EDGAR 10-K Filing

Company CIK: 1871745
Filing Year: 2022
Filename: 1871745_10-K_2022_0001193125-22-086774.json

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ITEM 1. BUSINESS
ITEM 1. BUSINESS
Introduction
We are a blank check company incorporated on March 9, 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. We have neither engaged in any operations nor generated any revenue to date. Based on our business activities, the Company is a “shell company” as defined under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”) because we have no operations and nominal assets consisting almost entirely of cash.
On September 28, 2021, we consummated our initial public offering (“Public Offering”) of 23,000,000 units, including the issuance of 3,000,000 units as a result of the underwriters’ full exercise of their over-allotment option. Each unit consists of one share of Class A common stock and one-half
of one redeemable warrant. Each whole warrant entitles the holder thereof to purchase one share of Class A common stock at a price of $11.50 per share. The units were sold at an offering price of $10.00 per unit, generating gross proceeds, before expenses, of $230,000,000.
On June 7, 2021, our sponsor purchased an aggregate of 5,750,000 founder shares (“Founder Shares”) for an aggregate purchase price of $25,000, or approximately $0.004 per share. The number of Founder Shares outstanding was determined based on the Company’s expectation that the total size of the Public Offering would be a maximum of 23,000,000 units if the underwriters’ over-allotment option was exercised in full, and therefore that such Founder Shares would represent 20% of the outstanding shares after the Public Offering. Prior to our sponsor’s initial investment of $25,000, the Company had no assets, tangible or intangible.
Simultaneously with the closing of the Public Offering, pursuant to the Private Placement Warrants Purchase Agreement, the Company completed the private sale of an aggregate of 11,700,000 warrants (the “Private Placement Warrants”) to the sponsor at a purchase price of $1.00 per Private Placement Warrant, generating gross proceeds to the Company of $11,700,000, a portion of which was added to the proceeds from the Public Offering held in the Trust Account (as defined below). No underwriting discounts or commissions were paid with respect to such sale. The issuance of the Private Placement Warrants was made pursuant to the exemption from registration contained in Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”).
The Private Placement Warrants are identical to the Warrants sold in the Public Offering, except that the Private Placement Warrants, so long as they are held by our sponsor or its permitted transferees, (i) are not redeemable by the us, (ii) may not (including the shares of Class A common stock issuable upon exercise of such Private Placement Warrants), subject to certain limited exceptions, be transferred, assigned or sold by such holders until 30 days after the completion of the Company’s initial business combination, (iii) may be exercised by the holders on a cashless basis and (iv) are entitled to registration rights. If the Private Placement Warrants are held by holders other than our sponsor or its permitted transferees, the Private Placement Warrants will be redeemable by us. If the Company does not consummate its initial business combination within 15 months from the closing of the Public Offering (or 18 months from the closing of the Public Offering if we extend the time to complete a business combination), the Private Placement Warrants will expire worthless.
Upon the closing of the Public Offering and the Private Placement, $234,600,000 was placed in a trust account with Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company acting as trustee (the “Trust Account”). We are not permitted to withdraw any of the principal or interest held in the Trust Account, except for the withdrawal of interest to pay our taxes and up to $100,000 of interests to pay dissolution expenses, as applicable, if any, until the earliest of (i) the completion of our initial business combination, (ii) the redemption of our public shares if we are unable to complete our initial business combination within 15 months from the closing of the Public Offering (or 18 months from the closing of the Public Offering if we extend the time to complete a business combination), subject to applicable law, and (iii) the redemption of our public shares properly submitted in connection with a stockholder vote to approve an amendment to our amended and restated certificate of incorporation (“Charter”) to modify the substance or timing of our obligation to redeem 100% of our public shares if we have not consummated our initial business combination within 15 months from the closing of the Public Offering (or 18 months from the closing of the Public Offering if we extend the time to complete a business combination) or with respect to any other material provisions relating to stockholders’ rights or pre-initial
business combination activity. 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 of 1940, as amended (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.
After the payment of underwriting discounts and commissions (excluding the deferred portion of $8,050,000 in underwriting discounts and commissions payable upon consummation of our initial business combination if consummated) and approximately $490,543 in expenses relating to the Public Offering, approximately $1,537,621 of the net proceeds of the Public Offering and Private Placement was not deposited into the Trust Account and was initially available to us for working capital purposes. The net proceeds deposited into the Trust Account remain on deposit in the Trust Account earning interest. As of March 21, 2022, there was approximately $324,624,819 in investments and cash held in the Trust Account.
Effecting Our Initial Business Combination
General
We are not presently engaged in, and we will not engage in, any operations for an indefinite period of time following the Public Offering. We intend to effectuate our initial business combination using cash from the proceeds of the 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, 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.
While we may pursue an initial business combination with a company in any sector or geography, we intend to focus our search on domestically based businesses within the direct selling industry with enterprise values from $500 million to $2.0 billion.
Business Strategy
We intend to identify and effect a business combination with a company, or companies, within the direct selling industry that we believe can benefit from the vast experience and expertise of our management team, as well as the access to capital markets our vehicle can provide. We are positioning ourselves as a powerful partner to industry companies, ownership groups and management teams based on our ability to provide growth capital and liquidity in an environment where it can otherwise prove challenging.
Our Access to Industry Companies is Unique and Differentiating
Our target evaluation and selection process will rely on the incomparable network and relationships of our management, board of directors and sponsor teams. Through their various business endeavors and extended service to the direct selling industry, we believe our team is the most connected group in the direct selling industry worldwide. Due to the nature and extent of these relationships, our team is already intimately familiar with the business, financials and prospects of many companies within our target universe. This allows us to quickly engage with potential targets and we expect the evaluation process to move quickly in each case
The Direct Selling Industry is Traditionally Underserved by Capital Markets
The direct selling industry has been traditionally underserved by the capital markets for a variety of reasons. Most direct selling companies are self-funded by their founders, or by a close network of industry investors. The nature of the business allows these companies to grow profitably and scale out of cash flow. This ability diminishes the need for these companies to develop relationships with the financial community through much of their early existence. Consequently, there exists an information gap and a lack of understanding between many industry companies and the various financial constituencies. As a result, liquidity and growth capital opportunities are not as readily available to many direct selling companies as they would be to similarly-situated companies in other industries. We believe that our expertise, reputation, and relationships will ideally position us to bridge this gap.
Our Team will be the Industry’s Preferred Partner
The members of our management team, board of directors and extended sponsor team are well-known and highly-respected across the direct selling industry. Industry ownership groups and C-suite
executives know us, our reputations and abilities and know that we understand their businesses and customers. As a result, we believe that we will be seen as the preferred sponsorship group by industry companies as compared to competing groups.
We Believe We Will Experience Little Competition for Target Companies
We believe that our relationships within, and knowledge of, the direct selling industry will provide us access to proprietary and first-look deal flow not available to other potential acquirors and/or special purpose acquisition companies. As previously mentioned, we believe that a disconnect exists between direct selling companies and the capital markets. The majority of direct selling companies are family-owned, or closely held, entities that may not typically consider the public markets without the guidance of a team such as ours.
Market Inefficiencies Exist Between Private and Public Direct Selling Company Valuations
Due to the disconnect and lack of understanding between the capital markets and the direct selling industry, there is a lack of a consistent, competitive bid for many private industry participants. Private equity firms are hesitant to take minority positions in companies they do not fully understand, and, likewise, industry participants are hesitant to sell a control stake in their business to firms that do not understand how to operate them. Conversely, the publicly traded comparable companies within the industry have performed exceptionally well over the years. Over the twelve months ended June 30, 2021, the average stock appreciation amongst publicly traded direct selling industry companies with a market capitalization of more than $1 billion was 78%, as compared to 38.6% for the S&P 500 index. Over the course of the last five years these same stocks have appreciated 122.8% on average, as compared to 105% for the S&P 500. As of June 30, 2021, the average price/earnings ratio amongst these companies was 16.665x, after removing an outlier that artificially skews the figure higher. We believe that the lack of a competitive bid and/or similarly beneficial alternatives will allow us to effect our business combination at a desirable valuation.
The Companies Within Our Target Universe Possess Significant Growth Opportunities
While each company within our target universe possesses significant scale and is highly profitable, we believe that each has significant growth opportunities inherent to its business in one, or more, of the below categories. Due to the closely held ownership structure of many of these companies and their history of sustaining themselves on organic cashflow, often, despite their significant profitability, investments in growth opportunities are forgone to instead fund cash distributions to ownership. As such, we believe an infusion of growth capital in one or more of the following areas can have an immediate and substantial impact within the majority of our possible target companies.
• International Expansion:
The United States is the largest direct selling market in the world with a market share of approximately 20%. However, there also are significant opportunities around the world, with more than 24 countries representing $1 billion plus direct selling markets. A properly executed international expansion program can be capital-intensive, but also provides a relatively quick return on investment. The industry’s worldwide $1 billion plus markets include:
Market
2020 Sales
Market
2020 Sales
United States
$ 40.1
Italy
$ 2.8
China
$ 19.2
Canada
$ 3.1
South Korea
$ 17.7
India
$ 3.0
Germany
$ 17.9
Russia
$ 2.1
Japan
$ 15.4
Colombia
$ 1.9
Brazil
$ 8.2
Peru
$ 1.9
Malaysia
$ 6.9
Indonesia
$ 1.6
Mexico
$ 5.3
Philippines
$ 1.4
France
$ 5.1
Australia
$ 1.2
Taiwan
$ 4.4
Ecuador
$ 0.9
United Kingdom
$ 1.0
Argentina
$ 1.4
Thailand
$ 2.9
Poland
$ 1.1
• Technology Utilization:
Technology, and in particular mobile technology, continues to shift the way we work, shop, communicate and play on a daily basis. The playing field is ever-evolving and shifting providing all businesses and industries the opportunity to either grow or be left behind. Within the direct selling industry, as with many others, the COVID-19
pandemic accelerated the adaption to, and implementation of, a wide variety of technologies. As a historically face-to-face
business, many direct selling companies have otherwise been slow to adapt to some of the new technologies; however, the transition has proved to be remarkably effective. We believe the direct selling industry is evolving from a “work from home” model to a “work from phone” model, allowing industry sales forces to work and run their businesses from anywhere, anytime. As such, we believe that seamless mobile applications and features such as mobile sampling platforms are critical to the future success of industry participants. Our team has extensive experience in these areas and the ability to assist and guide target companies in each of the relevant aspects, including branding, social marketing and selling, as well as mobile applications that provide a seamless distributor and customer experience.
• Product Line Expansion:
The independent sales forces and customer bases of direct selling companies represent a captive, engaged audience numbering, in the case of the majority of our target universe, in the hundreds of thousands, if not millions. These companies serve as a compelling platform for the introduction of new products and new product categories to that captive audience. We believe a significant opportunity exists to introduce new products to the existing channel through the acquisition of existing DTC brands and/or proprietary intellectual property. Our team also possesses the expertise, know-how
and relationships to expand a target’s current offerings through the development of additional products and/or product categories to supplement the target’s current offerings.
• Data:
Our team possesses knowledge, expertise and experience in certain forms of data analysis utilizing data points and indicators that are specific to the direct selling industry and that we believe to be unique. These methods of analysis will be utilized in our target evaluation process and will assist in the identification of both positive and negative trends within a target company’s business. Additionally, we believe that these methods of analysis will be highly beneficial post-business combination in identifying opportunities to accelerate growth.
Sourcing and Evaluation of Business Combination Targets
Based on the extensive experience of our team, and our intimate knowledge of the direct selling space, we have developed a comprehensive list of criteria to guide us in the evaluation of potential target companies. Our team possesses the core competencies to understand and properly evaluate the key business drivers underlying direct selling businesses, as well as assess potential growth opportunities inherent to each individual business. We also possess proprietary tools and databases that, when combined with our experience and relationships, allow us to evaluate industry companies at a level and in a manner that we believe has never before been available. Below is a listing of some of the criteria our team will be focused on in the evaluation of potential targets.
1.) Minimum five-year operating history
: We seek target companies that have established themselves as long-term growth companies. These companies possess proven staying power and distributor and customer loyalty.
2.)
Diversified, differentiated and consumable product offerings:
We seek target companies with diversified and proprietary product offerings. The majority of our target companies offer products in the health and wellness, nutrition, weight loss, skin care, personal care and beauty categories, where supplies must be replenished on a regular basis.
3.) Product-driven and customer-focused
: We will target companies that are product-driven and customer-focused, as opposed to opportunity-driven and focused. We seek companies offering competitively priced products, with a clear value proposition and a high customer to distributor ratio.
4.) Scale and profitability
: We are targeting companies with the scale and profitability necessary to perform at a high level in the public markets, which we define as having a minimum of $300 million in trailing twelve month (TTM) revenue and a minimum of $50 million in TTM EBITDA.
5.) Digital focus and/or opportunity
: We seek companies with the either proven or evident ability to grow their business virtually, effective social selling tools or strategies or the clear path to their development and virtually demonstrable products.
6.) Clear expansion and growth opportunities
: Target companies should present a clear path to growth in one or more of three key areas, including international expansion, product line expansion or through the utilization of additional technologies.
7.) Desirable demographics
: We seek companies with a desirable demographic profile, or the clear ability to attract desirable demographics, including those in the 25-45
age bracket with a high millennial concentration.
8.) Complementary to the skill set and abilities of our team
: We seek target companies where we believe the skills, experience and relationships of our team can provide synergistic value.
9.) Attractive valuation
: Targets should be valued attractively relative to their existing financial metrics and potential for operational improvement and offer an attractive potential return 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 be based, to the extent relevant, on these general criteria and guidelines as well as other considerations, factors, guidelines and criteria that our leadership team may deem relevant. In the event that we decide to enter into a business combination with a target business that does not meet the above criteria and guidelines, we will disclose that the target business does not meet the above criteria and guidelines in our stockholder communications related to our initial business combination, which would be in the form of proxy solicitation or tender offer materials, as applicable, that we would file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). In evaluating a prospective target business, we expect to conduct a thorough due diligence review which may encompass, among other things, meetings with incumbent management and employees, document reviews, interviews of customers and suppliers, inspections of facilities, as well as a review of financial, operational, legal and other information which will be 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 advisors. In the event we seek to complete our initial business combination with a company that is affiliated with our sponsor, officers or directors, we, or a committee of independent directors, will obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm that is a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc., or FINRA, or from an independent accounting firm, that our initial business combination is fair to our company from a financial point of view.
Members of our management team and sponsor group may directly or indirectly own our common stock 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 if the retention or resignation of any such officers and directors is included by a target business as a condition to any agreement with respect to our initial business combination.
We currently do not have any specific business combination under consideration. Although our officers and directors are from time to time made aware of potential business opportunities, one or more of which we may desire to pursue for a business combination, we have not (nor has anyone on our behalf) contacted any prospective target business or had any discussions, formal or otherwise, with any business combination target. Additionally, we have not, nor has anyone on our behalf, taken any measure, directly or indirectly, to identify or locate any suitable acquisition candidate for us, nor have we engaged or retained any agent or other representative to identify or locate any such acquisition candidate.
A number of our officers and directors presently have, and any of them in the future may have, additional fiduciary or contractual obligations to other entities pursuant to which such officer or director is or will be required to present a business combination opportunity. Accordingly, if any of our officers or directors becomes aware of a business combination opportunity which is suitable for an 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 entity, subject to his or her fiduciary duties under Delaware law. We expect that if an opportunity is presented to one of our officers or directors in his or her capacity as an officer or director of one of those other entities, such opportunity would be presented to such other entity and not to us. We do not believe, however, that the fiduciary duties or contractual obligations of our officers or directors will materially affect our ability to complete our initial business combination.
We may need to obtain additional financing either to complete our initial business combination or because we become obligated to redeem a significant number of our public shares upon completion of our initial business combination. We intend to effect a business combination with a company with an enterprise value significantly above the net proceeds of the Public Offering and the sale of the Private Placement Warrants. Depending on the size of the transaction or the number of public shares we become obligated to redeem, we may potentially utilize several additional financing sources, including but not limited to the issuance of additional securities to the sellers of a target business, debt issued by banks or other lenders or the owners of the target, a private placement to raise additional funds, or a combination of the foregoing. If we are unable to 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. In addition, following our initial business combination, if cash on hand is insufficient to meet our obligations or our working capital needs, we may need to obtain additional financing.
Initial Business Combination
Our initial business combination must occur with one or more target businesses that together have an aggregate fair market value of at least 80% of the net assets held in the Trust Account (net of amounts disbursed to management for working capital purposes and excluding the amount of any deferred underwriting commissions held in trust) at the time of signing the agreement to enter into the initial business combination. If our board of directors is not able to independently determine the fair market value of the target business or businesses or we are considering an initial business combination with an affiliated entity, we will obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm that is a member of FINRA or an independent valuation or accounting firm with respect to the satisfaction of such criteria.
We anticipate structuring our initial business combination so that the post transaction company in which our public stockholders own shares will own or acquire 100% of the outstanding equity interests or assets of the target business or businesses. We may, however, structure our initial business combination such 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, 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 business sufficient for it not to be required to register as an investment company under the Investment Company Act. Even if the post transaction company owns or acquires 50% or more of the outstanding 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, shares or other equity securities 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 issued and outstanding shares subsequent to our initial business combination. If less than 100% of the outstanding 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 80% of net assets test described above. If the 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 target businesses.
We have filed a Registration Statement on Form 8-A with
the SEC to voluntarily register our securities under Section 12 of the Exchange Act. As a result, we will be subject to the rules and regulations promulgated under the Exchange Act. We have no current intention of filing a Form 15 to suspend our reporting or other obligations under the Exchange Act prior or subsequent to the consummation of our initial business combination.
Redemption Rights for Holders of Public Shares Upon Consummation of Our Initial Business Combination
We will provide our public stockholders with the opportunity to redeem all or a portion of their public shares upon the completion of our initial business combination at a per-share
price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the Trust Account calculated as of two business days prior to the consummation of our initial business combination, including interest (which interest shall be net of taxes payable and less up to $100,000 to pay dissolution expenses), divided by the number of then outstanding public shares, subject to the limitations described herein. There will be no redemption rights upon the completion of our initial business combination with respect to our warrants. Our initial stockholders, sponsor, officers and directors 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 that they hold in connection with the completion of our initial business combination.
If a stockholder vote is not required and we do not decide to hold a stockholder vote for business or other legal reasons, we will, pursuant to our Charter: (a) conduct the redemptions pursuant to Rule 13e-4
and Regulation 14E under the Exchange Act, which regulate issuer tender offers; and (b) 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 under the Exchange Act, which regulates the solicitation of proxies.
Resources and Competition
Our Charter provides that we will have only 15 months from the closing of the Public Offering (or 18 months from the closing of the Public Offering if we extend the time to complete a business combination) to complete our initial business combination. If we are unable to complete our initial business combination within such 15-month
period (or 18-month
period if we extend the time to complete a business combination), we will (i) cease all operations except for the purpose of winding up, (ii) as promptly as reasonably possible but not more than ten business days thereafter, redeem the public shares, at a per-share
price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the Trust Account, including interest (which interest shall be net of taxes payable and less up to $100,000 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) and (iii) as promptly as reasonably possible following such redemption, subject to the approval of our remaining stockholders and our board of directors, liquidate and dissolve, subject, in each case, to our obligations under Delaware law to provide for claims of creditors and the requirements of other applicable law.
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 special purpose acquisition companies, private equity groups and leveraged buyout funds, public companies and operating businesses seeking strategic acquisitions. 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 us. Our ability to acquire larger target businesses will be limited by our available financial resources. This inherent limitation gives others an advantage in pursuing the acquisition 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.
Facilities
We currently utilize office space at 5800 Democracy Drive, Plano, Texas 75024 from our sponsor and the members of our management team. We consider our current office space adequate for our current operations.
Employees
We currently have three executive officers: Dave Wentz, Mike Lohner and Wayne Moorehead. 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 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.
Available Information
We are required to file Annual Reports on Form 10-K
and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q
with the SEC on a regular basis, and are required to disclose certain material events (e.g., changes in corporate control, acquisitions or dispositions of a significant amount of assets other than in the ordinary course of business and bankruptcy) in a Current Report on Form 8-K.
The SEC maintains an Internet website that contains reports, proxy and information statements and other information regarding issuers that file electronically with the SEC. The SEC’s internet website is located at http://www.sec.gov
. In addition, the Company will provide copies of these documents without charge upon request from us in writing at 5800 Democracy Drive, Plano, Texas 75024 or by telephone at (214) 380-6020.
We are 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”). As such, we are eligible to 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 of 2002, or 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 non-binding
advisory vote on executive compensation and stockholder approval of any golden parachute payments not previously approved. In addition, Section 107 of the JOBS Act also provides that an “emerging growth company” can take advantage of the extended transition period provided in Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act for complying with new or revised accounting standards. In other words, an “emerging growth company” can delay the adoption of certain accounting standards until those standards would otherwise apply to private companies. We will remain an emerging growth company until the earlier of (1) the last day of the fiscal year (a) following the fifth anniversary of the completion of the Public Offering, (b) in which we have total annual gross revenue of at least $1.07 billion, or (c) in which we are deemed to be a large accelerated filer, which means the market value of our common stock that is held by non-affiliates
exceeds $700 million as of the prior June 30th, and (2) the date on which we have issued more than $1.0 billion in non-convertible
debt securities during the prior three-year period. References herein to “emerging growth company” have the meaning associated with it in the JOBS Act.
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 market value of our common stock held by non-affiliates
is equal to or exceeds $250 million as of the prior June 30th and (2) our annual revenues were equal to or exceeded $100 million during such completed fiscal year and the market value of our common stock held by non-affiliates
is equal to or exceeds $700 million as of the prior June 30th.

