cash at closing, the probability that our initial business combination would be unsuccessful is increased. If our initial business combination is unsuccessful, you would not receive your pro rata portion of the trust account until we liquidate the trust account. If you are in need of immediate liquidity, you could attempt to sell your stock in the open market; however, at such time our stock may trade at a discount to the pro rata amount per share in the trust account. In either situation, you may suffer a material loss on your investment or lose the benefit of funds expected in connection with our redemption until we liquidate or you are able to sell your stock in the open market.
The ability of our public stockholders to redeem their shares for cash may make our financial condition unattractive to potential business combination targets, which may make it difficult for us to enter into an initial business combination with a target.
We may seek to enter into an initial business combination agreement with a prospective target that requires as a closing condition that we have a minimum net worth or a certain amount of cash. If too many public stockholders exercise their redemption rights, we would not be able to meet such closing condition and, as a result, would not be able to proceed with the initial business combination. Furthermore, in no event will we redeem our public shares in an amount that would cause our net tangible assets to be less than $5,000,001 upon consummation of our initial business combination and after payment of deferred underwriting commissions (so that we are not subject to the SEC’s “penny stock” rules) or any greater net tangible asset or cash requirement which may be contained in the agreement relating to our initial business combination. Consequently, if accepting all properly submitted redemption requests would cause our net tangible assets to be less than $5,000,001 upon consummation of our initial business combination and after payment of deferred underwriting commissions or such greater amount necessary to satisfy a closing condition as described above, we would not proceed with such redemption and the related business combination and may instead search for an alternate business combination. Prospective targets will be aware of these risks and, thus, may be reluctant to enter into an initial business combination with us.
The ability of our public stockholders to exercise redemption rights with respect to a large number of our shares may not allow us to complete the most desirable business combination or optimize our capital structure.
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At the time we enter into an agreement for our initial business combination, we will not know how many stockholders may exercise their redemption rights, and therefore will need to structure the transaction based on our expectations as to the number of shares that will be submitted for redemption. If our initial business combination agreement requires us to use a portion of the cash in the trust account to pay the purchase price, or requires us to have a minimum amount of cash at closing, we will need to reserve a portion of the cash in the trust account to meet such requirements, or arrange for third-party financing. In addition, if a larger number of shares are submitted for redemption than we initially expected, we may need to restructure the transaction to reserve a greater portion of the cash in the trust account or arrange for third-party financing. Raising additional third-party financing may involve dilutive equity issuances or the incurrence of indebtedness at higher than desirable levels. Furthermore, this dilution would increase to the extent that the anti-dilution provisions of the Class B common stock result in the issuance of Class A shares on a greater than basis upon conversion of the Class B common stock at the time of our business combination. The above considerations may limit our ability to complete the most desirable business combination available to us or optimize our capital structure. The amount of the deferred underwriting commissions payable to the underwriters will not be adjusted for any shares that are redeemed in connection with an initial business combination. The
one-to-one
per-share
amount we will distribute to stockholders who properly exercise their redemption rights will not be reduced by the deferred underwriting commission and after such redemptions, the per-share
value of shares held by non-redeeming
stockholders will reflect our obligation to pay the deferred underwriting commissions. In order to effectuate an initial business combination, blank check companies have, in the recent past, amended various provisions of their charters and other governing instruments. We cannot assure you that we will not seek to amend our amended and restated certificate of incorporation or governing instrument in a manner that will make it easier for us to complete our initial business combination that some of our stockholders or warrant holders may not support.
In order to effectuate an initial business combination, blank check companies have, in the recent past, amended various provisions of their charters and governing instruments, including their warrant agreements. For example, blank check companies have amended the definition of business combination, increased redemption thresholds and extended the time to consummate an initial business combination. We cannot assure you that we will not seek to amend our charter or governing instruments, including to extend the time to consummate an initial business combination in order to effectuate our initial business combination.
The provisions of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation that relate to our
pre-business
combination activity (and corresponding provisions of the agreement governing the release of funds from our trust account), including an amendment to permit us to withdraw funds from the trust account such that the per share amount investors will receive upon any redemption or liquidation is substantially reduced or eliminated, may be amended with the approval of holders of 65% of our common stock, which is a lower amendment threshold than that of some other blank check companies. It may be easier for us, therefore, to amend our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and the trust agreement to facilitate the completion of an initial business combination that some of our stockholders may not support. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that any of its provisions related to
pre-initial
business combination activity (including the requirement to deposit proceeds of our initial public offering and the private placement of warrants into the trust account and not release such amounts except in specified circumstances, and to provide redemption rights to public stockholders as described herein and including to permit us to withdraw funds from the trust account such that the per share amount investors will receive upon any redemption or liquidation is substantially reduced or eliminated) may be amended if approved by holders of 65% of our common stock entitled to vote thereon, and corresponding provisions of the trust agreement governing the release of funds from our trust account may be amended if approved by holders of 65% of our common stock entitled to vote thereon, in each case, with the consent of the Sandbridge fund and the PIMCO private fund. In all other instances, our amended and restated certificate of incorporation may be amended by holders of a majority of our outstanding common stock entitled to vote thereon, subject to the consent of the Sandbridge fund, the PIMCO private fund and applicable provisions of the DGCL or applicable stock exchange rules. We may not issue additional securities that can vote on amendments to our amended and restated certificate of incorporation. Our initial stockholders, who collectively beneficially own approximately 27% of our common stock, will participate in any vote to amend our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and/or trust agreement and will have the discretion to vote in any manner they choose. As a result, we may be able to amend the provisions of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation which govern our pre-initial
business combination behavior more easily than some other blank check companies, and this may increase our ability to complete an initial business combination with which you do not agree. Our stockholders may pursue remedies against us for any breach of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation. Our initial stockholders and the members of our sponsor have agreed, pursuant to a written agreement with us, that they will not propose any amendment to our amended and restated certificate of incorporation (i) to modify the substance or timing of our obligation to allow redemption in connection with our initial business combination or to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of our initial public offering (by March 12, 2023) or (ii) with respect to any other provision relating to stockholders’ rights or
pre-initial
business combination activity, unless we provide our public stockholders with the opportunity to redeem their shares of Class A common stock upon approval of any such amendment at a per-share
price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account, divided by the number of then outstanding public shares. These agreements are contained in a letter agreement that we have entered into with our initial stockholders and the members of our sponsor. Our other stockholders are not parties to, or third-party beneficiaries of, these agreements and will not have the ability to pursue remedies against our sponsor, officers or directors for any breach of these agreements. As a result, in the event of a breach, our other stockholders would need to pursue a stockholder derivative action, subject to applicable law. 18
We may not be able to complete our initial business combination within the prescribed timeframe, in which case we would cease all operations except for the purpose of winding up and we would redeem our public shares and liquidate, in which case our public stockholders may only receive $10.00 per share, or less than such amount in certain circumstances, and our warrants will expire worthless.
Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that we must complete our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of our initial public offering (by March 12, 2023). We may not be able to find a suitable target business and complete our initial business combination within such time period. If we have not completed our initial business combination within such time period or during any Extension 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 earned on the funds held in the trust account and not previously released to us to pay our franchise and income taxes (less up to $100,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses), divided by the number of then outstanding public shares, which redemption will completely extinguish public stockholders’ rights as stockholders (including the right to receive further liquidating distributions, if any), subject to applicable law, and (iii) as promptly as reasonably possible following such redemption, subject to the approval of our remaining stockholders and our board of directors, dissolve and liquidate, subject in each case to our obligations under Delaware law to provide for claims of creditors and the requirements of other applicable law. In such case, our public stockholders may only receive $10.00 per share, and our warrants will expire worthless. In certain circumstances, our public stockholders may receive less than $10.00 per share on the redemption of their shares. See “—If third parties bring claims against us, the proceeds held in the trust account could be reduced and the per-share
redemption amount received by stockholders may be less than $10.00 per share” and other risk factors below. The requirement that we complete our initial business combination within the prescribed timeframe may give potential target businesses leverage over us in negotiating an initial business combination and may decrease our ability to conduct due diligence on potential business combination targets as we approach our dissolution deadline, which could undermine our ability to complete our initial business combination on terms that would produce value for our stockholders.
Any potential target business with which we enter into negotiations concerning an initial business combination will be aware that we must complete our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of our initial public offering (by March 12, 2023) or seek a stockholder approved extension of such period. Consequently, such target business may obtain leverage over us in negotiating an initial business combination, knowing that if we do not complete our initial business combination with that particular target business, we may be unable to complete our initial business combination with any target business. This risk will increase as we get closer to the timeframe described above. In addition, we may have limited time to conduct due diligence and may enter into our initial business combination on terms that we would have rejected upon a more comprehensive investigation.
If we seek stockholder approval of our initial business combination, our sponsor, directors, officers, advisors and their affiliates may elect to purchase public shares or public warrants from public stockholders, which may influence a vote on a proposed initial business combination and reduce the public “float” of our Class A common stock.
If we seek stockholder approval of our initial business combination and we do not conduct redemptions in connection with our initial business combination pursuant to the tender offer rules, our sponsor, directors, officers, advisors or their affiliates may purchase public shares or public warrants or a combination thereof in privately negotiated transactions or in the open market either prior to or following the completion of our initial business combination, although they are under no obligation to do so. However, they have no current commitments, plans or intentions to engage in such transactions and have not formulated any terms or conditions for any such transactions. None of the funds in the trust account will be used to purchase public shares or public warrants in such transactions.
Such a purchase may include a contractual acknowledgement that such stockholder, although still the record holder of our shares is no longer the beneficial owner thereof and therefore agrees not to exercise its redemption rights. In the event that our sponsor, directors, officers, advisors or their affiliates purchase public shares in privately negotiated transactions from public stockholders who have already elected to exercise their redemption rights, such selling stockholders would be required to revoke their prior elections to redeem their shares. The purpose of such purchases could be to vote such shares in favor of the initial business combination and thereby increase the likelihood of obtaining stockholder approval of the initial business combination, or to satisfy a closing condition in an agreement with a target that requires us to have a minimum net worth or a certain amount of cash at the closing of our initial business combination, where it appears that such requirement would otherwise not be met. The purpose of any such purchases of public warrants could be to reduce the number of public warrants outstanding or to vote such warrants on any matters submitted to the warrant holders for approval in connection with our initial business combination. Any such purchases of our securities may result in the completion of our initial business combination that may not otherwise have been possible. Any such purchases will be reported pursuant to Section 13 and Section 16 of the Exchange Act to the extent such purchasers are subject to such reporting requirements.
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In addition, if such purchases are made, the public “float” of our Class A common stock or public warrants and the number of beneficial holders of our securities may be reduced, possibly making it difficult to obtain or maintain the quotation, listing or trading of our securities on a national securities exchange.
Because of our special purpose acquisition company structure and limited resources and the significant competition for business combination opportunities, it may be more difficult for us to complete our initial business combination. If we do not complete our initial business combination, our public stockholders may receive only approximately $10.00 per share on our redemption of our public shares, or less than such amount in certain circumstances, and our warrants will expire worthless.
We expect to encounter competition from other entities having a business objective similar to ours, including private investors (which may be individuals or investment partnerships), other blank check companies and other entities competing for the types of businesses we intend to acquire. Many of these individuals and entities are well-established and have extensive experience in identifying and effecting, directly or indirectly, acquisitions of companies operating in or providing services to various industries. Many of these competitors possess similar technical, human and other resources to ours, and our financial resources will be relatively limited when contrasted with those of many of these competitors. While we believe there are numerous target businesses we could potentially acquire with the net proceeds of our initial public offering and the sale of the private placement warrants, our ability to compete with respect to the acquisition of certain target businesses that are sizable will be limited by our available financial resources. This inherent competitive limitation gives others an advantage in pursuing the acquisition of certain target businesses. Furthermore, because we are obligated to pay cash for the shares of Class A common stock which our public stockholders redeem in connection with our initial business combination, target companies will be aware that this may present closing risk by reducing the resources available to us for our initial business combination. Additionally, potential target companies may be less inclined to consummate a transaction with us because definitive documentation for such a transaction will preclude any recourse against our trust account, meaning that potential counterparties may determine that they do not have adequate contractual remedies in the event a transaction fails to close. These factors may place us at a competitive disadvantage in successfully negotiating an initial business combination. If we do not complete our initial business combination, our public stockholders may receive only approximately $10.00 per share on the liquidation of our trust account and our warrants will expire worthless. In certain circumstances, our public stockholders may receive less than $10.00 per share upon our liquidation. See “—If third parties bring claims against us, the proceeds held in the trust account could be reduced and the
per-share
redemption amount received by stockholders may be less than $10.00 per share” and other risk factors below. If our current financial resources not being held in the trust account are insufficient to allow us to operate for at least 24 months from our initial public offering (March 12, 2023), we may be unable to complete our initial business combination, in which case our public stockholders may only receive $10.00 per share, or less than such amount in certain circumstances, and our warrants will expire worthless.
The funds available to us outside of the trust account may not be sufficient to allow us to operate until March 12, 2023, assuming that our initial business combination is not completed during that time. We believe that, the funds available to us outside of the trust account will be sufficient to allow us to operate for at least 24 months after our initial public offering (March 12, 2023); however, we cannot assure you that our estimate is accurate. Of the funds available to us, we could use a portion of the funds available to us to pay fees to consultants to assist us with our search for a target business. We could also use a portion of the funds as a down payment or to fund a
“no-shop”
provision (a provision in letters of intent or merger agreements designed to keep target businesses from “shopping” around for transactions with other companies on terms more favorable to such target businesses) with respect to a particular proposed initial business combination, although we do not have any current intention to do so. If we entered into a letter of intent or other agreement where we paid for the right to receive exclusivity from a target business and were subsequently required to forfeit such funds (whether as a result of our breach or otherwise), we might not have sufficient funds to continue searching for, or conduct due diligence with respect to, a target business. If we do not complete our initial business combination, our public stockholders may receive only approximately $10.00 per share on the liquidation of our trust account and our warrants will expire worthless. In certain circumstances, our public stockholders may receive less than $10.00 per share upon our liquidation. See “—If third parties bring claims against us, the proceeds held in the trust account could be reduced and the per-share
redemption amount received by stockholders may be less than $10.00 per share” and other risk factors below. If our current financial resources prove insufficient, it could limit the amount available to fund our search for a target business or businesses and complete our initial business combination and we will depend on loans from our sponsor or management team to fund our search for an initial business combination, to pay our franchise and income taxes and to complete our initial business combination. If we are unable to obtain these loans, we may be unable to complete our initial business combination.
If we are required to seek additional capital, we would need to borrow funds from our sponsor, management team or other third parties to operate or may be forced to liquidate. None of our sponsor, members of our management team nor any of their affiliates is under any obligation to advance funds to us in such circumstances. Any such advances would be repaid only from funds held outside the trust account or from funds released to us upon completion of our initial business combination. Up to $1,500,000 of such loans may be converted into private placement-equivalent warrants at a price of $1.50 per warrant at the option of the lender. Prior to the completion of our initial business combination, we do not expect to seek loans from parties other than our sponsor or an affiliate of our sponsor as we do not believe third parties will be willing to loan such funds and provide a waiver against any and all rights to seek access to funds in our trust account. If
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we are unable to obtain these loans, we may be unable to complete our initial business combination. If we do not complete our initial business combination because we do not have sufficient funds available to us, we will be forced to cease operations and liquidate the trust account. Consequently, our public stockholders may only receive approximately $10.00 per share on our redemption of our public shares, and our warrants will expire worthless. In certain circumstances, our public stockholders may receive less than $10.00 per share on the redemption of their shares. See “—If third parties bring claims against us, the proceeds held in the trust account could be reduced and the
per-share
redemption amount received by stockholders may be less than $10.00 per share” and other risk factors below. If we are deemed to be an investment company under the Investment Company Act, we may be required to institute burdensome compliance requirements and our activities may be restricted, which may make it difficult for us to complete our initial business combination.
If we are deemed to be an investment company under the Investment Company Act, our activities may be restricted, including: restrictions on the nature of our investments; and
• | restrictions on the issuance of securities, |
each of which may make it difficult for us to complete our initial business combination. In addition, we may have imposed upon us burdensome requirements, including:
• | registration as an investment company; |
• | adoption of a specific form of corporate structure; and |
• | reporting, record keeping, voting, proxy and disclosure requirements and other rules and regulations. |
In order not to be regulated as an investment company under the Investment Company Act, unless we can qualify for an exclusion, we must ensure that we are engaged primarily in a business other than investing, reinvesting or trading in securities and that our activities do not include investing, reinvesting, owning, holding or trading “investment securities” constituting more than 40% of our total assets (exclusive of U.S. government securities and cash items) on an unconsolidated basis. Our business is to identify and complete an initial business combination and thereafter to operate the post-transaction business or assets for the long term. We do not plan to buy businesses or assets with a view to resale or profit from their resale. We do not plan to buy unrelated businesses or assets or to be a passive investor.
We do not believe that our anticipated principal activities will subject us to the Investment Company Act. To this end, the proceeds held in the trust account may only be invested in United States “government securities” within the meaning of Section 2(a)(16) of 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. Pursuant to the trust agreement, the trustee is not permitted to invest in other securities or assets. By restricting the investment of the proceeds to these instruments, and by having a business plan targeted at acquiring and growing businesses for the long term (rather than on buying and selling businesses in the manner of a merchant bank or private equity fund), we intend to avoid being deemed an “investment company” within the meaning of the Investment Company Act. The trust account is intended as a holding place for funds pending the earliest to occur of: (i) the completion of our initial business combination; (ii) the redemption of any public shares properly submitted in connection with a stockholder vote to amend our amended and restated certificate of incorporation (A) to modify the substance or timing of our obligation to allow redemption in connection with our initial business combination or to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of our initial public offering (by March 12, 2023) or (B) with respect to any other provision relating to stockholders’ rights or pre-initial
business combination activity; or (iii) absent an initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of our initial public offering (by March 12, 2023) or during any Extension Period, our return of the funds held in the trust account to our public stockholders as part of our redemption of the public shares. If we do not invest the proceeds as discussed above, we may be deemed to be subject to the Investment Company Act. If we are deemed to be subject to the Investment Company Act, compliance with these additional regulatory burdens would require additional expenses for which we have not allotted funds and may hinder our ability to complete an initial business combination or may result in our liquidation. If we do not complete our initial business combination, our public stockholders may receive only approximately $10.00 per share on the liquidation of our trust account and our warrants will expire worthless. Although we have identified general criteria and guidelines that we believe are important in evaluating prospective target businesses, we may enter into our initial business combination with a target that does not meet such criteria and guidelines, and as a result, the target business with which we enter into our initial business combination may not have attributes consistent with our general criteria and guidelines.
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Although we have identified general criteria and guidelines for evaluating prospective target businesses, it is possible that a target business with which we enter into our initial business combination will not have these positive attributes. If we complete our initial business combination with a target that does not meet some or all of these guidelines, such combination may not be as successful as a combination with a business that does meet all of our general criteria and guidelines. In addition, if we announce a prospective business combination with a target that does not meet our general criteria and guidelines, a greater number of stockholders may exercise their redemption rights, which may make it difficult for us to meet any closing condition with a target business that requires us to have a minimum net worth or a certain amount of cash. In addition, if stockholder approval of the transaction is required by law, or we decide to obtain stockholder approval for business or other reasons, it may be more difficult for us to attain stockholder approval of our initial business combination if the target business does not meet our general criteria and guidelines. If we do not complete our initial business combination, our public stockholders may receive only approximately $10.00 per share on the liquidation of our trust account and our warrants will expire worthless. In certain circumstances, our public stockholders may receive less than $10.00 per share on the redemption of their shares. See “ —If third parties bring claims against us, the proceeds held in the trust account could be reduced and the
per-share
redemption amount received by stockholders may be less than $10.00 per share” and other risk factors below. We may seek business combination opportunities with a financially unstable business or an entity lacking an established record of revenue, cash flow or earnings, which could subject us to volatile revenues, cash flows or earnings or difficulty in retaining key personnel.
To the extent we complete our initial business combination with a financially unstable business or an entity lacking an established record of revenues or earnings, we may be affected by numerous risks inherent in the operations of the business with which we combine. These risks include volatile revenues or earnings and difficulties in obtaining and retaining key personnel. Although our officers and directors will endeavor to evaluate the risks inherent in a particular target business, we may not be able to properly ascertain or assess all of the significant risk factors and we may not have adequate time to complete due diligence. Furthermore, some of these risks may be outside of our control and leave us with no ability to control or reduce the chances that those risks will adversely impact a target business.
We are not required to obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm or from an independent accounting firm, and consequently, you may have no assurance from an independent source that the price we are paying for the business is fair to our company from a financial point of view.
Unless we complete our initial business combination with an affiliated entity or our board cannot independently determine the fair market value of the target business or businesses, we are not required to obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm or an independent accounting firm that the price we are paying is fair to our company from a financial point of view. If no opinion is obtained, our stockholders will be relying on the judgment of our board of directors, who will determine fair market value based on standards generally accepted by the financial community. Such standards used will be disclosed in our proxy materials or tender offer documents, as applicable, related to our initial business combination.
Resources could be wasted in researching business combinations that are not completed, which could materially adversely affect subsequent attempts to locate and acquire or merge with another business. If we do not complete our initial business combination, our public stockholders may receive only approximately $10.00 per share, or less than such amount in certain circumstances, on the liquidation of our trust account and our warrants will expire worthless.
We anticipate that the investigation of each specific target business and the negotiation, drafting and execution of relevant agreements, disclosure documents and other instruments will require substantial management time and attention and substantial costs for accountants, attorneys, consultants and others. If we pursue a specific initial business combination but do not complete it, the costs incurred up to that point for the proposed transaction likely would not be recoverable. For example, we expended substantial resources in 2021 in connection with the negotiation of a proposed initial business combination, but did not ultimately reach an agreement, diminishing our resources available for pursuit of an alternative initial business combination. Furthermore, if we reach an agreement relating to a specific target business, we may fail to complete our initial business combination for any number of reasons including those beyond our control. Any such event will result in a loss to us of the related costs incurred which could materially adversely affect subsequent attempts to locate and acquire or merge with another business. If we do not complete our initial business combination, our public stockholders may receive only approximately $10.00 per share on the liquidation of our trust account and our warrants will expire worthless. In certain circumstances, our public stockholders may receive less than $10.00 per share on the redemption of their shares. See “—If third parties bring claims against us, the proceeds held in the trust account could be reduced and the
per-share
redemption amount received by stockholders may be less than $10.00 per share” and other risk factors below. Since our sponsor and its investors and our directors will lose their entire
at-risk
investment in us if our initial business combination is not completed, a conflict of interest may arise in determining whether a particular business combination target is appropriate for our initial business combination. 22
In January 2021, our sponsor purchased an aggregate of 5,750,000 shares of Class B common stock for an aggregate purchase price of $25,000, or approximately $0.004 per share. In February 2021, our sponsor transferred 40,000 founder shares to Mr. De Sole, 40,000 founder shares to Mr. Toubassy and 30,000 founder shares to Mr. Hilfiger and in March 2021, transferred 25,000 founder shares to Ms. Isgrig. All of the founder shares will be worthless if we do not complete an initial business combination. In addition, our sponsor purchased an aggregate of 4,509,027 warrants at a price of $1.50 per warrant ($6,763,540.50 in the aggregate), which will also be worthless if we do not complete an initial business combination. Our initial stockholders have entered into a letter agreement with us pursuant to which they have agreed to vote any shares owned by them in favor of any proposed initial business combination and to waive their redemption rights with respect to their founder shares and public shares in connection with (i) the completion of our initial business combination and (ii) any stockholder vote to approve an amendment to our amended and restated certificate of incorporation (A) to modify the substance or timing of our obligation to allow redemption in connection with our initial business combination or to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of our initial public offering (by March 12, 2023) or (B) with respect to any other provision relating to stockholders’ rights or
pre-initial
business combination activity. In addition, we may obtain loans from our sponsor, affiliates of our sponsor or an officer or director. The personal and financial interests of our officers and directors may influence their motivation in identifying and selecting a target business combination, completing an initial business combination and influencing the operation of the business following the initial business combination. We may only be able to complete one business combination which will cause us to be solely dependent on a single business which may have a limited number of services and limited operating activities. This lack of diversification may negatively impact our operating results and profitability.