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ITEM 1A. RISK FACTORS
ITEM 1A. RISK FACTORS
An investment in our securities involves a high degree of risk. You should consider carefully all of the risks described below, together with the other information contained in this Annual Report on Form 10-K
and the prospectus associated with our Public Offering, before making a decision to invest in our securities. 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 Search for, and Consummation of or Inability to Consummate, a Business Combination
Our stockholders may not be afforded an opportunity to vote on our proposed initial business combination, and even if we hold a vote, holders of our Founder Shares will participate in such vote, 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 if the business combination would not require stockholder approval under applicable law or stock exchange listing requirements. Except as required by applicable law or stock exchange listing requirements, the decision as to whether we will seek stockholder approval of a proposed 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. Even if we seek stockholder approval, the holders of our Founder Shares will participate in the vote on such approval. Accordingly, we may complete our initial business combination even if a majority of our public stockholders do not approve of the business combination we complete.
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.
Since our board of directors may complete a business combination without seeking stockholder approval, public stockholders may not have the right or opportunity to vote on the business combination, unless we seek such stockholder vote. Accordingly, your only opportunity to affect the investment decision regarding our initial 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.
If we seek stockholder approval of our initial business combination, our initial stockholders and management team have agreed to vote in favor of such initial business combination, regardless of how our public stockholders vote.
Our initial stockholders own 20% of our outstanding common stock. Our initial stockholders and management team also may from time to time purchase shares of Class A common stock prior to our initial business combination. Our Charter provides that, if we seek stockholder approval of an initial business combination, such initial business combination will be approved if we receive the affirmative vote of a majority of the shares voted at such meeting, including the Founder Shares. As a result, in addition to our initial stockholders’ Founder Shares, we could need as little as 1,552,500, or 6.25%, of our public shares sold in the Public Offering to be voted in favor of an initial business combination in order to have our initial business combination approved. Accordingly, if we seek stockholder approval of our initial business combination, the agreement by our initial stockholders and management team 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.
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 a business combination with a target.
We may seek to enter into a business combination transaction 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 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. Consequently, if accepting all properly submitted redemption requests would cause our net tangible assets to be less than $5,000,001 or make us unable to satisfy a minimum cash 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 a business combination transaction 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.
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 provision of the Class B common stock results in the issuance of shares of Class A common stock on a greater than one-to-one
basis upon conversion of the shares of Class B common stock at the time of our initial business combination. In addition, 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 per share amount we will distribute to stockholders who properly exercise their redemption rights will not be reduced by the deferred underwriting commissions and after such redemptions, the amount held in trust will continue to reflect our obligation to pay the entire deferred underwriting commissions. The above considerations may limit our ability to complete the most desirable business combination available to us or optimize our capital structure.
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 shares.
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 shares in the open market; however, at such time our shares 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 your exercise of redemption rights until we liquidate or you are able to sell your shares in the open market.
The requirement that we complete our initial business combination within 15 months after the closing of the Public Offering (or 18 months from the closing of the Public Offering if we extend the time to complete a business combination) may give potential target businesses leverage over us in negotiating a business combination and may limit the time we have in which to conduct due diligence on potential business combination targets, in particular 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 a business combination will be aware that we must complete our initial business combination within 15 months from the closing of the Public Offering (or 18 months from the closing of the Public Offering if we extend the time to complete a business combination). Consequently, such target business may obtain leverage over us in negotiating a 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.
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 coronavirus (COVID-19)
outbreak and the status of debt and equity markets.
In December 2019, a novel strain of coronavirus was reported to have surfaced in Wuhan, China, which has and is continuing to spread throughout China and other parts of the world, including the United States. On January 30, 2020, the World Health Organization declared the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19)
a “Public Health Emergency of International Concern.” On January 31, 2020, U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Alex M. Azar II declared a public health emergency for the United States to aid the U.S. healthcare community in responding to COVID-19,
and on March 11, 2020 the World Health Organization characterized the outbreak as a “pandemic”. The COVID-19
outbreak has resulted in, and a significant outbreak of other infectious diseases could result in, a widespread health crisis that could adversely affect the economies and financial markets worldwide, and the business of any potential target business with which we consummate a business combination could be materially and adversely affected. Furthermore, we may be unable to complete a business combination if concerns relating to COVID-19
continue to restrict travel, limit the ability to have meetings with potential investors or the target business’s personnel or make vendors and services providers unavailable to negotiate and consummate a transaction in a timely manner. The extent to which COVID-19
impacts our search for 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 of COVID-19,
any potential resurgences of COVID-19
and the actions to contain COVID-19
or treat its impact, including the application and distribution in certain countries of currently available and approved vaccines, 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.
In addition, our ability to consummate a transaction may be dependent on the ability to raise equity and debt financing, which may be impacted by COVID-19
and other events, including as a result of increased market volatility, decreased market liquidity and third-party financing being unavailable on terms acceptable to us or at all.
Finally, the outbreak of COVID-19
may also have the effect of heightening many of the other risks described in this “Risk Factors” section, such as those related to the market for our securities and cross-border transactions.
We may not be able to complete our initial business combination within 15 months from the closing of the Public Offering (or 18 months from the closing of the Public Offering if we extend the time to complete a business combination), in which case we would cease all operations except for the purpose of winding up and we would redeem our public shares and liquidate.
We may not be able to find a suitable target business and complete our initial business combination within 15 months from the closing of the Public Offering (or 18 months from the closing of the Public Offering if we extend the time to complete a business combination). Our ability to complete our initial business combination may be negatively impacted by general market conditions, volatility in the capital and debt markets and the other risks described herein. For example, the outbreak of COVID-19
continues to grow both in the U.S. and globally and, while the extent of the impact of the outbreak on us will depend on future developments, it could limit our ability to complete our initial business combination, including as a result of increased market volatility, decreased market liquidity and third-party financing being unavailable on terms acceptable to us or at all. Additionally, the outbreak of COVID-19
may negatively impact businesses we may seek to acquire. If we have not completed our initial business combination within such time period or during any extended period of time that we may have to consummate an initial business combination as a result of an amendment to our Charter (an “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 (which interest shall be net of taxes payable and less up to $100,000 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), and (iii) as promptly as reasonably possible following such redemption, subject to the approval of our remaining stockholders and our board of directors, liquidate and dissolve, subject in each case, to our obligations under Delaware law to provide for claims of creditors and the requirements of other applicable law.
If we seek stockholder approval of our initial business combination, our sponsor, initial stockholders, directors, executive officers, advisors and their affiliates may elect to purchase shares or public warrants from public stockholders, which may influence a vote on a proposed 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, initial stockholders, directors, executive officers, advisors or their affiliates may purchase 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, although they are under no obligation to do so. There is no limit on the number of shares our initial stockholders, directors, officers, advisors or their affiliates may purchase in such transactions, subject to compliance with applicable law and NYSE rules. Additionally, at any time at or prior to our initial business combination, subject to applicable securities laws (including with respect to material non-public
information), our initial stockholders, directors, officers, advisors or their affiliates may enter into transactions with investors and others to provide them with incentives to acquire public shares, vote their public shares in favor of our initial business combination or not redeem their public shares. However, other than as expressly stated herein, 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 shares or public warrants in such transactions. Such purchases may include a contractual acknowledgment 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, initial stockholders, directors, executive officers, advisors or their affiliates purchase 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 any such purchases of shares could be to (i) vote such shares in favor of the business combination and thereby increase the likelihood of obtaining stockholder approval of the business combination, (ii) 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 or (iii) 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. We expect 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. 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.
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 proxy rules or tender offer 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 proxy materials or tender offer documents, 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 submit public shares for redemption. For example, we intend to require our public stockholders seeking to exercise their redemption rights, whether they are record holders or hold their shares in “street name,” to, at the holder’s option, either deliver their stock certificates to our transfer agent, or to deliver their shares to our transfer agent electronically prior to the date set forth in the proxy materials or tender offer documents, as applicable. In the case of proxy materials, this date may be up to two business days prior to the vote on the proposal to approve the initial business combination. In addition, if we conduct redemptions in connection with a stockholder vote, we intend to require a public stockholder seeking redemption of its public shares to also submit a written request for redemption to our transfer agent two business days prior to the vote in which the name of the beneficial owner of such shares is included. In the event that a stockholder fails to comply with these or any other procedures disclosed in the proxy or tender offer materials, as applicable, its shares may not be redeemed.
You will not be entitled to protections normally afforded to investors of many other blank check companies.
Since the net proceeds of the Public Offering and the sale of the Private Placement Warrants are intended to be used to complete an initial business combination with a target business that has not been selected, we may be deemed to be a “blank check” company under the United States securities laws. However, because we had net tangible assets in excess of $5,000,000 upon the completion of the Public Offering and the sale of the Private Placement Warrants and filed a Current Report on Form 8-K,
including an audited balance sheet demonstrating this fact, 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 were immediately tradable and we have a longer period of time to complete our initial business combination than do companies subject to Rule 419.
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 Charter 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 in 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 the 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. Our stockholders’ inability to redeem the Excess Shares will reduce our stockholders influence over our ability to complete our initial business combination and stockholders 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, our stockholders will continue to hold that number of shares exceeding 15% and, in order to dispose of such shares, would be required to sell their shares in open-market transactions, potentially at a loss.
Because of our 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 are unable to complete our initial business combination, our public stockholders may receive only their pro rata portion of the funds in the Trust Account that are available for distribution to public stockholders, 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, domestic and international, 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 or greater technical, human and other resources to ours or more local industry knowledge than we do 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 the 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, we are obligated to offer holders of our public shares the right to redeem their shares for cash at the time of our initial business combination in conjunction with a stockholder vote or via a tender offer. Target companies will be aware that this may reduce the resources available to us for our initial business combination. Any of these obligations may place us at a competitive disadvantage in successfully negotiating a business combination. If we are unable to complete our initial business combination, our public stockholders may receive only their pro rata portion of the funds in the Trust Account that are available for distribution to public stockholders, and our warrants will expire worthless.
If the net proceeds of the Public Offering not being held in the Trust Account are insufficient to allow us to operate for 15 months from the closing of the Public Offering (or 18 months from the closing of the Public Offering if we extend the time to complete a business combination), 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 and to complete our initial business combination.
Of the net proceeds of the Public Offering, only $1,900,000 was initially available to us outside of the Trust Account to fund our working capital requirements. We believe that funds available to us outside of the Trust Account will be sufficient to allow us to operate for at least 18 months following the closing of the Public Offering; 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 or investors on terms more favorable to such target businesses) with respect to a particular proposed business combination, although we do not have any current intention to do so. If we entered into a letter of intent or merger 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 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. Neither 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. Our sponsor has loaned us approximately $652,543 as of March 15, 2021.
Up to $1,500,000 of such loans may be convertible into Private Placement Warrants of the post-business combination entity at a price of $1.00 per warrant at the option of the lender. Such warrants would be identical to the Private Placement Warrants. 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 we are unable to 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 an estimated $10.00 per share, or possibly less, on our redemption of our public shares, and our warrants will expire worthless.
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 $10.20 per share.
The 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 consider whether competitive alternatives are reasonably available to us and will only enter into an agreement with such third party if management believes that such third party’s engagement would be in the best interests of the company under the circumstances. The underwriters of the Public Offering as well as our independent registered public accounting firm 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 are unable to 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 10 years following redemption. Accordingly, the per-share
redemption amount received by public stockholders could be less than the $10.20 per public share initially held in the Trust Account, due to claims of such creditors. Pursuant to the letter agreement the form of which is filed as an exhibit to the registration statement relating to the Public Offering, 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 other similar agreement or business combination agreement, reduce the amount of funds in the Trust Account to below the lesser of (i) $10.20 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 $10.20 per public 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 did it apply to any claims under our indemnity of the underwriters of the 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 we 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 $10.20 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 or directors will indemnify us for claims by third parties including, without limitation, claims by vendors and prospective target businesses.
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) $10.20 per 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 $10.20 per public share due to reductions in the value of the trust assets, in each case less taxes payable, 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 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 $10.20 per share.
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 the members of our board of directors may be viewed as having breached their fiduciary duties to our creditors, thereby exposing the members of our board of directors and us 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 some or 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, by paying public stockholders from the Trust Account prior to addressing the claims of creditors, thereby exposing itself and us to claims of punitive damages.
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.
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.
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 of securities and that our activities do not include investing, reinvesting, owning, holding or trading “investment securities” constituting more than 40% of our assets (exclusive of U.S. government securities and cash items) on an unconsolidated basis. Our business is to identify and complete a 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 principal activities 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 that 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 a holding place for funds pending the earliest to occur of either(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 our Charter to modify the substance or timing of our obligation to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination within 15 months from the closing of the Public Offering (or 18 months from the closing of the Public Offering if we extend the time to complete a business combination); and (iii) absent an initial business combination within 15 months from the closing of the Public Offering (or 18 months from the closing of the Public Offering if we extend the time to complete a business combination) or with respect to any other material provisions relating to stockholders’ rights or pre-initial
business combination activity, 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 were 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 a business combination. If we are unable to complete our initial business combination, our public stockholders may only receive their pro rata portion of the funds in the Trust Account that are available for distribution to public stockholders, and our warrants will expire worthless.
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.
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 Delaware General Corporation Law (“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 15 months from the closing of the Public Offering (or 18 months
from the closing of the Public Offering if we extend the time to complete a business combination) 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 15th month from the closing of the Public Offering (or the 18th month from the closing of the Public Offering if we extend the time to complete a business combination) 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 comply 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 10 years following our dissolution. However, because we are a blank check company, rather than an operating company, and our operations are 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 15 months from the closing of the Public Offering (or 18 months from the closing of the Public Offering if we extend the time to complete a business combination) 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 not hold an annual meeting of stockholders until after the consummation of our initial business combination, which could delay the opportunity for our stockholders to elect directors.
In accordance with NYSE’s corporate governance requirements, we are not required to hold an annual meeting until no later than one year after our first fiscal year end following our listing on the NYSE. Under Section 211(b) of the DGCL, we are, however required to hold an annual meeting of stockholders for the purposes of electing directors in accordance with our bylaws unless such election is made by written consent in lieu of such a meeting. We may not hold an annual meeting of stockholders to elect new directors prior to the consummation of our initial business combination, and thus we may not be in compliance with Section 211(b) of the DGCL, which requires an annual meeting. Therefore, if our stockholders want us to hold an annual meeting prior to the consummation of our initial business combination, they may attempt to force us to hold one by submitting an application to the Delaware Court of Chancery in accordance with Section 211(c) of the DGCL.
Because we are neither limited to evaluating a target business in a particular industry sector nor have we selected any specific target businesses with which to pursue our initial business combination, you will be unable to ascertain the merits or risks of any particular target business’s operations.
Our efforts to identify a prospective initial business combination target will not be limited to a particular industry, sector or geographic region. While we may pursue an initial business combination opportunity in any industry or sector, we intend to capitalize on the ability of our management team to identify, acquire and operate a business or businesses that can benefit from our management team’s established global relationships and operating experience. Our management team has extensive experience in identifying and executing strategic investments globally and has done so successfully in a number of sectors. Our Charter prohibits us from effectuating a business combination with
another blank check company or similar company with nominal operations. Because we have not yet selected or approached any specific target business with respect to a business combination, there is no basis to evaluate the possible merits or risks of any particular target business’s operations, results of operations, cash flows, liquidity, financial condition or prospects. 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 or warrant holders who choose to remain stockholders or warrant holders following the business combination could suffer a reduction in the value of their securities. Such stockholders or warrant holders 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 materials or tender offer documents, as applicable, relating to the business combination contained an actionable material misstatement or material omission.
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 entirely consistent with our general criteria and guidelines.
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 all of 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 legal 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 are unable to complete our initial business combination, our public stockholders may only receive their pro rata portion of the funds in the Trust Account that are available for distribution to public stockholders, and our warrants will expire worthless.
We are not required to obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm or from a valuation or appraisal 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 stockholders from a financial point of view.
Unless we complete our initial business combination with an affiliated entity or our board of directors cannot independently determine the fair market value of the target business or businesses (including with the assistance of financial advisors), we are not required to obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm which is a member of FINRA or from a valuation or appraisal firm that the price we are paying is fair to our stockholders 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.
We may issue notes or other debt securities, or otherwise incur substantial debt, to complete a 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 issue any notes or other debt securities, or to otherwise incur substantial debt to complete our initial business combination. We and our officers 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:
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default and foreclosure on our assets if our operating revenues after an initial business combination are insufficient to repay our debt obligations;
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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;
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our immediate payment of all principal and accrued interest, if any, if the debt is payable on demand;
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our inability to obtain necessary additional financing if the debt contains covenants restricting our ability to obtain such financing while the debt is outstanding;
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our inability to pay dividends on our Class A common stock;
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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 Class A common stock if declared, expenses, capital expenditures, acquisitions and other general corporate purposes;
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limitations on our flexibility in planning for and reacting to changes in our business and in the industry in which we operate;
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increased vulnerability to adverse changes in general economic, industry and competitive conditions and adverse changes in government regulation; and
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limitations on our ability to borrow additional amounts for expenses, capital expenditures, acquisitions, debt service requirements, execution of our strategy and other purposes and other disadvantages compared to our competitors who have less debt.
We may only be able to complete one business combination with the proceeds of the Public Offering and the sale of the Private Placement Warrants, which will cause us to be solely dependent on a single business which may have a limited number of products or services. This lack of diversification may negatively impact our operations and profitability.
The net proceeds from the Public Offering and sale of the Private Placement Warrants provided us with $226,550,000 that we may use to complete our initial business combination (after taking into account $8,050,000 of deferred underwriting commissions being held in the Trust Account).
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. Accordingly, the prospects for our success may be:
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solely dependent upon the performance of a single business, property or asset; or
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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. 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 seek business combination opportunities in industries or sectors that may be outside of our management’s areas of expertise.
We will consider a business combination outside of our management’s areas of expertise if a business combination candidate is presented to us and we determine that such candidate offers an attractive business combination opportunity for our company. 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 the Public Offering than a direct investment, if an opportunity were available, in a business combination candidate. In the event that we elect to pursue a business combination outside of the areas of our management’s expertise, our management’s expertise may not be directly applicable to its evaluation or operation, and information regarding the areas of our management’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 ascertain or assess adequately all of the relevant 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.
We may seek acquisition opportunities with an early stage company, a financially unstable business or an entity lacking an established record of revenue or earnings.
To the extent we complete our initial business combination with an early stage company, a financially unstable business or an entity lacking an established record of sales or earnings, we may be affected by numerous risks inherent in the operations of the business with which we combine. These risks include investing in a business without a proven business model and with limited historical financial data, volatile revenues or earnings, intense competition 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 may attempt to complete our initial business combination with a private company about which little information is available, which may result in a business combination with a company that is not as profitable as we suspected, if at all.
In pursuing our 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 a business combination with a company that is not as profitable as we suspected, if at all.
We may seek business combination opportunities with a high degree of complexity that require significant operational improvements, which could delay or prevent us from achieving our desired results.
We may seek business combination opportunities with large, highly complex companies that we believe would benefit from operational improvements. While we intend to implement such improvements, to the extent that our efforts are delayed or we are unable to achieve the desired improvements, the business combination may not be as successful as we anticipate.
To the extent we complete our initial business combination with a large complex business or entity with a complex operating structure, we may also be affected by numerous risks inherent in the operations of the business with which we combine, which could delay or prevent us from implementing our strategy. Although our management team will endeavor to evaluate the risks inherent in a particular target business and its operations, we may not be able to properly ascertain or assess all of the significant risk factors until we complete our business combination. If we are not able to achieve our desired operational improvements, or the improvements take longer to implement than anticipated, we may not achieve the gains that we anticipate. Furthermore, some of these risks and complexities may be outside of our control and leave us with no ability to control or reduce the chances that those risks and complexities will adversely impact a target business. Such combination may not be as successful as a combination with a smaller, less complex organization.
We do not have a specified maximum redemption threshold. The absence of such a redemption threshold may make it possible for us to complete our initial business combination with which a substantial majority of our stockholders or warrant holders do not agree.
Our Charter 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. In addition, our proposed initial business combination may impose a minimum cash requirement for (i) cash consideration to be paid to the target or its owners, (ii) cash for working capital or other general corporate purposes or (iii) the retention of cash to satisfy other conditions. 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, executive officers, directors, advisors or any of their affiliates. In the event the aggregate cash consideration we would be required to pay for all shares of our 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 business combination exceed the aggregate amount of cash available to us, we will not complete the business combination or redeem any shares in connection with such initial business combination, 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.
In order to effectuate an initial business combination, special purpose acquisition companies have, in the recent past, amended various provisions of their charters and other governing instruments, including their warrant agreements. We cannot assure you that we will not seek to amend our Charter or governing instruments in a manner that will make it easier for us to complete our initial business combination that our stockholders may not support.
In order to effectuate a business combination, special purpose acquisition companies have, in the recent past, amended various provisions of their charters and governing instruments, including their warrant agreements. For example, special purpose acquisition companies have amended the definition of business combination, increased redemption thresholds and extended the time to consummate an initial business combination and, with respect to their warrants, amended their warrant agreements to require the warrants to be exchanged for cash and/or other securities. Amending our Charter requires the approval of holders of 65% of our common stock, and amending our warrant agreement requires a vote of holders of at least 50% of the public warrants and, solely with respect to any amendment to the terms of the Private Placement Warrants or any provision of the warrant agreement with respect to the Private
Placement Warrants, 50% of the number of the then outstanding Private Placement Warrants. In addition, our Charter requires us to provide our public stockholders with the opportunity to redeem their public shares for cash if we propose an amendment to our Charter to modify the substance or timing of our obligation to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete an initial business combination within 15 months from the closing of the Public Offering (or 18 months from the closing of the Public Offering if we extend the time to complete a business combination) or with respect to any other material provisions relating to stockholders’ rights or pre-initial
business combination activity. To the extent any of such amendments would be deemed to fundamentally change the nature of the securities offered through the registration statement relating to the Public Offering, we would register, or seek an exemption from registration for, the affected securities. We cannot assure you that we will not seek to amend our Charter or governing instruments or extend the time to consummate an initial business combination in order to effectuate our initial business combination.
The provisions of our Charter that relate to our pre-business
combination activity (and corresponding provisions of the agreement governing the release of funds from our Trust Account) 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 special purpose acquisition companies. It may be easier for us, therefore, to amend our Charter to facilitate the completion of an initial business combination that some of our stockholders may not support.
Our Charter provides that any of its provisions related to pre-
business combination activity (including the requirement to deposit proceeds of the 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) 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 all other instances, our Charter may be amended by holders of a majority of our outstanding common stock entitled to vote thereon, subject to applicable provisions of the DGCL or applicable stock exchange rules. Our initial stockholders, who collectively beneficially own 20% of our common stock, may participate in any vote to amend our Charter 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 Charter which govern our pre-business
combination behavior more easily than some other special purpose acquisition companies, and this may increase our ability to complete a business combination with which you do not agree. Our stockholders may pursue remedies against us for any breach of our Charter.
Our sponsor, executive officers, directors and director nominees have agreed, pursuant to written agreements with us, that they will not propose any amendment to our Charter to modify the substance or timing of our obligation to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination within 15 months from the closing of the Public Offering (or 18 months from the closing of the Public Offering if we extend the time to complete a business combination) or with respect to any other material provisions relating to stockholders’ rights or pre-initial
business combination activity, unless we provide our public stockholders with the opportunity to redeem their 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 (which interest shall be net of taxes payable and less up to $100,000 to pay dissolution expenses), divided by the number of then outstanding public shares. Our stockholders are not parties to, or third-party beneficiaries of, these agreements and, as a result, will not have the ability to pursue remedies against our sponsor, executive officers, directors or director nominees for any breach of these agreements. As a result, in the event of a breach, our stockholders would need to pursue a stockholder derivative action, subject to applicable law.
Certain agreements related to the Public Offering may be amended without stockholder approval.
Each of the agreements related to the Public Offering to which we are a party, other than the warrant agreement and the investment management trust agreement, may be amended without stockholder approval. Such agreements are: the underwriting agreement; the letter agreement among us and our initial stockholders, sponsor, officers and directors; the registration rights agreement among us and our initial stockholders; the Private Placement Warrants purchase agreement between us and our sponsor; and the administrative services agreement among us, our sponsor and an affiliate of our sponsor. These agreements contain various provisions that our public stockholders might deem to be material. For example, our letter agreement and the underwriting agreement contain certain lock-up
provisions with respect to the Founder Shares, Private Placement Warrants and other securities held by our initial stockholders,
sponsor, officers and directors. Amendments to such agreements would require the consent of the applicable parties thereto and would need to be approved by our board of directors, which may do so for a variety of reasons, including to facilitate our initial business combination. While we do not expect our board of directors to approve any amendment to any of these agreements prior to our initial business combination, it may be possible that our board of directors, in exercising its business judgment and subject to its fiduciary duties, chooses to approve one or more amendments to any such agreement. Any amendment entered into in connection with the consummation of our initial business combination will be disclosed in our proxy materials or tender offer documents, as applicable, related to such initial business combination, and any other material amendment to any of our material agreements will be disclosed in a filing with the SEC. Any such amendments would not require approval from our stockholders, may result in the completion of our initial business combination that may not otherwise have been possible, and may have an adverse effect on the value of an investment in our securities. For example, amendments to the lock-up
provision discussed above may result in our initial stockholders selling their securities earlier than they would otherwise be permitted, which may have an adverse effect on the price of our securities.
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.
We are targeting businesses with enterprise values that are greater than we could acquire with the net proceeds of the Public Offering and the sale of the Private Placement Warrants. As a result, if the cash portion of the purchase price exceeds the amount available from the Trust Account, net of amounts needed to satisfy any redemption by public stockholders, 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, we may be required to obtain additional financing in connection with the closing of our initial business combination for general corporate purposes, including for maintenance or expansion of operations of the post-transaction businesses, the payment of principal or interest due on indebtedness incurred in completing our initial business combination, or to fund the purchase of other companies. If we are unable to complete our initial business combination, our public stockholders may only receive their pro rata portion of the funds in the Trust Account that are available for distribution to public stockholders, 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.
Our initial stockholders control a substantial interest in us and thus may exert a substantial influence on actions requiring a stockholder vote, potentially in a manner that you do not support.
Our initial stockholders own 20% of our issued and outstanding shares of common stock. Accordingly, they may exert a substantial influence on actions requiring a stockholder vote, potentially in a manner that our stockholders do not support, including amendments to our Charter. 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, our board of directors, whose members were elected by our sponsor, is and will be divided into three classes, each of which will generally serve for a term of three years with only one class of directors being elected in each year. We may not hold an annual meeting of stockholders to elect new directors prior to the completion of our initial business combination, in which case all of the current directors will continue in office until at least the completion of the business combination. If there is an annual meeting of stockholders, as a consequence of our “staggered” board of directors, only a minority of the board of directors will be considered for election and our initial stockholders, because of their ownership position, will have considerable influence regarding the outcome. 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, our initial stockholders will continue to exert control at least until the completion of our initial business combination.
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 the proxy statement with respect to the vote on an initial business combination include historical and pro forma financial statement disclosure. We will include the same financial statement disclosure in connection with our tender offer documents, whether or not they are required under the tender offer rules. 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 (“GAAP”), or international financial reporting standards as issued by the International Accounting Standards Board (“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) (“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 rules and complete our initial business combination within the prescribed time frame.
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.
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 that 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 business 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 controls 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.
As the number of special purpose acquisition companies evaluating targets increases, attractive targets may become scarcer and there may be more competition for attractive targets. This could increase the cost of our initial business combination and could result in our inability to find a target or to consummate an initial business combination.
In recent years, the number of special purpose acquisition companies has increased substantially. A number of potential targets for special purpose acquisition companies have already been acquired, and there are still many special purpose acquisition companies pursuing an initial business combination or preparing for their initial public offering. As a result, fewer attractive targets may be available to consummate an initial business combination. In addition, because there are more special purpose acquisition companies seeking to enter into an initial business combination with available targets, the competition for targets may increase and, as a result, the terms of business combination transactions with available targets could become less favorable to us. Attractive transactions could also become scarcer for other reasons, such as economic or industry sector downturns, geopolitical tensions, or increases in the cost of additional capital needed to close business combinations or operate targets post-business combination. This could increase the cost of, delay or otherwise complicate or frustrate our ability to find and consummate an initial business combination, and may result in our inability to consummate an initial business combination on terms favorable to us.
Our management team and our sponsor may make a profit on any initial business combination, even if any public stockholders who did not redeem their shares would experience a loss on that business combination. As a result, the economic interests of our management team and our sponsor may not fully align with the economic interests of public stockholders.
Like most SPACs, our structure may not fully align the economic interests of our sponsor and those persons, including our officers and directors, who have interests in our sponsor with the economic interests of our public stockholders. Upon the closing of the Public Offering, our sponsor invested an aggregate of $11,725,000, comprised of the $25,000 purchase price for the Founder Shares and the $11,700,000 purchase price for the Private Placement
Warrants. Assuming a trading price of $10.00 per share upon consummation of our initial business combination, the 5,750,000 Founder Shares would have an aggregate implied value of $50,750,000. Even if the trading price of our Class A common stock was as low as $2.04, and the Private Placement Warrants were worthless, the value of the Founder Shares would be equal to the sponsor’s initial investment in us. As a result, so long as we complete an initial business combination, our sponsor is likely to be able to recoup its investment in us and make a substantial profit on that investment, even if our public shares lose significant value.
Accordingly, our sponsor and members of our management team who own interests in our sponsor may have incentives to pursue and consummate an initial business combination quickly, with a risky or not well established target business, and/or on transaction terms favorable to the equity holders of the target business, rather than continue to seek a more favorable business combination transaction that could result in an improved outcome for our public stockholders or liquidate and return all of the cash in the trust to the public stockholders. For the foregoing reasons, you should consider our sponsor’s and management team’s financial incentive to complete an initial business combination when evaluating whether to purchase our public shares and/or redeem your public shares prior to or in connection with an initial business combination.
Risks Relating to the Post-Business Combination Company
Subsequent to our 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 the price of our securities, which could cause you to lose some or all of your investment.
Even if we conduct extensive due diligence on a target business with which we combine, we cannot assure you that this diligence will identify all material issues that may be present with 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 or thereafter. Accordingly, any stockholders or warrant holders who choose to remain stockholders or warrant holders following the business combination could suffer a reduction in the value of their securities. Such stockholders or warrant holders 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 materials or tender offer documents, as applicable, relating to the business combination contained an actionable material misstatement or material omission.
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 are unable to complete our initial business combination, our public stockholders may only receive their pro rata portion of the funds in the Trust Account that are available for distribution to public stockholders, 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 and others. If we decide not to complete a specific initial business combination, the costs incurred up to that point for the proposed transaction likely would not be recoverable. 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 are unable to complete our initial business combination, our public stockholders may only receive their pro rata portion of the funds in the Trust Account that are available for distribution to public stockholders, and our warrants will expire worthless.
Our ability to successfully effect our initial business combination and to be successful thereafter will be 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 engage 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.
Our key personnel may negotiate employment or consulting agreements with a target business in connection with a particular business combination, and a particular business combination may be conditioned on the retention or resignation of such key personnel. These agreements may provide for them to receive compensation 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.
Our key personnel may be able to remain with our company after the completion of our initial business combination only if they are able to negotiate employment or consulting agreements in connection with the business combination. Such negotiations would take place simultaneously with the negotiation of the 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 business combination. Such negotiations also could make such key personnel’s retention or resignation a condition to any such agreement. The personal and financial interests of such individuals may influence their motivation in identifying and selecting a target business, subject to their fiduciary duties under Delaware law.
We may have a limited ability to assess the management of a prospective target business and, as a result, may effect our initial business combination with a target business whose management may not have the skills, qualifications or abilities to manage a public company.
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 business’s management, therefore, may prove to be incorrect and such management may lack the skills, qualifications or abilities we suspected. Should the target business’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 or warrant holders who choose to remain stockholders or warrant holders following the business combination could suffer a reduction in the value of their securities. Such stockholders or warrant holders 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.
The officers and directors of an acquisition candidate may resign upon completion of our initial business combination. The loss of a business combination target’s key personnel could negatively impact the operations and profitability of our post-combination business.
The role of an acquisition 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 acquisition candidate’s management team will remain associated with the acquisition candidate following our initial business combination, it is possible that members of the management of an acquisition candidate will not wish to remain in place.
Our management may not be able to maintain control of a target business after our initial business combination. 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.
We may structure our 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 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 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 Class A common stock, our stockholders immediately prior to such transaction could own less than a majority of our outstanding Class A 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 shares than we initially acquired. Accordingly, this may make it more likely that our management will not be able to maintain control of the target business.
Unanticipated changes in our effective tax rate or challenges by tax authorities could harm our future results.
We are subject to income taxes in the United States and may become subject to various non-U.S.
jurisdictions as well. Our effective tax rate could be adversely affected by changes in the allocation of our pre-tax
earnings and losses among countries with differing statutory tax rates, in certain non-deductible
expenses as a result of acquisitions, in the valuation of our deferred tax assets and liabilities, or in federal, state, local or non-U.S.
tax laws and accounting principles, including increased tax rates, new tax laws or revised interpretations of existing tax laws and precedents. Increases in our effective tax rate would adversely affect our operating results. In addition, we may be subject to income tax audits by various tax jurisdictions throughout the world. The application of tax laws in such jurisdictions may be subject to diverging and sometimes conflicting interpretations by tax authorities in these jurisdictions. Although we believe our income tax liabilities are reasonably estimated and accounted for in accordance with applicable laws and principles, an adverse resolution of one or more uncertain tax positions in any period could have a material impact on the results of operations for that period.
Our initial business combination and our structure thereafter may not be tax-efficient
to our stockholders and warrant holders. As a result of our business combination, our tax obligations may be more complex, burdensome and uncertain.
Although we will attempt to structure our initial business combination in a tax-efficient
manner, tax structuring considerations are complex, the relevant facts and law are uncertain and may change, and we may prioritize commercial and other considerations over tax considerations. For example, in connection with our initial business combination and subject to any requisite stockholder approval, we may structure our business combination in a manner that requires stockholders and/or warrant holders to recognize gain or income for tax purposes, effect a business combination with a target company in another jurisdiction, or reincorporate in a different jurisdiction (including, but not limited to, the jurisdiction in which the target company or business is located). We do not intend to make any cash distributions to stockholders or warrant holders to pay taxes in connection with our business combination or thereafter. Accordingly, a stockholder or a warrant holder may need to satisfy any liability resulting from our initial business combination with cash from its own funds or by selling all or a portion of the shares received. In addition, stockholders and warrant holders may also be subject to additional income, withholding or other taxes with respect to their ownership of us after our initial business combination.
In addition, we may effect a business combination with a target company that has business operations outside of the United States, and possibly, business operations in multiple jurisdictions. If we effect such a business combination, we could be subject to significant income, withholding and other tax obligations in a number of jurisdictions with respect to income, operations and subsidiaries related to those jurisdictions. Due to the complexity of tax obligations and filings in other jurisdictions, we may have a heightened risk related to audits or examinations by U.S. federal, state, local and non-U.S.
taxing authorities. This additional complexity and risk could have an adverse effect on our after-tax
profitability and financial condition.
Risks Relating to our Management Team
We may not have sufficient funds to satisfy indemnification claims of our directors and executive officers.
We have agreed to indemnify our officers, directors and advisors to the fullest extent permitted by law. However, our officers, directors and advisors have agreed to waive any right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to any monies in the Trust Account and to not seek recourse against the Trust Account for any reason whatsoever. 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.
Past performance by our management team and their affiliates may not be indicative of future performance of an investment in us.
Information regarding performance by, or businesses associated with, our management team or businesses associated with them is presented for informational purposes only. Past performance by our management team is not a guarantee either (i) 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 record of the performance of our management team’s or businesses associated with them as indicative of our future performance of an investment in us or the returns we will, or is likely to, generate going forward.
Our executive 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 executive 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 a business combination and their other businesses. We do not intend to have any full-time employees prior to the completion of our initial business combination. Each of our executive officers is engaged in several other business endeavors for which he may be entitled to substantial compensation, and our executive officers are not obligated to contribute any specific number of hours per week to our affairs. Our independent directors also serve as officers and board members for other entities. If our executive 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.
Our officers and directors presently have, and any of them in the future may have, additional, fiduciary or contractual obligations to other entities and, accordingly, may have conflicts of interest in 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. A number of our officers and directors presently have, and any of them in the future may have, additional fiduciary or contractual obligations to other entities pursuant to which such officer or director is or will be required to present a business combination opportunity to such entity. Accordingly, they 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 Charter 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 the 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. However, we do not believe that any such potential conflicts would materially affect our ability to complete our initial business combination.
In addition, our sponsor and our officers and directors may sponsor or form other special purpose acquisition companies similar to ours or may pursue other business or investment ventures during the period in which we are seeking an initial business combination. Any such companies, businesses or investments may present additional conflicts of interest in pursuing an initial business combination. However, we do not believe that any such potential conflicts would materially affect our ability to complete our initial business combination because our management team has significant experience in identifying and executing multiple acquisition opportunities simultaneously, and as we believe there are a number of potential opportunities within the industries and geographies of our primary focus.
Our executive 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, executive 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 a business combination with a target business that is affiliated with our sponsor, our directors or executive officers, although we do not intend to do so. Nor do we 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.
The personal and financial interests of our directors and officers may influence their motivation in timely identifying and selecting a target business and completing a business combination. Consequently, our directors’ and officers’ discretion in identifying and selecting a suitable target business may result in a conflict of interest when determining whether the terms, conditions and timing of a particular business combination are appropriate and in our stockholders’ best interest. If this were the case, it would be a breach of their fiduciary duties to us as a matter of Delaware law and we or our stockholders might have a claim against such individuals for infringing on our stockholders’ rights. However, we might not ultimately be successful in any claim we may make against them for such reason.
We are dependent upon our executive officers and directors and their loss could adversely affect our ability to operate.
Our operations are dependent upon a relatively small group of individuals and, in particular, our executive 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. In addition, our executive officers and directors are not required to commit any specified amount of time to our affairs and, accordingly, will have conflicts of interest in allocating their time among various business activities, including identifying potential business combinations and monitoring the related due diligence. We do not have an employment agreement with, or key-man
insurance on the life of, any of our directors or executive officers. The unexpected loss of the services of one or more of our directors or executive officers could have a detrimental effect on us.
We may engage in a business combination with one or more target businesses that have relationships with entities that may be affiliated with our sponsor, executive officers, directors or existing holders which may raise potential conflicts of interest.
In light of the involvement of our sponsor, executive officers and directors with other entities, we may decide to acquire one or more businesses affiliated with our sponsor, executive officers, directors or existing holders. Our directors also serve as officers and board members for other entities. Such entities may compete with us for business combination opportunities. Our sponsor, executive 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 substantive discussions concerning a 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 a business combination and such transaction was approved by a majority of our independent and disinterested directors. Despite our agreement to obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm which is a member of FINRA or a valuation or appraisal firm regarding the fairness to our company from a financial point of view of a business combination with one or more domestic or international businesses affiliated with our sponsor, executive officers, directors or existing holders, potential conflicts of interest still may exist and, as a result, the terms of the business combination may not be as advantageous to our public stockholders as they would be absent any conflicts of interest.
Since our sponsor, executive officers and directors will lose their entire investment in us if our initial business combination is not completed (other than with respect to public shares they may acquire after the Public Offering), a conflict of interest may arise in determining whether a particular business combination target is appropriate for our initial business combination.
On June 7, 2021, our sponsor paid an aggregate of $25,000 to purchase 5,750,000 Founder Shares, or approximately $0.004 per share. Prior to the initial investment in the company of $25,000 by the sponsor, the company had no assets, tangible or intangible. The purchase price of the Founder Shares was determined by dividing the amount of cash contributed to the company by the number of Founder Shares issued. The number of Founder Shares outstanding was determined based on the expectation that the total size of the Public Offering would be a maximum of 23,000,000 units if the underwriters’ over-allotment option was exercised in full, and therefore that such Founder Shares would represent 20% of the outstanding shares after the Public Offering. The Founder Shares will be worthless if we do not complete an initial business combination. In addition, our sponsor purchased an aggregate of 11,700,000 Private Placement Warrants, each exercisable for one share of Class A common stock at $11.50 per share, for an aggregate purchase price of $11,700,000, or $1.00 per warrant, that will also be worthless if we do not complete our initial business combination. The personal and financial interests of our executive 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. This risk may become more acute as the date that is 15 months from the closing of the Public Offering (or 18 months from the closing of the Public Offering if we extend the time to complete a business combination) nears, which is the deadline for our completion of an initial business combination.
Members of our management team and board of directors have significant experience as founders, board members, officers, executives or employees of other companies. As a result, certain of those persons may have been, may be or may become involved in proceedings, investigations and litigation relating to the business affairs of the companies with which they were, are or may be in the future be affiliated. The defense of these matters could be time-consuming and could divert our management’s attention, which could have an adverse effect on us and impede our ability to consummate an initial business combination.
During the course of their careers, members of our management team and board of directors have had significant experience as founders, board members, officers, executives or employees of other companies. As a result of their involvement and positions in these companies, certain of those persons may have been, may now be, or may in the future become involved in litigation, investigations or other proceedings relating to the business affairs of such companies, transactions entered into by such companies or otherwise. Any such litigation, investigations or other proceedings may divert the attention and resources of the members of both our management team and our board of directors away from identifying and selecting a target business or businesses for our initial business combination and may negatively affect our reputation, which may impede our ability to complete an initial business combination.
Risks Relating to our Securities
You will not have any rights or interests in funds from the Trust Account, except under certain limited circumstances. Therefore, to liquidate your investment, 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 tendered in connection with a stockholder vote to amend our Charter to modify the substance or timing of our obligation to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination within 15 months from the closing of the Public Offering (or 18 months from the closing of the Public Offering if we extend the time to complete a business combination) or during any Extension Period or with respect to any other material provisions relating to stockholders’ rights or pre-initial
business combination activity, and (iii) the redemption of our public shares if we are unable to complete an initial business combination within 15 months from the closing of the Public Offering (or 18 months from the closing of the Public Offering if we extend the time to complete a business combination), subject to applicable law and as further described herein. In addition, if our plan to redeem our public shares if we are unable to complete an initial business combination within 15 months from the closing of the Public Offering is not completed for any reason, compliance with Delaware law may require that we submit a plan of dissolution to our then-existing stockholders for approval prior to the distribution of the proceeds held in our Trust Account. In that case, public stockholders may be forced to wait beyond 15 months from the closing of the Public Offering (or 18 months from the closing of the Public Offering if we extend the time to complete a business combination) before they receive funds from our Trust Account. 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 its exchange, which could limit investors’ ability to make transactions in our securities and subject us to additional trading restrictions.
Our units are listed on the NYSE. Our Class A common stock and warrants are separately trading on the NYSE. Although following the Public Offering, we meet, on a pro forma basis, the minimum initial listing standards set forth in the NYSE listing standards, we cannot assure you that our securities will be, or 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 share price levels. Generally, following our Public Offering, we must maintain a minimum amount of stockholders’ equity (generally $2,500,000) and a minimum number of holders of our securities (generally 300 public holders). 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 share price would generally be required to be at least $4.00 per share and our stockholders’ equity would generally be required to be at least $5.0 million. 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 over-the-counter