We may effectuate our initial business combination with a single target business or multiple target businesses simultaneously or within a short period of time. However, we may not be able to effectuate our initial business combination with more than one target business because of various factors, including the existence of complex accounting issues and the requirement that we prepare and file pro forma financial statements with the SEC that present operating results and the financial condition of several target businesses as if they had been operated on a combined basis. By completing our initial business combination with only a single entity our lack of diversification may subject us to numerous economic, competitive and regulatory developments. Further, we would not be able to diversify our operations or benefit from the possible spreading of risks or offsetting of losses, unlike other entities which may have the resources to complete several business combinations in different industries or different areas of a single industry. In addition, we intend to focus our search for an initial business combination in a single industry. Accordingly, the prospects for our success may be:
• | solely dependent upon the performance of a single business, property or asset, or |
• | dependent upon the development or market acceptance of a single or limited number of products, processes or services. |
This lack of diversification may subject us to numerous economic, competitive and regulatory risks, any or all of which may have a substantial adverse impact upon the particular industry in which we may operate subsequent to our initial business combination.
We may attempt to simultaneously complete business combinations with multiple prospective targets, which may hinder our ability to complete our initial business combination and give rise to increased costs and risks that could negatively impact our operations and profitability.
If we determine to simultaneously acquire several businesses that are owned by different sellers, we will need for each of such sellers to agree that our purchase of its business is contingent on the simultaneous closings of the other business combinations, which may make it more difficult for us, and delay our ability, to complete our initial business combination. We do not, however, intend to purchase multiple businesses in unrelated industries in conjunction with our initial business combination. With multiple business combinations, we could also face additional risks, including additional burdens and costs with respect to possible multiple negotiations and due diligence investigations (if there are multiple sellers) and the additional risks associated with the subsequent assimilation of the operations and services or products of the acquired companies in a single operating business. If we are unable to adequately address these risks, it could negatively impact our profitability and results of operations.
We may attempt to complete our initial business combination with a private company about which little information is available, which may result in an initial business combination with a company that is not as profitable as we suspected, if at all.
In pursuing our initial business combination strategy, we may seek to effectuate our initial business combination with a privately held company. Very little public information generally exists about private companies, and we could be required to make our decision on whether to pursue a potential initial business combination on the basis of limited information, which may result in an initial business combination with a company that is not as profitable as we suspected, if at all.
We may be unable to obtain additional financing to complete our initial business combination or to fund the operations and growth of a target business, which could compel us to restructure or abandon a particular business combination.
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If the net proceeds of our initial public offering and the sale of the private placement warrants prove to be insufficient, either because of the size of our initial business combination, the depletion of the available net proceeds in search of a target business, the obligation to redeem for cash a significant number of shares from stockholders who elect redemption in connection with our initial business combination or the terms of negotiated transactions to purchase shares in connection with our initial business combination, we may be required to seek additional financing to complete such proposed initial business combination. We cannot assure you that such financing will be available on acceptable terms, if at all. To the extent that additional financing proves to be unavailable when needed to complete our initial business combination, we would be compelled to either restructure the transaction or abandon that particular business combination and seek an alternative target business candidate. Further, the amount of additional financing we may be required to obtain could increase as a result of future growth capital needs for any particular transaction, the depletion of the available net proceeds in search of a target business, the obligation to repurchase for cash a significant number of public shares from stockholders who elect redemption in connection with our initial business combination and/or the terms of negotiated transactions to purchase public shares in connection with our initial business combination. If we do not complete our initial business combination, our public stockholders may receive only approximately $10.00 per share plus any pro rata interest earned on the funds held in the trust account and not previously released to us to pay our franchise and income taxes on the liquidation of our trust account, and our warrants will expire worthless. In addition, even if we do not need additional financing to complete our initial business combination, we may require such financing to fund the operations or growth of the target business. The failure to secure additional financing could have a material adverse effect on the continued development or growth of the target business. None of our officers, directors or stockholders is required to provide any financing to us in connection with or after our initial business combination. If we do not complete our initial business combination, our public stockholders may only receive approximately $10.00 per share on the liquidation of our trust account, and our warrants will expire worthless. Furthermore, as described in the risk factor entitled “If third parties bring claims against us, the proceeds held in the trust account could be reduced and the
per-share
redemption amount received by stockholders may be less than $10.00 per share,” under certain circumstances our public stockholders may receive less than $10.00 per share upon the liquidation of the trust account. Our warrants and founder shares may have an adverse effect on the market price of our Class A common stock and make it more difficult to effectuate our initial business combination.
To the extent we issue shares of Class A common stock to effectuate an initial business combination, the potential for the issuance of a substantial number of additional shares of Class A common stock upon exercise of these warrants and conversion rights could make us a less attractive business combination vehicle to a target business. Any such issuance will increase the number of issued and outstanding shares of our Class A common stock and reduce the value of the shares of Class A common stock issued to complete the initial business combination. Therefore, our warrants and founder shares may make it more difficult to effectuate an initial business combination or increase the cost of acquiring the target business.
The private placement warrants are identical to the warrants sold as part of the units in our initial public offering except that, so long as they are held by our sponsor or its permitted transferees, (i) they will not be redeemable by us (except as described in our Registration Statement on Form
S-1
(No. 333-253203)
which the SEC declared effective on March 9, 2021, under “Description of Securities—Redeemable Warrants—Public Stockholders’ Warrants—Redemption of warrants when the price per share of Class A common stock equals or exceeds $10.00”), (ii) they (including the Class A common stock issuable upon exercise of these warrants) may not, subject to certain limited exceptions, be transferred, assigned or sold by our sponsor until 30 days after the completion of our initial business combination, (iii) they may be exercised by the holders on a cashless basis and (iv) they are entitled to registration rights. Because we must furnish our stockholders with target business financial statements, we may lose the ability to complete an otherwise advantageous initial business combination with some prospective target businesses.
The federal proxy rules require that a proxy statement with respect to a vote on an initial business combination meeting certain financial significance tests include historical and/or pro forma financial statement disclosure in periodic reports. We would include the same financial statement disclosure in connection with any tender offer documents. These financial statements may be required to be prepared in accordance with, or be reconciled to, accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America, or GAAP, or international financial reporting standards as issued by the International Accounting Standards Board, or IFRS, depending on the circumstances and the historical financial statements may be required to be audited in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States), or PCAOB. These financial statement requirements may limit the pool of potential target businesses we may acquire because some targets may be unable to provide such financial statements in time for us to disclose such statements in accordance with federal proxy or tender offer rules and complete our initial business combination within the prescribed timeframe.
Compliance obligations under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act may make it more difficult for us to effectuate our initial business combination, require substantial financial and management resources, and increase the time and costs of completing an initial business combination.
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Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act requires that we evaluate and report on our system of internal controls beginning with our Annual Report on Form
10-K
for the year ending December 31, 2022. Only in the event we are deemed to be a large accelerated filer or an accelerated filer, and no longer qualify as an emerging growth company, will we be required to comply with the independent registered public accounting firm attestation requirement on our internal control over financial reporting. Further, for as long as we remain an emerging growth company, we will not be required to comply with the independent registered public accounting firm attestation requirement on our internal control over financial reporting. The fact that we are a blank check company makes compliance with the requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act particularly burdensome on us as compared to other public companies because a target company with which we seek to complete our initial business combination may not be in compliance with the provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act regarding adequacy of its internal controls. The development of the internal control of any such entity to achieve compliance with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act may increase the time and costs necessary to complete any such business combination. If we effect our initial business combination with a company with operations or opportunities outside of the United States, we would be subject to a variety of additional risks that may negatively impact our operations.
If we effect our initial business combination with a company with operations or opportunities outside of the United States, we would be subject to any special considerations or risks associated with companies operating in an international setting, including any of the following:
• | higher costs and difficulties inherent in managing cross-border business operations and complying with different commercial and legal requirements of overseas markets; |
• | rules and regulations regarding currency redemption; |
• | complex corporate withholding taxes on individuals; |
• | laws governing the manner in which future business combinations may be effected; |
• | tariffs and trade barriers; |
• | regulations related to customs and import/export matters; |
• | longer payment cycles and challenges in collecting accounts receivable; |
• | tax issues, including but not limited to tax law changes and variations in tax laws as compared to the United States; |
• | currency fluctuations and exchange controls; |
• | rates of inflation; |
• | cultural and language differences; |
• | employment regulations; |
• | data privacy; |
• | changes in industry, regulatory or environmental standards within the jurisdictions where we operate; |
• | public health or safety concerns and governmental restrictions, including those caused by outbreaks of pandemic disease such as the COVID-19 pandemic; |
• | crime, strikes, riots, civil disturbances, terrorist attacks, natural disasters and wars; |
• | deterioration of political relations with the United States; and |
• | government appropriations of assets. |
We may not be able to adequately address these additional risks. If we were unable to do so, our operations might suffer, which may adversely impact our results of operations and financial condition.
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We may face risks related to consumer sector companies.
Business combinations with companies in the consumer sector, entail special considerations and risks. If we are successful in completing a business combination with such a target business, we may be subject to, and possibly adversely affected by, the following risks:
• | An inability to compete effectively in a highly competitive environment with many incumbents having substantially greater resources; |
• | An inability to manage rapid change, increasing customer expectations and growth; |
• | An inability to build strong brand identity and improve customer satisfaction and loyalty; |
• | Limitations on a target business’ ability to protect its intellectual property rights that could cause a loss in revenue and any competitive advantage; |
• | A reliance on proprietary technology to provide services and to manage our operations, and the failure of this technology to operate effectively, or our failure to use such technology effectively; |
• | The high cost or unavailability of materials supplies and personnel that could adversely affect our ability to execute our operations on a timely basis; |
• | An inability to attract and retain customers; |
• | An inability to license or enforce intellectual property rights on which our business may depend; |
• | Any significant disruption in our computer systems or those of third parties that we would utilize in our operations; |
• | An inability by us to successfully anticipate changing consumer preferences and buying trends and manage our product line and inventory commensurate with customer demand; |
• | Potential liability for negligence, copyright, or trademark infringement or other claims based on the nature and content of materials that we may distribute or services we perform; |
• | Dependence of our operations upon third-party suppliers or service providers whose failure to perform adequately could disrupt our business; |
• | Our operating results may be adversely affected by changes in the cost or availability of raw materials and energy; |
• | We may be subject to production-related risks which could jeopardize our ability to realize anticipated sales and profits; |
• | Changes in the markets for consumer products affecting our customers could negatively impact customer relationships and our results of operations; |
• | Our business could involve the potential for product recalls, product liability and other claims against us, which could affect our earnings and financial condition; |
• | Competition for advertising revenue; |
• | Competition for discretionary spending of customers, which may intensify in part due to advances in technology and changes in consumer expectations and behavior; |
• | Disruption or failure of our networks, systems or technology as a result of computer viruses, “cyber attacks,” misappropriation of data or other malfeasance, as well as outages, natural disasters, terrorist attacks, accidental releases of information or similar events; |
• | An inability to recruit and retain senior talent; and |
• | Our inability to comply with governmental regulations or obtain governmental approval of our products. |
Any of the foregoing could have an adverse impact on our operations following a business combination. However, our efforts in identifying prospective target businesses will not be limited to the consumer sector. Accordingly, if we acquire a target business in another industry, these risks will likely not affect us and we will be subject to other risks attendant with the specific industry in which we operate or target business which we acquire, none of which can be presently ascertained.
Our search for a business combination, and any target business with which we ultimately consummate a business combination, may be materially adversely affected by the ongoing coronavirus
(COVID-19)
pandemic and the status of debt and equity markets. The
COVID-19
pandemic has resulted, and other infectious diseases could result, in a widespread health crisis that has and will continue to adversely affect economies and financial markets worldwide, and the business of any potential target business with which we consummate a business combination may also be materially and adversely affected. Furthermore, we may be unable to complete a business combination if continued concerns relating to COVID-19
restrict travel, limit the ability to have meetings with potential investors or the target company’s personnel, vendors and services providers are unavailable to negotiate and consummate a transaction in a timely manner, or if COVID-19
causes a prolonged economic downturn. The effects of the COVID-19
pandemic on businesses, and the inability to accurately predict the future impact of the pandemic on businesses, has also made determinations and negotiations of valuation more difficult, which could make it more difficult to consummate a business combination transaction. The extent to which
COVID-19
ultimately impacts our identification and consummation of a business combination will depend on future developments, which are highly uncertain and cannot be predicted, including new information which may emerge concerning the severity and spread of COVID-19
and actions to contain the virus or treat its impact, among others. If the disruptions posed by COVID-19
or other matters of global concern continue for an extended period of time, our ability to consummate a business combination, or the operations of a target business with which we ultimately consummate a business combination, may be materially adversely affected. 26
In addition, our ability to consummate a business combination may be dependent on the ability to raise equity and debt financing which may be impacted by
COVID-19
and other events. Risks Relating to Our Management Team
Past performance by our management team, directors, advisors, the Sandbridge fund, the PIMCO private fund and their respective affiliates may not be indicative of future performance of an investment in the company or in the future performance of any business we may acquire.
Information regarding performance by, or businesses associated with, our management team, directors and advisors, the Sandbridge fund, the PIMCO private fund and their respective affiliates, including Sandbridge Capital and PIMCO, is presented for informational purposes only. Past performance by our management team, directors and advisors, the Sandbridge fund, the PIMCO private fund and such affiliates is not a guarantee (i) either of success with respect to any business combination we may consummate or (ii) that we will be able to locate a suitable candidate for our initial business combination. You should not rely on the historical performance of our management team, directors and advisors, the Sandbridge fund, the PIMCO private fund or that of their respective affiliates as indicative of the future performance of an investment in the company or the returns the company will, or is likely to, generate going forward. Our management team, directors and advisors, the Sandbridge fund, the PIMCO private fund and their respective affiliates have had limited past experience with blank check and special purpose acquisition companies.
We are dependent upon our officers and directors and their departure could adversely affect our ability to operate.
Our operations are dependent upon a relatively small group of individuals and, in particular, our officers and directors. We believe that our success depends on the continued service of our officers and directors, at least until we have completed our initial business combination. Although our directors and officers have agreed to serve in their respective capacities until the earlier of the consummation by the Company of an initial business combination, the liquidation of the Company, or their removal, death, or incapacity, they may not do so. We do not have an employment agreement with, or
key-man
insurance on the life of, any of our directors or officers. The unexpected loss of the services of one or more of our directors or officers could have a detrimental effect on us. Our ability to successfully effect our initial business combination and to be successful thereafter will be totally dependent upon the efforts of our key personnel, some of whom may join us following our initial business combination. The loss of key personnel could negatively impact the operations and profitability of our post-combination business.
Our ability to successfully effect our initial business combination is dependent upon the efforts of our key personnel. The role of our key personnel in the target business, however, cannot presently be ascertained. Although some of our key personnel may remain with the target business in senior management or advisory positions following our initial business combination, it is likely that some or all of the management of the target business will remain in place. While we intend to closely scrutinize any individuals we employ after our initial business combination, we cannot assure you that our assessment of these individuals will prove to be correct. These individuals may be unfamiliar with the requirements of operating a company regulated by the SEC, which could cause us to have to expend time and resources helping them become familiar with such requirements. In addition, the officers and directors of an initial business combination candidate may resign upon completion of our initial business combination. The departure of an initial business combination target’s key personnel could negatively impact the operations and profitability of our post-combination business. The role of an initial business combination candidate’s key personnel upon the completion of our initial business combination cannot be ascertained at this time. Although we contemplate that certain members of an initial business combination candidate’s management team will remain associated with the initial business combination candidate following our initial business combination, it is possible that members of the management of an initial business combination candidate will not wish to remain in place. The loss of key personnel could negatively impact the operations and profitability of our post-combination business.
We may seek business combination opportunities in industries or sectors which may or may not be outside of our management team’s area of expertise.
Although we intend to focus on identifying companies in the consumer sector, we will consider an initial business combination outside of our management team’s area of expertise if an initial business combination candidate is presented to us and we determine that such candidate offers an attractive business combination opportunity for our company or we are unable to identify a suitable candidate in this sector after having expanded a reasonable amount of time and effort in an attempt to do so. Although our management will endeavor to evaluate the risks inherent in any particular business combination candidate, we cannot assure you that we will adequately ascertain or assess all of the significant risk factors. We also cannot assure you that an investment in our units will not ultimately prove to be less favorable to investors in our initial public offering than a direct investment, if an opportunity were available, in an initial business combination candidate. In the event we elect to pursue a business combination outside of the areas of our management team’s expertise, our management team’s expertise may not be directly applicable to its evaluation or operation, and the information contained in this Annual Report regarding the areas of our management team’s expertise would not be relevant to an understanding of the business that we elect to acquire. As a result, our management may not be able to adequately ascertain or assess all of the significant risk factors. Accordingly, any stockholders who choose to remain stockholders following our initial business combination could suffer a reduction in the value of their shares. Such stockholders are unlikely to have a remedy for such reduction in value.
27
Our officers, directors, security holders and their respective affiliates may have competitive pecuniary interests that conflict with our interests.
We have not adopted a policy that expressly prohibits our directors, officers, security holders or affiliates from having a direct or indirect pecuniary or financial interest in any investment to be acquired or disposed of by us or in any transaction to which we are a party or have an interest. In fact, we may enter into an initial business combination with a target business that is affiliated with our sponsor, our directors or officers or one of our affiliates. We do not have a policy that expressly prohibits any such persons from engaging for their own account in business activities of the types conducted by us. Accordingly, such persons or entities may have a conflict between their interests and ours.
We may engage in an initial business combination with one or more target businesses that have relationships with entities that may be affiliated with our sponsor, officers, directors or existing holders which may raise potential conflicts of interest.
In light of the involvement of our sponsor, officers and directors with other, we may decide to acquire one or more businesses with which our sponsor or one or more of our officers or directors is affiliated, including businesses affiliated with Sandbridge Capital or PIMCO. Our officers and directors also serve as officers and board members for other entities, including, without limitation, those described in Part I, Item I “Conflicts of Interest.” Our sponsor, officers and directors are not currently aware of any specific opportunities for us to complete our initial business combination with any entities with which they are affiliated, and there have been no preliminary discussions concerning an initial business combination with any such entity or entities. Although we will not be specifically focusing on, or targeting, any transaction with any affiliated entities, we would pursue such a transaction if we determined that such affiliated entity met our criteria for an initial business combination as set forth in Part I, Item I “Acquisition Criteria” and such transaction was approved by a majority of our disinterested directors. Despite our agreement to obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm or an independent accounting firm regarding the fairness to our company from a financial point of view of an initial business combination with one or more domestic or international businesses affiliated with our officers, directors or existing holders, potential conflicts of interest still may exist and, as a result, the terms of the initial business combination may not be as advantageous to our public stockholders as they would be absent any conflicts of interest.
Moreover, we may, at our option, pursue an affiliated joint acquisition opportunity with one or more affiliates of the Sandbridge fund and/or the PIMCO private fund or with other entities to which an officer or director has a fiduciary, contractual or other obligation or duty. Any such parties may
co-invest
with us in the target business at the time of our initial business combination, or we could raise additional proceeds to complete the acquisition by issuing equity or debt to any such parties, which may give rise to certain conflicts of interest. Our officers and directors will allocate their time to other businesses thereby causing conflicts of interest in their determination as to how much time to devote to our affairs. This conflict of interest could have a negative impact on our ability to complete our initial business combination.
Our officers and directors are not required to, and will not, commit their full time to our affairs, which may result in a conflict of interest in allocating their time between our operations and our search for an initial business combination and their other businesses. For example, Mr. Weinstein also serves as a director for Climate Real Impact Solutions II Acquisition Corporation and Freedom Acquisition I Corporation. Any of these other blank check companies may present additional conflicts of interest in pursuing an acquisition target. Although we have retained and may in the future retain consultants to perform certain services for the Company, we do not intend to have any full-time employees prior to the completion of our initial business combination. Each of our officers and directors is engaged in other business endeavors for which he may be entitled to substantial compensation and our officers and directors are not obligated to contribute any specific number of hours per week to our affairs nor are they prohibited from sponsoring, or otherwise becoming involved with, or continuing their involvement with, any other blank check companies prior to us completing our initial business combination. Our independent directors may also serve as officers or board members for other entities. If our officers’ and directors’ other business affairs require them to devote substantial amounts of time to such affairs in excess of their current commitment levels, it could limit their ability to devote time to our affairs which may have a negative impact on our ability to complete our initial business combination.” For a complete discussion of our officers’ and directors’ other business affairs, please see Part III, Item 10 “Directors and Executive Officers.”
Our key personnel may negotiate employment or consulting agreements as well as reimbursement of expenses, if any, with a target business in connection with a particular business combination. These agreements may provide for them to receive compensation or reimbursement for expenses, if any, following our initial business combination and as a result, may cause them to have conflicts of interest in determining whether a particular business combination is the most advantageous.
out-of-pocket
out-of-pocket
28
Our key personnel may be able to remain with the company after the completion of our initial business combination only if they are able to negotiate employment or consulting agreements in connection with the initial business combination. Additionally, they may negotiate reimbursement of any expenses incurred on our behalf prior to the consummation of our initial business combination, should they choose to do so. Such negotiations would take place simultaneously with the negotiation of the initial business combination and could provide for such individuals to receive compensation in the form of cash payments and/or our securities for services they would render to us after the completion of the initial business combination, or as reimbursement for such expenses. The personal and financial interests of such individuals may influence their motivation in identifying and selecting a target business. However, we believe the ability of such individuals to remain with us after the completion of our initial business combination will not be the determining factor in our decision as to whether or not we will proceed with any potential business combination. There is no certainty, however, that any of our key personnel will remain with us after the completion of our initial business combination. We cannot assure you that any of our key personnel will remain in senior management or advisory positions with us. The determination as to whether any of our key personnel will remain with us will be made at the time of our initial business combination.
out-of-pocket
out-of-pocket
Certain of our officers and directors are now, and all of them may in the future become, affiliated with entities engaged in business activities similar to those intended to be conducted by us and, accordingly, may have conflicts of interest in allocating their time and determining to which entity a particular business opportunity should be presented.
Until we consummate our initial business combination, we intend to engage in the business of identifying and combining with one or more businesses. Our officers and directors are, and may in the future become, affiliated with entities (such as operating companies or investment vehicles) that are engaged in a similar business.
PIMCO and its affiliates, including the PIMCO private fund, have invested in diverse industries, including in the consumer sector. There could be overlap between companies that would be suitable for a business combination with us and companies that present an attractive investment opportunity for our sponsor, our directors or officers, and entities with which they currently are or may in the future be affiliated, certain of PIMCO’s funds and/or other investment vehicles, including the PIMCO private fund. In addition, PIMCO and its affiliates engage in the business of originating, underwriting, syndicating, acquiring and trading loans and debt securities of corporate and other borrowers, and may provide or participate in any debt financing arrangement in connection with any acquisition of any target business that we may make. If PIMCO or any of its affiliates provides or participates in any such debt financing arrangement it may present a conflict of interest and will have to be approved under our related person transaction policy or by our independent directors.
Our officers and directors also may become aware of business opportunities which may be appropriate for presentation to us and other entities to which they owe certain fiduciary or contractual duties. Any such opportunities may present additional conflicts of interest in pursuing an acquisition target, and our directors and officers may have conflicts of interest in determining to which entity a particular business opportunity should be presented. These conflicts may not be resolved in our favor and a potential target business may be presented to another entity prior to its presentation to us. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that we renounce our interest in any corporate opportunity offered to any director or officer unless such opportunity is expressly offered to such person solely in his or her capacity as a director or officer of our company and such opportunity is one we are legally and contractually permitted to undertake and would otherwise be reasonable for us to pursue, and to the extent the director or officer is permitted to refer that opportunity to us without violating another legal obligation.
In addition, our sponsor, officers and directors may participate in the formation of, or become an officer or director of, any other blank check company prior to completion of our initial business combination. As a result, our sponsor, officers or directors could have conflicts of interest in determining whether to present business combination opportunities to us or to any other blank check company with which they may become involved. For example, Mr. Weinstein serves as a director for Climate Real Impact Solutions II Acquisition Corporation and Freedom Acquisition I Corporation. Any of these other blank check companies may present additional conflicts of interest in pursuing an acquisition target. Moreover, our management team has significant experience in identifying and executing multiple acquisition opportunities simultaneously and we are not limited by industry or geography in terms of the acquisition opportunities we can pursue.