market. If this were to occur, we could face significant material adverse consequences, including:
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a limited availability of market quotations for our securities;
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reduced liquidity for our securities;
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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;
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a limited amount of news and analyst coverage; and
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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 Class A common stock and warrants were listed on the NYSE, our units, Class A common stock and warrants qualify as covered securities under the statute. 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 qualify as covered securities under the statute and we would be subject to regulation in each state in which we offer our securities.
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 stockholders may be less than $10.20 per share.
The proceeds held in the Trust Account will be invested only in U.S. government treasury obligations with a maturity of 185 days or less or in money market funds meeting certain conditions under Rule 2a-7
under the Investment Company Act which invest only in direct U.S. government treasury obligations. While short-term U.S. 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 yields, the amount of interest income (which we may use to pay our 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 pro-rata
share of the proceeds then held in the Trust Account, plus any interest income (less up to $100,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses). If the balance of the Trust Account is reduced below $234,600,000 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 $10.20 per share.
Holders of our Class A common stock will not be entitled to vote on any appointment of directors prior to our initial business combination.
Prior to our initial business combination, only holders of our Founder Shares will have the right to vote on the appointment of directors. Holders of our public shares will not be entitled to vote on the appointment 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 completion of an initial business combination.
You may only be able to exercise your public warrants on a “cashless basis” under certain circumstances, and if you do so, you will receive fewer shares of Class A common stock from such exercise than if you were to exercise such warrants for cash.
The warrant agreement provides that in the following circumstances holders of warrants who seek to exercise their warrants will not be permitted to do for cash and will, instead, be required to do so on a cashless basis in accordance with Section 3(a)(9) of the Securities Act: (i) if the shares of Class A common stock issuable upon exercise of the warrants are not registered under the Securities Act in accordance with the terms of the warrant agreement; (ii) if we have so elected and the shares of Class A common stock is at the time of any exercise of a warrant not listed on a national securities exchange such that they satisfy the definition of “covered securities” under Section 18(b)(1) of the Securities Act; and (iii) if we have so elected and we call the public warrants for redemption. If you exercise your public warrants on a cashless basis, you would pay the warrant exercise price by surrendering the warrants for that number of shares of Class A common stock equal to 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 shares of Class A common stock (as defined in the next sentence) over the exercise price of the warrants by (y) the fair market value. The “fair market value” is the average reported closing price of the shares of Class A common stock for the ten trading days ending on the third trading day prior to the date on which the notice of exercise is received by the warrant agent or on which the notice of redemption is sent to the holders of warrants, as applicable. As a result, you would receive fewer shares of Class A common stock from such exercise than if you were to exercise such warrants for cash.
We have not registered the shares of Class A common stock issuable upon exercise of the warrants under the Securities Act or any state securities laws, 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 and potentially causing such warrants to expire worthless.
We have not registered the shares of Class A common stock issuable upon exercise of the warrants under the Securities Act or any state securities laws. 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 commercially reasonable efforts to file with the SEC a registration statement covering the registration under the Securities Act of the shares of Class A common stock issuable upon exercise of the warrants and thereafter will use 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 shares of 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 related to the Public Offering, 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, under the terms of the warrant agreement, holders of warrants who seek to exercise their warrants will not be permitted to do so for cash and, instead, will be required to do so on a cashless basis in accordance with Section 3(a)(9) of the Securities Act or another exemption from registration.
In no event will warrants be exercisable for cash or on a cashless basis, and we are not 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 registration or qualification is available.
If our shares of Class A common stock are at the time of any exercise of a warrant not listed on a national securities exchange such that they satisfy the definition of “covered securities” under Section 18(b)(1) of the Securities Act, we may, at our option, not permit holders of warrants who seek to exercise their warrants to do so for cash and, instead, require them to do so on a cashless basis in accordance with Section 3(a)(9) of the Securities Act. In the event we so elect, we are not be required to file or maintain in effect a registration statement or register or qualify the shares underlying the warrants under applicable state securities laws, and in the event we do not so elect, we will use commercially reasonable efforts to register or qualify the shares underlying the warrants under applicable state securities laws to the extent an exemption is not available. Exercising the warrants on a cashless basis could 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 Class A common stock upon a cashless exercise of the warrants they hold than upon a cash exercise.
In no event will we be required to net cash settle any warrant, or issue securities (other than upon a cashless exercise as described above) 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 the Securities Act or applicable state securities laws. If the issuance of the shares upon exercise of the warrants is not so registered or 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. 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. There may be a circumstance in which an exemption from registration exists for holders of our Private Placement Warrants to exercise their warrants while a corresponding exemption does not exist for holders of the public warrants included as part of units sold in the Public Offering. In such an instance, our sponsor and its permitted transferees (which may include our directors and executive officers) would be able to exercise their warrants and sell the shares of Class A common stock underlying their warrants while holders of our public warrants would not be able to exercise their warrants and
sell the underlying shares of Class A common stock. 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 shares of Class A common stock for sale under all applicable state securities laws. As a result, we may redeem the warrants as set forth above even if the holders are otherwise unable to exercise their warrants.
The grant of registration rights to our initial stockholders and holders of our Private Placement Warrants 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 shares of 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 Founder Shares are convertible, holders of our Private Placement Warrants and their permitted transferees can demand that we register the Private Placement Warrants and the Class A common stock issuable upon exercise of the Private Placement Warrants 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 conversion of such warrants. The registration rights will be exercisable with respect to the Founder Shares and the Private Placement Warrants and the Class A common stock issuable upon exercise of such Private Placement 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 shares of common stock owned by our initial stockholders, holders of our Private Placement Warrants or holders of our working capital loans or their respective permitted transferees are registered.
We may issue additional shares of Class A common stock or shares of 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 Founder Shares at a ratio greater than one-to-one
at the time of our initial business combination as a result of the anti-dilution provisions contained in our Charter. Any such issuances would dilute the interest of our stockholders and likely present other risks.
Our Charter authorized the issuance of up to 380,000,000 shares of Class A common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, 20,000,000 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. Immediately after the Public Offering, there were 177,000,000 and 14,250,000 authorized but unissued shares of Class A common stock and Class B common stock, respectively, available for issuance which amount takes into account shares reserved for issuance upon exercise of outstanding warrants but not the shares of Class A common stock issuable upon conversion of the Class B common stock. The Class B common stock is automatically convertible into Class A common stock concurrently with or immediately following the consummation of our initial business combination, initially at a one-for-one
ratio but subject to adjustment as set forth herein and in our Charter. Immediately after the Public Offering, there were no shares of preferred stock issued and outstanding.
We may issue a substantial number of additional shares of Class A common stock or shares of 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 conversion of the Class B common stock at a ratio greater than one-to-one
at the time of our initial business combination as a result of the anti-dilution provisions as set forth therein. However, our Charter provides, among other things, that prior to our initial business combination, we may not issue additional shares that would entitle the holders thereof to (i) receive funds from the Trust Account or (ii) vote as a class with our public shares (a) on any initial business combination or (b) to approve an amendment to our Charter to (x) extend the time we have to consummate a business combination beyond 15 months from the closing of the Public Offering (or 18 months from the closing of the Public Offering if we extend the time to complete a business combination) or (y) amend the foregoing provisions. These provisions of our Charter, like all provisions of our Charter, may be amended with a stockholder vote. The issuance of additional shares of common stock or shares of preferred stock:
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may significantly dilute the equity interest of investors in the Public Offering;
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may subordinate the rights of holders of Class A common stock if shares of preferred stock are issued with rights senior to those afforded our Class A common stock;
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could cause a change in control if a substantial number of shares of Class A 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
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may adversely affect prevailing market prices for our units, Class A common stock and/or warrants.
Unlike some other similarly structured special purpose acquisition companies, our initial stockholders will receive additional shares of Class A common stock if we issue certain shares to consummate an initial business combination.
The Founder Shares will automatically convert into shares of Class A common stock concurrently with or immediately following the consummation of our initial business combination on a one-for-one
basis, subject to adjustment for stock splits, stock dividends, reorganizations, recapitalizations and the like, and subject to further adjustment as provided herein. In the case that additional shares of Class A common stock or equity-linked securities are issued or deemed issued in connection with our initial business combination, the number of shares of Class A common stock issuable upon conversion of all Founder Shares will equal, in the aggregate, on an as-converted
basis, 20% of the total number of shares of Class A common stock outstanding after such conversion (after giving effect to any redemptions of shares of Class A common stock by public stockholders), including the total number of shares of Class A common stock issued, or deemed issued or issuable upon conversion or exercise of any equity-linked securities or rights issued or deemed issued, by the Company in connection with or in relation to the consummation of the initial business combination, excluding any shares of Class A common stock or equity-linked securities or rights exercisable for or convertible into shares of Class A common stock issued, or to be issued, to any seller in the initial business combination and any Private Placement Warrants issued to our sponsor, executive officers or directors upon conversion of working capital loans, provided that such conversion of Founder Shares will never occur on a less than one-for-one
basis. This is different than some other similarly structured special purpose acquisition companies in which the initial stockholders will only be issued an aggregate of 20% of the total number of shares to be outstanding prior to our 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 Class A common stock purchasable upon exercise of a warrant could be decreased, all without your approval.
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 (at a ratio different than initially provided), shorten the exercise period or decrease the number of shares of Class A common stock purchasable upon exercise of a warrant.
Our warrant agreement designates the courts of the State of New York or the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York as the sole and exclusive forum for certain types of actions and proceedings that may be initiated by holders of our warrants, which could limit the ability of warrant holders to obtain a favorable judicial forum for disputes with our company.
Our warrant agreement provides that, subject to applicable law, (i) any action, proceeding or claim against us arising out of or relating in any way to the warrant agreement, including under the Securities Act, will be brought and enforced in the courts of the State of New York or the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, and (ii) that we irrevocably submit to such jurisdiction, which jurisdiction shall be the exclusive forum for any such action, proceeding or claim. We will waive any objection to such exclusive jurisdiction and that such courts represent an inconvenient forum.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, these provisions of the warrant agreement will not apply to suits brought to enforce any liability or duty created by the Exchange Act or any other claim for which the federal district courts of the United States of America are the sole and exclusive forum. Any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring any interest in any of our warrants shall be deemed to have notice of and to have consented to the forum provisions in our warrant agreement. If any action, the subject matter of which is within the scope the forum provisions of the warrant agreement, is filed in a court other than a court of the State of New York or the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York (a “foreign action”) in the name of any holder of our warrants, such holder shall be deemed to have consented to: (x) the personal jurisdiction of the state and federal courts located in the State of New York in connection with any action brought in any such court to enforce the forum provisions (an “enforcement action”), and (y) having service of process made upon such warrant holder in any such enforcement action by service upon such warrant holder’s counsel in the foreign action as agent for such warrant holder.
This choice-of-forum
provision may limit a warrant holder’s ability to bring a claim in a judicial forum that it finds favorable for disputes with our company, which may discourage such lawsuits. Alternatively, if a court were to find this provision of our warrant agreement inapplicable or unenforceable with respect to one or more of the specified types of actions or proceedings, we may incur additional costs associated with resolving such matters in other jurisdictions, which could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations and result in a diversion of the time and resources of our management and board of directors.
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 the outstanding public warrants at any time after they become exercisable and prior to their expiration, at a price of $0.01 per warrant, provided that the closing price of our Class A common stock equals or exceeds $18.00 per share (as adjusted for adjustments to the number of shares issuable upon exercise or the exercise price of a warrant) 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 that 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. As a result, we may redeem the warrants as set forth above even if the holders are otherwise unable to exercise the warrants. Redemption of the outstanding warrants could force you to (i) exercise your warrants and pay the exercise price therefor at a time when it may be disadvantageous for you to do so, (ii) sell your warrants at the then-current market price when you might otherwise wish to hold your warrants or (iii) accept the nominal redemption price which, at the time the outstanding warrants are called for redemption, we expect would be substantially less than the market value of your warrants. None of the Private Placement Warrants will be redeemable by us so long as they are held by our sponsor or its permitted transferees.
Our warrants and Founder Shares may have an adverse effect on the market price of our shares of Class A common stock and make it more difficult to effectuate our initial business combination.
We issued warrants to purchase 11,500,000 shares of our Class A common stock, as part of the units offered in the Public Offering and, simultaneously with the closing of the Public Offering, we issued in a private placement an aggregate of 11,700,000 Private Placement Warrants, each exercisable to purchase one share of Class A common stock at $11.50 per share. Our initial stockholders currently own an aggregate of 5,750,000 Founder Shares. The Founder Shares are convertible into shares of Class A common stock on a one-for-one
basis, subject to adjustment as set forth in the prospectus relating to the Public Offering. In addition, if our sponsor or an affiliate of our sponsor or certain of our officers and directors make any working capital loans, such lender may convert those loans into up to an additional 1,500,000 Private Placement Warrants, at the price of $1.00 per warrant.
To the extent we issue shares of Class A common stock for any reason, including to effectuate a 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 acquisition vehicle to a target business.
Such warrants, when exercised, will increase the number of issued and outstanding shares of Class A common stock and reduce the value of the Class A common stock issued to complete the business combination. Therefore, our warrants and Founder Shares may make it more difficult to effectuate a business transaction or increase the cost of acquiring the target business.
You will not be permitted to exercise your warrants unless we register and qualify the underlying Class A common stock or certain exemptions are available.
If the issuance of the Class A common stock upon exercise of the warrants is not registered, qualified or exempt from registration or qualification under the Securities Act and applicable state securities laws, holders of warrants will not be entitled to exercise such warrants and such warrants 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 Class A common stock included in the units.
We are not registering the 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 best efforts to file with the SEC a registration statement covering the registration under the Securities Act of the Class A common stock issuable upon exercise of the warrants and thereafter will use our best 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 related to the Public Offering, 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, under the terms of the warrant agreement, holders of warrants who seek to exercise their warrants will not be permitted to do so for cash and, instead, will be required to do so on a cashless basis in accordance with Section 3(a)(9) of the Securities Act or another exemption.
In no event will warrants 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 registration or qualification is available.
If our shares of Class A common stock are at the time of any exercise of a warrant not listed on a national securities exchange such that they satisfy the definition of “covered securities” under Section 18(b)(1) of the Securities Act, we may, at our option, not permit holders of warrants who seek to exercise their warrants to do so for cash and, instead, require them to do so on a cashless basis in accordance with Section 3(a)(9) of the Securities Act; in the event we so elect, we will not be required to file or maintain in effect a registration statement or register or qualify the shares underlying the warrants under applicable state securities laws, and in the event we do not so elect, we will use our best efforts to register or qualify the shares underlying the warrants under applicable state securities 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 (other than upon a cashless exercise as described above) 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 the Securities Act or applicable state securities laws.
We may issue our shares to investors in connection with our initial business combination at a price that is less than the prevailing market price of our shares at that time.
In connection with our initial business combination, we may issue shares to investors in private placement transactions (so-called
PIPE transactions) at a price of $10.00 per share or which approximates the per-share
amounts in our Trust Account at such time, which is generally approximately $10.00. The purpose of such issuances will be to enable us to provide sufficient liquidity to the post-business combination entity. The price of the shares we issue may therefore be less, and potentially significantly less, than the market price for our shares at such time.
Our warrants are accounted for as a warrant liability and were recorded at fair value upon issuance with changes in fair value each period reported in earnings, which may have an adverse effect on the market price of our Class A common stock or may make it more difficult for us to consummate an initial business combination.
In connection with the Public Offering and the concurrent private placement of warrants, we issued an aggregate of 23,200,000 warrants (comprised of the 11,500,000 warrants included in the units and the 11,700,000 Private Placement Warrants). We currently account for these as a warrant liability and will record at fair value upon issuance any changes in fair value each period reported in earnings as determined by us based upon a valuation report obtained from an independent third party valuation firm. The impact of changes in fair value on earnings may have an adverse effect on the market price of our Class A common stock. In addition, potential targets may seek a SPAC that does not have warrants that are accounted for as a warrant liability, which may make it more difficult for us to consummate an initial business combination with a target business.
An investment in our public shares may result in uncertain or adverse United States federal income tax consequences.
An investment in our public shares may result in uncertain United States federal income tax consequences. For instance, it is unclear whether the redemption rights with respect to our shares of Class A common stock suspend the running of a United States holder’s holding period for purposes of determining whether any gain or loss realized by such holder on the sale or exchange of shares of Class A common stock is long-term capital gain or loss and for determining whether any dividend we pay would be considered “qualified dividends” for United States federal income tax purposes. Prospective investors are urged to consult their tax advisors with respect to these and other tax consequences when purchasing, holding or disposing of our securities.
The nominal purchase price paid by our sponsor for the Founder Shares may result in significant dilution to the implied value of your public shares upon the consummation of our initial business combination.
We offered our units at an offering price of $10.00 per unit and the amount in our Trust Account is $10.20 per public share, implying an initial value of $10.20 per public share. However, prior to the Public Offering, our sponsor paid a nominal aggregate purchase price of $25,000 for the Founder Shares, or approximately $0.004 per share. As a result, the value of your public shares may be significantly diluted upon the consummation of our initial business combination, when the Founder Shares are converted into public shares. For example, the following table shows the dilutive effect of the Founder Shares on the implied value of the public shares upon the consummation of our initial business combination, assuming that our equity value at that time is $226,550,000, which is the amount we would have for our initial business combination in the Trust Account after payment of $8,050,000 of deferred underwriting commissions, no interest is earned on the funds held in the Trust Account, and no public shares are redeemed in connection with our initial business combination, and without taking into account any other potential impacts on our valuation at such time, such as the trading price of our public shares, the business combination transaction costs, any equity issued or cash paid to the target’s sellers or other third parties, or the target’s business itself, including its assets, liabilities, management and prospects, as well as the value of our public and Private Placement Warrants. At such valuation, each of our shares of common stock would have an implied value of $7.88 per share upon consummation of our initial business combination, which would be a 22.75% decrease as compared to the initial implied value per public share of $10.20 (the price per unit in the Public Offering, assuming no value to the public warrants).
Public shares
23,000,000
Founder shares
5,750,000
Total shares
28,750,000
Total funds in trust available for initial business combination (less deferred underwriting commissions)
$ 226,550,000
Initial implied value per public share
$ 10.20
Implied value per share upon consummation of initial business combination
$ 7.88
The value of the Founder Shares following completion of our initial business combination is likely to be substantially higher than the nominal price paid for them, even if the trading price of our common stock at such time is substantially less than $10.20 per share.
Our sponsor invested in us an aggregate of $11,725,000, comprised of the $25,000 purchase price for the Founder Shares and the $11,700,000 purchase price for the Private Placement Warrants. Assuming a trading price of $10.00 per share upon consummation of our initial business combination, the 5,750,000 Founder Shares would have an aggregate implied value of $57,500,000. Even if the trading price of our common stock was as low as approximately $2.04 per share, and the Private Placement Warrants were worthless, the value of the Founder Shares would be equal to the sponsor’s initial investment in us. As a result, our sponsor is likely to be able to recoup its investment in us and make a substantial profit on that investment, even if our public shares have lost significant value. Accordingly, our management team, which owns interests in our sponsor, may have an economic incentive that differs from that of the public stockholders to pursue and consummate an initial business combination rather than to liquidate and to return all of the cash in the trust to the public stockholders, even if that business combination were with a riskier or less-established target business. For the foregoing reasons, you should consider our management team’s financial incentive to complete an initial business combination when evaluating whether to redeem your shares prior to or in connection with the initial business combination.
General Risk Factors
We are a blank check company with no operating history and no revenues, and you have no basis on which to evaluate our ability to achieve our business objective.
We are a blank check company incorporated under the laws of the State of Delaware 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. We have no plans, arrangements or understandings with any prospective target business concerning a business combination and 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.
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 internal controls 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 market value of our Class A common stock held by non-affiliates
exceeds $700 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.
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 market value of our common stock held by non-affiliates
exceeds $250 million as of the prior June 30th, or (2) our annual revenues exceeded $100 million during such completed fiscal year and the market value of our common stock held by non-affiliates
exceeds $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 with other public companies difficult or impossible.
Provisions in our Charter 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 shares of Class A common stock and could entrench management.
Our Charter contains provisions that may discourage unsolicited takeover proposals that stockholders may consider to be in their best interests. These provisions include a staggered board of directors and the ability of the board of directors to designate the terms of and issue new series of preferred 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 Charter requires, to the fullest extent permitted by law, that (i) derivative actions brought on our behalf, (ii) actions asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any of our directors, officers or other employees to us or our stockholders, (iii) actions asserting a claim against us, our directors, officers or employees arising pursuant to any provision of the DGCL or our Charter or bylaws or (iv) actions asserting a claim against us, our directors, officers or employees governed by the internal affairs doctrine may be brought only in the Court of Chancery in the State of Delaware, which may have the effect of discouraging lawsuits against our directors, officers or other employees.
Our Charter requires, unless we consent in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, that (i) any derivative action or proceeding brought on our behalf, (ii) any action asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any director, officer or other employee to us or our stockholders, (iii) any action asserting a claim against us, our directors, officers or employees arising pursuant to any provision of the DGCL or our Charter or bylaws, or (iv) any action asserting a claim against us, our directors, officers or employees governed by the internal affairs doctrine may be brought only in the Court of Chancery in the State of Delaware, except any action (A) as to which the Court of Chancery of 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), (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) arising under the Securities Act, as to which the Court of Chancery and the federal district court for the District of Delaware shall concurrently be the sole and exclusive forums. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the provisions of this paragraph will not apply to suits brought to enforce any liability or duty created by the Exchange Act or any other
claim for which the federal district courts of the United States of America 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 Charter. 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 Charter 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 Charter provides that the exclusive forum provision will be applicable to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law. 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, and Section 22 of the Securities Act creates concurrent jurisdiction for federal and state courts over all suits brought to enforce any duty or liability created by the Securities Act or the rules and regulations thereunder. As a result, the exclusive forum provision will 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.
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.
We may engage one or more of our underwriters or one of their respective affiliates to provide additional services to us after the Public Offering, which may include acting as financial advisor in connection with an initial business combination or as placement agent in connection with a related financing transaction. Our underwriters are entitled to receive deferred commissions that will be released from the Trust Account only on a completion of an initial business combination. These financial incentives may cause them to have potential conflicts of interest in rendering any such additional services to us after the Public Offering, including, for example, in connection with the sourcing and consummation of an initial business combination.
We may engage one or more of our underwriters or one of their respective affiliates to provide additional services to us after the Public Offering, including, for example, identifying potential targets, providing financial advisory services, acting as a placement agent in a private offering or arranging debt financing. We may pay such underwriter or its affiliate fair and reasonable fees or other compensation that would be determined at that time in an arm’s length negotiation; provided that no agreement will be entered into with any of the underwriters or their respective affiliates and no fees or other compensation for such services will be paid to any of the underwriters or their respective affiliates prior to the date that is 60 days from the date of the prospectus related to the Public Offering, unless such payment would not be deemed underwriters’ compensation in connection with the Public Offering. The underwriters are also entitled to receive deferred commissions that are conditioned on the completion of an initial business combination. The underwriters’ or their respective affiliates’ financial interests tied to the consummation of a business combination transaction may give rise to potential conflicts of interest in providing any such additional services to us, including potential conflicts of interest in connection with the sourcing and consummation of an initial business combination.

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ITEM 1B. UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS
ITEM 1B. UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS
None.

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ITEM 2. PROPERTIES
ITEM 2. PROPERTIES
Our executive offices are located at 5800 Democracy Drive, Plano, Texas 75024. We consider our current office space adequate for our current operations.

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ITEM 3. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS
ITEM 3. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS
As of December 31, 2021, to the knowledge of our management, there was no material litigation, arbitration or governmental proceeding pending against us or any members of our management team in their capacity as such, and we and the members of our management team have not been subject to any such proceeding.

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ITEM 4. MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURE
ITEM 4. MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURES
Not applicable.
PART II

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ITEM 5. MARKET FOR REGISTRANT'S COMMON EQUITY
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 warrants are listed on the NYSE under the symbols “DSAQ.U,” “DSAQ” and “DSAQ.WS,” respectively.
Holders
As of March 21, 2022, there was one holder of record of our units, one holder of record of our Class A common stock, one holder of record of our Class B common stock and two holders of record of our warrants. The number of holders of record does not include a substantially greater number of “street name” holders or beneficial holders whose units, Class A common stock and warrants are held of record by banks, brokers and other financial institutions.
Recent Sales of Unregistered Securities; Use of Proceeds from Registered Offerings
Unregistered Sales
The sales of the Founder Shares and Private Placement Warrants to our sponsor and our initial stockholders were deemed to be exempt from registration under the Securities Act, in reliance on Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act as transactions by an issuer not involving a public offering.
Use of Proceeds
On September 23, 2021, our registration statement on Form S-l
(File No. 333-258997)
was declared effective by the SEC, and on September 28, 2021 we consummated our initial public offering of 23,000,000 units, including the issuance of 3,000,000 units as a result of the underwriters’ full exercise of their over-allotment option, at an offering price to the public of $10.00 per unit for an aggregate offering price of $230,000,000. Each unit consisting of one share of Class A common stock and one-half
of one Warrant. Each whole Warrant entitles the holder thereof to purchase one share of Class A common stock at a price of $11.50 per share.
A total of $234,600,000, comprised of $225,860,000 of the proceeds from the Public Offering (which amount includes the deferred underwriting fee of $8,050,000) and $8,740,000 of the proceeds of the sale of the Private Placement Warrants, was placed in a Trust Account maintained by Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, acting as trustee. In addition, the underwriters agreed to defer approximately $8,050,000 in underwriting discounts, which amount will be payable when and if a business combination is consummated. No payments were made by us to directors, officers or persons owning ten percent or more of our common stock or to their associates, or to our affiliates. There has been no material change in the planned use of proceeds from the Public Offering as described in our final prospectus dated September 23, 2021, which was filed with the SEC.

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ITEM 6. SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA
ITEM 6. [RESERVED]

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ITEM 7. MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS
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 March 9, 2021, for the purpose of effecting a merger, capital stock exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, reorganization or other similar business combination with one or more businesses. We intend to effectuate our business combination using cash from the proceeds of the Public Offering and the sale of the Private Placement Warrants, our capital stock, debt or a combination of cash, stock and debt.
We expect to continue to incur significant costs in the pursuit of our acquisition plans. We cannot assure you that our plans to complete a business combination will be successful.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
As of December 31, 2021, we had $1,041,948 in cash and working capital of $1,657,797.
In order to finance transaction costs in connection with an intended initial business combination, our sponsor agreed to provide the Company with loans in such amounts as may be required by the Company to fund the Company’s working capital requirements up to an aggregate of $1,500,000. In addition, in order to finance transaction costs in connection with a business combination, our sponsor or an affiliate of our sponsor or certain of the Company’s officers and directors may, but are not obligated to, provide the Company working capital loans. As of December 31, 2021, there were no amounts outstanding under any working capital loans.
Risks and Uncertainties
Management is currently evaluating the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic
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.
Results of Operations
As of December 31, 2021, we had not commenced any operations. All activity for the period from March 9, 2021 (inception) through December 31, 2021 relates to our formation and the Public Offering, and, since the closing of the Public Offering, a search for a business combination candidate. We have neither engaged in any operations nor generated any revenues to date. We will not generate any operating revenues until after the completion of our initial business combination, at the earliest. We will generate non-operating income in the
form of interest income on cash and cash equivalents from the proceeds derived from the Public Offering. We expect to incur increased expenses as a result of being a public company (for legal, financial reporting, accounting and auditing compliance), as well as for due diligence expenses.
For the period from March 9, 2021 (inception) to December 31, 2021, we had net income of $5,167,792, which consisted of formation and operating costs amounting to $376,682 and $505,566 of offering expenses related to warrants offset by bank interest income amounting to $22 interest income earned on cash held in Trust Account amounting to $18,018 and change in fair value of warrant liability of $6,032,000.
Contractual Obligations
We do not have any long-term debt obligations, capital lease obligations, operating lease obligations, purchase obligations or long-term liabilities.
Administrative Services Agreement
Commencing on the date that our securities were first listed on the NYSE, we agreed to pay our sponsor $10,000 per month for office space, utilities and secretarial and administrative support services. Upon the earlier of the completion of the initial business combination or our liquidation, we will cease paying such monthly fees. At December 31, 2021, $30,667 was incurred for the administrative service fee.
Registration Rights
The holders of the (i) Founder Shares, which were issued in a private placement prior to the closing of the Public Offering, (ii) Private Placement Warrants, which were issued in a private placement simultaneously with the closing of the Public Offering and the shares of Class A common stock underlying such Private Placement Warrants and (iii) Private Placement Warrants that may be issued upon conversion of working capital loans will have registration rights to require the Company to register a sale of any of the Company’s securities held by them pursuant to a registration rights agreement signed on the effective date of the Public Offering. The holders of these securities are entitled to make up to three demands, excluding short form demands, that the Company registers such securities. In addition, the holders have certain “piggy-back” registration rights with respect to registration statements filed subsequent to the Company’s completion of the initial business combination. The Company will bear the expenses incurred in connection with the filing of any such registration statements.
Underwriting Agreement
The underwriters were paid a cash underwriting discount of two percent (2%) of the gross proceeds of the Public Offering (including the exercise of the over-allotment option), or $4,600,000. Additionally, the underwriters will be entitled to a deferred underwriting discount of 3.5% or $8,050,000 of the gross proceeds of the Public Offering (including the exercise of the over-allotment option), held in the Trust Account upon the completion of the Company’s initial business combination subject to the terms of the underwriting agreement.
Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates
Class A Common Stock Subject to Possible Redemption
We account for 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 (if any) is classified as liability instruments and are measured at fair value. Conditionally redeemable shares of Class A common stock (including shares of Class A common stock that feature redemption rights that are either within the control of the holder or subject to redemption upon the occurrence of uncertain events not solely within the Company’s control) is classified as temporary equity. At all other times, shares of Class A common stock are classified as stockholders’ equity. The Company’s shares of Class A common stock feature certain redemption rights that are considered to be outside of the Company’s control and subject to the occurrence of uncertain future events. Accordingly, as of December 31, 2021, 23,000,000 shares of Class A common stock subject to possible redemption are presented at redemption value as temporary equity, outside of the stockholders’ equity section of the Company’s balance sheet.
Net Loss Per Share of Common Stock
The Company has two classes of stock, which are referred to as Class A common stock and Class B common stock. Earnings and losses are shared pro rata between the two classes of stock. The 23,000,000 potential shares of common stock for which outstanding warrants to purchase the Company’s shares are exercisable were excluded from diluted earnings per share for the period March 9, 2021 (inception) through December 31, 2021, because the warrants are contingently exercisable, and the contingencies have not yet been met. As a result, diluted net loss per share of common stock is the same as basic net loss per share of common stock for the periods.
Our statement of operations applies the two-class method
in calculating net loss per share. Basic and diluted net loss per share of common stock for Class A common stock and Class B common stock is calculated by dividing net income attributable to the Company minus any deemed dividends by the weighted average number of shares of Class A common stock and Class B common stock outstanding, allocated proportionally to each class of common stock.
Warrant Liability
We evaluated the public warrants and Private Placement Warrants issued in the Public Offering in accordance with ASC 815-40,
“Derivatives and Hedging - Contracts in Entity’s Own Equity”, and concluded that a provision in the warrant agreement related to certain tender or exchange offers precludes the public warrants and Private Placement Warrants from being accounted for as components of equity. As the public warrants and Private Placement Warrants meet the definition of a derivative as contemplated in ASC 815, they will be recorded as derivative liabilities on the balance sheet and measured at fair value at inception (on the date of the Public Offering) and at each reporting date in accordance with ASC 820, “Fair Value Measurement”, with changes in fair value recognized in the statement of operations in the period of change.
Uncertainty arises in the underlying assumptions we use to value the Private Placement Warrants and significant estimates are required for each underlying assumption. A 10% increase in the valuation per share of our Private Placement Warrants would result in a $585,000 increase in the warrant liability and a $585,000 decrease in net income. A 10% decrease in the valuation per share of our Private Placement Warrants would result in a $585,000 decrease in the warrant liability and a $585,000 increase in net income.

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ITEM 7A. QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK
ITEM 7A. QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK
As a “smaller reporting company,” we are not required to provide the information called for by this Item.