For a complete discussion of our officers’ and directors’ business affiliations and the potential conflicts of interest that you should be aware of, please see Part I “Conflicts Of Interest,” Part III, Item 10 “Directors and Executive Officers,” and Part III, Item 13 “Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence.”
We may have a limited ability to assess the management of a prospective target business and, as a result, may affect our initial business combination with a target business whose management may not have the skills, qualifications or abilities to manage a public company, which could, in turn, negatively impact the value of our stockholders’ investment in us.
When evaluating the desirability of effecting our initial business combination with a prospective target business, our ability to assess the target business’s management may be limited due to a lack of time, resources or information. Our assessment of the capabilities of the target’s management, therefore, may prove to be incorrect and such management may lack the skills, qualifications or abilities we suspected.
29
Should the target’s management not possess the skills, qualifications or abilities necessary to manage a public company, the operations and profitability of the post-combination business may be negatively impacted. Accordingly, any stockholders who choose to remain stockholders following the initial business combination could suffer a reduction in the value of their shares. Such stockholders are unlikely to have a remedy for such reduction in value.
Our management may not be able to maintain control of a target business after our initial business combination.
We may structure an initial business combination so that the post-transaction company in which our public stockholders own shares will own less than 100% of the equity interests or assets of a target business, but we will only complete such 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 us not to be required to register as an investment company under the Investment Company Act. We will not consider any transaction that does not meet such criteria. Even if the post-transaction company owns 50% or more of the voting securities of the target, our stockholders prior to the initial business combination may collectively own a minority interest in the post business combination company, depending on valuations ascribed to the target and us in the initial business combination. For example, we could pursue a transaction in which we issue a substantial number of new shares of Class A common stock in exchange for all of the outstanding capital stock of a target. In this case, we would acquire a 100% interest in the target. However, as a result of the issuance of a substantial number of new shares of common stock, our stockholders immediately prior to such transaction could own less than a majority of our outstanding shares of common stock subsequent to such transaction. In addition, other minority stockholders may subsequently combine their holdings resulting in a single person or group obtaining a larger share of the company’s stock than we initially acquired. Accordingly, this may make it more likely that our management will not be able to maintain our control of the target business. We cannot provide assurance that, upon loss of control of a target business, new management will possess the skills, qualifications or abilities necessary to profitably operate such business.
If our management following our initial business combination is unfamiliar with U.S. securities laws, they may have to expend time and resources becoming familiar with such laws, which could lead to various regulatory issues.
Following our initial business combination, any or all of our management could resign from their positions as officers of the post-business combination company, and the management of the target business at the time of the business combination could remain in place. Management of the target business may not be familiar with U.S. securities laws. If new management is unfamiliar with U.S. securities laws, they may have to expend time and resources becoming familiar with such laws. This could be expensive and time-consuming and could lead to various regulatory issues which may adversely affect our operations.
We expect to incur additional costs in connection with our transition to an operating company after the initial business combination.
As a public company, we are subject to the reporting requirements of the Exchange Act and the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. The Exchange Act requires the filing of annual, quarterly and current reports with respect to a public company’s business and financial condition. The Sarbanes-Oxley Act requires, among other things, that a public company establish and maintain effective internal control over financial reporting. Although we are currently a public company, there will be additional legal, accounting and other expenses and resources required to operate as a public company following our initial business combination due to the additional expenses and time that will be required to comply with public company reporting and other requirements as an operating company, as opposed to a blank check company.
Risks Relating to Ownership of Our Securities
You will not be entitled to protections normally afforded to investors of many other blank check companies.
We are deemed to be a “blank check” company under the United States securities laws. However, because we have net tangible assets in excess of $5,000,000, we are exempt from rules promulgated by the SEC to protect investors in blank check companies, such as Rule 419. Accordingly, investors will not be afforded the benefits or protections of those rules. Among other things, this means our units are tradable and we have a longer period of time to complete our initial business combination than do companies subject to Rule 419. Moreover, if our initial public offering were subject to Rule 419, that rule would prohibit the release of any interest earned on funds held in the trust account to us unless and until the funds in the trust account were released to us in connection with our completion of an initial business combination.
If we have not completed an initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of our initial public offering (by March 12, 2023), our public stockholders may be forced to wait beyond such 24 months before redemption from our trust account.
If we have not completed an initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of our initial public offering (by March 12, 2023) or during any Extension Period, the proceeds then on deposit in the trust account, including interest earned on the funds held in the trust account and not previously released to us to pay taxes (less up to $100,000 of the interest to pay dissolution expenses), will be used to fund the redemption of our public shares, as further described herein. Any redemption of public stockholders from the trust account will be
30
effected automatically by function of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation prior to any voluntary winding up. If we are required to
wind-up,
liquidate the trust account and distribute such amount therein, pro rata, to our public stockholders, as part of any liquidation process, such winding up, liquidation and distribution must comply with the applicable provisions of the DGCL. In that case, investors may be forced to wait beyond 24 months from the closing of our initial public offering (March 12, 2023) or the expiration of any Extension Period before the redemption proceeds of our trust account become available to them, and they receive the return of their pro rata portion of the proceeds from our trust account. We have no obligation to return funds to investors prior to the date of our redemption of public shares or liquidation unless we complete our initial business combination prior thereto and only then in cases where investors have sought to redeem their Class A common stock. Only upon our redemption or any liquidation will public stockholders be entitled to distributions if we do not complete our initial business combination. Holders of Class A common stock will not be entitled to vote on any election of directors we hold prior to our initial business combination and, upon consummation of our initial business combination, our initial stockholders will have certain rights to designate individuals for nomination for election as directors.
Prior to our initial business combination, only holders of our founder shares will have the right to vote on the election of directors. Holders of our public shares will not be entitled to vote on the election of directors during such time. In addition, prior to the completion of an initial business combination, holders of a majority of our founder shares may remove a member of the board of directors for any reason. Accordingly, you may not have any say in the management of our company prior to the consummation of an initial business combination.
Further, pursuant to a registration and stockholder rights agreement, upon consummation of an initial business combination, our initial stockholders will be entitled to designate three individuals for nomination for election to our board of directors for so long as they continue to hold, collectively, at least 50% of the founder shares (or the securities into which such founder shares convert) held by such persons on the date that the registration statement in connection with our initial public offering became effective. Thereafter, such initial stockholders will be entitled to designate (i) two individuals for nomination for election to our board of directors for so long they continue to hold, collectively, at least 30% of the founder shares (or the securities into which such founder shares convert) held by such persons on the date that the registration statement in connection with our initial public offering became effective and (ii) one individual for nomination for election to our board of directors for so long they continue to hold, collectively, at least 20% of the founder shares (or the securities into which such founder shares convert) held by such persons on the date that the registration statement in connection with our initial public offering became effective. This may result in such holders having significant control over our business.
We are not registering the shares of Class A common stock issuable upon exercise of the warrants under the Securities Act or any state securities laws at this time, and such registration may not be in place when an investor desires to exercise warrants, thus precluding such investor from being able to exercise its warrants except on a cashless basis. If the issuance of the shares upon exercise of warrants is not registered, qualified or exempt from registration or qualification, the holder of such warrant will not be entitled to exercise such warrant and such warrant may have no value and expire worthless.
We are not registering the shares of Class A common stock issuable upon exercise of the warrants under the Securities Act or any state securities laws at this time. However, under the terms of the warrant agreement, we have agreed that as soon as practicable, but in no event later than 15 business days after the closing of our initial business combination, we will use our commercially reasonable efforts to file with the SEC a registration statement for the registration under the Securities Act of the shares of Class A common stock issuable upon exercise of the warrants and thereafter will use our commercially reasonable efforts to cause the same to become effective within 60 business days following our initial business combination and to maintain a current prospectus relating to the Class A common stock issuable upon exercise of the warrants until the expiration of the warrants in accordance with the provisions of the warrant agreement. We cannot assure you that we will be able to do so if, for example, any facts or events arise which represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration statement or prospectus, the financial statements contained or incorporated by reference therein are not current or correct or the SEC issues a stop order. If the shares of Class A common stock issuable upon exercise of the warrants are not registered under the Securities Act, we will be required to permit holders to exercise their warrants on a cashless basis, in which case the number of shares of our Class A common stock that you will receive upon cashless exercise will be based on a formula subject to a maximum number of shares equal to 0.361 shares of our Class A common stock per warrant (subject to adjustment). However, no warrant will be exercisable for cash or on a cashless basis, and we will not be obligated to issue any shares to holders seeking to exercise their warrants, unless the issuance of the shares upon such exercise is registered or qualified under the securities laws of the state of the exercising holder, or an exemption from state registration is available. If that exemption, or another exemption, is not available, holders will not be able to exercise their warrants on a cashless basis. Notwithstanding the above, if shares of our Class A common stock are at the time of any exercise of a public 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, we may, at our 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 we so elect, we will not be required to file or maintain in effect a registration statement, but we will use our commercially reasonable efforts to register or qualify the shares under applicable blue sky laws to the extent an exemption is not available. In no event will we be required to net cash settle any warrant, or issue securities or other compensation in exchange for the warrants in the event that we are unable to register or qualify the shares underlying the warrants under applicable state securities laws and there is no exemption available. If the issuance of the shares upon exercise of the warrants is not so registered or qualified
31
or exempt from registration or qualification, the holder of such warrant will not be entitled to exercise such warrant and such warrant may have no value and expire worthless. In such event, holders who acquired their warrants as part of a purchase of units will have paid the full unit purchase price solely for the shares of Class A common stock included in the units. If and when the warrants become redeemable by us, we may exercise our redemption right even if we are unable to register or qualify the underlying securities for sale under all applicable state securities laws.
The warrants may become exercisable and redeemable for a security other than the shares of Class A common stock, and you will not have any information regarding such other security at this time.
In certain situations, including if we are not the surviving entity in our initial business combination, the warrants may become exercisable for a security other than the shares of Class A common stock. As a result, if the surviving company redeems your warrants for securities pursuant to the warrant agreement, you may receive a security in a company of which you do not have information at this time. Pursuant to the warrant agreement, the surviving company will be required to use commercially reasonable efforts to register the issuance of the security underlying the warrants within 15 business days of the closing of an initial business combination.
If you exercise your public warrants on a “cashless basis,” you will receive fewer shares of Class A common stock from such exercise than if you were to exercise such warrants for cash.
There are circumstances in which the exercise of the public warrants may be required or permitted to be made on a cashless basis. First, if a registration statement covering the shares of Class A common stock issuable upon exercise of the warrants is not effective by the 60th business day after the closing of our initial business combination, warrant holders may, until such time as there is an effective registration statement, exercise warrants on a cashless basis in accordance with Section 3(a)(9) of the Securities Act or another exemption. Second, if a registration statement covering the Class A common stock issuable upon exercise of the warrants is not effective within a specified period following the consummation of our initial business combination, warrant holders may, until such time as there is an effective registration statement and during any period when we shall have failed to maintain an effective registration statement, exercise warrants on a cashless basis pursuant to the exemption provided by Section 3(a)(9) of the Securities Act, provided that such exemption is available; if that exemption, or another exemption, is not available, holders will not be able to exercise their warrants on a cashless basis. Third, if we call the public warrants for redemption, under certain circumstances, warrant holders will be able to exercise their warrants on a cashless basis. In the event of an exercise on a cashless basis, a holder would pay the warrant exercise price by surrendering the warrants for that number of shares of Class A common stock equal to the lesser of (A) the quotient obtained by dividing (x) the product of the number of shares of Class A common stock underlying the warrants, multiplied by the excess of the “fair market value” of our Class A common stock (defined above) over the exercise price of the warrants by (y) the fair market value and (B) 0.361 per whole warrant, and the number of shares of our Class A common stock received by a holder upon exercise will be fewer than it would have been had such holder exercised the warrant for cash. For example, if the holder is exercising 875 public warrants at $11.50 per share through a cashless exercise when the shares of our Class A common stock have a fair market value of $17.50 per share when there is no effective registration statement, then upon the cashless exercise, the holder will receive 300 shares of our Class A common stock. The holder would have received 875 shares of our Class A common stock if the exercise price was paid in cash. This will have the effect of reducing the potential “upside” of the holder’s investment in our company because the warrant holder will hold a smaller number of shares of our Class A common stock upon a cashless exercise of the warrants they hold.
We may redeem your unexpired warrants prior to their exercise at a time that is disadvantageous to you, thereby making your warrants worthless.
We have the ability to redeem outstanding warrants at any time after they become exercisable and prior to their expiration, at a price of $0.01 per warrant, provided that the last reported sales price of our Class A common stock equals or exceeds $18.00 per share (as adjusted for stock splits, stock dividends, reorganizations, recapitalizations and the like and certain issuances of Class A common stock and equity-linked securities) for any 20 trading days within a 30
trading-day
period ending on the third trading day prior to the date on which we give proper notice of such redemption and provided certain other conditions are met. If and when the warrants become redeemable by us, we may exercise our redemption right even if we are unable to register or qualify the underlying securities for sale under all applicable state securities laws. Redemption of the outstanding warrants could force you (i) to exercise your warrants and pay the exercise price therefor at a time when it may be disadvantageous for you to do so, (ii) to sell your warrants at the then-current market price when you might otherwise wish to hold your warrants or (iii) to accept the nominal redemption price which, at the time the outstanding warrants are called for redemption, is likely to be substantially less than the market value of your warrants. None of the private placement warrants will be redeemable by us (except as described in our Registration Statement on Form S-1
(No. 333-253203)
which the SEC declared effective on March 9, 2021, under “Description of Securities—Redeemable Warrants—Public Stockholders’ Warrants—Redemption of warrants when the price per share of Class A common stock equals or exceeds $10.00”) so long as they are held by our sponsor or its permitted transferees. 32
In addition, we have the ability to redeem the outstanding public warrants at any time after they become exercisable and prior to their expiration, at a price of $0.10 per warrant upon a minimum of 30 days’ prior written notice of redemption that the closing price of our Class A common stock equals or exceeds $10.00 per share (as adjusted for adjustments to the number of shares issuable upon exercise or the exercise price of a warrant as described in our Registration Statement on Form that certain other conditions are met, including that holders will be able to exercise their warrants prior to redemption for a number of shares of Class A common stock determined based on the redemption date and the fair market value of shares of our Class A common stock. Please see our Registration Statement on Form
provided
S-1
(No. 333-253203)
which the SEC declared effective on September 14, 2020, under the heading “Description of Securities—Redeemable Warrants—Public Stockholders’ Warrants—Anti-Dilution Adjustments”) for any 20 trading days within a 30 trading-day
period ending on the third trading day prior to proper notice of such redemption and provided
S-1
(No. 333-253203)
which the SEC declared effective on March 9, 2021, “Description of Securities—Redeemable Warrants—Public Stockholders’ Warrants—Redemption of warrants when the price per share of Class A common stock equals or exceeds $10.00.” The value received upon exercise of the warrants (1) may be less than the value the holders would have received if they had exercised their warrants at a later time where the underlying share price is higher and (2) may not compensate the holders for the value of the warrants, including because the number of shares received is capped at 0.361 shares of Class A common stock per whole warrant (subject to adjustment) irrespective of the remaining life of the warrants. None of the private placement warrants will be redeemable by us (except as described in our Registration Statement on Form
S-1
(No. 333-253203)
which the SEC declared effective on March 9, 2021, under “Description of Securities—Redeemable Warrants—Public Stockholders’ Warrants—Redemption of warrants when the price per share of Class A common stock equals or exceeds $10.00”) so long as they are held by our sponsor or its permitted transferees. If a stockholder fails to receive notice of our offer to redeem our public shares in connection with our initial business combination, or fails to comply with the procedures for tendering its shares, such shares may not be redeemed.
We will comply with the tender offer rules or proxy rules, as applicable, when conducting redemptions in connection with our initial business combination. Despite our compliance with these rules, if a stockholder fails to receive our tender offer or proxy materials, as applicable, such stockholder may not become aware of the opportunity to redeem its shares. In addition, proxy materials or tender offer documents, as applicable, that we will furnish to holders of our public shares in connection with our initial business combination will describe the various procedures that must be complied with in order to validly tender or redeem public shares, which may include the requirement that a beneficial holder must identify itself. For example, we may require our public stockholders seeking to exercise their redemption rights, whether they are record holders or hold their shares in “street name,” to either tender their certificates to our transfer agent prior to the date set forth in the tender offer documents mailed to such holders, or up to two business days prior to the initial vote on the proposal to approve the initial business combination in the event we distribute proxy materials, or to deliver their shares to the transfer agent electronically. In the event that a stockholder fails to comply with these or any other procedures, its shares may not be redeemed. See the section of our Registration Statement on Form
S-1
(No. 333-253203)
which the SEC declared effective on March 9, 2021, entitled “Proposed Business—Redemption Rights for Public Stockholders upon Completion of our Initial Business Combination—Tendering Stock Certificates in Connection with a Tender Offer or Redemption Rights.” If we seek stockholder approval of our initial business combination and we do not conduct redemptions pursuant to the tender offer rules, and if you or a “group” of stockholders are deemed to hold in excess of 15% of our Class A common stock, you will lose the ability to redeem all such shares in excess of 15% of our Class A common stock.
If we seek stockholder approval of our initial business combination and we do not conduct redemptions in connection with our initial business combination pursuant to the tender offer rules, our amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that a public stockholder, together with any affiliate of such stockholder or any other person with whom such stockholder is acting in concert or as a “group” (as defined under Section 13 of the Exchange Act), will be restricted from seeking redemption rights with respect to more than an aggregate of 15% of the shares sold in our initial public offering without our prior consent, which we refer to as the “Excess Shares.” However, we would not be restricting our stockholders’ ability to vote all of their shares (including Excess Shares) for or against our initial business combination. Your inability to redeem the Excess Shares will reduce your influence over our ability to complete our initial business combination and you could suffer a material loss on your investment in us if you sell Excess Shares in open market transactions. Additionally, you will not receive redemption distributions with respect to the Excess Shares if we complete our initial business combination. And as a result, you will continue to hold that number of shares exceeding 15% and, in order to dispose of such shares, would be required to sell your stock in open market transactions, potentially at a loss.
The securities in which we invest the proceeds held in the trust account could bear a negative rate of interest, which could reduce the interest income available for payment of taxes or reduce the value of the assets held in trust such that the per share redemption amount received by public stockholders may be less than $10.00 per share.
The net proceeds of our initial public offering and certain proceeds from the sale of the private placement warrants are held in an interest-bearing trust account. The proceeds held in the trust account may only be invested in direct U.S. government securities with a maturity of 185 days or less, or in certain money market funds which invest only in direct U.S. Treasury obligations. While short-term U.S. government treasury 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 of very low or negative
33
yields, the amount of interest income (which we may withdraw to pay income taxes, if any) would be reduced. In the event that we are unable to complete our initial business combination, our public stockholders are entitled to receive their share of the proceeds held in the trust account, plus any interest income. If the balance of the trust account is reduced below $238,177,010 as a result of negative interest rates, the amount of funds in the trust account available for distribution to our public stockholders may be reduced below $10.00 per share.
You will not have any rights or interests in funds from the trust account, except under certain limited circumstances. To liquidate your investment, therefore, you may be forced to sell your public shares or warrants, potentially at a loss.
Our public stockholders will be entitled to receive funds from the trust account only upon the earliest to occur of: (i) our completion of an initial business combination, and then only in connection with those shares of Class A common stock that such stockholder properly elected to redeem, subject to the limitations described herein, (ii) the redemption of any public shares properly submitted in connection with a stockholder vote to amend our amended and restated certificate of incorporation (A) to modify the substance or timing of our obligation to allow redemption in connection with our initial business combination or to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of our initial public offering (by March 12, 2023) or (B) with respect to any other provision relating to stockholders’ rights or
pre-initial
business combination activity and (iii) the redemption of our public shares if we do not complete an initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of our initial public offering (by March 12, 2023) or during any Extension Period, subject to applicable law and as further described herein. In no other circumstances will a public stockholder have any right or interest of any kind in the trust account. Holders of warrants will not have any right to the proceeds held in the trust account with respect to the warrants. Accordingly, to liquidate your investment, you may be forced to sell your public shares or warrants, potentially at a loss. The NYSE may delist our securities from trading on its exchange, which could limit investors’ ability to make transactions in our securities and subject us to additional trading restrictions.
Although we meet the minimum initial listing standards set forth in the NYSE listing standards, we cannot assure you that our securities will continue to be listed on the NYSE in the future or prior to our initial business combination. In order to continue listing our securities on the NYSE prior to our initial business combination, we must maintain certain financial, distribution and stock price levels. Generally, we must maintain a minimum amount in stockholders’ equity and a minimum number of holders of our securities. Additionally, in connection with our initial business combination, we will be required to demonstrate compliance with the NYSE’s initial listing requirements, which are more rigorous than the NYSE’s continued listing requirements, in order to continue to maintain the listing of our securities on the NYSE. For instance, our stock price would generally be required to be at least $4.00 per share. We cannot assure you that we will be able to meet those initial listing requirements at that time. If the NYSE delists our securities from trading on its exchange and we are not able to list our securities on another national securities exchange, we expect our securities could be quoted on an market. If this were to occur, we could face significant material adverse consequences, including:
over-the-counter
• | a limited availability of market quotations for our securities; |
• | reduced liquidity for our securities; |
• | a determination that our Class A common stock is a “penny stock” which will require brokers trading in our Class A common stock to adhere to more stringent rules and possibly result in a reduced level of trading activity in the secondary trading market for our securities; |
• | a limited amount of news and analyst coverage; and |
• | a decreased ability to issue additional securities or obtain additional financing in the future. |
The National Securities Markets Improvement Act of 1996, which is a federal statute, prevents or preempts the states from regulating the sale of certain securities, which are referred to as “covered securities.” Because our units and our Class A common stock and warrants are listed on the NYSE, our units, Class A common stock and warrants are covered securities. Although the states are preempted from regulating the sale of our securities, the federal statute does allow the states to investigate companies if there is a suspicion of fraud, and, if there is a finding of fraudulent activity, then the states can regulate or bar the sale of covered securities in a particular case. While we are not aware of a state having used these powers to prohibit or restrict the sale of securities issued by blank check companies, other than the State of Idaho, certain state securities regulators view blank check companies unfavorably and might use these powers, or threaten to use these powers, to hinder the sale of securities of blank check companies in their states. Further, if we were no longer listed on the NYSE, our securities would not be covered securities and we would be subject to regulation in each state in which we offer our securities, including in connection with our initial business combination.
Subsequent to the completion of our initial business combination, we may be required to take write-downs or write-offs, restructuring and impairment or other charges that could have a significant negative effect on our financial condition, results of operations and our stock price, which could cause you to lose some or all of your investment.
34
Even if we conduct extensive due diligence on a target business with which we combine, we cannot assure you that this diligence will surface all material issues that may be present inside a particular target business, that it would be possible to uncover all material issues through a customary amount of due diligence, or that factors outside of the target business and outside of our control will not later arise. As a result of these factors, we may be forced to later write-down or
write-off
assets, restructure our operations, or incur impairment or other charges that could result in our reporting losses. Even if our due diligence successfully identifies certain risks, unexpected risks may arise and previously known risks may materialize in a manner not consistent with our preliminary risk analysis. Even though these charges may be non-cash
items and not have an immediate impact on our liquidity, the fact that we report charges of this nature could contribute to negative market perceptions about us or our securities. In addition, charges of this nature may cause us to violate net worth or other covenants to which we may be subject as a result of assuming pre-existing
debt held by a target business or by virtue of our obtaining debt financing to partially finance the initial business combination. Accordingly, any stockholders who choose to remain stockholders following the initial business combination could suffer a reduction in the value of their shares. Such stockholders are unlikely to have a remedy for such reduction in value unless they are able to successfully claim that the reduction was due to the breach by our officers or directors of a duty of care or other fiduciary duty owed to them, or if they are able to successfully bring a private claim under securities laws that the proxy solicitation or tender offer materials, as applicable, relating to the initial business combination constituted an actionable material misstatement or omission. If third parties bring claims against us, the proceeds held in the trust account could be reduced and the
per-share
redemption amount received by stockholders may be less than $10.00 per share. Our placing of funds in the trust account may not protect those funds from third-party claims against us. Although we will seek to have all vendors, service providers (other than our independent registered public accounting firm), prospective target businesses and other entities with which we do business execute agreements with us waiving any right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to any monies held in the trust account for the benefit of our public stockholders, such parties may not execute such agreements, or even if they execute such agreements they may not be prevented from bringing claims against the trust account, including, but not limited to, fraudulent inducement, breach of fiduciary responsibility or other similar claims, as well as claims challenging the enforceability of the waiver, in each case in order to gain advantage with respect to a claim against our assets, including the funds held in the trust account. If any third party refuses to execute an agreement waiving such claims to the monies held in the trust account, our management will perform an analysis of the alternatives available to it and will only enter into an agreement with a third party that has not executed a waiver if management believes that such third party’s engagement would be significantly more beneficial to us than any alternative. Making such a request of potential target businesses may make our acquisition proposal less attractive to them and, to the extent prospective target businesses refuse to execute such a waiver, it may limit the field of potential target businesses that we might pursue. WithumSmith+Brown, PC, our independent registered public accounting firm, and the underwriters of the initial public offering, will not execute agreements with us waiving such claims to the monies held in the trust account.