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ITEM 8. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA
ITEM 8.
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA.
DIRECT SELLING ACQUISITION CORP.
Page No.
Report of the Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm (PCAOB ID Number 248)
Financial Statements:
Balance Sheet as of December 31, 2021
Statements of Operations for the period from March 9, 2021 (inception) through December 31, 2021
Statement of Changes in Stockholder’s Equity for the period from March 9, 2021 (inception) through December 31, 2021
Statement of Cash Flows for the period from March 9, 2021 (inception) through December 31, 2021
Notes to Financial Statements
REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
Board of Directors and Stockholders of
Direct Selling Acquisition Corp.
Opinion on the financial statements
We have audited the accompanying balance sheet of Direct Selling Acquisition Corp. (a Delaware corporation) (the “Company”) as of December 31, 2021, the related statements of operations, changes in stockholders’ deficit, and cash flows for the period from March 9, 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 March 9, 2021 (inception) through December 31, 2021, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.
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/ GRANT THORNTON LLP
We have served as the Company’s auditor since 2021.
Cincinnati, Ohio
March 28
, 2022
DIRECT SELLING ACQUISITION CORP.
BALANCE SHEET
DECEMBER 31, 2021
Assets:
Cash
$ 1,041,948
Prepaid expenses
713,140
Total current assets
1,755,088
Investments held in Trust Account
234,618,018
Total assets
$ 236,373,106
Liabilities, Redeemable Common Stock and Stockholders’ Deficit
Franchise taxes payable
$
60,274
Due to related party
Accrued offering costs and expenses
36,350
Total current liabilities
97,291
Warrant liability
11,600,000
Deferred underwriters’ discount
8,050,000
Total liabilities
19,747,291
Commitments and Contingencies (Note 7)
Redeemable Class A common stock subject to possible redemption, 23,000,000 shares at redemption value of $10.20
234,600,000
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; 380,000,000 shares authorized; none issued or outstanding (excluding 23,000,000 shares subject to redemption)
-
Class B common stock, $0.0001 par value; 20,000,000 shares authorized; 5,750,000 shares issued and outstanding
Accumulated deficit
(17,974,760 )
Total Stockholders’ Deficit
(17,974,185
)
Total Liabilities, Redeemable Common Stock and Stockholders’ Deficit
$
236,373,106
The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.
DIRECT SELLING ACQUISITION CORP.
STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS
FOR THE PERIOD FROM MARCH 9, 2021 (INCEPTION) THROUGH DECEMBER 31, 2021
Formation and operating costs
$ 376,682
Loss from operations
(376,682 )
Other income (loss)
Offering costs associated with warrants
(505,566 )
Bank interest income
Interest on Trust investments
18,018
Change in fair value
of warrant liability
6,032,000
Total other income
5,544,474
Net income
$ 5,167,792
Weighted average shares outstanding of Class A common stock
23,000,000
Basic and diluted net loss per share, Class A common stock
$ (0.72 )
Weighted average shares outstanding of Class B common stock
5,750,000
Basic and diluted net loss per share, Class B common stock
$ (0.72 )
The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.
DIRECT SELLING ACQUISITION CORP.
STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN STOCKHOLDERS’ DEFICIT
FOR THE PERIOD FROM MARCH 9, 2021 (INCEPTION) THROUGH DECEMBER 31, 2021
Class B common stock
Additional
Accumulated
Total
Stockholders’
Shares
Amount
Paid-in Capital
Deficit
Deficit
Balance as of March 9, 2021 (inception)
-
$ -
$ -
$ -
$ -
Class B common stock issued to founders
5,750,000
24,425
-
25,000
Sale of 11,700,000 Private Placement Warrants
-
-
11,700,000
-
11,700,000
Deemed dividend to Class A stockholders to provide for the additional $0.20 of funding to the Trust Account
-
-
-
(4,600,000 )
(4,600,000 )
Initial classification of warrant
liability -
Private Placement Warrants
-
-
(8,892,000 )
-
(8,892,000 )
Deemed dividend to Class A stockholders to state the Trust Account at redemption value
-
-
(2,832,425 )
(18,542,552 )
(21,374,977 )
Net income
-
-
-
5,167,792
5,167,792
Balance as of December 31, 2021
5,750,000
$
-
$
(17,974,760
)
$
(17,974,185
)
The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.
DIRECT SELLING ACQUISITION CORP.
STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS
FOR THE PERIOD FROM MARCH 9, 2021 (INCEPTION) THROUGH DECEMBER 31, 2021
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income
$ 5,167,792
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash used in operating activities:
Offering costs allocated to warrants
505,566
Change in fair value of warrant liability
(6,032,000 )
Interest earned on investments held in Trust Account
(18,018 )
Changes in current assets and liabilities:
Prepaid assets
(713,140 )
Taxes payable
60,274
Due to related party
Accrued offering costs and expenses
36,350
Net cash used in operating activities
(992,509
)
Cash flows from investing activities:
Principal deposited in Trust Account
(234,600,000 )
Net cash used in investing activities
(234,600,000
)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Proceeds from private placement warrants
25,000
Proceeds from initial public offering, net of costs
225,400,000
Proceed from private placement
11,700,000
Payment of deferred offering costs
(490,543 )
Proceeds from issuance of promissory note to related party
110,000
Repayment of promissory note to related party
(110,000 )
Net cash provided by financing activities
236,634,457
Net change in cash
1,041,948
Cash, beginning of the period
-
Cash, end of the period
$
1,041,948
Supplemental disclosure of non-cash
financing activities:
Deferred underwriting commissions payable charged to additional paid in capital
$ 8,050,000
Deemed dividend to Class A stockholders
$ 25,974,977
The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.
DIRECT SELLING ACQUISITION CORP.
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
DECEMBER 31, 2021
Note 1- Organization, Business Operations
Direct Selling Acquisition Corp. (the “Company”) is a newly organized, blank check company incorporated as a Delaware corporation on March 9, 2021, for the purpose of effecting a merger, capital stock exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, reorganization or similar Business Combination with one or more businesses (the “Business Combination”). The Company may pursue an initial Business Combination target in any business or industry.
As of December 31 2021, the Company had not commenced operations. All activity for the period from March 9, 2021 (inception) through December 31, 2021 relates to the Company’s formation and the initial public offering (the “Public Offering”). The Company will not generate operating revenues until after the completion of its initial Business Combination, at the earliest. The Company will generate non-operating income in
the form of interest income from the proceeds derived from the Public Offering. The Company has selected December 31 as its fiscal year end.
The Company’s Sponsor is DSAC Partners LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “Sponsor”). The registration statement for the Company’s Public Offering was declared effective on September 23, 2021 (the “Effective Date”). On September 28, 2021, the Company consummated its Public Offering of 23,000,000 units (the “Units”), including the issuance of 3,000,000 Units as a result of the underwriters’ exercise of their over-allotment option in full. Each Unit consists of one share of Class A common stock of the Company, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Class A Common Stock”), and one-half of one
redeemable warrant of the Company (each whole warrant, a “Public Warrant”), with each Public Warrant entitling the holder thereof to purchase one share of Class A Common Stock for $11.50 per share, subject to adjustment. The Units were sold at a price of $10.00 per Unit, generating gross proceeds to the Company of $230,000,000 which is discussed in Note 3.
Simultaneously with the closing of the Public Offering, pursuant to the Private Placement Warrants Purchase Agreement, the Company completed the private sale of 11,700,000 warrants (the “Private Placement Warrants”) to the Sponsor at a purchase price of $1.00 per Private Placement Warrant, generating gross proceeds to the Company of $11,700,000. The Private Placement Warrants are identical to the Public Warrants included as part of the Units sold in the Public Offering, except that the Private Placement Warrants, so long as they are held by the Sponsor or its permitted transferees, (i) are not redeemable by the Company, (ii) may not (including the shares of Class A Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the warrants), subject to certain limited exceptions, be transferred, assigned or sold until 30 days after the completion of the Company’s initial Business Combination, (iii) may be exercised on a cashless basis and (iv) are entitled to registration rights. No
underwriting discounts or commissions were paid with respect to such sale. The issuance of the Private Placement Warrants was made pursuant to the exemption from registration contained in Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act of 1933 (the “Securities Act”), as amended.
A total of $234,600,000 was placed in a U.S.-based trust account maintained by Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, acting as trustee (the “Trust Account”).
The initial Business Combination must occur with one or more target businesses that together have an aggregate fair market value of at least 80% of the net assets held in the Trust Account (net of amounts disbursed to management for working capital purposes and excluding the amount of any deferred underwriting commissions held in trust) at the time of signing the agreement to enter into the initial Business Combination. However, the Company 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 business sufficient for it not to be required to register as an investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”). There is no assurance that the Company will be able to successfully effect a Business Combination.
Upon the closing of the Public Offering, $10.20 per Unit sold in the Public Offering, including the proceeds of the sale of the Private Placement Warrants, is held in a Trust Account and invested only in U.S. government securities with a maturity of 180 days or less or in money market funds meeting certain conditions under Rule 2a-7 under the
Investment Company Act which invest only in direct U.S. government treasury obligations. Except with respect to interest earned on the funds held in the Trust Account that may be released to the Company to pay its taxes, the proceeds from the Public Offering and the sale of the Private Placement Warrants will not be released from the Trust Account until the earliest of (i) the completion of the initial Business Combination, (ii) the redemption of the public shares if the Company is unable to complete the initial Business Combination within 15 months from the closing of the Public Offering (or 18 months from the closing of the Public Offering if the Company extends the time to complete a business combination by depositing into the Trust Account for a three-month extension $2,300,000 ($0.10 per share)), subject to applicable law, and (iii) the redemption of the public shares properly
submitted in connection with a stockholder vote to amend the Company’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation (“Charter”) to modify the substance or timing of the Company’s obligation to redeem 100% of the public shares if the Company has not consummated an initial Business Combination within 15 months from the closing of the Public Offering (or 18 months from the closing of the Public Offering if we extend the time to complete a business combination by depositing into the Trust Account for a three month extension $2,300,000 ($0.10 per share)) or with respect to any other material provisions relating to stockholders’ rights or pre-initial Business Combination
activity. The proceeds deposited in the Trust Account could become subject to the claims of the Company’s creditors, if any, which could have priority over the claims of the Company’s public stockholders.
The Company will provide its public stockholders with the opportunity to redeem all or a portion of their public shares upon the completion of the initial Business Combination either (i) in connection with a stockholder meeting called to approve the Business Combination or (ii) without a stockholder vote by means of a tender offer. The decision as to whether the Company will seek stockholder approval of a proposed Business Combination or conduct a tender offer will be made by the Company, solely in the Company’s 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 the Company to seek stockholder approval under applicable law or stock exchange listing requirements. The Company will provide its public stockholders with the opportunity to redeem all or a portion of their public shares upon the completion of the initial Business Combination at a per-share price, payable
in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the Trust Account calculated as of two business days prior to the consummation of the initial Business Combination, including interest (which interest shall be net of taxes payable and less up to $100,000 to pay dissolution expenses), divided by the number of then outstanding public shares, subject to the limitations and on the conditions described herein.
The shares of common stock subject to redemption are recorded at redemption value and classified as temporary equity, in accordance with Financial Accounting Standards Board’s (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) Topic 480 “Distinguishing Liabilities from Equity.” In such case, the Company will proceed with a Business Combination if the Company has net tangible assets of at least $5,000,001 upon such consummation of a Business Combination and, if the Company seeks stockholder approval, a majority of the issued and outstanding shares voted are voted in favor of the Business Combination.
The Company will have only 15 months from the closing of the Public Offering (or 18 months from the closing of the Public Offering if the Company extends the time to complete a business combination by depositing into the Trust Account for a three-month extension $2,300,000 ($0.10 per share) or any extended period of time that the Company may have to consummate an initial Business Combination as a result of an amendment to the Company’s Charter) (the “Combination Period”) to complete the initial Business Combination. If the Company is unable to complete the initial Business Combination within the Combination Period, the Company will: (i) cease all operations except for the purpose of winding up, (ii) as promptly as reasonably possible but not more than ten business days thereafter, redeem the public shares, at a per-share price, payable
in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the Trust Account, including interest (which interest shall be net of taxes payable and less up to $100,000 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), 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, liquidate and dissolve, subject, in each case, to the Company’s obligations under Delaware law to provide for claims of creditors and the requirements of other applicable law. There will be no redemption rights or liquidating distributions with respect to the warrants, which will expire worthless if the Company fails to complete its initial Business Combination within the Combination Period.
The initial stockholders, Sponsor, officers and directors have entered into a letter agreement with the Company, pursuant to which they have agreed to (i) waive their redemption rights with respect to any founder shares and public shares they hold in connection with the completion of the initial Business Combination, (ii) waive their redemption rights with respect to any founder shares and public shares they hold in connection with a stockholder vote to approve an amendment to the Company’s Charter to modify the substance or timing of the Company’s obligation to redeem 100% of the public shares if the Company has not consummated an initial Business Combination within the Combination Period or with respect to any other material provisions relating to stockholders’ rights or pre-initial Business Combination
activity and (iii) waive their rights to liquidating distributions from the Trust Account with respect to any founder shares they hold if the Company fails to complete its initial Business Combination within the Combination Period or any extended period of time that the Company may have to consummate an initial Business Combination as a result of an amendment to the Company’s Charter (although they will be entitled to liquidating distributions from the Trust Account with respect to any public shares they hold if the Company fails to complete its initial Business Combination within the prescribed time frame) and (iv) vote any founder shares held by them and any public shares purchased during or after the Public Offering (including in open market and privately-negotiated transactions) in favor of the initial Business Combination.
The Sponsor has agreed that it will 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 entered into a written letter of intent, confidentiality or other similar agreement or Business Combination agreement, reduce the amount of funds in the Trust Account to below the lesser of (i) $10.20 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 $10.20 per public 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 did it apply to any claims under the Company’s indemnity of the underwriters of the Public Offering against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act. However, the Company has not asked the Sponsor to reserve for such indemnification obligations, nor has the Company independently verified whether the Sponsor has sufficient funds to satisfy its indemnity obligations and the Company believes that the Sponsor’s only assets are securities of the Company. Therefore, the Company cannot assure you that the Sponsor would be able to satisfy those obligations.
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 auditor attestation requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation in its periodic reports and proxy statements, and exemptions from the requirements of holding a nonbinding 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 an emerging growth company can elect to opt out of the extended transition period and comply with the requirements that apply to non-emerging
growth companies but any such an election to opt out is irrevocable. The Company has elected not to opt out of such extended transition period which means that when a standard is issued or revised and it has different application dates for public or private companies, 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 the Company’s financial statements with another public company that is neither an emerging growth company nor an emerging growth company that has opted out of using the extended transition period difficult or impossible because of the potential differences in accounting standards used.
Risks and Uncertainties
Management is continuing 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.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
As of December 31, 2021, the Company had approximately $1 million in its operating bank account, and working capital of approximately $1.7 million.
In order to finance transaction costs in connection with a Business Combination, the Company’s Sponsor or an affiliate of the Sponsor or certain of the Company’s officers and directors may, but are not obligated to, provide the Company Working Capital Loans, as defined below (see Note 5). As of December 31, 2021, there were no amounts outstanding under any Working Capital Loans.
The Company will have only 15 months from the closing of the Public Offering (December 28, 2022) (or 18 months from the closing of the Public Offering if the Company extends the time to complete a business combination by depositing into the Trust Account for a three-month extension $2,300,000 ($0.10 per share)) or any extended period of time that the Company may have to consummate an initial Business Combination.
Based on the foregoing, management believes that the Company will have sufficient working capital and borrowing capacity to meet its needs through the earlier of the consummation of a Business Combination or one year from this filing. Over this time period, the Company will be using these funds for paying existing accounts payable, identifying and evaluating prospective initial Business Combination candidates, performing due diligence on prospective target businesses, paying for travel expenditures, selecting the target business to merge with or acquire, and structuring, negotiating and consummating the Business Combination.
Note 2 - Significant Accounting Policies
Basis of Presentation
The accompanying financial statements are presented in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“US GAAP”) and pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”).
Use of Estimates
The preparation of the financial statements in conformity with US 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 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 confirming events. Accordingly, actual results could differ 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 had $1,041,948 in cash and did not have any cash equivalents as of December 31, 2021.
Investments Held in Trust Account
As of December 31, 2021, the Company had $234.6 million in investments held in the Trust Account upon closing of the Public Offering including the proceeds of the sale of the Private Placement Warrants.
Investment held in Trust Account consist of United States Treasury securities. The Company classifies its United States Treasury securities as held-to-maturity in
accordance with FASB ASC Topic 320 “Investments-Debt and Equity Securities.” Held-to-maturity securities
are those securities which the Company has the ability and intent to hold until maturity. Held-to-maturity treasury
securities are recorded at amortized cost and adjusted for the amortization or accretion of premiums or discounts.
A decline in the market value of held-to-maturity securities
below cost that is deemed to be other than temporary, results in an impairment that reduces the carrying costs to such securities’ fair value. The impairment is charged to earnings and a new cost basis for the security is established. To determine whether an impairment is other than temporary, the Company considers whether it has the ability and intent to hold the investment until a market price recovery and considers whether evidence indicating the cost of the investment is recoverable outweighs evidence to the contrary. Evidence considered in this assessment includes the reasons for the impairment, the severity and the duration of the impairment, changes in value subsequent to year-end, forecasted
performance of the investee, and the general market condition in the geographic area or industry the investee operates in.
Premiums and discounts are amortized or accreted over the life of the related held-to-maturity security
as an adjustment to yield using the effective-interest method. Such amortization and accretion is included in the “interest earned on trust investments” line item in the statements of operations. Interest income is recognized when earned.
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 Deposit Insurance Corporation coverage limit of $250,000. At December 31, 2021, the Company has not experienced losses on this account and management believes the Company is not exposed to significant risks on such account.
Deferred Offering Costs
Deferred offering costs consist of accounting and legal expenses incurred through the balance sheet date that are directly related to the Public Offering. Deferred offering costs were allocated to the separable financial instruments issued in the Public Offering based on a relative fair value basis, compared to total proceeds received. Upon completion of the Public Offering, offering costs associated with the Public Warrants and Private Placement Warrants were expensed. Offering costs associated with the Class A common stock were charged to the carrying value of the Redeemable Class A Common Stock. Accordingly, on December 31, 2021, offering costs totaling $13,140,543 (consisting of $4,600,000 of underwriting fees, $8,050,000 of deferred underwriting fees and $490,543 of other offering costs) were recognized, $505,566 of which was allocated to the Public Warrants and Private Placement Warrants and immediately expensed and $12,634,977 was allocated to Redeemable Class A common stock, reducing the carrying amount of such shares reported in temporary equity.
Class A Common Stock Subject to Possible Redemption
As discussed in Note 3, all of the 23,000,000 shares of Class A common stock sold as part of the Units in the Public Offering contain a redemption feature which allows for the redemption of such Public Shares in connection with the Company’s liquidation, if there is a stockholder vote or tender offer in connection with the Business Combination and in connection with certain amendments to the Company’s Charter. In accordance with ASC 480, conditionally redeemable Class A common stock (including shares of Class A common stock that feature redemption rights that are either within the control of the holder or subject to redemption upon the occurrence of uncertain events not solely within the Company’s control) are classified as temporary equity. Ordinary liquidation events, which involve the redemption and liquidation of all of the entity’s equity instruments, are excluded from the provisions of ASC 480. Although the Company did not specify a maximum redemption threshold, its charter provides that currently the Company will not redeem its public shares in an amount that would cause its net tangible assets (stockholders’ equity) to be less than $5,000,001. However, the threshold in its charter would not change the nature of the underlying shares as redeemable and thus public shares would be required to be disclosed outside of permanent equity. Accordingly, on September 28, 2021, 23,000,000 shares of Class A common stock subject to possible redemption at the redemption amount were presented at redemption value as temporary equity, outside of the stockholders’ deficit section of the Company’s balance sheet.
The Company recognizes changes in redemption value immediately as they occur and adjusts the carrying value of redeemable common stock to equal the redemption value ($10.20 per share) at the end of each reporting period. Such changes are reflected in additional paid-in capital, or
in the absence of additional capital, in accumulated deficit. On September 28, 2021, the Company recorded an adjustment of $21,374,977 to present the redeemable Class A common stock at redemption value.
Net Loss Per Share of Common Stock
The Company has two classes of common stock, which are referred to as Class A common stock and Class B common stock. Earnings and losses are shared pro rata between the two classes of common stock using the two class method. The 23,200,000 shares of potential common stock for outstanding warrants to purchase the Company’s shares were excluded from diluted earnings per share of common stock for the period from March 9, 2021 (inception) through December 31, 2021 because the warrants are contingently exercisable, and the contingencies have not yet been met. As a result, diluted net loss per share of common stock is the same as basic net loss per share of common stock for the periods. The table below presents a reconciliation of the numerator and denominator used to compute basic and diluted net loss per share of common stock for each class of common stock:
For the period from March 9, 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
$ 4,134,234
$ 1,033,558
Deemed dividends
(20,779,982 )
(5,194,995 )
Allocation of net loss and deemed dividends
$ (16,645,748 )
$ (4,161,437 )
Denominator:
Weighted-average shares outstanding
23,000,000
5,750,000
Basic and diluted net loss per share of common stock
$ (0.72 )
$ (0.72 )
Fair Value of Financial Instruments
The fair value of the Company’s assets and liabilities, other than the warrant liabilities, which qualify as financial instruments under the FASB ASC 820, “Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures,” approximates the carrying amounts represented in the balance sheet, primarily due to their short-term nature. As of December 31, 2021, the Company reported warrants issued at the consummation of its Public Offering at their fair value.
Fair Value Measurements
Fair value is defined as the price that would be received for sale of an asset or paid for transfer of a liability, in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. US GAAP establishes a three-tier fair value hierarchy, which prioritizes the inputs used in measuring fair value. The hierarchy gives the highest priority to unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities (Level l measurements) and the lowest priority to unobservable inputs (Level 3 measurements). These tiers include:
•
Level 1, defined as observable inputs such as quoted prices (unadjusted) for identical instruments in active markets;
•
Level 2, defined as inputs other than quoted prices in active markets that are either directly or indirectly observable such as quoted prices for similar instruments in active markets or quoted prices for identical or similar instruments in markets that are not active; and
•
Level 3, defined as unobservable inputs in which little or no market data exists, therefore requiring an entity to develop its own assumptions, such as valuations derived from valuation techniques in which one or more significant inputs or significant value drivers are unobservable.
In some circumstances, the inputs used to measure fair value might be categorized within different levels of the fair value hierarchy. In those instances, the fair value measurement is categorized in its entirety in the fair value hierarchy based on the lowest level input that is significant to the fair value measurement.
Derivative Financial Instruments
The Company evaluates its financial instruments to determine if such instruments are derivatives or contain features that qualify as embedded derivatives in accordance with ASC Topic 815, “Derivatives and Hedging”. For derivative financial instruments that are accounted for as liabilities, the derivative instrument is initially recorded at its fair value on the grant date and is then re-valued
at each reporting date, with changes in the fair value reported in the statements of operations. The classification of derivative instruments, including whether such instruments should be recorded as liabilities or as equity, is evaluated at the end of each reporting period. Derivative liabilities are classified in the balance sheet as current or non-current
based on whether or not net-cash
settlement or conversion of the instrument could be required within 12 months of the balance sheet date.
Warrants
The Company accounts for the 23,200,000 warrants issued in connection with the Public Offering and Private Placement Warrants in accordance with the guidance contained in FASB ASC 815 “Derivatives and Hedging” whereby under that provision the warrants do not meet the criteria for equity treatment and must be recorded as a liability. Accordingly, the Company classifies the warrant instruments as a liability at fair value and adjusts the instruments to fair value at each reporting period. This liability will be re-measured
at each balance sheet date until the warrants are exercised or expire, and any change in fair value will be recognized in the Company’s statement of operations. On December 31, 2021, the Company recognized a warrant liability of $11,600,000 to present the Public Warrants and Private Placement Warrants at fair value. The fair value of the warrant liability was estimated using a binomial pricing option model. The valuation model utilizes inputs and other assumptions and may not be reflective of the price at which they can be settled. Derivative warrant liabilities are classified as non-current
liabilities as their liquidation is not reasonably expected to require the use of current assets. Such warrant classification is also subject to re-evaluation
at each reporting period.
Income Taxes
The Company accounts for income taxes under FASB ASC 740, “Income Taxes” (“ASC 740”). ASC 740 requires the recognition of deferred tax assets and liabilities for both the expected impact of differences between the financial statement and tax basis of assets and liabilities and for the expected future tax benefit to be derived from tax loss and tax credit carry forwards. ASC 740 additionally requires a valuation allowance to be established when it is more likely than not that all or a portion of deferred tax assets will not be realized.
ASC 740 also clarifies the accounting for uncertainty in income taxes recognized in an enterprise’s financial statements and prescribes a recognition threshold and measurement process for financial statement recognition and measurement of a tax position 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. ASC 740 also provides guidance on derecognition, classification, interest and penalties, accounting in interim period, disclosure and transition.
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 has identified the United States as its only “major” tax jurisdiction.
The Company is subject to income tax examinations by major taxing authorities since inception. These examinations may include questioning the timing and amount of deductions, the nexus of income among various tax jurisdictions and compliance with federal and state tax laws. The Company’s management does not expect that the total amount of unrecognized tax benefits will materially change over the next twelve months.
The provision for income taxes was deemed to be immaterial for the period from March 9, 2021 (inception) through December 31, 2021.
Recent Accounting Standards
In August 2020, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2020-06,
Debt -Debt with Conversion and Other Options (Subtopic 470-20) and Derivatives and Hedging-Contracts in Entity’ Own Equity (Subtopic 815-40):
Accounting for Convertible Instruments and Contracts in an Entity’ Own Equity (“ASU 2020-06”),
which simplifies accounting for convertible instruments by removing major separation models required under current US GAAP. The ASU also removes certain settlement conditions that are required for equity-linked contracts to qualify for the derivative scope exception, and it simplifies the diluted earnings per share calculation in certain areas. The Company adopted ASU 2020-06
on December 31, 2021. Adoption of the ASU did not impact the Company’s financial position, results of operations or cash flows.
The Company’s management does not believe that any other recently issued, but not yet effective, accounting standards if currently adopted would have a material effect on the accompanying financial statements.
Note 3 - Initial Public Offering Units
On September 28, 2021, Company consummated its Public Offering of 23,000,000 Units. Each Unit consists of one Class A common stock of the Company, par value $0.0001 per share, and one-half
of one redeemable warrant of the Company, each whole Public Warrant entitling the holder thereof to purchase one Class A common stock for $11.50 per share. The Units were sold at a price of $10.00 per unit, generating gross proceeds to the Company of $230,000,000.
All of the 23,000,000 Class A common stock sold as part of the Units in the Public Offering contain a redemption feature which allows for the redemption of such public shares in connection with the Company’s liquidation, if there is a stockholder vote or tender offer in connection with the Business Combination and in connection with certain amendments to the Company’s certificate of incorporation. In accordance with SEC and its staff’s guidance on redeemable equity instruments, which has been codified in ASC 480-10-S99, redemption
provisions not solely within the control of the Company require common stock subject to redemption to be classified outside of permanent equity.
The Class A common stock is subject to SEC and its staff’s guidance on redeemable equity instruments, which has been codified in ASC 480-10-S99. If
it is probable that the equity instrument will become redeemable, the Company has the option to either accrete changes in the redemption value over the period from the date of issuance (or from the date that it becomes probable that the instrument will become redeemable, if later) to the earliest redemption date of the instrument or to recognize changes in the redemption value immediately as they occur and adjust the carrying amount of the instrument to equal the redemption value at the end of each reporting period. The Company recognizes changes in redemption value immediately as they occur. Immediately upon the closing of the Public Offering, the Company recognized the accretion from initial book value to redemption amount value. The change in the carrying value of redeemable common stock resulted in charges against additional paid-in capital
and accumulated deficit.
As of December 31, 2021, the common stock reflected on the balance sheet is reconciled in the following table:
Gross proceeds from Public Offering
$ 230,000,000
Less:
Proceeds allocated to Public Warrants
(8,740,000 )
Common stock issuance costs
(12,634,977 )
Plus:
Accretion of carrying value to redemption value
25,974,977
Contingently redeemable common stock
$ 234,600,000
Public Warrants
Each whole Public Warrant entitles the holder to purchase one share of the Company’s Class A common stock at a price of $11.50 per share, subject to adjustment. 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 the initial Business Combination at an issue price or effective issue price of less than $9.20 per share of Class A common stock (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 its 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 the initial Business Combination on the date of the consummation of the initial Business Combination (net of redemptions), and (z) the volume weighted average trading price of the Class A common stock during the 20 trading day period starting on the trading day after the day on which the Company consummates its initial 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 price described adjacent to “Redemption of warrants for cash” will be adjusted (to the nearest cent) to be equal to 180% of the higher of the Market Value and the Newly Issued Price.
The Public Warrants will expire at 5:00 p.m., New York City time on the warrant expiration date, which is five years after the completion of the initial Business Combination or earlier upon redemption or liquidation. On the exercise of any Public Warrant, the warrant exercise price will be paid directly to the Company and not placed in the Trust Account.
The Company will not be obligated to deliver any Class A common stock pursuant to the exercise of a Public Warrant and will have no obligation to settle such Public Warrant exercise unless a registration statement under the Securities Act with respect to the Class A common stock underlying the warrants is then effective and a prospectus relating thereto is current, subject to the Company’s satisfying the Company’s obligations described below with respect to registration. No Public Warrant will be exercisable and the Company will not be obligated to issue a share of Class A common stock upon exercise of a Public Warrant unless the share of 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 Public Warrants. In the event that the conditions in the two immediately preceding sentences are not satisfied with respect to a Public Warrant, the holder of such Public Warrant will not be entitled to exercise such Public Warrant and such Public Warrant may have no value and expire worthless. In no event will the Company be required to net cash settle any Public Warrant. In the event that a registration statement is not effective for the exercised Public Warrants, the purchaser of a Unit containing such warrant will have paid the full purchase price for the unit solely for the share of Class A common stock underlying such Unit.
The Company has agreed that as soon as practicable, but in no event later than 15 business days after the closing of the initial Business Combination, the Company will use its best efforts to file with the SEC and have an effective registration statement covering the shares of Class A common stock issuable upon exercise of the Public Warrants and to maintain a current prospectus relating to those shares of Class A common stock until the Public Warrants expire or are redeemed, as specified in the warrant agreement. If a registration statement covering the Class A common stock issuable upon exercise of the Public Warrants is not effective by the 60th business day after the closing of the initial Business Combination, Public 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 Public Warrants on a “cashless basis” in accordance with Section 3(a)(9) of the Securities Act or another exemption. Notwithstanding the above, if the 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 Public 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 elect, it will not be required to file or maintain in effect a registration statement, and in the event the Company does not so elect, it will use its best efforts to register or qualify the shares under applicable blue sky laws to the extent an exemption is not available.
Redemption of Public Warrants for Cash
Once the Public Warrants become exercisable, the Company may redeem the outstanding Public Warrants:
•
in whole and not in part;
•
at a price of $0.01
per warrant;
•
upon not less than 30 days’ prior written notice of redemption to each warrant holder; and
•
if, and only if, the closing price of the common stock equals or exceeds $18.00 per share (as adjusted for adjustments to the number of shares issuable upon exercise or the exercise price of a warrant 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 Company will not redeem the Public Warrants as described above unless an effective registration statement under the Securities Act covering the Class A common stock issuable upon exercise of the Public Warrants is effective and a current prospectus relating to those shares of Class A common stock is available throughout the 30 day redemption period, except if the Public Warrants may be exercised on a cashless basis and such cashless exercise is exempt from registration under the Securities Act. If and when the Public Warrants become redeemable by the Company, they may exercise their redemption right even if they are unable to register or qualify the underlying securities for sale under all applicable state securities laws.
Note 4 - Private Placement
Simultaneously with the closing of the Public Offering, the Company’s Sponsor has purchased an aggregate of 11,700,000 Private Placement Warrants, each exercisable to purchase one Class A common stock at $11.50 per share, at a price of $1.00 per warrant, or $11,700,000 in the aggregate. The Private Placement Warrants are identical to the warrants included as part of the Units sold in the Public Offering, except that the Private Placement Warrants, so long as they are held by the Sponsor or its permitted transferees, (i) are not redeemable by the Company, (ii) may not (including the shares of Class A Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the warrants), subject to certain limited exceptions, be transferred, assigned or sold until 30 days after the completion of the Company’s initial Business Combination, (iii) may be exercised on a cashless basis and (iv) are entitled to registration rights. No underwriting discounts or commissions were paid with respect to such sale. The issuance of the Private Placement Warrants was made pursuant to the exemption from registration contained in Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act.
Note 5 - Related Party Transactions
Founder Shares
On June 7, 2021, the Sponsor paid $25,000 of deferred offering costs on behalf of the Company in exchange for 5,750,000 shares of the Company’s Class B common stock (the “founder shares”). The number of founder shares outstanding was determined based on the expectation that the total size of the Public Offering would be a maximum of 23,000,000 Units if the underwriters’ over-allotment option was exercised in full, and therefore that such founder shares would represent 20% of the outstanding shares after the Public Offering.
The initial stockholders, officers and directors have agreed not to transfer, assign or sell any founder shares held by them until the earlier to occur of: (1) one year after the completion of the initial Business Combination; or (2) the date on which the Company completes a liquidation, merger, stock exchange, reorganization or other similar transaction after the initial Business Combination that results in all of the public stockholders having the right to exchange their shares of common stock for cash, securities or other property. Any permitted transferees would be subject to the same restrictions and other agreements of the Sponsor with respect to any founder shares (the “Lock-up”).
Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the closing price of the Class A common stock equals or exceeds $12.00 per share (as adjusted for stock splits, stock dividends, reorganizations, recapitalizations and the like) for any 20 trading days within any 30-trading
day period commencing at least 150 days after the initial Business Combination, the founder shares will be released from the Lock-up.
Promissory Note - Related Party
The Sponsor agreed to loan the Company up to $300,000 to be used for a portion of the expenses of the Public Offering. These loans were non-interest
bearing, unsecured and due at the earlier of December 31, 2021 or the closing of the Public Offering. At December 31, 2021, no amount was due on the promissory note.
Working Capital Loans
In order to finance transaction costs in connection with an intended initial Business Combination, the Sponsor or an affiliate of the Sponsor or certain of the Company’s officers and directors may, but are not obligated to, loan the Company funds as may be required (the “Working Capital Loans”). If the Company completes its initial Business Combination, the Company would repay the Working Capital Loans. In the event that the initial Business Combination does not close, the Company may use a
portion of the working capital held outside the Trust Account to repay the Working Capital Loans but no proceeds from the Trust Account would be used to repay the Working Capital Loans. Up to $1,500,000 of the Working Capital Loans may be convertible into warrants of the post Business Combination entity at a price of $1.00 per warrant at the option of the lender. The warrants would be identical to the Private Placement Warrants. Except as set forth above, the terms of the Working Capital Loans, if any, have not been determined and no written agreements exist with respect to the Working Capital Loans. Prior to the completion of the initial Business Combination, the Company does not expect to seek loans from parties other than the Sponsor or an affiliate of the Sponsor as the Company does 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 the Trust Account. At December 31, 2021, no such Working Capital Loans were outstanding.
Administrative Service Fee
The Company has entered into an administrative services agreement on the effective date of the registration statement for the Public Offering pursuant to which the Company will pay an affiliate of the Sponsor a total of $10,000 per month for office space, secretarial and administrative services provided to members of the Company’s management team. Upon completion of the Company’s initial Business Combination or its liquidation, the Company will cease paying these monthly fees. For the year ended December 31, 2021, the Company incurred and accrued $30,667 and $667 administrative service fee, respectively.
Note 6 - Recurring Fair Value Measurements
Investment Held in Trust Account
As of December 31, 2021, the investments in the Company’s Trust Account consisted of $898 in cash and $234,617,120 in U.S. Treasury securities. All of the U.S. Treasury securities will mature on March 31, 2022. The Company classifies its United States Treasury securities as held-to-maturity
in accordance with FASB ASC 320 “Investments - Debt and Equity Securities.” Held-to-maturity
treasury securities are recorded at amortized cost and adjusted for the amortization or accretion of premiums or discounts. The Company considers all investments with original maturities of more than three months but less than one year to be short-term investments. The carrying value approximates the fair value due to its short-term maturity (Level 1). The carrying value, excluding gross unrealized holding loss and fair value of held to maturity securities on December 31, 2021 are as follows:
Amortized
Cost and
Carrying Value
Gross
Unrealized
Gains
Gross
Unrealized
Losses
Fair Value
as of
December 31,
Cash
$
$ -
$ -
$
U.S. Treasury Securities
234,617,120
-
(9,623 )
234,607,497
$ 234,618,018
$ -
$ (9,623 )
$ 234,608,395
Warrants
At December 31, 2021, the Company’s warrant liability was valued at $11,600,000. Under the guidance in ASC 815-40
the warrants do not meet the criteria for equity treatment. As such, the warrants must be recorded on the balance sheet at fair value. This valuation is subject to re-measurement
at each balance sheet date. With each re-measurement,
the warrant valuation will be adjusted to fair value, with the change in fair value recognized in the Company’s statement of operations.
On November 12, 2021, the Company’s Public Warrants began separately trading from the Class A common stock, included in the Company’s Units, on the New York Stock Exchange (the “NYSE”). The Company’s warrant liability for the Public Warrants is based on unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities that the Company has the ability to access. The fair value of the Public Warrant liability is classified within Level 1 of the fair value hierarchy.
The terms and conditions of the Company’s Private Placement Warrants are substantially the same as the Company’s Public Warrants. As such, they are economically equivalent and the Company’s warrant liability for the Private Placement Warrants is based on the price of the Company’s Public Warrants. The fair value of the Private Placement Warrants liability is classified within Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy.
The following table presents fair value information as of December 31, 2021 of the Company’s financial assets and liabilities that were accounted for at fair value on a recurring basis and indicates the fair value hierarchy of the valuation techniques the Company utilized to determine such fair value.
The following table sets forth by level within the fair value hierarchy the Company’s financial instruments remeasured to fair value on a recurring basis:
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
Public Warrants
$ 5,750,000
$ -
$ -
Private Placement Warrants
-
5,850,000
-
$ 5,750,000
$ 5,850,000
$ -
Measurement
The Company established the initial fair value for the Public Warrants and Private Placement Warrants on September 28, 2021, the date of the consummation of the Company’s Public Offering. The Company used a Binomial Option Pricing Model to value the Public Warrants and Private Placement Warrants. In November 2021, the Company’s Public Warrants began separately trading on the NYSE and consequently were reclassified to a Level 1 valuation. The Company’s Private Placement Warrants are economically equivalent to the Public Warrants. With their valuation based on quoted prices for similar instruments, the Private Placement Warrants were reclassified to a Level 2 valuation.
The key inputs into the Binomial Option Pricing Model were as follows at September 28, 2021:
Input
September 28, 2021
(Initial Measurement)
Risk-free interest rate
1.01 %
Expected term (years)
5.2
Expected volatility
13.8 %
Exercise price
$ 11.50
Dividend rate
0.0 %
Measurement
The following table provides a reconciliation of changes in the Level 3 fair value classification:
Fair value at March 9, 2021 (inception)
$ -
Initial fair value of September 28, 2021
17,632,000
Public Warrants reclassified to level 1
(5,865,000 )
Private Placement Warrants reclassified to level 2
(5,967,000 )
Change in fair value
(5,800,000 )
Fair v
alue at December 31, 2021
$ -
Note 7 - Commitments and Contingencies
Registration Rights
The holders of the (i) founder shares, which were issued in a private placement prior to the closing of the Public Offering, (ii) Private Placement Warrants, which were issued in a private placement simultaneously with the closing of the Public Offering and the shares of Class A common stock underlying such Private Placement Warrants and (iii) Private Placement Warrants that may be issued upon conversion of Working Capital Loans will have registration rights to require the Company to register a sale of any of the Company’s securities held by them pursuant to a registration rights agreement signed on the effective date of the Public Offering. The holders of these securities are entitled to make up to three demands, excluding short form demands, that the Company register such securities. In addition, the holders have certain “piggy-back” registration rights with respect to registration statements filed subsequent to the Company’s completion of the initial Business Combination. The Company will bear the expenses incurred in connection with the filing of any such registration statements.
Underwriters Agreement
The underwriters were paid a cash underwriting discount of two percent (2%) of the gross proceeds of the Public Offering (including the exercise of the over-allotment option), or $4,600,000. Additionally, the underwriters will be entitled to a deferred underwriting discount of 3.5% or $8,050,000 of the gross proceeds of the Public Offering (including the exercise of the over-allotment option), held in the Trust Account upon the completion of the Company’s initial Business Combination subject to the terms of the underwriting agreement.
Note 8 - Stockholders’ Equity
Preferred Stock
The Company is authorized to issue 1,000,000 shares of preferred stock with a par value of $0.0001 per share. As of December 31, 2021, there were no shares of preferred stock issued or outstanding.
Class A Common Stock
The Company is authorized to issue 380,000,000 shares of Class A common stock with a par value of $0.0001 per share. Holders of Class A common stock are entitled to one
vote for each share. As of December 31, 2021, there were no shares issued or outstanding excluding 23,000,000 shares of Class A common stock issued or outstanding that are subject to possible redemption.
Class B Common Stock
The Company is authorized to issue 20,000,000 shares of Class B common stock with a par value of $0.0001 per share. Holders of the Class B common stock are entitled to one vote for each share. As of December 31, 2021, there were 5,750,000 shares of Class B common stock issued and outstanding.
The shares of Class B common stock will automatically convert into shares of Class A common stock concurrently with or immediately following the consummation of the initial Business Combination on a one-for-one
basis, subject to adjustment for stock splits, stock dividends, reorganizations, recapitalizations and the like, and subject to further adjustment as provided herein. In the case that additional shares of Class A common stock or equity-linked securities are issued or deemed issued in connection with the initial Business Combination, the number of shares of Class A common stock issuable upon conversion of all founder shares will equal, in the aggregate, on an as-converted
basis, 20% of the total number of shares of Class A common stock outstanding after such conversion (after giving effect to any redemptions of shares of Class A common stock by public stockholders), including the total number of shares of Class A common stock issued, or deemed issued or issuable upon conversion or exercise of any equity-linked securities or rights issued or deemed issued, by the Company in connection with or in relation to the consummation of the initial Business Combination, excluding any shares of Class A common stock or equity-linked securities or rights exercisable for or convertible into shares of Class A common stock issued, or to be issued, to any seller in the initial Business Combination and any Private Placement Warrants issued to the Sponsor, executive officers or directors upon conversion of Working Capital Loans, provided that such conversion of founder shares will never occur on a less than one-for-one
basis.
Note 9 - Subsequent Events
The Company evaluated subsequent events and transactions that occurred after the balance sheet date through the date that the financial statements were available to be issued. Based upon this review, the Company did not identify any subsequent events that would have required adjustment or disclosure in the financial statements.