Examples of possible instances where we may engage a third party that refuses to execute a waiver include the engagement of a third-party consultant whose particular expertise or skills are believed by management to be significantly superior to those of other consultants that would agree to execute a waiver or in cases where management is unable to find a service provider willing to execute a waiver. In addition, there is no guarantee that such entities will agree to waive any claims they may have in the future as a result of, or arising out of, any negotiations, contracts or agreements with us and will not seek recourse against the trust account for any reason. Upon redemption of our public shares, if we do not complete our initial business combination within the prescribed timeframe, or upon the exercise of a redemption right in connection with our initial business combination, we will be required to provide for payment of claims of creditors that were not waived that may be brought against us within the ten years following redemption. Accordingly, the
per-share
redemption amount received by public stockholders could be less than the $10.00 per share initially held in the trust account, due to claims of such creditors. Pursuant to the letter agreement, our sponsor has agreed that it will be liable to us if and to the extent any claims by a third party for services rendered or products sold to us, or a prospective target business with which we have entered into a written letter of intent, confidentiality or similar agreement or business combination agreement, reduce the amount of funds in the trust account to below the lesser of (i) $10.00 per public share and (ii) the actual amount per public share held in the trust account as of the date of the liquidation of the trust account, if less than $10.00 per share due to reductions in the value of the trust assets, less taxes payable, provided that such liability will not apply to any claims by a third party or prospective target business who executed a waiver of any and all rights to the monies held in the trust account (whether or not such waiver is enforceable) nor will it apply to any claims under our indemnity of the underwriters of our initial public offering against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act. However, we have not asked our sponsor to reserve for such indemnification obligations, nor have we independently verified whether our sponsor has sufficient funds to satisfy its indemnity obligations and believe that our sponsor’s only assets are securities of our company. Therefore, we cannot assure you that our sponsor would be able to satisfy those obligations. As a result, if any such claims were successfully made against the trust account, the funds available for our initial business combination and redemptions could be reduced to less than $10.00 per public share. In such event, we may not be able to complete our initial business combination, and you would receive such lesser amount per share in connection with any redemption of your public shares. None of our officers, directors or members of our sponsor will indemnify us for claims by third parties including, without limitation, claims by vendors and prospective target businesses. 35
Our directors may decide not to enforce the indemnification obligations of our sponsor, resulting in a reduction in the amount of funds in the trust account available for distribution to our public stockholders.
In the event that the proceeds in the trust account are reduced below the lesser of (i) $10.00 per share and (ii) the actual amount per share held in the trust account as of the date of the liquidation of the trust account if less than $10.00 per share due to reductions in the value of the trust assets, in each case net of the interest which may be withdrawn to pay taxes, and our sponsor asserts that it is unable to satisfy its obligations or that it has no indemnification obligations related to a particular claim, our independent directors would determine whether to take legal action against our sponsor to enforce its indemnification obligations.
While we currently expect that our independent directors would take legal action on our behalf against our sponsor to enforce its indemnification obligations to us, it is possible that our independent directors in exercising their business judgment and subject to their fiduciary duties may choose not to do so in any particular instance if, for example, the cost of such legal action is deemed by the independent directors to be too high relative to the amount recoverable or if the independent directors determine that a favorable outcome is not likely. If our independent directors choose not to enforce these indemnification obligations, the amount of funds in the trust account available for distribution to our public stockholders may be reduced below $10.00 per share.
We may issue notes or other debt securities, or otherwise incur substantial debt, to complete an initial business combination, which may adversely affect our leverage and financial condition and thus negatively impact the value of our stockholders’ investment in us.
We may choose to incur substantial debt to complete our initial business combination. We have agreed that we will not incur any indebtedness unless we have obtained from the lender a waiver of any right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to the monies held in the trust account.
As such, no issuance of debt will affect the
per-share
amount available for redemption from the trust account. Nevertheless, the incurrence of debt could have a variety of negative effects, including: • | default and foreclosure on our assets if our operating revenues after an initial business combination are insufficient to repay our debt obligations; |
• | acceleration of our obligations to repay the indebtedness even if we make all principal and interest payments when due if we breach certain covenants that require the maintenance of certain financial ratios or reserves without a waiver or renegotiation of that covenant; |
• | our immediate payment of all principal and accrued interest, if any, if the debt is payable on demand; |
• | our inability to obtain necessary additional financing if the debt contains covenants restricting our ability to obtain such financing while the debt is outstanding; |
• | our inability to pay dividends on our common stock; |
• | using a substantial portion of our cash flow to pay principal and interest on our debt, which will reduce the funds available for dividends on our common stock if declared, our ability to pay expenses, make capital expenditures and acquisitions, and fund other general corporate purposes; |
• | limitations on our flexibility in planning for and reacting to changes in our business and in the industry in which we operate; |
• | increased vulnerability to adverse changes in general economic, industry and competitive conditions and adverse changes in government regulation; |
• | limitations on our ability to borrow additional amounts for expenses, capital expenditures, acquisitions, debt service requirements, and execution of our strategy; and |
• | other disadvantages compared to our competitors who have less debt. |
If, after we distribute the proceeds in the trust account to our public stockholders, we file a bankruptcy petition or an involuntary bankruptcy petition is filed against us that is not dismissed, a bankruptcy court may seek to recover such proceeds, and we and our board may be exposed to claims of punitive damages.
If, after we distribute the proceeds in the trust account to our public stockholders, we file a bankruptcy petition or an involuntary bankruptcy petition is filed against us that is not dismissed, any distributions received by stockholders could be viewed under applicable debtor/creditor and/or bankruptcy laws as either a “preferential transfer” or a “fraudulent conveyance.” As a result, a bankruptcy court could seek to recover all amounts received by our stockholders. In addition, our board of directors may be viewed as having breached its fiduciary duty to our creditors and/or having acted in bad faith, thereby exposing itself and us to claims of punitive damages, by paying public stockholders from the trust account prior to addressing the claims of creditors.
If, before distributing the proceeds in the trust account to our public stockholders, we file a bankruptcy petition or an involuntary bankruptcy petition is filed against us that is not dismissed, the claims of creditors in such proceeding may have priority over the claims of our stockholders and the
per-share
amount that would otherwise be received by our stockholders in connection with our liquidation may be reduced. 36
If, before distributing the proceeds in the trust account to our public stockholders, we file a bankruptcy petition or an involuntary bankruptcy petition is filed against us that is not dismissed, the proceeds held in the trust account could be subject to applicable bankruptcy law, and may be included in our bankruptcy estate and subject to the claims of third parties with priority over the claims of our stockholders. To the extent any bankruptcy claims deplete the trust account, the
per-share
amount that would otherwise be received by our stockholders in connection with our liquidation may be reduced. Our stockholders may be held liable for claims by third parties against us to the extent of distributions received by them upon redemption of their shares.
Under the DGCL, stockholders may be held liable for claims by third parties against a corporation to the extent of distributions received by them in a dissolution. The pro rata portion of our trust account distributed to our public stockholders upon the redemption of our public shares in the event we do not complete our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of our initial public offering (by March 12, 2023) or during any Extension Period may be considered a liquidating distribution under Delaware law. If a corporation complies with certain procedures set forth in Section 280 of the DGCL intended to ensure that it makes reasonable provision for all claims against it, including a
60-day
notice period during which any third-party claims can be brought against the corporation, a 90-day
period during which the corporation may reject any claims brought, and an additional 150-day
waiting period before any liquidating distributions are made to stockholders, any liability of stockholders with respect to a liquidating distribution is limited to the lesser of such stockholder’s pro rata share of the claim or the amount distributed to the stockholder, and any liability of the stockholder would be barred after the third anniversary of the dissolution. However, it is our intention to redeem our public shares as soon as reasonably possible following the end of the 24th month after the closing of our initial public offering or the expiration of any Extension Period in the event we do not complete our initial business combination and, therefore, we do not intend to comply with the foregoing procedures. Because we will not be complying with Section 280, Section 281(b) of the DGCL requires us to adopt a plan, based on facts known to us at such time that will provide for our payment of all existing and pending claims or claims that may be potentially brought against us within the ten years following our dissolution. However, because we are a blank check company, rather than an operating company, and our operations will be limited to searching for prospective target businesses to acquire, the only likely claims to arise would be from our vendors (such as lawyers, investment bankers, etc.) or prospective target businesses. If our plan of distribution complies with Section 281(b) of the DGCL, any liability of stockholders with respect to a liquidating distribution is limited to the lesser of such stockholder’s pro rata share of the claim or the amount distributed to the stockholder, and any liability of the stockholder would likely be barred after the third anniversary of the dissolution. We cannot assure you that we will properly assess all claims that may be potentially brought against us. As such, our stockholders could potentially be liable for any claims to the extent of distributions received by them (but no more) and any liability of our stockholders may extend beyond the third anniversary of such date. Furthermore, if the pro rata portion of our trust account distributed to our public stockholders upon the redemption of our public shares in the event we do not complete our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of our initial public offering (by March 12, 2023) or during any Extension Period is not considered a liquidating distribution under Delaware law and such redemption distribution is deemed to be unlawful (potentially due to the imposition of legal proceedings that a party may bring or due to other circumstances that are currently unknown), then pursuant to Section 174 of the DGCL, the statute of limitations for claims of creditors could then be six years after the unlawful redemption distribution, instead of three years, as in the case of a liquidating distribution.
We may issue additional common stock or preferred stock to complete our initial business combination or under an employee incentive plan after completion of our initial business combination. We may also issue shares of Class A common stock upon the conversion of the Class B common stock at a ratio greater than at the time of our initial business combination as a result of the anti-dilution provisions contained in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation. Any such issuances would dilute the interest of our stockholders and likely present other risks.
one-to-one
Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation authorizes the issuance of up to 100,000,000 shares of Class A common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, 10,000,000 shares of Class B common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, and 1,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $0.0001 per share. We have 76,182,299 and 4,045,575 authorized but unissued shares of Class A common stock and Class B common stock, respectively, available for issuance, which amount does not take into account the shares of Class A common stock reserved for issuance upon exercise of outstanding warrants. We have no shares of preferred stock issued and outstanding. Shares of Class B common stock are convertible into shares of our Class A common stock initially at a ratio but subject to adjustment as set forth herein, including in certain circumstances in which we issue Class A common stock or equity-linked securities related to our initial business combination. Shares of Class B common stock are also convertible at the option of the holder at any time.
one-for-one
We may issue a substantial number of additional shares of common or preferred stock to complete our initial business combination or under an employee incentive plan after completion of our initial business combination. We may also issue shares of Class A common stock to redeem the warrants or upon conversion of the Class B common stock at a ratio greater than at the time of our initial business combination as a result of the anti-dilution provisions contained in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation. However, our amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides, among other things, that prior to or in connection with our initial business combination, we may not issue additional shares of capital stock that would entitle the holders thereof to (i) receive funds from the trust
one-to-one
37
account or (ii) vote on any initial business combination. These provisions of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, like all provisions of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, may be amended with the approval of our stockholders. However, our officers and directors have agreed, pursuant to a written agreement with us, that they will not propose any amendment to our amended and restated certificate of incorporation (A) to modify the substance or timing of our obligation to allow redemption in connection with our initial business combination or to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of our initial public offering (by March 12, 2023) or (B) with respect to any other provision relating to stockholders’ rights or
pre-initial
business combination activity, unless we provide our public stockholders with the opportunity to redeem their shares of common stock upon approval of any such amendment 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), divided by the number of then outstanding public shares. The issuance of additional shares of common or preferred stock:
• | may significantly dilute the equity interest of investors in our initial public offering; |
• | may subordinate the rights of holders of common stock if preferred stock is issued with rights senior to those afforded our common stock; |
• | could cause a change of control if a substantial number of shares of our common stock are issued, which may affect, among other things, our ability to use our net operating loss carry forwards, if any, and could result in the resignation or removal of our present officers and directors; and |
• | may adversely affect prevailing market prices for our units, Class A common stock and/or warrants. |
Any stockholders who choose to remain stockholders following our initial business combination could suffer a reduction in the value of their securities.
We will seek to complete an initial business combination with companies in the consumer sector, including modern consumer brands, disruptive consumer-based technologies, luxury, beauty, and health and wellness, but may also pursue other business combination opportunities, except that we will not, under our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, be permitted to effectuate our initial business combination with another blank check company or similar company with nominal operations. To the extent we complete our initial business combination, we may be affected by numerous risks inherent in the business operations with which we combine. For example, if we combine with a financially unstable business or an entity lacking an established record of sales or earnings, we may be affected by the risks inherent in the business and operations of a financially unstable or a development stage entity. Although our officers and directors will endeavor to evaluate the risks inherent in a particular target business, we cannot assure you that we will properly ascertain or assess all of the significant risk factors or that we will have adequate time to complete due diligence. Furthermore, some of these risks may be outside of our control and leave us with no ability to control or reduce the chances that those risks will adversely impact a target business. We also cannot assure you that an investment in our units will ultimately prove to be more favorable to investors than a direct investment, if such opportunity were available, in a business combination target. Accordingly, any stockholders who choose to remain stockholders following our initial business combination could suffer a reduction in the value of their securities. Such stockholders are unlikely to have a remedy for such reduction in value unless they are able to successfully claim that the reduction was due to the breach by our officers or directors of a duty of care or other fiduciary duty owed to them, or if they are able to successfully bring a private claim under securities laws that the proxy solicitation or tender offer materials, as applicable, relating to the business combination contained an actionable material misstatement or material omission.
Unlike many other similarly structured blank check companies, our initial stockholders will receive additional shares of Class A common stock if we issue shares to consummate an initial business combination.
The founder shares will automatically convert into Class A common stock at the time of our initial business combination, or earlier at the option of the holders, on a basis, subject to adjustment as provided herein. In the case that additional shares of Class A common stock, or equity-linked securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Class A common stock, are issued or deemed issued in excess of the amounts offered in connection with our initial public offering and related to the closing of the initial business combination, the ratio at which founder shares shall convert into Class A common stock will be adjusted so that the number of Class A common stock issuable upon conversion of all founder shares will equal, in the aggregate, on an
one-for-one
as-converted
basis, 20% of the sum of (i) the total number of all outstanding shares of common stock upon completion of our initial public offering, plus (ii) all shares of Class A common stock and equity-linked securities issued, or deemed issued in connection with the initial business combination (excluding any shares or equity-linked securities issued, or to be issued, to any seller in the business combination, and any private placement-equivalent warrants issued to our sponsor or its affiliates upon conversion of loans made to us). This is different from most other similarly structured blank check companies in which the initial stockholder will only be issued an aggregate of 20% of the total number of shares to be outstanding prior to the initial business combination. We may amend the terms of the warrants in a manner that may be adverse to holders of public warrants with the approval by the holders of at least 50% of the then outstanding public warrants. As a result, the exercise price of your warrants could be increased, the exercise period could be shortened and the number of shares of our Class A common stock purchasable upon exercise of a warrant could be decreased, all without your approval.
38
Our warrants will be issued in registered form under a warrant agreement between Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, as warrant agent, and us. The warrant agreement provides that the terms of the warrants may be amended without the consent of any holder to cure any ambiguity or correct any defective provision, but requires the approval by the holders of at least 50% of the then outstanding public warrants to make any change that adversely affects the interests of the registered holders of public warrants. Accordingly, we may amend the terms of the public warrants in a manner adverse to a holder if holders of at least 50% of the then outstanding public warrants approve of such amendment. Although our ability to amend the terms of the public warrants with the consent of at least 50% of the then outstanding public warrants is unlimited, examples of such amendments could be amendments to, among other things, increase the exercise price of the warrants, convert the warrants into cash or stock, shorten the exercise period or decrease the number of shares of our Class A common stock purchasable upon exercise of a warrant.
A provision of our warrant agreement may make it more difficult for us to consummate an initial business combination.
Unlike most blank check companies, if
(i) | we issue additional shares of Class A common stock or equity-linked securities for capital raising purposes in connection with the closing of our initial business combination at a Newly Issued Price of less than $9.20 per share; |
(ii) | the aggregate gross proceeds from such issuances represent more than 60% of the total equity proceeds, and interest thereon, available for the funding of our initial business combination on the date of the consummation of our initial business combination (net of redemptions), and |
(iii) | the Market Value is below $9.20 per share, |
then the exercise price of the warrants will be adjusted to be equal to 115% of the higher of the Market Value and the Newly Issued Price, and the $18.00 per share redemption trigger prices described in our Registration Statement on Form
S-1
(No. 333-253203)
which the SEC declared effective on March 9, 2021, under “Description of Securities—Redeemable Warrants—Public Stockholders’ Warrants—Redemption of warrants when the price per share of Class A common stock equals or exceeds $18.00” and “Redemption of warrants when the price per share of Class A common stock equals or exceeds $10.00” 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 under “Description of Securities—Redeemable Warrants—Public Stockholders’ Warrants—Redemption of warrants when the price per share of Class A common stock equals or exceeds $10.00” will be adjusted (to the nearest cent) to be equal to the higher of the Market Value and the Newly Issued Price. This may make it more difficult for us to consummate an initial business combination with a target business. Because each unit contains
one-third
of one redeemable warrant and only a whole warrant may be exercised, the units may be worth less than units of other blank check companies. Each unit contains
one-third
of one redeemable warrant. No fractional warrants will be issued upon separation of the units and only whole warrants will trade. Accordingly, unless you purchase at least three units, you will not be able to receive or trade a whole warrant. This is different from other offerings similar to ours whose units include one share of common stock and one warrant to purchase one whole share. We have established the components of the units in this way in order to reduce the dilutive effect of the warrants upon completion of an initial business combination since the warrants will be exercisable in the aggregate for one third of the number of shares compared to units that each contain a whole warrant to purchase one share, thus making us, we believe, a more attractive merger partner for target businesses. Nevertheless, this unit structure may cause our units to be worth less than if they included a warrant to purchase one whole share. We are an emerging growth company and a smaller reporting company within the meaning of the Securities Act, and if we take advantage of certain exemptions from disclosure requirements available to emerging growth companies or smaller reporting companies, this could make our securities less attractive to investors and may make it more difficult to compare our performance with other public companies.
We are an “emerging growth company” within the meaning of the Securities Act, as modified by the JOBS Act, and we 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 auditor attestation requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation in our periodic reports and proxy statements, and exemptions from the requirements of holding a nonbinding advisory vote on executive compensation and stockholder approval of any golden parachute payments not previously approved. As a result, our stockholders may not have access to certain information they may deem important. We could be an emerging growth company for up to five years, although circumstances could cause us to lose that status earlier, including if the aggregate worldwide market value of our Class A common stock held by
non-affiliates
equals or exceeds $700.0 million as of any June 30 before that time, in which case we would no longer be an emerging growth company as of the following December 31. We cannot predict whether investors will find our securities less attractive because we will rely on these exemptions. If some investors find our securities less attractive as a result of our reliance on these exemptions, the trading prices of our securities may be lower than they otherwise would be, there may be a less active trading market for our securities and the trading prices of our securities may be more volatile. 39
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 a 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. We have 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, we, 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 our financial statements with another public company which is neither an emerging growth company nor an emerging growth company which has opted out of using the extended transition period difficult or impossible because of the potential differences in accounting standards used. Additionally, we are a “smaller reporting company” as defined in Item 10(f)(1) of Regulation
S-K.
Smaller reporting companies may take advantage of certain reduced disclosure obligations, including, among other things, providing only two years of audited financial statements. We will remain a smaller reporting company until the last day of the fiscal year in which (1) the aggregate worldwide market value of our Class A common stock held by non-affiliates
equaled or exceeded $250 million as of the prior June 30th, or (2) our annual revenues equaled or exceeded $100 million during such completed fiscal year and the aggregate worldwide market value of our Class A common stock held by non-affiliates
equaled or exceeded $700 million as of the prior June 30th. To the extent we take advantage of such reduced disclosure obligations, it may also make comparison of our financial statements and other disclosures with other public companies difficult or impossible. The grant of registration rights to our initial stockholders may make it more difficult to complete our initial business combination, and the future exercise of such rights may adversely affect the market price of our Class A common stock.
Our initial stockholders and their permitted transferees can demand that we register the shares of Class A common stock into which are founder shares are convertible, the private placement warrants, the shares of Class A common stock issuable upon exercise of the private placement warrants held, or to be held, by them, and holders of warrants that may be issued upon conversion of working capital loans may demand that we register such warrants or the Class A common stock issuable upon exercise of such warrants. We will bear the cost of registering these securities. The registration and availability of such a significant number of securities for trading in the public market may have an adverse effect on the market price of our Class A common stock. In addition, the existence of the registration rights may make our initial business combination more costly or difficult to conclude. This is because the stockholders of the target business may increase the equity stake they seek in the combined entity or ask for more cash consideration to offset the negative impact on the market price of our Class A common stock that is expected when the securities owned by our initial stockholders or holders of working capital loans or their respective permitted transferees are registered.
Provisions in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and Delaware law may inhibit a takeover of us, which could limit the price investors might be willing to pay in the future for our Class A common stock and could entrench management.
Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation contains provisions that may discourage unsolicited takeover proposals that stockholders may consider to be in their best interests. These provisions include the ability of the board of directors to designate the terms of and issue new series of preferred stock, and the fact that prior to the completion of our initial business combination only holders of shares of our Class B common stock, which may make the removal of management more difficult and may discourage transactions that otherwise could involve payment of a premium over prevailing market prices for our securities.
We are also subject to anti-takeover provisions under Delaware law, which could delay or prevent a change of control. Together these provisions may make the removal of management more difficult and may discourage transactions that otherwise could involve payment of a premium over prevailing market prices for our securities.
Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation requires, to the fullest extent permitted by law, that derivative actions brought in our name, actions against our directors, officers, other employees or stockholders for breach of fiduciary duty and other similar actions may be brought only in the Court of Chancery in the State of Delaware and, if brought outside of Delaware, the stockholder bringing the suit will be deemed to have consented to service of process on such stockholder’s counsel, which may have the effect of discouraging lawsuits against our directors, officers, other employees or stockholders.
Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation requires, to the fullest extent permitted by law, that derivative actions brought in our name, actions against our directors, officers, other employees or stockholders for breach of fiduciary duty and other similar actions may be brought only in the Court of Chancery in the State of Delaware and, if brought outside of Delaware, the stockholder bringing the suit will be deemed to have consented to service of process on such stockholder’s counsel except any action (A) as to which the Court of Chancery in the State of Delaware determines that there is an indispensable party not subject to the jurisdiction of the Court of Chancery (and the indispensable party does not consent to the personal jurisdiction of the Court of Chancery within ten days following such determination),
40
(B) which is vested in the exclusive jurisdiction of a court or forum other than the Court of Chancery, (C) for which the Court of Chancery does not have subject matter jurisdiction, or (D) any action created by the Exchange Act or any other claim for which the federal courts have exclusive jurisdiction. Any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring any interest in shares of our capital stock shall be deemed to have notice of and consented to the forum provisions in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation. Unless we consent in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the federal district courts of the United States shall be the exclusive forum for resolution of any complaint asserting a cause of action arising under the Securities Act. This choice of forum provision may limit a stockholder’s ability to bring a claim in a judicial forum that it finds favorable for disputes with us or any of our directors, officers, other employees or stockholders, which may discourage lawsuits with respect to such claims, although our stockholders will not be deemed to have waived our compliance with federal securities laws and the rules and regulations thereunder. Alternatively, if a court were to find the choice of forum provision contained in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation to be inapplicable or unenforceable in an action, we may incur additional costs associated with resolving such action in other jurisdictions, which could harm our business, operating results and financial condition.
Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that the exclusive forum provision will be applicable to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, subject to certain exceptions. Section 27 of the Exchange Act creates exclusive federal jurisdiction over all suits brought to enforce any duty or liability created by the Exchange Act or the rules and regulations thereunder. As a result, the exclusive forum provision does not apply to suits brought to enforce any duty or liability created by the Exchange Act or any other claim for which the federal courts have exclusive jurisdiction. In addition, our amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that, unless we consent in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the federal district courts of the United States of America shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be the exclusive forum for the resolution of any complaint asserting a cause of action arising under the Securities Act or the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
Risks Relating to Litigation
We may be the target of securities class action and derivative lawsuits that could result in substantial costs and may delay or prevent the initial business combination from being completed.
Securities class action lawsuits and derivative lawsuits are often brought against public companies that have entered into business combination agreements. Even if the lawsuits are without merit, defending against these claims can result in substantial costs and divert management time and resources. An adverse judgment could result in monetary damages, which could have a negative impact on our liquidity and financial condition. Additionally, if a plaintiff is successful in obtaining an injunction prohibiting completion of the initial business combination, then that injunction may delay or prevent the initial business combination from being completed, which may adversely affect us.
We may not have sufficient funds to satisfy indemnification claims of our directors and officers.
We have agreed to indemnify our officers and directors to the fullest extent permitted by law. However, our officers and directors have agreed to waive (and any other persons who may become an officer or director prior to the initial business combination will also be required to waive) any right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to any monies in the trust account and not to seek recourse against the trust account for any reason whatsoever (except to the extent they are entitled to funds from the trust account due to their ownership of public shares). Accordingly, any indemnification provided will be able to be satisfied by us only if (i) we have sufficient funds outside of the trust account or (ii) we consummate an initial business combination. Our obligation to indemnify our officers and directors may discourage stockholders from bringing a lawsuit against our officers or directors for breach of their fiduciary duty. These provisions also may have the effect of reducing the likelihood of derivative litigation against our officers and directors, even though such an action, if successful, might otherwise benefit us and our stockholders. Furthermore, a stockholder’s investment may be adversely affected to the extent we pay the costs of settlement and damage awards against our officers and directors pursuant to these indemnification provisions.
General Risk Factors
Changes in laws or regulations, or a failure to comply with any laws and regulations, may adversely affect our business, including our ability to negotiate and complete our initial business combination and results of operations.
We are subject to laws and regulations enacted by national, regional and local governments. In particular, we will be required to comply with certain SEC and other legal requirements. Compliance with, and monitoring of, applicable laws and regulations may be difficult, time consuming and costly.
Those laws and regulations and their interpretation and application may also change from time to time and those changes could have a material adverse effect on our business, investments and results of operations. In addition, a failure to comply with applicable laws or regulations, as interpreted and applied, could have a material adverse effect on our business, including our ability to negotiate and complete our initial business combination and results of operations.
41
Cyber incidents or attacks directed at us could result in information theft, data corruption, operational disruption and/or financial loss.
We depend on digital technologies, including information systems, infrastructure and cloud applications and services, including those of third parties with which we may deal. Sophisticated and deliberate attacks on, or security breaches in, our systems or infrastructure, or the systems or infrastructure of third parties or the cloud, could lead to corruption or misappropriation of our assets, proprietary information and sensitive or confidential data. As an early stage company without significant investments in data security protection, we may not be sufficiently protected against such occurrences. We may not have sufficient resources to adequately protect against, or to investigate and remediate any vulnerability to, cyber incidents. It is possible that any of these occurrences, or a combination of them, could have adverse consequences on our business and lead to financial loss.
ITEM 1B. UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS. |
None.
ITEM 2. PROPERTIES. |
We currently maintain executive offices at 725 5th Avenue, 23rd Floor, New York, NY 10022. The cost for this space is included in the $10,000 per month fee that we pay an affiliate of the Sponsor for office space, utilities, administrative and support services. We consider our current office space adequate for our current operations.
ITEM 3. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS. |
None.
ITEM 4. MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURES |
Not applicable.
PART II
ITEM 5. MARKET FOR REGISTRANT’S COMMON EQUITY, RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS AND ISSUER PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES. |
Market Information
Our units, Class A common stock and public warrants are traded on the NYSE under the symbols “SBII.U,” “SBII,” and “SBII WS,” respectively.
Holders
As of December 31, 2021, there was one holder of record of our units, one holder of record of our Class A common stock, four holders of record of Sandbridge Class B common stock and two holders of record of our public warrants. The number of holders of record does not include a substantially greater number of ‘‘street name’’ holders or beneficial holders whose units, Sandbridge Class A common stock and public warrants are held of record by banks, brokers and other financial institutions.
Dividends
We have not paid any cash dividends on our common stock to date and do not intend to pay cash dividends prior to the completion of our initial business combination. The payment of cash dividends in the future will be dependent upon our revenues and earnings, if any, capital requirements and general financial condition subsequent to completion of our initial business combination. The payment of any cash dividends subsequent to our initial business combination will be within the discretion of our board of directors at such time. In addition, our board of directors is not currently contemplating and does not anticipate declaring any stock dividends in the foreseeable future. Further, if we incur any indebtedness in connection with our initial business combination, our ability to declare dividends may be limited by restrictive covenants we may agree to in connection therewith.
42
Recent Sales of Unregistered Securities; Use of Proceeds from Registered Offerings
In January 2021, we issued an aggregate of 5,750,000 founder shares to our sponsor for an aggregate purchase price of $25,000 in cash, or approximately $0.004 per share. Such securities were issued pursuant to the exemption from registration contained in Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act.
On March 12, 2021, we consummated our initial public offering of 23,817,701 units, which included the partial exercise by the underwriters of the over-allotment option to purchase an additional 1,817,701 units. The units s were sold at an offering price of $10.00 per unit, generating total gross proceeds of $238,177,010. Citigroup Global Markets Inc. (“Citigroup”) and UBS Securities LLC (“UBS”) acted as joint book-running managers. The securities in the offering were registered under the Securities Act on a registration statement on Form
S-1
(No. 333-253203).
The SEC declared the registration statement effective on March 9, 2021. Simultaneously with the consummation of our initial public offering, including the closing of the over-allotment option, we consummated the private placement of an aggregate of 4,509,027 private placement warrants at a price of $1.50 per warrant, generating total proceed of $6,763,540.50. The issuance was made pursuant to the exemption from registration contained in Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act.
The private placement warrants are identical to the warrants underlying the units sold in our initial public offering, except that the private placement warrants are not transferable, assignable or salable until 30 days after the completion of a Business Combination, subject to certain limited exceptions.
Of the gross proceeds received from our initial public offering, including the closing of the over-allotment option, and the private placement warrants, $238,177,010 was placed in the Trust Account.
We paid a total of $4,204,000 in underwriting discounts and commissions and $694,806 for other offering costs related to our initial public offering. In addition, the underwriters agreed to defer $8,336,195 in underwriting discounts and commissions.
ITEM 7. |
MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS. |
The following discussion and analysis of the Company’s financial condition and results of operations should be read in conjunction with our audited financial statements and the notes related thereto which are included in “Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data” of this Annual Report on Form
10-K.
Certain information contained in the discussion and analysis set forth below includes forward-looking statements. Our actual results may differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of many factors, including those set forth under “Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements,” “Item 1A. Risk Factors” and elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
Overview
We are a blank check company formed under the laws of the State of Delaware on January 15, 2021for the purpose of effecting a merger, capital stock exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, reorganization or other similar business combination with one or more businesses (the “Business Combination”). We intend to effectuate our Business Combination using cash from the proceeds of the Initial Public Offering and the sale of the Private Placement Warrants (each as defined below), our capital stock, debt or a combination of cash, stock and debt.
Results of Operations
We have neither engaged in any operations nor generated any revenues to date. Our only activities from January 15, 2021(inception) through December 31, 2021 were organizational activities, those necessary to prepare for our initial public offering (the “Initial Public Offering”), described below, and the search for a target company for a Business Combination. We do not expect to generate any operating revenues until after the completion of our Business Combination. We generate
non-operating
income in the form of interest income on investments held in the Trust Account (as defined below). We incur expenses as a result of being a public company (for legal, financial reporting, accounting and auditing compliance), as well as for due diligence expenses. For the period from January 15, 2021 (inception) through December 31, 2021, we had a net income of $749,657 which consists of operating costs of $2,491,946, transaction costs allocated to warrant liability of $380,000, offset by a change in the fair value of our warrant liability of $3,609,996, interest income on marketable securities held in the Trust Account of $3,043 and dividend income of $8,564. In connection with the evaluation of and negotiation with a potential target business for our initial business combination, we incurred $1,433,491 in costs during the period from January 15, 2021 (inception) through December 31, 2021.
43
Liquidity and Capital Resources
Until the consummation of the Initial Public Offering, our only source of liquidity was an initial purchase of shares of our Class B common stock by the Sponsor and loans from our Sponsor.
On March 12, 2021, we completed the Initial Public Offering of 23,817,701 Units at a price of $10.00 per Unit, which includes the partial exercise by the underwriters of the over-allotment option to purchase an additional 1,817,701, Units generating gross proceeds of $238,177,010. Simultaneously with the closing of the Initial Public Offering, we completed the sale of 4,509,027 warrants (the “Private Placement Warrants”) at a price of $1.50 per Private Placement Warrant in a private placement to our Sponsor, generating gross proceeds of $6,763,540.50.
Following the Initial Public Offering, including the partial exercise of the over-allotment option by the underwriters’ and the sale of the Private Placement Warrants, a total of $238,177,010 was placed in a trust account (the “Trust Account”) and we had $1,977,519 of cash held outside of the Trust Account, after payment of certain costs related to the Initial Public Offering, and available for working capital purposes.
We incurred $13,341,815 in Initial Public Offering related costs, consisting of $4,367,540 in cash underwriting fees, $8,336,195 of deferred underwriting fees and $638,080 of other offering costs.
For the period from January 15, 2021 (inception) through December 31, 2021, cash used in operating activities was $1,197,377. Net income of $749,657 was affected by transaction costs allocated to warrant liability of $380,000, interest earned on marketable securities held in the Trust Account of $3,043 and dividend income earned on marketable securities held in the Trust Account of $8,564, and change in the fair value of the warrant liability of $3,609,996. Changes in operating assets and liabilities provided $1,294,569 of cash for operating activities.
As of December 31, 2021, we had cash and investments held in the Trust Account of $238,188,617 consisting of exchange-traded funds. We intend to use substantially all of the funds held in the Trust Account, including any amounts representing interest earned on the Trust Account, to complete our Business Combination. We may withdraw interest to pay franchise and income taxes. During the period ended December 31, 2021, we did not withdraw any interest earned on the Trust Account. To the extent that our capital stock or debt is used, in whole or in part, as consideration to complete our Business Combination, the remaining proceeds held in the Trust Account will be used as working capital to finance the operations of the target business or businesses, make other acquisitions and pursue our growth strategies.
As of December 31, 2021, we had cash of $587,754 outside of the Trust Account. We intend to use the funds held outside the Trust Account primarily to identify and evaluate target businesses, perform business due diligence on prospective target businesses, travel to and from the offices, plants or similar locations of prospective target businesses or their representatives or owners, review corporate documents and material agreements of prospective target businesses, and structure, negotiate and complete a Business Combination.
In order to fund working capital deficiencies or finance transaction costs in connection with a Business Combination, the Sponsor, an affiliate of the Sponsor, or our officers and directors may, but are not obligated to, loan us funds as may be required. If we complete a Business Combination, we would repay such loaned amounts. In the event that a Business Combination does not close, we may use a portion of the working capital held outside the trust account to repay such loaned amounts but no proceeds from our Trust Account would be used for such repayment. Up to $1,500,000 of such loans may be convertible into warrants, at a price of $1.50 per warrant at the option of the lender. The warrants would be identical to the Private Placement Warrants, including as to exercise price, exercisability and exercise period. The terms of such loans by our officers and directors, if any, have not been determined and no written agreements exist with respect to such loans. The loans would be repaid upon consummation of a Business Combination, without interest.
We do not believe we will need to raise additional funds in order to meet the expenditures required for operating our business. However, if our estimate of the costs of identifying a target business, undertaking
in-depth
due diligence and negotiating a Business Combination are less than the actual amount necessary to do so, we may have insufficient funds available to operate our business prior to our Business Combination. Moreover, we may need to obtain additional financing either to complete our Business Combination or because we become obligated to redeem a significant number of our public shares upon consummation of our Business Combination, in which case we may issue additional securities or incur debt in connection with such Business Combination. Subject to compliance with applicable securities laws, we would only complete such financing simultaneously with the completion of our Business Combination. If we are unable to complete our Business Combination because we do not have sufficient funds available to us, we will be forced to cease operations and liquidate the Trust Account. In addition, following our Business Combination, if cash on hand is insufficient, we may need to obtain additional financing in order to meet our obligations. 44
Off-Balance
Sheet Arrangements We have no obligations, assets or liabilities, which would be considered
off-balance
sheet arrangements as of December 31, 2021. We do not participate in transactions that create relationships with unconsolidated entities or financial partnerships, often referred to as variable interest entities, which would have been established for the purpose of facilitating off-balance
sheet arrangements. We have not entered into any off-balance
sheet financing arrangements, established any special purpose entities, guaranteed any debt or commitments of other entities, or purchased any non-financial
assets. Contractual Obligations
We do not have any long-term debt, capital lease obligations, operating lease obligations or long-term liabilities, other than an agreement to pay an affiliate of the Sponsor a monthly fee of $10,000 for office space, utilities and secretarial and administrative support to the Company. We began incurring these fees on March 9, 2021 and will continue to incur these fees monthly until the earlier of the completion of the Business Combination and the Company’s liquidation.
Certain of the underwriters of the Initial Public Offering are entitled to a deferred fee of $0.35 per Unit, or $8,336,195 in the aggregate. 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. The underwriters did not receive any upfront underwriting discount or commissions on the 1,980,000 Units purchased by the members of our Sponsor that are affiliated with Pacific Investment Management Company LLC, but will receive deferred underwriting commissions with respect to such Units.
Critical Accounting Policies
The preparation of financial statements and related disclosures in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements, and income and expenses during the periods reported. Actual results could materially differ from those estimates. We have identified the following critical accounting policies:
Warrant Liability
We account for the warrants issued in connection with our Initial Public Offering in accordance with the guidance contained in Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 815 “Derivatives and Hedging” under which the warrants do not meet the criteria for equity treatment and must be recorded as liabilities. Accordingly, we classify the warrants as liabilities at their fair value and adjust the warrants to fair value at each reporting period. This liability is subject to
re-measurement
at each balance sheet date until exercised, and any change in fair value is recognized in our statement of operations. The initial fair value of the warrants was estimated using the binomial lattice method. Class A Common Stock Subject to Possible Redemption
We account for our shares of Class A common stock subject to possible redemption in accordance with the guidance in Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) Topic 480 “Distinguishing Liabilities from Equity.” Shares of Class A common stock subject to mandatory redemption is classified as a liability instrument and is measured at fair value. Conditionally redeemable common stock (including common stock that features 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) is classified as temporary equity. At all other times, common stock is classified as stockholders’ equity. Our common stock features certain redemption rights that are considered to be outside of our control and subject to occurrence of uncertain future events. Accordingly, the Class A common stock subject to possible redemption is presented as temporary equity, outside of the stockholders’ deficit section of our balance sheet.
Net Income (Loss) per Common Share
Net income (loss) per share of common stock is computed by dividing net loss by the weighted average number of shares of common stock outstanding during the period. Accretion associated with the redeemable shares of Class A common stock is excluded from earnings per share as the redemption value approximates fair value.
Recent Accounting Standards
Management does not believe that any recently issued, but not yet effective, accounting standards, if currently adopted, would have a material effect on our financial statements.
ITEM 7A. |
QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK. |
As of December 31, 2021, we were not subject to any market or interest rate risk. Following the consummation of our Initial Public Offering, the net proceeds of our Initial Public Offering, including amounts in the Trust Account, have been invested in U.S. government treasury obligations with a maturity of 185 days or less or in certain money market funds that invest solely in U.S. treasuries. Due to the short-term nature of these investments, we believe there will be no associated material exposure to interest rate risk.
45
ITEM 8. |
CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA. |
This information appears following Item 15 of this Annual Report and is included herein by reference.
ITEM 9. |
CHANGES IN AND DISAGREEMENTS WITH ACCOUNTANTS ON ACCOUNTING AND FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE. |
None.
ITEM 9A. |
CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES. |
Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures
Disclosure controls are procedures that are designed with the objective of ensuring that information required to be disclosed in our reports filed under the Exchange Act, such as this Report, is recorded, processed, summarized, and reported within the time period specified in the SEC’s rules and forms. Disclosure controls are also designed with the objective of ensuring that such information is accumulated and communicated to our management, including the chief executive officer and chief financial officer, as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure.
Under the supervision and with the participation of our management, including our principal executive officer and principal financial and accounting officer, we conducted an evaluation of the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures as of the end of the fiscal quarter ended December 31, 2021, as such term is defined in Rules
13a-15(e)
and 15d-15(e)
under the Exchange Act. Based upon that evaluation, our certifying officers concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures were not effective as of December 31, 2021, due to a failure to correctly apply the nuances of the complex accounting standards that apply to our financial statements, including with respect to certain complex financial instruments, which resulted in the material weakness in our internal control over financial reporting described below in “Changes in Internal Control Over Financial Reporting.” In light of this material weakness, we performed additional analysis as deemed necessary to ensure that our financial statements were prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles. Accordingly, management believes that the financial statements included in this Annual Report present fairly in all material respects our financial position, results of operations and cash flows for the period presented. We do not expect that our disclosure controls and procedures will prevent all errors and all instances of fraud. Disclosure controls and procedures, no matter how well conceived and operated, can provide only reasonable, not absolute, assurance that the objectives of the disclosure controls and procedures are met. Further, the design of disclosure controls and procedures must reflect the fact that there are resource constraints, and the benefits must be considered relative to their costs. Because of the inherent limitations in all disclosure controls and procedures, no evaluation of disclosure controls and procedures can provide absolute assurance that we have detected all our control deficiencies and instances of fraud, if any. The design of disclosure controls and procedures also is based partly on certain assumptions about the likelihood of future events, and there can be no assurance that any design will succeed in achieving its stated goals under all potential future conditions.
Management’s Report on Internal Controls Over Financial Reporting
This Annual Report on Form
10-K
does not include a report of management’s assessment regarding internal control over financial reporting or an attestation report of our independent registered public accounting firm due to a transition period established by rules of the SEC for newly public companies. Changes in Internal Control over Financial Reporting
In light of its material weakness, the Company’s management has expended, and will continue to expend, effort and resources for the remediation and improvement of our internal control over financial reporting. Specifically, we have expanded and improved our review process for complex securities and related accounting standards, including enhancing access to accounting literature and further consulting third-party professionals with expertise in such complex accounting applications. Other than as described herein, 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)
of 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. 46
ITEM 9B. |
OTHER INFORMATION. |
None.
PART III
ITEM 10. |
DIRECTORS, EXECUTIVE OFFICERS AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE. |
Directors and Executive Officers
Sandbridge X2’s directors and executive officers are as follows:
Name |
Age |
Position | ||
Ken Suslow | 51 | Chairman of the Board of Directors and Chief Executive Officer | ||
Richard Henry | 40 | Chief Financial Officer | ||
Joe Lamastra | 60 | Chief Operating Officer | ||
Domenico De Sole | 78 | Director | ||
Cynthia Isgrig | 56 | Director | ||
Ramez Toubassy | 49 | Director | ||
Jamie Weinstein | 45 | Director |
Ken Suslow
co-founding
Sandbridge Capital, Mr. Suslow was Managing Director at The Strand Partners, the Los Angeles-based family office vehicle for William C. Powers, where Mr. Suslow advised and led investments in privately held consumer companies. Mr. Suslow serves on the boards of Hydrow, Owlet, Inc., Peach & Lily, Inc., and ILIA, Inc., is a Board Advisor to Rossignol’s apparel division and is the former Chairman of Thom Browne. Mr. Suslow has a B.A. from Pomona College and an M.B.A. from the Stanford Graduate School of Business. We believe that Mr. Suslow’s significant experience managing a global consumer private equity fund, analyzing investments and advising companies in the consumer space make him well qualified to serve as a member of our board of directors. Richard Henry
Joe Lamastra
THC
”) on the NYSE, the 1998 $1.1 billion acquisition of Apparel International Holdings Ltd by THC, the 2006 acquisition of THC by Apax Partners and the 2010 sale of THC to PVH Corp. for approximately $3.0 billion. Prior to 1998, Mr. Lamastra was a partner and attorney at the law firm Graham Curtin P.A., where he specialized in mergers and acquisitions, tax and corporate transactions. Mr. Lamastra started his career as a Financial Analyst with The 47
Amerivest Group. He also worked for Touche Ross & Company (now Deloitte) in its Tax Department concentrating on mergers, acquisitions, real estate, and other corporate transactions. Mr. Lamastra was also a member on the board of Thom Browne and on the Villanova University School of Business Dean’s Advisory Board. He currently serves on Villanova University’s Provost’s Board. Mr. Lamastra has a J.D. from Seton Hall Law School and a B.S. in Finance from Villanova University.
Domenico De Sole
co-founder
of luxury retailer Tom Ford International, LLC and has been the Chairman of its board of directors since its formation in 2005. During this time, Mr. De Sole also advised TPG Capital Advisors, LLC in connection with the repositioning and sale of Bally International AG. From 1984 to 1994, Mr. De Sole served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Gucci America and, from 1994 to 2004, he served as the President and Chief Executive Officer of Gucci Group, a company he helped transform from an almost bankrupt monobrand company into one of the largest and most profitable luxury groups in the world, which included brands such as Bottega Veneta, Yves Saint Laurent, Balenciaga, Stella McCartney, Alexander McQueen and Sergio Rossi. Previously, Mr. De Sole practiced law at the firm Patton, Boggs and Blow. Mr. De Sole has served on numerous public and private company boards of directors, including his current roles as Chairman of Tom Ford International, LLC and a director of Pirelli & C. S.p.A. He formerly served as Chairman of Sotheby’s, lead independent director of Telecom Italia S.p.A. and a director of Acamar Partners Acquisition Corp., Condé Nast, Bausch & Lomb Incorporated, Delta Airlines, Inc., Gap, Inc., Newell Brands Inc. and Procter & Gamble. Mr. De Sole has been nominated to serve on the board of directors of Acamar Partners Acquisition Corp. II and Brimstone Acquisition Holdings Corp. Mr. De Sole graduated from the University of Rome with a law degree and received an L.L.M. from Harvard Law School where he served as a member of the Dean’s Advisory Board. We believe that Mr. De Sole is well qualified to serve as a member of our board of directors based on his extensive background in the consumer and retail sectors, along with his broad leadership and operational experience. Cynthia Isgrig, CPA
C-level
executive consulting firm, since January 2021. Prior to joining Isgrig Consulting Services, Inc., Ms. Isgrig worked at Target Corporation from April 2014 to September 2020. During that time, she served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Target’s subsidiary Dermstore, an e-commerce
company, from November 2017 to September 2020, and as Chief Financial Officer of Target’s subsidiary Consensus, a software-as-a-service
Ramez Toubassy
Co-Founder
and CEO of Spotlight Brands, a brand management platform that acquires intellectual property and relaunches business under an asset-light business model that strategically utilizes licensing, franchising and joint ventures to deliver growth. From May 2016 to September 2020, Mr. Toubassy served as President, Brands of Gordon Brothers, a global advisory, restructuring and investment firm, focusing on the acquisition, turnaround and sale of intellectual property assets, as well as providing valuation expertise for brand appraisals. Prior to joining Gordon Brothers, from April 2014 to May 2016, Mr. Toubassy was the Founding Partner of Blast-Off
Brands, where he was involved in several branding and licensing projects, including serving as the Interim President of the Life is Good lifestyle brand and as the exclusive global licensing agent for Kodak. Before forming Blast-Off
Brands, Mr. Toubassy spent over a decade leading Brand Sense Partners, LLC, a top global branding and licensing agency, most of that time serving as its President and Chief Executive Officer. At Brand Sense, Mr. Toubassy worked with a variety of notable brands, and also drove brand acquisition and operational efforts. Previously, Mr. Toubassy held various business development and licensing, principal and advisory roles at Indian Motorcycle International, LLC, Evolution Global Partners, Deutsche Bank and PricewaterhouseCoopers. Mr. Toubassy has a B.A. in economics from Pomona College and an M.B.A. from the Stanford Graduate School of Business. Mr. Toubassy is a member of the Young Presidents’ Organization. We believe that Mr. Toubassy is well qualified to serve as a member of our board of directors based on his extensive background in the consumer and retail sectors, along with his broad leadership and operational experience. Jamie Weinstein
KKR
”) as a portfolio manager for the firm’s special situations funds and portfolios, which he managed since their inception in 2009. Mr. Weinstein was also a member of KKR’s special situations, real estate, and India NBFC investment committees and the KKR credit portfolio management committee. Previously, Mr. Weinstein was a portfolio manager with responsibility across KKR’s credit strategies. Prior to joining KKR, Mr. Weinstein was with Tishman Speyer Properties as director of acquisitions for Northern California and at Boston Consulting Group as a consultant. Mr. Weinstein serves on the boards of Climate Real Impact Solutions II Acquisition Corporation and Freedom Acquisition I Corporation. Mr. Weinstein received an M.B.A. from the Stanford Graduate School of Business in 2002 and a B.S. in Civil Engineering and Operations Research from Princeton University in 1998. We believe Mr. Weinstein is well qualified to serve on our board of directors based on his extensive leadership and business experience, including his expertise in investment management and acquisitions. 48
Special Advisors and Board Observers
Our management and board of directors is supported by two special advisors, Tommy Hilfiger and Bill Powers.