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ITEM 9. CHANGES IN AND DISAGREEMENTS WITH ACCOUNTANTS
ITEM 9. CHANGES IN AND DISAGREEMENTS WITH ACCOUNTANTS ON ACCOUNTING AND FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE
None.

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ITEM 9A. CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES
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. Our management evaluated, with the participation of our chief executive officer and chief financial officer (our “Certifying Officers”), the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures as of December 31, 2021, pursuant to Rule 13a-15(b)
under the Exchange Act. Based upon that evaluation, our Certifying Officers concluded that, as of December 31, 2021, our disclosure controls and procedures were effective.
We do not expect that our disclosure controls and procedures will prevent all errors and all instances of fraud. Disclosure controls and procedures, no matter how well conceived and operated, can provide only reasonable, not absolute, assurance that the objectives of the disclosure controls and procedures are met. Further, the design of disclosure controls and procedures must reflect the fact that there are resource constraints, and the benefits must be considered relative to their costs. Because of the inherent limitations in all disclosure controls and procedures, no evaluation of disclosure controls and procedures can provide absolute assurance that we have detected all our control deficiencies and instances of fraud, if any. The design of disclosure controls and procedures also is based partly on certain assumptions about the likelihood of future events, and there can be no assurance that any design will succeed in achieving its stated goals under all potential future conditions.
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
There were no changes in our internal control over financial reporting (as such term is defined in Rules 13a-15(f)
and 15d-15(f)
under the Exchange Act) during the most recent fiscal quarter that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.

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ITEM 9B. OTHER INFORMATION
ITEM 9B. OTHER INFORMATION
None.