Tommy Hilfiger
Bill Powers
Dan Degtyar
Richard Henry
Number and Terms of Officers and Directors
The Sandbridge Board consists of five directors, with each director holding office for a
two-year
term. Prior to the completion of an initial business combination, any vacancy on the Sandbridge Board may be filled by a nominee chosen by holders of a majority of the founder shares. In addition, prior to the completion of an initial business combination, holders of a majority of the founder shares may remove a member of the Sandbridge Board for any reason. Additionally, in accordance with NYSE corporate governance requirements, we are not required to hold an annual meeting until one full year after our first fiscal year end following our listing on NYSE. As a result, we may not hold an annual meeting of stockholders until after we consummate the anticipated initial business combination. Sandbridge’s officers are appointed by the Sandbridge Board and serve at the discretion of the Sandbridge Board, rather than for specific terms of office. The Sandbridge Board is authorized to appoint officers as it deems appropriate pursuant to Sandbridge’s bylaws. Sandbridge’s bylaws provide that officers may consist of a Chairman of the Sandbridge Board, Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer, President, Vice Presidents, Secretary, Treasurer, Assistant Secretaries and such other offices as may be determined by the Sandbridge Board.
Director Independence
The rules of the NYSE require that a majority of the Sandbridge Board be independent. An “independent director” is defined generally as a person who, in the opinion of the company’s board of directors, has no material relationship with the listed company (either directly or as a partner, stockholder or officer of an organization that has a relationship with the company). The Sandbridge Board has determined that each of Mr. De Sole, Mr. Toubassy and Ms. Isgrig are “independent directors” as defined in the rules of the NYSE and applicable SEC rules.
49
Officer and Director Compensation
In no event will our sponsor or any of our existing officers or directors, or any entity with which our sponsor, officers or directors are affiliated, be paid any finder’s fee, reimbursement, consulting fee, monies in respect of any payment of a loan or other compensation by the company prior to, or in connection with any services rendered for any services they render in order to effectuate, the completion of our initial business combination (regardless of the type of transaction that it is). However, these individuals will be reimbursed for any expenses incurred in connection with activities on our behalf such as identifying potential target businesses and performing due diligence on suitable business combinations. We do not have a policy that prohibits our sponsor, officers or directors, or any of their respective affiliates, from negotiating for the reimbursement of expenses by a target business. Our audit committee will review on a quarterly basis all payments that were made to our sponsor, officers or directors, or our or their affiliates. Any such payments prior to an initial business combination will be made using funds held outside the trust account. Other than quarterly audit committee review of such payments, we do not expect to have any additional controls in place governing our reimbursement payments to our directors and officers for their expenses incurred in connection with identifying and consummating an initial business combination.
out-of-pocket
out-of-pocket
out-of-pocket
After the completion of our initial business combination, directors or members of our management team who remain with us may be paid consulting or management fees from the combined company. These fees will be disclosed to stockholders in accordance with applicable rules and regulations, to the extent then known, in the tender offer materials or proxy solicitation materials furnished to our stockholders in connection with a proposed initial business combination. We have not established any limit on the amount of such fees that may be paid by the combined company to our directors or members of management. It is unlikely the amount of such compensation will be known at the time of the proposed initial business combination, because the directors of the post-combination business will be responsible for determining officer and director compensation. Any compensation to be paid to our officers will be determined, or recommended to the board of directors for determination, either by a compensation committee constituted solely by independent directors or by a majority of the independent directors on our board of directors.
We do not intend to take any action to ensure that members of our management team maintain their positions with us after the consummation of our initial business combination, although it is possible that some or all of our officers and directors may negotiate employment or consulting arrangements to remain with us after our initial business combination. The existence or terms of any such employment or consulting arrangements to retain their positions with us may influence our management team’s motivation in identifying or selecting a target business but we do not believe that the ability of our management to remain with us after the consummation of our initial business combination will be a determining factor in our decision to proceed with any potential business combination. We are not party to any agreements with our officers and directors that provide for benefits upon termination of employment.
Committees of the Board of Directors
Our board of directors has three standing committees: an audit committee, a compensation committee and a nominating and corporate governance committee. Subject to
phase-in
rules and a limited exception, the NYSE rules and Rule 10A-3
of the Exchange Act require that the audit committee of a listed company be comprised solely of independent directors, and the NYSE rules require that the compensation committee and nominating and corporate governance committee of a listed company each be comprised solely of independent directors. Each committee operates under a charter that complies with the NYSE rules, has been approved by our board of directors and has the composition and responsibilities described below. The charter of each committee is available on our website. Audit Committee
We have established an audit committee of the board of directors. Cynthia Isgrig, Domenico De Sole and Ramez Toubassy serve as members of our audit committee, and Ramez Toubassy chairs the audit committee. Under the NYSE listing standards and applicable SEC rules, we are required to have at least three members of the audit committee, all of whom must be independent within one year of listing on the NYSE. Each of Cynthia Isgrig, Domenico De Sole and Ramez Toubassy meet the independent director standard under the NYSE listing standards and under Rule of the Exchange Act.
10-A-3(b)(1)
Each member of the audit committee is financially literate and our board of directors has determined that Ramez Toubassy qualifies as an “audit committee financial expert” as defined in applicable SEC rules and has accounting or related financial management expertise.
We have adopted an audit committee charter, which details the principal functions of the audit committee, including:
• | assisting board oversight of (1) the integrity of our financial statements, (2) our compliance with legal and regulatory requirements, (3) the independent registered public accounting firm’s qualifications and independence and (4) the performance of our internal audit function and the independent registered public accounting firm; |
• | the appointment, compensation, retention, replacement, and oversight of the work of the independent registered public accounting firm engaged by us; |
• | pre-approving all audit and permitted non-audit services to be provided by the independent registered public accounting firm engaged by us, and establishing pre-approval policies and procedures; |
• | setting clear hiring policies for employees or former employees of the independent registered public accounting firm, including but not limited to, as required by applicable laws and regulations; |
• | setting clear policies for audit partner rotation in compliance with applicable laws and regulations; |
50
• | obtaining and reviewing a report, at least annually, from the independent registered public accounting firm describing (i) the independent registered public accounting firm’s internal quality-control procedures, (ii) any material issues raised by the most recent internal quality-control review, or peer review, of the audit firm, or by any inquiry or investigation by governmental or professional authorities within the preceding five years respecting one or more independent audits carried out by the firm and any steps taken to deal with such issues and (iii) all relationships between the independent registered public accounting firm and us to assess the independent registered public accounting firm’s independence; |
• | meeting to review and discuss our annual audited financial statements and quarterly financial statements with management and the independent registered public accounting firm, including reviewing our specific disclosures under “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” |
• | reviewing and approving any related party transaction required to be disclosed pursuant to Item 404 of Regulation S-K promulgated by the SEC prior to us entering into such transaction; and |
• | reviewing with management, the independent registered public accounting firm, and our legal advisors, as appropriate, any legal, regulatory or compliance matters, including any correspondence with regulators or government agencies and any employee complaints or published reports that raise material issues regarding our financial statements or accounting policies and any significant changes in accounting standards or rules promulgated by the Financial Accounting Standards Board, the SEC or other regulatory authorities. |
Compensation Committee
We have established a compensation committee of the board of directors. Cynthia Isgrig, Domenico De Sole and Ramez Toubassy serve as members of our compensation committee. Under the NYSE listing standards and applicable SEC rules, all members of the compensation committee must be independent. Cynthia Isgrig, Domenico De Sole and Ramez Toubassy are independent and Ramez Toubassy chairs the compensation committee.
We have adopted a compensation committee charter, which details the principal functions of the compensation committee, including:
• | reviewing and approving on an annual basis the corporate goals and objectives relevant to our Chief Executive Officer’s compensation, if any is paid by us, evaluating our Chief Executive Officer’s performance in light of such goals and objectives and determining and approving the remuneration (if any) of our Chief Executive Officer based on such evaluation; |
• | reviewing and making recommendations on an annual basis to our board of directors with respect to (or approving, if such authority is so delegated by our board of directors) the compensation, if any is paid by us, and any incentive-compensation and equity-based plans that are subject to board approval of our other officers; |
• | reviewing on an annual basis our executive compensation policies and plans; |
• | implementing and administering our incentive compensation equity-based remuneration plans; |
• | assisting management in complying with our proxy statement and annual report disclosure requirements; |
• | approving all special perquisites, special cash payments and other special compensation and benefit arrangements for our officers and employees; |
• | if required, producing a report on executive compensation to be included in our annual proxy statement; and |
• | reviewing, evaluating and recommending changes, if appropriate, to the remuneration for directors. |
Notwithstanding the foregoing, as indicated above, until the earlier of the consummation of our initial business combination or our liquidation and the payment to an affiliate of our sponsor of $10,000 per month, for office space, utilities and secretarial and administrative support and reimbursement of expenses, and in connection with potentially providing financing or other investments in connection with our initial business combination, no compensation of any kind, including finders, consulting or other similar fees, will be paid to any of our existing stockholders, officers, directors or any of their respective affiliates, prior to, or for any services they render in order to effectuate the consummation of an initial business combination. Accordingly, it is likely that prior to the consummation of an initial business combination, the compensation committee will only be responsible for the review and recommendation of any compensation arrangements to be entered into in connection with such initial business combination.
The charter also provides that the compensation committee may, in its sole discretion, retain or obtain the advice of a compensation consultant, legal counsel or other adviser and will be directly responsible for the appointment, compensation and oversight of the work of any such adviser. However, before engaging or receiving advice from a compensation consultant, external legal counsel or any other adviser, the compensation committee will consider the independence of each such adviser, including the factors required by the NYSE and the SEC.
Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee
We have established a nominating and corporate governance committee of the board of directors. Cynthia Isgrig, Domenico De Sole and Ramez Toubassy serve as members of our nominating and corporate governance committee. Under the NYSE listing standards, all members of the nominating and corporate governance committee must be independent. Cynthia Isgrig, Domenico De Sole and Ramez Toubassy are independent, and Ramez Toubassy chairs the nominating and corporate governance committee.
51
We have adopted a nominating and corporate governance committee charter, which details the principal functions of the nominating and corporate governance committee, including:
• | identifying, screening and reviewing individuals qualified to serve as directors and recommending to the board of directors candidates for nomination for election at the annual meeting of stockholders or to fill vacancies on the board of directors; |
• | developing and recommending to the board of directors and overseeing implementation of our corporate governance guidelines; |
• | coordinating and overseeing the annual self-evaluation of the board of directors, its committees, individual directors and management in the governance of the company; and |
• | reviewing on a regular basis our overall corporate governance and recommending improvements as and when necessary. |
The charter also provides that the nominating and corporate governance committee may, in its sole discretion, retain or obtain the advice of, and terminate, any search firm to be used to identify director candidates, and is directly responsible for approving the search firm’s fees and other retention terms.
Director Nominations
Our nominating and corporate governance committee will recommend to the board of directors candidates for nomination for election at the annual meeting of the stockholders. We have not formally established any specific minimum qualifications that must be met or skills that are necessary for directors to possess. In general, in identifying and evaluating nominees for director, the board of directors considers educational background, diversity of professional experience, knowledge of our business, integrity, professional reputation, independence, wisdom, and the ability to represent the best interests of our stockholders.
Compensation Committee Interlocks and Insider Participation
None of our officers currently serves, or in the past year has served, as a member of the compensation committee of any entity that has one or more officers serving on our board of directors.
Code of Business Conduct and Ethics
We have adopted a Code of Business Conduct and Ethics applicable to our directors, officers and employees, a copy of which is available on our website. In addition, a copy of the Code of Business Conduct and Ethics will be provided without charge upon request from us. We intend to disclose any amendments to or waivers of certain provisions of our Code of Business Conduct and Ethics in a Current Report on Form
8-K.
Corporate Governance Guidelines
Our board of directors has adopted corporate governance guidelines in accordance with the corporate governance rules of the NYSE that serves as a flexible framework within which our board of directors and its committees operate. These guidelines cover a number of areas including board membership criteria and director qualifications, director responsibilities, board agenda, roles of the chairman of the board, chief executive officer and presiding director, meetings of independent directors, committee responsibilities and assignments, board member access to management and independent advisors, director communications with third parties, director compensation, director orientation and continuing education, evaluation of senior management and management succession planning. A copy of our corporate governance guidelines is available on our website.
ITEM 11. |
EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION. |
None of Sandbridge’s executive officers or directors has received any cash compensation for services rendered to Sandbridge. We have agreed to pay an affiliate of our Sponsor a total of $10,000 per month, until our initial business combination or our liquidation, for office space, utilities, administrative and support services provided to members of our management team. Our Sponsor, executive officers and directors, or any of their respective affiliates will be reimbursed for any expenses incurred in connection with activities on our behalf, such as identifying potential target businesses and performing due diligence on suitable business combinations. Our audit committee will review on a quarterly basis all payments that were made to our Sponsor, executive officers or directors, or our or their affiliates.
out-of-pocket
ITEM 12. |
SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT AND RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS. |
The following table sets forth information known to Sandbridge regarding the beneficial ownership of Sandbridge common stock as of March 15, 2022. Beneficial ownership is determined according to the rules of the SEC, which generally provide that a person has beneficial ownership of a security if he, she or it possesses sole or shared voting or investment power over that security, including options and warrants that are currently exercisable or exercisable within 60 days.
52
The beneficial ownership of Sandbridge common stock
pre-Business
Combination is based on 29,772,126 shares of Sandbridge common stock issued and outstanding as of March 15, 2022, which includes an aggregate of 5,954,425 shares of Sandbridge Class B common stock outstanding as of such date. Unless otherwise indicated, Sandbridge believes that all persons named in the table below have sole voting and investment power with respect to voting the securities beneficially owned by them.
Class A Common Stock |
Class B Common Stock |
|||||||||||||||||||
Name and Address of Beneficial Holder (1) |
Number of Shares |
% |
Number of Shares |
% |
% of Common Stock |
|||||||||||||||
5% Holders |
||||||||||||||||||||
Sandbridge X2 Holdings LLC (2) |
— | — | 5,819,425 | 97.7 | % | 19.4 | % | |||||||||||||
Entities affiliated with Magnetar Financial LLC (3) |
1,490,591 | 6.3 | % | — | — | 5.0 | % | |||||||||||||
Sculptor Capital, LP. (4) |
1,066,811 | 4.5 | % | — | — | 3.5 | % | |||||||||||||
Entities affiliated with Pacific Investment Management Company LLC (5) |
1,980,000 | 8.3 | % | — | — | 6.7 | % | |||||||||||||
Entities affiliated with Millennium Management LLC (6) |
1,398,076 | 5.9 | % | — | — | 4.7 | % | |||||||||||||
Directors and Executive Officers |
||||||||||||||||||||
Ken Suslow |
— | — | — | — | — | |||||||||||||||
Richard Henry |
— | — | — | — | — | |||||||||||||||
Joe Lamastra |
— | — | — | — | — | |||||||||||||||
Domenico De Sole |
— | — | 40,000 | * | * | |||||||||||||||
Ramez Toubassy |
— | — | 40,000 | * | * | |||||||||||||||
Jamie Weinstein |
— | — | — | — | — | |||||||||||||||
Cynthia Isgrig |
— | — | 25,000 | * | * | |||||||||||||||
— | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||||||
All Sandbridge directors and officers as a group |
— | — | 105,000 | 1.8 | % | * |
* | Indicates beneficial ownership of less than 1%. |
(1) | Unless otherwise noted, the business address of each of the following entities or individuals is c/o Sandbridge X2 Corp 725 5th Avenue, 23rd Floor, New York, NY 10022. |
(2) | Sandbridge X2 Holdings LLC is the record holder of such shares. Its officers—Ken Suslow, Richard Henry and Joe Lamastra—are the three managers of its board of managers. Any action by the Sponsor with respect to Sandbridge X2 or the founder shares held by the Sponsor, including voting and dispositive decisions, requires a majority vote of the managers of the board of managers. Under the so-called ‘‘rule of three,’’ because voting and dispositive decisions are made by a majority of the Sponsor’s managers, none of the managers of the Sponsor is deemed to be a beneficial owner of the Sponsor’s securities, even those in which such manager holds a pecuniary interest. Accordingly, none of the Sponsor’s officers is deemed to have or share beneficial ownership of the founder shares held by the Sponsor. The principal business address for Sandbridge X2 Holdings LLC is 725 5th Avenue, 23rd Floor, New York, NY 10022. |
(3) | Based on a Schedule 13G filed with the SEC on January 21,2022, by Magnetar Financial LLC, Magnetar Capital Partners LP, Supernova Management LLC and Alec N. Litowitz. According to the Schedule 13G, Magnetar Financial LLC, Magnetar Capital Partners LP, Supernova Management LLC and Alec N. Litowitz exercise shared voting and dispositive power over the shares. The principal business address for the foregoing entities and individual is 1603 Orrington Avenue, 13th Floor, Evanston, Illinois 60201. |
(4) | Based on a Schedule 13G/A filed with the SEC on February 14, 2022 by Sculptor Capital, LP., which exercises sole voting and dispositive power over the shares. The principal business address for Sculptor Capital, LP is 9 West 57 th Street, New York, NY 10019. |
(5) | Consists of 1,980,000 shares of Class A common stock owned by TOCU XLIII LLC and its affiliates (“TOCU” or “PIMCO Private Fund”). The address of the PIMCO Private Fund is c/o Pacific Investment Management Company LLC, 650 Newport Center Dr., Newport Beach, CA 92660. |
(6) | Based on a Schedule 13G/A filed with the SEC on January 21,2022 by Integrated Core Strategies (US) LLC, Riverview Group LLC, ICS Opportunities II LLC, ICS Opportunities, Ltd., Millennium International Management LP, Millennium Management LLC, Millennium Group Management LLC, and Israel L. Englander. According to the Schedule 13G/A, Millennium Management LLC, Millennium Group Management LLC, and Israel L. Englander exercise shared voting and dispositive power over the shares. The principal business address for the foregoing entities and individual is 399 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10022. |
53
ITEM 13. |
CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS, AND DIRECTOR INDEPENDENCE. |
In January 2021, we issued an aggregate of 5,750,000 founder shares to our sponsor for an aggregate purchase price of $25,000 in cash, or approximately $0.004 per share. In February 2021, our sponsor transferred 40,000 founder shares to Mr. De Sole, 40,000 founder shares to Mr. Toubassy and 30,000 shares to an advisor, Tommy Hilfiger. In March 2021, our sponsor transferred 25,000 founder shares to Ms. Isgrig. In March 2021, the Company effected an 11:10 stock split resulting in an aggregate of 6,325,000 Founder Shares. The Founder Shares included an aggregate of up to 825,000 shares subject to forfeiture by the Sponsor to the extent that the underwriters’ over-allotment was exercised, so that the number of Founder Shares would equal, on an
as-converted
basis, approximately 20% of the Company’s issued and outstanding shares after the Initial Public Offering. In connection with the underwriters’ partial exercise of the over-allotment option and the forfeiture of the remaining over-allotment option, 370,575 Founder Shares were forfeited and 454,425 Founder Shares are no longer subject to forfeiture resulting in an aggregate of 5,954,425 Founder Shares outstanding. The founder shares (including the Class A common stock issuable upon conversion thereof) may not, subject to certain limited exceptions, be transferred, assigned or sold by the holder. Our sponsor purchased 4,509,027 warrants, at a price of $1.50 per warrant, in a private placement that closed simultaneously with our initial public offering. Each private placement warrant entitles the holder thereof to purchase one share of our Class A common stock at a price of $11.50 per share. The private placement warrants (including the Class A common stock issuable upon exercise thereof) may not, subject to certain limited exceptions, be transferred, assigned or sold by the holder.
An affiliate of the PIMCO private fund purchased 1,980,000 units in our initial public offering at the public offering price.
If any of our officers or directors becomes aware of an initial business combination opportunity that falls within the line of business of any entity to which he or she has then-current fiduciary or contractual obligations, he or she will honor his or her fiduciary or contractual obligations to present such business combination opportunity to such other entity. Our officers and directors currently have certain relevant fiduciary duties or contractual obligations that may take priority over their duties to us.
We have agreed to pay an affiliate of our sponsor a total of $10,000 per month for office space, utilities and secretarial and administrative support. Upon completion of our initial business combination or our liquidation, we will cease paying these monthly fees.
No compensation of any kind, including any finder’s fee, reimbursement, consulting fee or monies in respect of any payment of a loan, will be paid by us to our sponsor, officers and directors, or any affiliate of our sponsor or officers, prior to, or in connection with any services rendered in order to effectuate, the consummation of an initial business combination (regardless of the type of transaction that it is). We do not have a policy that prohibits our sponsor, officers or directors, or any of their respective affiliates, from negotiating for the reimbursement of expenses by a target business. Our audit committee will review on a quarterly basis all payments that were made to our sponsor, officers, directors or our or their affiliates and will determine which expenses and the amount of expenses that will be reimbursed. There is no cap or ceiling on the reimbursement of expenses incurred by such persons in connection with activities on our behalf.
out-of-pocket
out-of-pocket
In addition, in order to finance transaction costs in connection with an intended initial business combination, our sponsor or an affiliate of our sponsor or certain of our officers and directors may, but are not obligated to, loan us funds as may be required. If we complete an initial business combination, we would repay such loaned amounts. In the event that the initial business combination does not close, we may use a portion of the working capital held outside the trust account to repay such loaned amounts but no proceeds from our trust account would be used for such repayment. Up to $1,500,000 of such loans may be converted into warrants at a price of $1.50 per warrant at the option of the lender. The warrants would be identical to the private placement warrants, including as to exercise price, exercisability and exercise period. The terms of such loans by our officers and directors, if any, have not been determined and no written agreements exist with respect to such loans. We do not expect to seek loans from parties other than our sponsor or an affiliate of our sponsor as we do not believe third parties will be willing to loan such funds and provide a waiver against any and all rights to seek access to funds in our trust account.
After our initial business combination, members of our management team who remain with us may be paid consulting, management or other fees from the combined company with any and all amounts being fully disclosed to our stockholders, to the extent then known, in the tender offer or proxy solicitation materials, as applicable, furnished to our stockholders. It is unlikely the amount of such compensation will be known at the time of distribution of such tender offer materials or at the time of a stockholder meeting held to consider our initial business combination, as applicable, as it will be up to the directors of the post-combination business to determine executive and director compensation.
54
ITEM 14. |
PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTING FEES AND SERVICES. |
The firm of WithumSmith+Brown, PC, or Withum, has acted as our independent registered public accounting firm since our inception on January 15, 2021. The following is a summary of fees paid to Withum for services rendered.
Audit Fees
Tax Fees
All Other Fees
Pre-Approval
Policy Our audit committee was formed upon the consummation of our initial public offering. As a result, the audit committee did not
pre-approve
all of the foregoing services, although any services rendered prior to the formation of our audit committee were approved by our board of directors. Since the formation of our audit committee, and on a going-forward basis, the audit committee has and will pre-approve
all auditing services and permitted non-audit
services to be performed for us by our auditors, including the fees and terms thereof (subject to the de minimis exceptions for non-audit
services described in the Exchange Act which are approved by the audit committee prior to the completion of the audit). 55
PART IV
ITEM 15. |
EXHIBITS AND FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES. |
(a) | The following documents are filed as part of this Form 10-K: |
(1) | Financial Statements: |
Page |
||||
F-2 |
||||
F-3 |
||||
F-4 |
||||
F-5 |
||||
F-6 |
||||
F-7 |
(2) | Financial Statement Schedules: |
None.
(3) | Exhibits |
The following exhibits are filed herewith or are incorporated by reference to exhibits previously filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Copies of such previously filed material can be obtained from the SEC website at www.sec.gov.
56
* | Filed herewith. |
** | Furnished herewith |
† Certain of the exhibits and schedules to this Exhibit have been omitted in accordance with Regulation
S-K
Item 601(a)(5). The Registrant agrees to furnish a copy of all omitted exhibits and schedules to the SEC upon its request. ITEM 16. |
FORM 10-K SUMMARY. |
None.
57
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized on this 30th day of March, 2022.
SANDBRIDGE X2 CORP | ||
By: | /s/ Ken Suslow | |
Name: Ken Suslow | ||
Title: Chief Executive Officer |
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, this report has been signed by the following persons on behalf of the registrant in the capacities and on the dates indicated.
Name |
Title |
Date | ||
/s/ Ken Suslow |
Chief Executive Officer (Principal Executive Officer) and Chairman of the Board of Directors | March 30, 2022 | ||
Ken Suslow | ||||
/s/ Richard Henry |
Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial and Accounting Officer) | March 30, 2022 | ||
Richard Henry | ||||
/s/ Domenico De Sole |
Director | March 30, 2022 | ||
Domenico De Sole | ||||
/s/ Cynthia Isgrig |
Director | March 30, 2022 | ||
Cynthia Isgrig | ||||
/s/ Ramez Toubassy |
Director | March 30, 2022 | ||
Ramez Toubassy | ||||
/s/ Jamie Weinstein |
Director | March 30, 2022 | ||
Jamie Weinstein |
58
SANDBRIDGE X2 CORP
TABLE OF CONTENTS
F-2 |
||||
Financial Statements: |
||||
F-3 |
||||
F-4 |
||||
F-5 |
||||
F-6 |
||||
F-7 |
REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
To the Stockholders and the Board of Directors of
Sandbridge X2 Corp
Opinion on the Financial Statements
We have audited the accompanying balance sheet of Sandbridge X2 Corp (the “Company”) as of December 31, 2021, the related statements of operations, changes in stockholders’ deficit and cash flows for the period from January 15, 2021(inception) through December 31, 2021, and the related notes (collectively referred to as the “financial statements”). In our opinion, the financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company as of December 31, 2021, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for the period from January 15, 2021 (inception) through December 31, 2021, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.
Going Concern
The accompanying financial statements have been prepared assuming that the Company will continue as a going concern. As discussed in Note 2 to the financial statements, if the Company is unable to raise additional funds to alleviate liquidity needs and complete a business combination by March 12, 2023 then the Company will cease all operations except for the purpose of liquidating. The liquidity condition and date for mandatory liquidation and subsequent dissolution raise substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern. Management’s plans in regard to these matters are also described in Note 2. The financial statements do not include any adjustments that might result from the outcome of this uncertainty.
Basis for Opinion
These financial statements are the responsibility of the Company’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company’s financial statements based on our audit. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (“PCAOB”) and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.
We conducted our audit in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud. The Company is not required to have, nor were we engaged to perform, an audit of its internal control over financial reporting. As part of our audit we are required to obtain an understanding of internal control over financial reporting but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. Accordingly, we express no such opinion.
Our audit included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. Our audit also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statements. We believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion.
/s/ WithumSmith+Brown, PC
We have served as the Company’s auditor since 2021.
New York, New York
March 30, 2022
PCAOB ID Number 100
F-2
SANDBRIDGE X2 CORP
BALANCE SHEET
DECEMBER 31, 2021
ASSETS |
||||
Current assets |
||||
Cash |
$ | 587,754 | ||
Prepaid expenses |
412,294 | |||
|
|
|||
Total Current Assets |
1,000,048 | |||
Investments held in Trust Account |
238,188,617 | |||
|
|
|||
Total Assets |
$ |
239,188,665 |
||
|
|
|||
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ DEFICIT |
||||
Current liabilities |
||||
Accrued expenses |
$ | 1,706,863 | ||
Accrued offering costs |
2,211 | |||
|
|
|||
Total Current Liabilities |
1,709,074 | |||
Warrant liability |
6,971,026 | |||
Deferred underwriting fee payable |
8,336,195 | |||
|
|
|||
Total Liabilities |
17,016,295 |
|||
|
|
|||
Commitments and contingencies |
||||
Class A common stock subject to possible redemption, 23,817,701 shares at $10.00 per share redemption value |
238,177,010 | |||
Stockholders’ Deficit |
||||
Preferred stock, $0.0001 par value; 1,000,000 shares authorized; none issued or outstanding |
— | |||
Class A common stock, $0.0001 par value; 100,000,000 shares authorized; none shares issued and outstanding (excluding 23,817,701 shares subject to possible redemption) |
— | |||
Class B common stock, $0.0001 par value; 10,000,000 shares authorized; 5,954,425 shares issued and outstanding |
595 | |||
Additional paid-in capital |
— | |||
Accumulated deficit |
(16,005,235 | ) | ||
|
|
|||
Total Stockholders’ Deficit |
(16,004,640 |
) | ||
|
|
|||
Liabilities and Stockholders’ Deficit |
$ |
239,188,665 |
||
|
|
The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.
F-3
SANDBRIDGE X2 CORP
STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS
FOR THE PERIOD JANUARY 15, 2021 (INCEPTION) THROUGH DECEMBER 31, 2021
General and administrative expenses |
$ | 2,491,946 | ||
|
|
|||
Loss from operations |
(2,491,946 |
) | ||
Other income: |
||||
Change in fair value of warrant liability |
3,609,996 | |||
Transaction costs allocated to warrant liability |
(380,000 | ) | ||
Interest earned on investments held in Trust Account |
3,043 | |||
Dividends earned on investments held in Trust Account |
8,564 | |||
|
|
|||
Other income, net |
3,241,603 | |||
|
|
|||
Income before provision for income taxes |
749,657 | |||
Provision for income taxes |
— | |||
|
|
|||
Net income |
$ |
749,657 |
||
|
|
|||
Weighted average shares outstanding of Class A common stock |
20,017,726 | |||
|
|
|||
Basic and diluted net income per share, Class A common stock |
$ | 0.03 | ||
|
|
|||
Weighted average shares outstanding of Class B common stock |
5,881,924 | |||
|
|
|||
Basic and diluted net income per share, Class B common stock |
$ |
0.03 |
||
|
|
The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.
F-4
SANDBRIDGE X2 CORP
STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN STOCKHOLDERS’ DEFICIT
FOR THE PERIOD JANUARY 15, 2021 (INCEPTION) THROUGH DECEMBER 31, 2021
Class A Common Stock |
Class B Common Stock |
Additional paid-in capital |
Accumulated deficit |
Total Stockholders’ deficit |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Balance, January 15, 2021 (inception) |
— | $ | — | — | $ | — | $ | — | $ | — | $ | — | ||||||||||||||||
Issuance of Class B common stock to Sponsor |
— | — | 6,325,000 | 633 | 24,367 | — | 25,000 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Excess consideration received for purchase of Private Placement warrants by Sponsor |
— | — | — | — | 2,930,868 | — | 2,930,868 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Forfeiture of Founder shares |
— | — | (370,575 | ) | (38 | ) | 38 | — | — | |||||||||||||||||||
Accretion of Class A common stock to redemption amount |
— | — | — | — | (2,955,273 | ) | (16,754,892 | ) | (19,710,165 | ) | ||||||||||||||||||
Net income |
— | — | — | — | — | 749,657 | 749,657 | |||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||
Balance, December 31, 2021 |
— | $ | — | 5,954,425 | $ | 595 | $ | — | $ | (16,005,235 | ) | $ | (16,004,640 | ) | ||||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.
F-5
SANDBRIDGE X2 CORP
STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS
FOR THE PERIOD JANUARY 15, 2021 (INCEPTION) THROUGH DECEMBER 31, 2021
Cash Flows from Operating Activities: |
||||
Net income |
$ | 749,657 | ||
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash used in operating activities: |
||||
Interest earned on investments held in Trust Account |
(3,043 | ) | ||
Dividends earned on investments held in Trust Account |
(8,564 | ) | ||
Transaction costs allocated to warrant liability |
380,000 | |||
Change in fair value of warrant liability |
(3,609,996 | ) | ||
Changes in operating assets and liabilities: |
||||
Prepaid expenses |
(412,294 | ) | ||
Accrued expenses |
1,706,863 | |||
|
|
|||
Net cash used in operating activities |
(1,197,377 |
) | ||
|
|
|||
Cash Flows from Investing Activities: |
||||
Investment of cash into Trust Account |
(238,177,010 | ) | ||
|
|
|||
Net cash used in investing activities |
(238,177,010 |
) | ||
|
|
|||
Cash Flows from Financing Activities: |
||||
Proceeds from issuance of Class B common stock to Sponsor |
25,000 | |||
Proceeds from sale of Units, net of underwriting discounts paid |
238,177,010 | |||
Proceeds from sale of Private Placement Warrants |
6,763,540 | |||
Proceeds from promissory note – related party |
250,000 | |||
Repayment of promissory note – related party |
(250,000 | ) | ||
Payment of offering costs, net of refunds |
(5,003,409 | ) | ||
|
|
|||
Net cash provided by financing activities |
239,962,141 |
|||
|
|
|||
Net Change in Cash |
587,754 |
|||
Cash – Beginning of period |
— | |||
|
|
|||
Cash – End of period |
$ |
587,754 |
||
|
|
|||
Non-Cash Financing Activities: |
||||
|
|
|||
Deferred underwriting fee payable |
$ | 8,336,195 | ||
|
|
|||
Offering costs included in accrued offering costs |
$ | 2,211 | ||
Forfeiture of Founder shares |
$ | 38 | ||
|
|
The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.
F-6
NOTE 1. DESCRIPTION OF ORGANIZATION AND BUSINESS OPERATIONS
Sandbridge X2 Corp (the “Company”) was incorporated in Delaware on January 15, 2021. The Company was formed for the purpose of entering into a merger, capital stock exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses (the “Business Combination”).
The Company is not limited to a particular industry or sector for purposes of consummating a Business Combination. The Company is an early stage and emerging growth company and, as such, the Company is subject to all of the risks associated with early stage and emerging growth companies.
As of December 31, 2021, the Company had not commenced any operations. All activity from inception through December 31, 2021 relates to the Company’s formation, and the initial public offering (“Initial Public Offering”), which is described below and, subsequent to the Initial Public Offering, identifying a target company for a Business Combination. The Company will not generate any operating revenues until after the completion of a Business Combination, at the earliest. The Company generates
non-operating
income in the form of interest income from the proceeds derived from the Initial Public Offering. The Company has selected December 31 as its fiscal year end. The registration statement for the Company’s Initial Public Offering was declared effective on March 9, 2021. On March 12, 2021, the Company completed the Initial Public Offering of 23,817,701 units (the “Units” and, with respect to the shares of Class A common stock included in the Units sold, the “Public Shares”), which includes the partial exercise by the underwriters of their over-allotment option in the amount of 1,817,701 Units, at $10.00 per Unit, generating gross proceeds of $238,177,010, which is described in Note 3.
Simultaneously with the closing of the Initial Public Offering, the Company completed the sale of 4,509,027 warrants (the “Private Placement Warrants”) at a price of $1.50 per Private Placement Warrant in a private placement to Sandbridge X2 Holdings LLC (the “Sponsor”), generating gross proceeds of $6,763,540, which is described in Note 4.
Following the closing of the Initial Public Offering on March 12, 2021, an amount of $238,177,010 ($10.00 per Unit) from the net proceeds of the sale of the Units in the Initial Public Offering and the sale of the Private Placement Warrants was placed in a trust account (the “Trust Account”) located in the United States. The funds in the Trust Account will be invested in U.S. government securities or exchange traded funds, within the meaning set forth in Section 2(a)(16) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”), with a maturity of 185 days or less, or in any open-ended investment company that holds itself out as a money market fund meeting certain conditions of Rule
2a-7
of the Investment Company Act, as determined by the Company, until the earlier of: (i) the completion of a Business Combination and (ii) the distribution of the funds held in the Trust Account, as described below. Transaction costs amounted to $13,341,815, consisting of $4,367,540 in cash underwriting fees, $8,336,195 of deferred underwriting fees and $638,080 of other offering costs.
Substantially all of the net proceeds of the Initial Public Offering and the sale of the Private Placement Warrants are intended to be applied generally toward consummating a Business Combination, and the Company’s management has broad discretion to identify targets for such a potential Business Combination and over the specific application of the funds held in the Trust Account if and when such funds are properly released from the Trust Account. There is no assurance that the Company will be able to complete a Business Combination successfully. The Company must complete a Business Combination with one or more operating businesses or assets that together have an aggregate fair market value equal to at least 80% of the net assets held in the Trust Account (excluding the deferred underwriting commissions and taxes payable on the income earned on the Trust Account) at the time of the Company’s signing a definitive agreement in connection with its initial Business Combination. 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 an interest in the target business or assets sufficient for it not to be required to register as an investment company under the Investment Company Act. In addition, the Company has agreed not to enter into a definitive agreement regarding an initial Business Combination without the prior consent of the Sponsor and a private fund affiliated with Pacific Investment Management Company LLC (the “PIMCO private fund”), which private fund is a member of the Sponsor.
The Company will provide its holders of the outstanding Public Shares (the “public stockholders”) 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 stockholder meeting called to approve the Business Combination or (ii) by means of a tender offer. The decision as to whether the Company will seek stockholder approval of a Business Combination or conduct a tender offer will be made by the Company. The public stockholders will be entitled to redeem their Public Shares for a pro rata portion of the amount then in the Trust Account (initially $10.00 per Public Share, plus any pro rata interest earned on the funds held in the Trust Account and not previously released to the Company to pay its tax obligations). There will be no redemption rights upon the completion of a Business Combination with respect to the Company’s warrants.
The Company will only proceed with a Business Combination if the Company has net tangible assets of at least $5,000,001 either prior to or upon such consummation of a Business Combination and, if the Company seeks stockholder approval, a majority of the shares voted are voted in favor of the Business Combination. If a stockholder vote is not required by applicable law or stock exchange rules and the Company does not decide to hold a stockholder vote for business or other reasons, the Company will, pursuant to its Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (the “Amended and
F-7
Restated Certificate of Incorporation”), 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, stockholder approval of the transaction is required by applicable law or stock exchange rules, or the Company decides to obtain stockholder approval for business or other 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. If the Company seeks stockholder approval in connection with a Business Combination, the Sponsor has agreed to vote its Founder Shares (as defined in Note 4), and any Public Shares purchased during or after the Initial Public Offering in favor of approving a Business Combination. Additionally, each public stockholder may elect to redeem their Public Shares irrespective of whether they vote for or against the proposed transaction or do not vote at all.
Notwithstanding the above, if the Company seeks stockholder approval of a Business Combination and it does not conduct redemptions pursuant to the tender offer rules, the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation provides that a public stockholder, together with any affiliate of such stockholder or any other person with whom such stockholder 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 15% or more of the Public Shares, without the prior consent of the Company.
The Sponsor has agreed (a) to waive its redemption rights with respect to its Founder Shares and Public Shares held by it in connection with the completion of a Business Combination and (b) not to propose an amendment to the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (i) to modify the substance or timing of the Company’s obligation to allow redemption in connection with the Company’s initial Business Combination or to redeem 100% of its Public Shares if the Company does not complete a Business Combination or (ii) with respect to any other provision relating to stockholders’ rights or
pre-initial
business combination activity, unless the Company provides the public stockholders with the opportunity to redeem their Public Shares in conjunction with any such amendment. The Company will have until March 12, 2023, or such later date as a result of stockholder vote to amend the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, to complete a Business Combination (the “Combination Period”). If the Company is unable to complete a Business Combination within the Combination Period or such longer period as may be approved by its stockholders, the Company 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 earned on the funds held in the Trust Account and not previously released to the Company to pay its tax obligations (less up to $100,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses), divided by the number of then outstanding Public Shares, which redemption will completely extinguish the public stockholders’ rights as stockholders (including the right to receive further liquidating distributions, if any), and (iii) as promptly as reasonably possible following such redemption, subject to the approval of the Company’s remaining stockholders and the Company’s board of directors, dissolve and liquidate, subject in each case to the Company’s obligations under Delaware law to provide for claims of creditors and the requirements of other applicable law. There will be no redemption rights or liquidating distributions with respect to the Company’s warrants, which will expire worthless if the Company fails to complete a Business Combination within the Combination Period.
The Sponsor has agreed to waive its liquidation rights with respect to the Founder Shares if the Company fails to complete a Business Combination within the Combination Period. However, if the Sponsor acquires Public Shares in or after the Initial Public Offering, such Public Shares will be entitled to liquidating distributions from the Trust Account if the Company fails to complete a Business Combination within the Combination Period. The underwriters have agreed to waive their rights to their deferred underwriting commission (see Note 5) held in the Trust Account in the event the Company does not complete a Business Combination within 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 assets remaining available for distribution will be less than the Initial Public Offering price per Unit
($10.00). 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 third party for services rendered or products sold to the Company, or a prospective target business with which the Company has discussed entering into a written letter of intent, confidentiality or similar agreement or business combination agreement, reduce the amount of funds in the Trust Account to below the lesser of (1) $10.00 per Public Share and (2) the actual amount per Public Share held in the Trust Account as of the date of the liquidation of the Trust Account, if less than $10.00 per share due to reductions in the value of the trust assets, less taxes payable. This liability will not apply with respect to claims by a third party who executed a waiver of any and all rights to the monies held in the Trust Account nor will it apply to any claims under the Company’s indemnity of the underwriters of the Initial 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 the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm), prospective target businesses and 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.
NOTE 2. SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES
Basis of Presentation
The accompanying financial statements are presented in U.S. dollars and have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”) for financial information and pursuant to the rules and regulations of the SEC.
F-8
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 of 2002, reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation in its periodic reports and proxy statements, and exemptions from the requirements of holding a nonbinding advisory vote on executive compensation and stockholder 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 a 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 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 statements with another public company which is neither an emerging growth company nor an emerging growth company which has opted out of using the extended transition period difficult or impossible because of the potential differences in accounting standards used. Liquidity and Going Concern
As of December 31, 2021, the Company had
$587,754 in its operating bank account, working capital deficit of approximately $709,000 and investments held in the Trust Account of approximately $238.0 million. Interest income on the balance in the Trust Account may be used to pay the Company’s franchise and income tax obligations. Management intends to use substantially all of the funds held in the Trust Account to complete a business combination and to pay the Company’s expenses relating thereto, with any remainder used to fund the combined company’s working capital and for general corporate purposes post-closing. The Company’s operations following the closing of the Initial Public Offering have been funded by the portion of the proceeds from the sale of Private Placement Warrants not held in the Trust Account. The Company may raise additional capital through loans or additional investments from the Sponsor or the Sponsor’s members. The Sponsor is not obligated to loan the Company additional funds or make additional investments, but may do so from time to time to meet the Company’s working capital needs. Management has determined that if the Company is unable to complete a Business Combination during the Combination Period (as defined in Note 1), then the Company will cease all operations except for the purpose of liquidating. In connection with the Company’s assessment of going concern considerations in accordance with Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 205-40 “Going Concern,” as of December 31, 2021, management has determined that the working capital deficit and date for mandatory liquidation raise substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern for a period of twelve months from the issuance of this report. The Company intends to complete its initial business combination before the mandatory liquidation date; however, there can be no assurance that the Company will be able to consummate any business combination by March 12, 2023. These financial statements do not include any adjustments relating to the recovery of the recorded assets or the classification of the liabilities that might be necessary should the Company be unable to continue as going concern.
Use of Estimates
The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires 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 statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period.
Making estimates requires management to exercise significant judgment. It is at least reasonably possible that the estimate of the effect of a condition, situation or set of circumstances that existed at the date of the financial statements, which management considered in formulating its estimate, could change in the near term due to one or more future events. Accordingly, the actual results could differ significantly from those estimates.
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 did not have any cash equivalents as of December 31, 2021.
F-9
Investments Held in Trust Account
The Company’s portfolio of investments held in the Trust Account includes investments in money market funds that invest in U.S. government securities. The Company records investments in money market funds that invest in U.S. government securities at fair value which is determined using available market information.
C
lass
A Common Stock Subject to Possible Redemption
The Company accounts for its Class A common stock subject to possible redemption in accordance with the guidance in ASC Topic 480 “Distinguishing Liabilities from Equity.” Class A common stock subject to mandatory redemption is classified as a liability instrument and is measured at fair value. Conditionally redeemable common stock (including common stock that features redemption rights that is either within the control of the holder or subject to redemption upon the occurrence of uncertain events not solely within the Company’s control) is classified as temporary equity. At all other times, common stock is classified as stockholders’ equity. The Company’s Class A common stock features certain redemption rights that are considered to be outside of the Company’s control and subject to occurrence of uncertain future events. Accordingly, at December 31, 2021, Class A common stock subject to possible redemption is presented as temporary equity, outside of the stockholders’ deficit section of the Company’s balance sheet.
At December 31, 2021, the Class A common stock reflected in the balance sheet is reconciled in the following table:
Gross proceeds |
$ | 238,177,010 | ||
Less: |
||||
Allocation to Public Warrants |
(6,748,349 | ) | ||
Class A common stock issuance costs |
(12,961,816 | ) | ||
Add: |
||||
Accretion of carrying value to redemption value |
19,710,165 | |||
|
|
|||
Class A common stock subject to possible redemption at December 31, 2021 |
$ | 238,177,010 | ||
|
|
Offering Costs
Offering costs consist of legal, accounting and underwriting fees and other costs incurred through the balance sheet date that are directly related to the Initial Public Offering. Offering costs amounting to $12,961,815, $380,000 allocated to the issuance of warrants were expensed and included in the statement of operations.
net of offering costs allocable to the warrant liability, were charged to stockholders’ deficit and accreted to Class A common stock subject to redemption upon the completion of the Initial Public Offering. Offering costs
ofWarrant Liability
The Company accounts for warrants as either equity-classified or liability-classified instruments based on an assessment of the warrant’s specific terms and applicable authoritative guidance in ASC 480, “Distinguishing Liabilities from Equity” and ASC 815, “Derivatives and Hedging”. The assessment considers whether the warrants are freestanding financial instruments pursuant to ASC 480, meet the definition of a liability pursuant to ASC 480, and whether the warrants meet all of the requirements for equity classification under ASC 815, including whether the warrants are indexed to the Company’s own shares of common stock, among other conditions for equity classification. This assessment, which requires the use of professional judgment, is conducted at the time of warrant issuance and as of each subsequent quarterly period end date while the warrants are outstanding.
For issued or modified warrants that meet all of the criteria for equity classification, the warrants are required to be recorded as a component of additional
paid-in
capital at the time of issuance. For issued warrants that do not meet all the criteria for equity classification, the warrants are required to be recorded at their initial fair value on the date of issuance, and each balance sheet date thereafter. Changes in the estimated fair value of the warrants are recognized as a non-cash
gain or loss on the statement of operations. The fair value of the warrants was estimated using quoted prices in an active market for the Public Warrants and quoted prices in an active market for similar liabilities for the Private Placement Warrants (see Note 8). Income Taxes
The Company follows the asset and liability method of accounting for income taxes under ASC 740, “Income Taxes.” Deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the estimated future tax consequences attributable to differences between the financial statements carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities and their respective tax bases. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using enacted tax rates expected to apply to taxable income in the years in which those temporary differences are expected to be recovered or settled. The effect on deferred tax assets and liabilities of a change in tax rates is recognized in income in the period that included the enactment date. Valuation allowances are established, when necessary, to reduce deferred tax assets to the amount expected to be realized. As of December 31, 2021, the Company had a deferred tax asset of approximately
F-10
The Company’s current taxable income primarily consists of interest earned on the Trust Account. The Company’s general and administrative costs are generally considered
start-up
costs and are not currently deductible. During the period from January 15, 2021 (inception) through December 31, 2021, the Company recorded no income tax expense. The Company’s effective tax rate for the period from January 15, 2021 (inception) through December 31, 2021 was approximately
0%, which differs from the expected income tax rate due to the start-up
costs (discussed above), which are not currently deductible. ASC 740 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. The Company recognizes accrued interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits as income tax expense. There were no unrecognized tax benefits and no amounts accrued for interest and penalties as of December 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.
Net Income per Common Stock
Net income per common share is computed by dividing the pro rata net loss between the Class A common stock and the Class B common stock by the weighted average number of shares of common stock outstanding for the period. The calculation of diluted income per common share does not consider the effect of the warrants issued in connection with the IPO since the exercise of the warrants are contingent upon the occurrence of future events and the inclusion of such warrants would be anti- dilutive. The warrants are exercisable for
The following table reflects the calculation of basic and diluted net income (loss) per common share (in dollars, except per share amounts):
For the period from January 15, 2021 (inception) through December 31, 2021 |
||||||||
Class A |
Class B |
|||||||
Basic and diluted net income per share of common stock |
||||||||
Numerator: |
||||||||
Allocation of net income |
$ | 579,407 | $ | 170,250 | ||||
Denominator: |
||||||||
Basic and diluted weighted average shares outstanding |
20,017,726 | 5,881,924 | ||||||
Basic and diluted net income per share of common stock |
$ | 0.03 | $ | 0.03 |
As of December 31, 2021, basic and diluted shares are the same as there are no
non-redeemable
securities that are dilutive to the Company’s stockholders. Concentration of Credit Risk
Financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to concentrations of credit risk consist of a cash account in a financial institution, which, at times, may exceed the Federal Depository Insurance
Corporation
overage of $250,000. The Company has not experienced losses on this account and management believes the Company is not exposed to significant risks on such account. c
F-11
Fair Value of Financial Instruments
The fair value of the Company’s assets and liabilities, which qualify as financial instruments under ASC Topic 820, “Fair Value Measurement,” approximates the carrying amounts represented in the accompanying balance sheet, primarily due to their short-term nature.
Recent Accounting Standards
In August 2020, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 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) (“ASU 2020-06”) to simplify accounting for certain financial instruments. ASU 2020-06 eliminates the current models that require separation of beneficial conversion and cash conversion features from convertible instruments and simplifies the derivative scope exception guidance pertaining to equity classification of contracts in an entity’s own equity. The new standard also introduces additional disclosures for convertible debt and freestanding instruments that are indexed to and settled in an entity’s own equity. ASU 2020-06 amends the diluted earnings per share guidance, including the requirement to use the if-converted method for all convertible instruments. ASU 2020-06 is effective January 1, 2022 and should be applied on a full or modified retrospective basis, with early adoption permitted beginning on January 1, 2021. The Company adopted ASU 2020-06 effective January 1, 2022. The adoption of ASU 2020-06 did not have an impact on the Company’s financial statements.
Management does not believe that any recently issued, but not yet effective, accounting standards, if currently adopted, would have a material effect on the Company’s financial statements.
NOTE 3. INITIAL PUBLIC OFFERING
Pursuant to the Initial Public Offering, the Company sold 23,817,701 Units, which includes the partial exercise by the underwriters of their over-allotment option in the amount of 3,000,000 Units, at a purchase price of $10.00 per Unit. Each Unit consists of one share of Class A common stock and
one-third
of one redeemable warrant (“Public Warrant”). Each whole Public Warrant entitles the holder to purchase one share of Class A common stock at a price of $11.50 per share, subject to adjustment (see Note 6
). The Company sold 23,817,701 Units in the Initial Public Offering, which included the partial exercise by the underwriters of their over-allotment option in the amount of 1,817,701 Units, at a purchase price of $10.00 per Unit. Each Unit consists of one share of Class A common stock and one-third
of one redeemable warrant (“Public Warrant”). Each whole Public Warrant entitles the holder to purchase one share of Class A common stock at a price of $11.50 per share, subject to adjustment (see Note 6
). NOTE 4. RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS
Founder Shares
On January 25, 2021, the Sponsor purchased 5,750,000 shares of the Company’s Class B common stock (the “Founder Shares”) for an aggregate purchase price of $25,000, which the Company used to cover certain offering costs. In February 2021, the Sponsor transferred 40,000 shares to independent director Ramez Toubassy, 40,000 shares to independent director Domenico De Sole, and 30,000 shares to an advisor, Tommy Hilfiger. In March 2021, the Sponsor transferred 25,000 shares to independent director Cynthia Isgrig. In March 2021, the Company effected an 11:10 stock split resulting in an aggregate of 6,325,000 Founder Shares. The Founder Shares included an aggregate of up to 825,000 shares subject to forfeiture by the Sponsor to the extent that the underwriters’ over-allotment was exercised, so that the number of Founder Shares would equal, on an
as-converted
basis, approximately 20% of the Company’s issued and outstanding shares after the Initial Public Offering. In connection with the underwriters’ partial exercise of the over-allotment option and the forfeiture of the remaining over-allotment option, 370,575 Founder Shares were forfeited and 454,425 Founder Shares are no longer subject to forfeiture resulting in an aggregate of 5,954,425 Founder Shares outstanding. The Sponsor has agreed, subject to certain limited exceptions, not to transfer, assign or sell any of the Founder Shares until the earlier of (A) one year after the completion of a Business Combination and (B) subsequent to a Business Combination, (x) if the last reported sale price of the Class A common stock equals or exceeds $12.00 20 trading days within any
per share (as adjusted for stock splits, stock reorganizations and recapitalizations) for any
30-trading
day period commencing at least 150 days after a Business Combination, or (y) the date on which the Company completes a liquidation, merger, stock exchange, reorganization or other similar transaction that results in all of the Company’s stockholders having the right to exchange their shares of Class A common stock for cash, securities or other property. Private Placement Warrants
Simultaneously with the closing of the Initial Public Offering, the Sponsor purchased an aggregate of 4,509,027 Private Placement Warrants at a price of $1.50 per Private Placement Warrant, for an aggregate purchase price of $6,763,540. Of the private placement proceeds received, $3,832,672 of proceeds were recorded as the private placement warrant liability and $2,930,868 represents consideration received by the Sponsor in excess of the warrants’ fair value. Each Private Placement Warrant is exercisable to purchase one share of Class A common stock at an exercise price of $11.50 per share, subject to adjustment (see Note 7). A portion of the proceeds from the Private Placement Warrants were 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 proceeds from the sale of the Private Placement Warrants held in the Trust Account will be used to fund the redemption of the Public Shares (subject to the requirements of applicable law), and the Private Placement Warrants will expire worthless.
Administrative Support Agreement
The Company entered into an agreement, commencing on March 9, 2021, to pay an affiliate of the Sponsor up to $10,000 per month for office space, utilities and secretarial and administrative services. Upon completion of a Business Combination or its liquidation, the Company will cease paying these monthly fees. For the period from January 15, 2021(inception) through December 31, 2021, the Company incurred $100,000 in fees for these services.
F-12
Promissory Note – Related Party
On January 25, 2021, the Sponsor issued an unsecured promissory note to the Company (the “Promissory Note”), pursuant to which the Company borrowed an aggregate principal amount of $250,000. The Promissory Note was
non-interest
bearing and payable on the earlier of (i) December 31, 2021 or (ii) the consummation of the Initial Public Offering. The Company repaid all amounts due under the promissory note on March 15, 2021. The Promissory Note is no longer available to the Company. Related Party Loans
In addition, in order to finance transaction costs in connection with a Business Combination, the Sponsor, an affiliate of the Sponsor, or certain of the Company’s officers and directors or their affiliates 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 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. The Working Capital Loans would either be repaid upon consummation of a Business Combination, without interest, or, at the lender’s discretion, up to $1,500,000 of such Working Capital Loans may be converted into warrants, at a price of $1.50 per warrant, of the post Business Combination entity. The warrants would be identical to the Private Placement Warrants. As of December 31, 2021, no Working Capital Loans were outstanding.
NOTE 5. COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
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 financial statements. The financial statements do not include any adjustments that might result from the outcome of this uncertainty. Registration Rights
Pursuant to a registration and stockholder rights agreement entered into on March 9, 2021, holders of the Founder Shares, Private Placement Warrants and warrants that may be issued upon conversion of Working Capital Loans (and any shares of Class A common stock issuable upon the exercise of the Private Placement Warrants and warrants that may be issued upon conversion of the Working Capital Loans and upon conversion of the Founder Shares) will be entitled to registration rights, requiring the Company to register such securities for resale (in the case of the Founder Shares, only after conversion to shares of Class A common stock). Any holder of at least 20% of the outstanding registrable securities owned by these holders will be entitled to make up to two demands, excluding short form demands, that the Company register such securities. In addition, the holders will have certain “piggy-back” registration rights with respect to registration statements filed subsequent to the completion of a Business Combination and rights to require the Company to register for resale such securities pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act. However, the registration and stockholder rights agreement provides that the Company will not permit any registration statement filed under the Securities Act. The Company will bear certain expenses incurred in connection with the filing of any such registration statements.
In addition, pursuant to the registration and stockholder rights agreement, upon consummation of a Business Combination, the Sponsor and the future holders of Founder Shares (or securities into which the Founder Shares convert) held by the Sponsor will be entitled to designate three individuals for nomination for election to the Company’s board of directors for so long as they continue to hold, collectively, at least 50% of the Founder Shares (or the securities into which such Founder Shares convert) held by such persons on the date of our Registration Statement on Form
S-1
(No. 333-253203),
which the SEC declared effective on March 9, 2021. Thereafter, such initial stockholders will be entitled to designate (i) two individuals for nomination for election to the Company’s board of directors for so long they continue to hold, collectively, at least 30% of the Founder Shares (or the securities into which such Founder Shares convert) held by such persons on the date of our Registration Statement on Form S-1
(No. 333-253203),
which the SEC declared effective on March 9, 2021, and (ii) one individual for nomination for election to the Company’s board of directors for so long they continue to hold, collectively, at least 20% of the Founder Shares (or the securities into which such Founder Shares convert) held by such persons on the date of our Registration Statement on Form S-1
(No. 333-253203),
which the SEC declared effective on March 9, 2021. Underwriting Agreement
Certain of the underwriters of the Initial Public Offering are entitled to a deferred fee of $0.35 per Unit, or $8,336,195 in the aggregate. The deferred fee will become payable to the underwriters 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. The underwriters did not receive any upfront underwriting discount or commissions on the 1,980,000 Units purchased by the PIMCO private fund or their respective affiliates but will receive deferred underwriting commissions with respect to such Units.
F-13
NOTE 6. STOCKHOLDERS’ DEFICIT
Preferred Stock
—
Class
A Common Stock
—
Class
B Common Stock
—
Holders of Class A common stock and Class B common stock will vote together as a single class on all matters submitted to a vote of stockholders except as required by law.
The shares of Class B common stock will automatically convert into shares of Class A common stock at the time of a Business Combination on a basis, subject to adjustment. In the case that additional shares of Class A common stock, or equity-linked securities, are issued or deemed issued in excess of the amounts offered in the Initial Public Offering and related to the closing of a Business Combination, the ratio at which shares of Class B common stock shall convert into shares of Class A common stock will be adjusted (unless the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of Class B common stock agree to waive such adjustment with respect to any such issuance or deemed issuance) so that the number of shares of Class A common stock issuable upon conversion of all shares of Class B common stock will equal, in the aggregate, on an
one-for-one
as-converted
basis, 20% of the sum of the total number of all shares of common stock outstanding upon the completion of the Initial Public Offering plus all shares of Class A common stock and equity-linked securities issued or deemed issued in connection with a Business Combination (excluding any shares or equity-linked securities issued, or to be issued, to any seller in a Business Combination, and any private placement-equivalent warrants issued to the Sponsor or its affiliates upon conversion of loans made to the Company). NOTE 7. WARRANTS
As of December 31, 2021, there were 7,939,234 Public Warrants outstanding. Public Warrants may only be exercised for a whole number of shares. No fractional warrants will be issued upon separation of the Units and only whole warrants will trade. The Public Warrants will become exercisable 30 days after the completion of a Business Combination. The Public Warrants will expire five years after the completion of a Business Combination or earlier upon redemption or liquidation.
The Company will not be obligated to deliver any shares of Class A common stock pursuant to the exercise of a warrant and will have no obligation to settle such warrant exercise unless a registration statement under the Securities Act with respect to the shares of Class A common stock underlying the warrants is then effective and a prospectus relating thereto is current, subject to the Company satisfying its obligations with respect to registration. No warrant will be exercisable and the Company will not be obligated to issue any shares of Class A common stock upon exercise of a warrant unless Class A common stock issuable upon such warrant exercise has been registered, qualified or deemed to be exempt under the securities laws of the state of residence of the registered holder of the warrants.
The Company has agreed that within twenty (20) business days after the later of the first date on which the warrants are exercisable and the date on which the Company receives from any warrant holder a request for such registration, the Company will use its commercially reasonable efforts to file with the SEC a
post-effective
amendment to the registration statement or a new registration statement covering the shares of Class A common stock issuable upon exercise of the warrants. The Company will use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause such registration statement to become effective within 45 business days after the filing ofsuch registration statement and to maintain a current prospectus relating to those shares of Class A common stock until the warrants expire or are redeemed, as specified in the warrant agreement; provided that if shares of Class A common stock are at the time of any exercise of a Public 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, the Company will not be required to file or maintain in effect a registration statement, but the Company will use its commercially reasonable efforts to register or qualify the shares under applicable blue sky laws to the extent an exemption is not available. If a registration statement covering the shares of Class A common stock issuable upon exercise of the warrants is not effective by the 45th business day after the filing of such registration statement, 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.
F-14
Redemption of warrants when the price per Class A common stock equals or exceeds $18.00. Once the Public Warrants become exercisable, the Company may redeem the Public Warrants (except as described herein 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 to each warrant holder; and |
• | if, and only if, the last reported sale price of the Class A common stock for any 20 trading days within a 30-trading day period ending three trading days before the Company sends the notice of redemption to the warrant holders (the “Reference Value”) equals or exceeds $18.00 per share (as adjusted). |
If and when the Public Warrants become redeemable by the Company, the Company may exercise its redemption right even if it is unable to register or qualify the underlying securities for sale under all applicable state securities laws.
Redemption of warrants when the price per Class A common stock equals or exceeds $10.00. Once the warrants become exercisable, the Company may redeem the outstanding warrants:
• | in whole and not in part; |
• | at $0.10 per warrant upon a minimum of 30 days’ prior written notice of redemption provided that holders will be able to exercise their warrants on a cashless basis prior to redemption and receive that number of shares based on the redemption date and the fair market value of the Class A common stock; |
• | if, and only if, the Reference Value equals or exceeds $10.00 per share (as adjusted); and |
• | if the Reference Value is less than $18.00 per share (as adjusted), the Private Placement Warrants must also be concurrently called for redemption on the same terms as the outstanding Public Warrants, as described above. |
The exercise price and number of shares of Class A common stock issuable upon exercise of the warrants may be adjusted in certain circumstances including in the event of a stock dividend, or recapitalization, reorganization, merger or consolidation. However, the warrants will not be adjusted for issuance of Class A common stock at a price below their exercise price. Additionally, in no event will the Company be required to net cash settle the warrants. 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.
In addition, if (x) the Company issues additional shares of Class A common stock or equity-linked securities for capital raising purposes in connection with the closing of a Business Combination at an issue price or effective issue price of less than $9.20 per Class A common share (with such issue price or effective issue price to be determined in good faith by the Company’s board of directors and, in the case of any such issuance to the Sponsor or its affiliates, without taking into account any Founder Shares held by the Sponsor 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, and interest thereon, available for the funding of a Business Combination on the date of the consummation of a Business Combination (net of redemptions), and (z) the
volume weighted average trading price of the Company’s Class A common stock during the 20 trading day period starting on the trading day prior to the day on which the Company consummates a Business Combination (such price, the “Market Value”) is below $9.20 per share, 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, and the $18.00 per share redemption trigger prices 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 will be adjusted (to the nearest cent) to be equal to the higher of the Market Value and the Newly Issued Price.
As of December 31, 2021, there were 4,509,027 Private Placement Warrants outstanding. The Private Placement Warrants are identical to the Public Warrants underlying the Units sold in the Initial Public Offering, except that the Private Placement Warrants and the shares of Class A common stock issuable upon the exercise of the Private Placement Warrants will not be transferable, assignable or saleable until 30 days after the completion of a Business Combination, subject to certain limited exceptions. Additionally, the Private Placement Warrants will be exercisable on a cashless basis and be
non-redeemable
so long as they are held by the initial purchasers or their permitted transferees. If the Private Placement Warrants are held by someone other than the initial purchasers or their permitted transferees, the Private Placement Warrants will be redeemable by the Company and exercisable by such holders on the same basis as the Public Warrants. F-15
NOTE
8
. INCOME TAX The Company’s net deferred tax assets are as follows:
December 31, 2021 |
||||
Deferred tax asset |
||||
Net operating loss carryforward |
$ | — | ||
Organizational costs/Startup expenses |
43,261 | |||
Total deferred tax asset |
43,261 | |||
Valuation allowance |
(43,261 | ) | ||
Deferred tax asset, net of allowance |
$ | — | ||
The income tax provision consists of the following:
December 31, 2021 |
||||
Federal |
||||
Current |
$ | — | ||
Deferred |
(43,261 | ) | ||
State |
||||
Current |
$ | — | ||
Deferred |
— | |||
Change in valuation allowance |
43,261 | |||
Income tax provision |
$ | — | ||
In assessing the realization of the deferred tax assets, management considers whether it is more likely than not that some portion of all of the deferred tax assets will not be realized. The ultimate realization of deferred tax assets is dependent upon the generation of future taxable income during the periods in which temporary differences representing net future deductible amounts become deductible. Management considers the scheduled reversal of deferred tax liabilities, projected future taxable income and tax planning strategies in making this assessment. After consideration of all of the information available, management believes that significant uncertainty exists with respect to future realization of the deferred tax assets and has therefore established a full valuation allowance. For the period from January 15, 2021(inception) through December 31, 2021, the change in the valuation allowance was $43,261.
A reconciliation of the federal income tax rate to the Company’s effective tax rate at December 31, 2021 is as follows:
December 31, 202 1 |
||||
Statutory federal income tax rate |
21.0 | % | ||
State taxes, net of federal tax benefit |
0.0 | % | ||
Change in valuation allowance |
-21.0 | % | ||
Income tax provision |
0.0 | % | ||
F-16
The Company files income tax returns in the U.S. federal jurisdiction in
various
state and local jurisdictions and is subject to examination by the various taxing authorities. NOTE
9
. FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS The fair value of the Company’s financial assets and liabilities reflects management’s estimate of amounts that the Company would have received in connection with the sale of the assets or paid in connection with the transfer of the liabilities in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. In connection with measuring the fair value of its assets and liabilities, the Company seeks to maximize the use of observable inputs (market data obtained from independent sources) and to minimize the use of unobservable inputs (internal assumptions about how market participants would price assets and liabilities). The following fair value hierarchy is used to classify assets and liabilities based on the observable inputs and unobservable inputs used in order to value the assets and liabilities:
Level 1: Quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities. An active market for an asset or liability is a market in which transactions for the asset or liability occur with sufficient frequency and volume to provide pricing information on an ongoing basis.
Level 2: Observable inputs other than Level 1 inputs. Examples of Level 2 inputs include quoted prices in active markets for similar assets or liabilities and quoted prices for identical assets or liabilities in markets that are not active.
Level 3: Unobservable inputs based on our assessment of the assumptions that market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability.
Transfers between fair value levels are recorded at the end of each reporting period.
The following table presents information about the Company’s assets and liabilities that are measured at fair value on a recurring basis at December 31, 2021, and indicates the fair value hierarchy of the valuation inputs the Company utilized to determine such fair value:
Description |
Level |
December 31, 2021 |
||||||
Assets: |
||||||||
Investments held in Trust Account - U.S. Treasury bill-backed Money Market Fund |
1 | $ | 238,188,617 | |||||
Liabilities: |
||||||||
Warrant liability - Public Warrants |
1 |
$ | 4,445,971 | |||||
Warrant liability - Private Placement Warrants |
2 |
$ | 2,525,055 |
F-17
At December 31, 2021, assets held in the Trust Account were comprised of $238,188,617 in U.S.
Treasury Bill-backed money market Funds. During the period from January 15, 2021 (inception) through December 31, 2021, the Company did not withdraw any interest income from the Trust Account.
Warrants—Initial and Subsequent Measurement
The Company utilized a binomial lattice model to value the warrants on March 12, 2021, the date of the Company’s Initial Public Offering. The warrants initially classified as Level 3 at the initial measurement date due to the use of unobservable inputs. Inherent in a binomial options pricing model are assumptions related to expected share-price volatility, expected life, risk-free interest rate and dividend yield. The Company estimates the volatility of its shares of common stock based on historical volatility 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. The dividend rate is based on the historical rate, which the Company anticipates to remain at zero.
The aforementioned warrant liabilities are not subject to qualified hedge accounting.
The following table presents the changes in the fair value of warrant liabilities:
Private Placement |
Public |
Warrant Liability |
||||||||||
Fair value as of January 15, 2021 |
$ |
— |
$ |
— |
$ |
— |
||||||
Initial measurement on March 12, 2021 |
3,832,673 |
6,748,349 |
10,581,022 |
|||||||||
Change in fair value of warrant liability |
(1,307,618 |
) |
(2,303,378 |
) |
(3,610,996 |
) | ||||||
Transfer to Level 1 |
— |
(4,444,971 |
) |
(4,444,971 |
) | |||||||
Transfer to Level 2 |
(2,525,055 |
) |
— |
(2,525,055 |
) | |||||||
Fair value as of December 31, 2021 |
$ |
— |
$ |
— |
$ |
— |
||||||
The following table provides quantitative information regarding Level 3 fair value measurements at March 12, 20
21
(initial measurement): Unit Price |
$ |
10.50 |
||
Strike Price |
$ |
11.50 |
||
Term (in years) |
1.0 |
|||
Volatility |
13.50 |
% | ||
Risk-free rate |
1.08 |
% | ||
Dividend yield |
0.00 |
% | ||
Fair value of warrants |
$ |
0.85 |
The Warrants are measured at fair value on a recurring basis. The subsequent measurement of the Public Warrants for each quarterly reporting period is classified as Level 1 when an observable market quote in an active market is available. When an observable market quote in an active market is not available, a binomial lattice model is used to value the warrant liability, and the Public Warrants are classified as Level 3. The subsequent measurement of the Private Placement Warrants for each quarterly reporting period is classified as Level 2 when a quoted market price for a similar liability is available. When an observable market quote is not available, a binomial lattice model is used and the Private Placement Warrants are classified as Level 3.
NOTE 10. SUBSEQUENT EVENTS
The Company evaluated subsequent events and transactions that occurred after the balance sheet date up to the date that the financial statements were issued. Based upon this review, the Company did not identify any subsequent events, other than as described below, that would have required adjustment or disclosure in the financial statements.
In February 2022, the Russian Federation and Belarus commenced a military action with the country of Ukraine. As a result of this action, various nations, including the United States, have instituted economic sanctions against the Russian Federation and Belarus. Further, the impact of this action and related sanctions on the world economy are not determinable as of the date of these financial statements.
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