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ITEM 10. DIRECTORS, EXECUTIVE OFFICERS AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE
ITEM 10. DIRECTORS, EXECUTIVE OFFICERS AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE
Directors and Executive Officers
Our directors and executive officers are as follows:
Name
Age
Position
Dave Wentz
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Mike Lohner
President, Chief Financial Officer and Directo
Wayne Moorehead
Chief Strategy Officer and Director
John Addison
Director
Bradford Richardson
Director
Travis Ogden
Director
Heather Chastain
Director
Dave Wentz, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Dave Wentz serves as the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Direct Selling Acquisition Corp. He is the former Chief Executive Officer of USANA Health Sciences, Inc. (NYSE: USNA), a direct seller of science-based nutritional and personal care products.
Mr. Wentz joined USANA at its founding in 1992 and played a critical role in developing its initial branding and strategy. Over the course of USANA’s early years, Mr. Wentz served in a variety of roles, including Vice President of Development, Sr. Vice President of Development and Executive Vice President, before being promoted to President in July 2002 and Chief Executive Officer in 2006. He also served as a member of USANA’s board of directors from 1993 to 2004. While Mr. Wentz led USANA(2002-2016), it achieved record sales each year and increased revenue from approximately $133 million (2002) to $1 billion (2016) upon his retirement. Notably in 2010, Mr. Wentz played an integral role in the $62.7 million acquisition and implementation of BabyCare.
During his time with USANA, Mr. Wentz served on the board of directors of the Direct Selling Association for many years, serving as its Vice Chairman from 2007 to 2008 and Chairman from 2008 to 2009. He also spent many years on the board of directors of the Direct Selling Education Foundation, including as Chairman from 2006 to 2007 and again from 2016 to 2018. In 2009, Mr. Wentz was recognized by Forbes
magazine as one of “The 21 Youngest CEOs at the Nation’s Biggest Companies,” and he served as the President of the Utah chapter of the Young Presidents Organization from 2018 to 2019.
Mr. Wentz is a best-selling author, having co-written the
New York Times
best seller The Healthy Home,
and an accomplished speaker and presenter having spoken in front of millions over the course of his career. Mr. Wentz holds a Bachelor of Science in Bioengineering from the University of California, San Diego.
Mike Lohner, President, Chief Financial Officer and Director
Mike Lohner
serves as the President, Chief Financial Officer and a Director Nominee of Direct Selling Acquisition Corp. Mr. Lohner is a highly experienced executive, board member, founder and investor in the direct selling and direct-to-consumer industries,
amongst others. Over the course of his career, he has played either a leading or integral role in the evaluation and underwriting of multiple transactions and investments within the direct selling industry and has played key roles in the development and management of a number of businesses that resulted in nine-figure exits. Mike currently serves as the chairman of the board of S&D Retail, a leading technology enabled social selling platform and fashion accessories business with three current brands: Stella & Dot, Keep Collective, and Ever Skincare, where he previously also served as chief executive officer.
Mr. Lohner is a co-founder of
DOSH, a leading card-linked cash-back advertising platform. He served as DOSH’s Chief Strategy Officer prior to its recent sale (March 2021) to Cardlytics for $275 million. While at DOSH, Mr. Lohner was responsible for formulating, directing and implementing the social selling strategies that helped it achieve its market leading position.
Mr. Lohner has spent more than 20 years as an executive, investor or advisor in and around the direct selling industry. Mr. Lohner’s entry into the direct selling industry was with Home Interiors and Gifts, Inc. a private equity-owned home décor direct sales company. He was hired after the company suffered a significant decline in sales and was tasked with returning the Company to growth. Retail sales at the company not only returned to significant growth, but grew to over $600 million during his tenure. Mr. Lohner served on the Direct Selling Association’s board of directors for four years.
Mr. Lohner’s early career included time as a consultant at Bain & Company, one of the world’s premier management consulting firms. He earned his M.B.A. from the Stanford Graduate School of Business, where he was an Arjay Miller scholar, and received a B.A. degree in economics from Brigham Young University.
Wayne Moorehead
, Chief Strategy Officer and Director
Wayne Moorehead serves as the Chief Strategy Officer of Direct Selling Acquisition Corp. Mr. Moorehead, who brings a wealth of experience in marketing, branding and direct to consumer to the Company’s management team, is a seasoned thought leader in marketing and brand strategy and is a sought-after advisor across multiple industries. Mr. Moorehead has spent more than 20 years in a variety of senior level roles in and around the direct selling industry and has also worked with a large number of national brands over the course of his career.
Most recently Mr. Moorehead served as the Chief Marketing Officer of Young Living, a $2 billion direct seller of essential oils and related products. Prior to this, from 2017 to 2019, Mr. Moorehead served as the chief brand officer of Purple Innovation, Inc. (NASDAQ: PRPL), the innovative mattress company, which has been recognized as one of the fastest-growing direct to consumer brands over the last several years. Purple merged with a special purpose acquisition company in 2018 in a transaction valued at $1.1 billion. Previously Mr. Moorehead served as the chief marketing officer of Nature’s Sunshine Products (NASDAQ: NATR), a multi-national direct seller of nutritional and personal care products.
Outside of the direct selling industry Mr. Moorehead possesses significant agency experience working with national and international brands such as Johnson & Johnson, Fender, Whole Foods, American Eagle Outfitters and Intel, amongst others. Mr. Moorehead’s agency experience includes serving as Chief Strategist for Salt Lake City-based Hint Creative, as well as chief strategy officer for the New York based Case Agency.
Mr. Moorehead holds a BS in Marketing Communications & Advertising from Brigham Young University and an MBA in Marketing from the Marriott School of Management.
John Addison, Director
John Addison is the former Co-Chief Executive
Officer of Primerica, Inc. (NYSE: PRI), a multi-billion dollar direct seller of financial products to middle-income households in the United States and Canada, and served in that position from 1999 to 2015. Mr. Addison currently serves as the chief executive officer of the Addison Leadership Group, through which he provides consulting and speaking services. Mr. Addison remains a member of the board of directors of Primerica and also serves on the board of directors of LegalShield, Inc., a private equity owned direct seller of pre-paid legal
services, and the National Monuments Foundation.
Mr. Addison joined Primerica in 1982 as a business systems analyst and progressively worked his way into positions of increasing responsibility. He served in numerous officer roles with Primerica Life Insurance Company (“Primerica Life”), a life insurance underwriter, and Primerica Financial Services, LLC, a general agent, both of which are subsidiaries of Primerica. He served as Vice President and Senior Vice President of Primerica Life, as well as Executive Vice President and Group Executive Vice President of Marketing. In 1995, he became President of the Primerica operating unit of Citigroup Inc. (“Citigroup”) and was promoted to Co-Chief Executive
Officer in 1999.
During the first ten years of Mr. Addison’s tenure as co-chief executive
officer, Primerica operated as a subsidiary of Citigroup. In 2010, the Company was spun-out of
Citigroup through an initial public offering, a process in which Mr. Addison played an integral role.
Mr. Addison was inducted into the Northeast Georgia Business Hall of Fame in 2018 and the Direct Selling Hall of Fame in 2019. Mr. Addison received his B.A. in Economics from the University of Georgia and his M.B.A. from Georgia State University.
Bradford Richardson, Director
Bradford Richardson
is the former President of Shaklee International, a 65 year-old
direct seller of natural nutrition supplements, weight-management products, beauty products, and household products.
Mr. Richardson has spent 20 years of his 30+ year career aggressively scaling direct selling companies globally. As president of Shaklee International from 2008 to 2015, Mr. Richardson grew global markets’ revenue to over $800 million. From 2015 to 2018, Mr. Richardson continued to serve Shaklee as a member of the company’s board of directors, as well as in a strategic consulting role.
Previously, from 1997 to 2008, Mr. Richardson served USANA in a variety of roles, culminating in his service as executive vice president - APAC. Under his leadership, USANA’s APAC business grew from startup to $169.2 million per year, representing more than 40% of total revenue at the time of his departure. Since 2018, Mr. Richardson has consulted for leading companies and spent time exploring new opportunities in the sector.
Mr. Richardson holds an MBA in Finance from The Wharton School and has worked in global business roles at leading companies including Dell Computer Corporation, Lexmark International and The Far Eastern Group, one of Taiwan’s leading conglomerates.
Travis Ogden, Director
Travis Ogden
currently serves as the co-founder and
chief executive officer of Oola Global, LLC, a personal development company offering a monthly subscription for personalized content distributed through the direct selling channel. From 2016 to 2020, Mr. Ogden served Isagenix International, a direct seller of dietary supplements and personal care products, as president and chief operating officer before being promoted to chief executive officer.
Previously, from 2012 to 2016, Mr. Ogden served as chief operating officer of Young Living Essential Oils, a direct seller of essential oils and related products, and helped guide the company through a period of rapid growth that saw revenue grow from $200 million to more than $1 billion.
Mr. Ogden began his career in a private accounting practice and then spent several years as an in-charge associate
with KPMG where he participated in numerous audit engagements including those related to initial public offerings.
Mr. Ogden holds a Bachelor of Science in Accounting and a Master’s of Business Administration from the University of Utah.
Heather Chastain, Director
Heather Chastain currently serves as the founder and CEO of Bridgehead Collective, a consultancy focused on assisting direct selling companies. With over 20 years of well-rounded experience in the direct selling industry, Mrs. Chastain brings a solid understanding of sales, marketing, manufacturing and operations as well as a strong collaborative and relational style of leadership to the table.
Prior to founding Bridgehead, Mrs. Chastain served as Chief Strategy Officer and President of the United States and Canada for Shaklee Corporation, a direct seller of nutrition and personal care products. In addition, Mrs. Chastain has served multiple c-level
positions in several direct selling companies, including as Senior Vice President and Chief Sales Officer of Arbonne International, Inc., President of Celebrating Home and Vice President of Operations at BeautiControl, Inc.
Mrs. Chastain previously served on the board of directors of the Direct Selling Association and as the chairwoman of the Direct Selling Association Ethics Committee. Mrs. Chastain holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Texas.
Number and Terms of Office of Officers and Directors
Our board of directors consists of seven members and is divided into three classes, with only one class of directors being elected in each year, and with each class (except for those directors appointed prior to our first annual meeting of stockholders) serving a three-year term. In accordance with NYSE corporate governance requirements, we are not required to hold an annual meeting until no later than one year after our first fiscal year end following our listing on the NYSE. The term of office of the first class of directors, consisting of Travis Ogden and Heather Chastain, will expire at our first annual meeting of stockholders. The term of office of the second class of directors, consisting of John Addison and Bradford Richardson, will expire at our second annual meeting of stockholders. The term of office of the third class of directors, consisting of Dave Wentz, Mike Lohner and Wayne Moorehead, will expire at our third annual meeting of stockholders.
Prior to the completion of an initial business combination, any vacancy on the board of directors may be filled by a nominee chosen by holders of a majority of our founder shares. 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.
Our officers are appointed by the board of directors and serve at the discretion of the board of directors, rather than for specific terms of office. Our board of directors is authorized to appoint officers as it deems appropriate pursuant to our Charter.
Director Independence
The rules of the NYSE require that a majority of our board of directors be independent within one year of our Public Offering. Our board of directors has determined that John Addison, Bradford Richardson, Travis Ogden and Heather Chastain are “independent directors” as defined in NYSE rules and applicable SEC rules. Our independent directors will have regularly scheduled meetings at which only independent directors are present.
Board Committees
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 rules of the NYSE and Rule 10A-3
under the Exchange Act require that the audit committee of a listed company be comprised solely of independent directors. Subject to phase-in
rules and a limited exception, the rules of the NYSE require that the compensation committee of a listed company be comprised solely of independent directors.
Audit Committee
We have established an audit committee of the board of directors. John Addison, Bradford Richardson and Travis Ogden serve as members of our audit committee, and Bradford Richardson chairs the audit committee. All members of our audit committee are independent of and unaffiliated with our sponsor and our underwriters.
Each member of the audit committee is financially literate and our board of directors has determined that each of Bradford Richardson and Travis Ogden 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) our independent registered public accounting firm’s qualifications and independence, and (4) the performance of our internal audit function and independent registered public accounting firm; the appointment, compensation, retention, replacement, and oversight of the work of the independent registered public accounting firm and any other independent registered public accounting firm engaged by us;
•
pre-approving
all audit and non-audit
services to be provided by the independent registered public accounting firm or any other registered public accounting firm engaged by us, and establishing pre-approval
policies and procedures; reviewing and discussing with the independent registered public accounting firm all relationships the registered public accounting firm has with us in order to evaluate its continued independence;
•
setting clear policies for audit partner rotation in compliance with applicable laws and regulations; obtaining and reviewing a report, at least annually, from the independent registered public accounting firm describing (1) the independent registered public accounting firm’s internal quality-control procedures and (2) 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;
•
meeting to review and discuss our annual audited financial statements and quarterly financial statements with management and the independent auditor, 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, 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. John Addison, Bradford Richardson and Travis Ogden serve as members of our compensation committee. Travis Ogden 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 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 to our board of directors with respect to the compensation, and any incentive compensation and equity based plans that are subject to board approval of all of our other officers;
•
reviewing 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;
•
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, other than the payment to our sponsor of $10,000 per month, for up to 15 months (or up to 18 months, if we extend the time to complete a business combination), for office space, utilities and secretarial and administrative support and reimbursement of expenses, 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, independent 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. The initial members of our nominating and corporate governance committee are Travis Ogden and John Addison. John Addison chairs the nominating and corporate governance committee.
We have adopted a nominating and corporate governance committee charter, which details the purpose and responsibilities of the nominating and corporate governance committee, including:
•
screening and reviewing individuals qualified to serve as directors, consistent with criteria approved by the board, 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 will be directly responsible for approving the search firm’s fees and other retention terms.
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. Prior to our initial business combination, holders of our public shares will not have the right to recommend director candidates for nomination to our board of directors.
Compensation Committee Interlocks and Insider Participation
None of our executive officers currently serves, and in the past year has not served, as a member of the compensation committee of any entity that has one or more executive officers serving on our board of directors.
Code of Ethics and Committee Charters
We have adopted a Code of Business Conduct and Ethics applicable to our directors, officers and employees. We have filed a copy of our form of the Code of Business Conduct and Ethics and our audit committee, compensation committee and nominating and corporate governance committee charters as exhibits to the registration statement relating to the Public Offering. You may review this document by accessing our public filings at the SEC’s web site at www.sec.gov. In addition, copies of our Code of Business Conduct and Ethics, corporate governance guidelines and committee charters will be provided without charge upon request from us and are also available on our website at www.dsacquisition.com. If we make any amendments to our Code of Business Conduct and Ethics other than technical, administrative or other
non-substantive
amendments, or grant any waiver, including any implicit waiver, from a provision of the Code of Business Conduct and Ethics applicable to our principal executive officer, principal financial officer, principal accounting officer or controller or persons performing similar functions requiring disclosure under applicable SEC or NYSE rules, we will disclose the nature of such amendment or waiver on our website
.

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ITEM 11. EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION
ITEM 11. EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION
None of our executive officers or directors have received any cash compensation for services rendered to us. Commencing on the date that our securities were first listed on the NYSE through the earlier of consummation of our initial business combination and our liquidation, we will pay our sponsor $10,000 per month for office space, secretarial and administrative services provided to members of our management team. In addition, our sponsor, executive officers and directors, or any of their respective affiliates will be reimbursed for any out-of-pocket
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. Any such payments prior to an initial business combination will be made from funds held outside the Trust Account. Other than quarterly audit committee review of such reimbursements, we do not expect to have any additional controls in place governing our reimbursement payments to our directors and executive officers for their out-of-pocket
expenses incurred in connection with our activities on our behalf in connection with identifying and consummating an initial business combination. Other than these payments and reimbursements, no compensation of any kind, including finder’s and consulting fees, will be paid by the company to our sponsor, executive officers and directors, or any of their respective affiliates, prior to completion of our initial business combination.
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. All of these fees will be fully disclosed to stockholders, to the extent then known, in the proxy solicitation materials or tender offer materials furnished to our stockholders in connection with a proposed 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 business combination, because the directors of the post-combination business will be responsible for determining executive officer and director compensation. Any compensation to be paid to our executive 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 executive 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’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 executive officers and directors that provide for benefits upon termination of employment.

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ITEM 12. SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS
ITEM 12. SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT AND RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS
The following table presents the number of shares and percentage of our common stock owned by our initial stockholders after the Public Offering:
•
each person known by us to be the beneficial owner of more than 5% of our issued and outstanding shares of common stock;
•
each of our officers, directors and director nominees; and
•
all our officers and directors as a group.
The following table is based on 28,750,000 shares of common stock outstanding at March 28, 2022, of which 23,000,000 were shares of Class A common stock and 5,750,000 were shares of Class B common stock. Unless otherwise indicated, we believe that all persons named in the table have sole voting and investment power with respect to all of our common stock beneficially owned by them.
Class A Common Stock
Class B Common Stock
Name and Address of Beneficial Owner(1)
Number of
Shares
Beneficially
Owned
Percent of
Class
Number of
Shares
Beneficially
Owned(2)
Percent of
Class
Percentage
of
Outstanding
Common
Stock
DSAC Partners LLC(3)
-
-
5,750,000
%
20.0 %
Dave Wentz(3)
-
-
5,750,000
%
20.0 %
Mike Lohner
-
-
Wayne Moorehead
-
-
John Addison
-
-
-
-
-
Bradford Richardson
-
-
-
-
-
Travis Ogden
-
-
-
-
-
Heather Chastain
-
-
-
-
-
Saba Capital Management, L.P.(4)
1,928,598
8.4 %
8.4 %
Boaz R. Weinstein(4)
1,928,598
8.4 %
8.4 %
Saba Capital Management GP, LLC(4)
1,928,598
8.4 %
8.4 %
All officers and directors as a group (seven individuals)
5,750,000
%
20.0 %
(1) Unless otherwise noted, the business address of each of the following entities or individuals is c/o Direct Selling Acquisition Corp., 5800 Democracy Drive, Plano, TX 75024.
(2) Interests shown consist solely of Founder Shares, classified as shares of Class B common stock. Such shares will automatically convert into shares of Class A common stock at the time of our initial business combination on a one-for-one
basis, subject to adjustment, as described elsewhere herein.
(3) DSAC Partners LLC is the record holder of the shares reported herein. DSAC Manager LLC is the manager of the sponsor. Mr. Wentz is the sole member of DSAC Manager LLC and has voting and investment discretion with respect to the common stock held of record by the sponsor. Mr. Wentz disclaims any beneficial ownership of the shares held by the sponsor, except to the extent of his pecuniary interest therein.
(4) Information regarding Saba Capital Management, L.P. is based solely on the Schedule 13G/A filed jointly filed by Saba Capital Management, L.P., Boaz R. Weinstein, and Saba Capital Management GP, with the SEC on February 14, 2022 for the year ended December 31, 2021.

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ITEM 13. CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS
ITEM 13. CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS, AND DIRECTOR INDEPENDENCE
On June 7, 2021, our sponsor paid an aggregate of $25,000 to purchase 5,750,000 founder shares. The number of founder shares issued was determined based on the expectation that the total size of the Public Offering would be a maximum of 23,000,000 units if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full, and therefore that such founder shares would represent 20% of the outstanding shares after the Public Offering.
Our sponsor purchased an aggregate of 11,700,000 Private Placement Warrants, at a price of $1.00 per warrant, or $11,700,000 in the aggregate, in a private placement that closed simultaneously with the closing of the Public Offering. Each private placement warrant entitles the holder to purchase one share of Class A common stock at $11.50 per share. The Private Placement Warrants (including the Class A common stock issuable upon exercise of the Private Placement Warrants) may not, subject to certain limited exceptions, be transferred, assigned or sold until 30 days after the completion of our initial business combination.
We currently utilize office space at 5800 Democracy Drive, Plano, Texas 75024 from our sponsor and the members of our management team. We pay our sponsor $10,000 per month for office space, secretarial and administrative services provided to members of our management team. Upon completion of our initial business combination or our liquidation, we will cease paying these monthly fees.
No compensation of any kind, including finder’s and consulting fees, will be paid by the company to our sponsor, executive officers and directors, or any of their respective affiliates, for services rendered prior to or in connection with the completion of an initial business combination. However, these individuals will be reimbursed for any out-of-pocket
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, directors or our or their affiliates.
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 on a non-interest
basis. 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 convertible into warrants of the post business combination entity at a price of $1.00 per warrant at the option of the lender. The warrants would be identical to the Private Placement Warrants. Except as set forth above, the terms of such loans, if any, have not been determined and no written agreements exist with respect to such loans. 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.
Any of the foregoing payments to our sponsor, repayments of loans from our sponsor or repayments of working capital loans prior to our initial business combination will be made using funds held outside the 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 proxy solicitation or tender offer 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.
Registration Rights
The holders of Founder Shares and Private Placement Warrants will be entitled to registration rights pursuant to a registration rights agreement signed on September 23, 2021. The holders of these securities are entitled to make up to three demands, excluding short form demands, that the Company register such securities. In addition, the holders have certain “piggy-back” registration rights with respect to registration statements filed subsequent to our completion the Company’s initial business combination. The Company will bear the expenses incurred in connection with the filing of any such registration statements.
Administrative Services
We will reimburse our sponsor and its affiliates for office space, secretarial and administrative services provided to members of the Company’s management team in an amount not to exceed $10,000 per month in the event such space and/or services are utilized and the Company does not pay a third party directly for such services, from the date of closing of the Public Offering. Upon completion of a business combination or the Company’s liquidation, the Company will cease paying these monthly fees.

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ITEM 14. PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTING FEES AND SERVICES
ITEM 14. PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTANT FEES AND SERVICES
The following is a summary of fees paid or to be paid to Grant Thornton LLP, or Grant Thornton, for services rendered.
Audit Fees
. Audit fees consist of fees billed for professional services rendered for the audit of our year-end
financial statements and services that are normally provided by Grant Thornton in connection with regulatory filings. The aggregate fees billed by Grant Thornton for professional services rendered for the audit of our annual financial statements, and other required filings with the SEC for the period from March 9, 2021 (inception) through December 31, 2021 totaled $70,500. The above amounts include interim procedures and audit fees, as well as attendance at audit committee meetings.
Audit-Related Fees.
Audit-related services consist of fees billed for assurance and related services that are reasonably related to performance of the audit or review of our financial statements and are not reported under “Audit Fees.” These services include attest services that are not required by statute or regulation and consultations concerning financial accounting and reporting standards. We did not pay Grant Thornton for consultations concerning financial accounting and reporting standards for the period from March 9, 2021 (inception) through December 31, 2021.
Tax Fees
. We did not pay Grant Thornton for tax planning and tax advice for the period from March 9, 2021 (inception) through December 31, 2021.
All Other Fees
. We paid $5,400 to Grant Thornton for other services for the period from March 9, 2021 (inception) through December 31, 2021.
Pre-Approval
Policy
Our audit committee was formed upon the consummation of the 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).
PART IV

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ITEM 15. EXHIBITS, FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES
ITEM 15. EXHIBITS AND FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES
(a) The following documents are filed as part of this report:
(1) Financial Statements
Reference is made to the Index to Financial Statements of the Company under Item 8 of Part II above.
(2) Financial Statement Schedule
All financial statement schedules are omitted because they are not applicable or the amounts are immaterial, not required, or the required information is presented in the financial statements and notes thereto in Item 8 of Part II above.
(3) Exhibits
We hereby file as part of this report the exhibits listed in the attached Exhibit Index.
Exhibit
Description
3.1
Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (Incorporated by reference to Amendment No. 1 to the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-l (File No. 333-258997), filed with the SEC on August 25, 2021).
3.2
Bylaws (Incorporated by reference to the corresponding exhibit to Amendment No. 1 to the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-l (File No. 333-258997), filed with the SEC on August 25, 2021).
4.1
Specimen Unit Certificate (Incorporated by reference to the corresponding exhibit to Amendment No. 1 to the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-l (File No. 333-258997), filed with the SEC on August 25, 2021).
4.2
Specimen Class A Common Stock Certificate (Incorporated by reference to the corresponding exhibit to Amendment No. 1 to the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-l (File No. 333-258997), filed with the SEC on August 25, 2021).
4.3
Specimen Warrant Certificate (Incorporated by reference to the corresponding exhibit to Amendment No. 1 to the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-l (File No. 333-258997), filed with the SEC on August 25, 2021).
4.4
Warrant Agreement between Direct Selling Acquisition Corp. and Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, dated as of September 23, 2021 (Incorporated by reference to the corresponding exhibit to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K (File No. 001-40831), filed with the SEC on September 29, 2021).
4.5
Description of Securities.
10.1
Letter Agreement, dated September 23, 2021, by and among the Company, its executive officers, its directors, and DSAC Partners LLC (Incorporated by reference to the corresponding exhibit to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K (File No. 001-40831), filed with the SEC on September 29, 2021).
10.2
Promissory Note, dated June 2, 2021, by and between the Company and DSAC Partners LLC (Incorporated by reference to Amendment No. 1 to the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-258997), filed with the SEC on August 25, 2021).
10.3
Investment Management Trust Agreement, dated September 23, 2021, by and between the Company and Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, as trustee (Incorporated by reference to the corresponding exhibit to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K ((File No. 001-40831), filed with the SEC on September 29, 2021).
10.4
Registration Rights Agreement, dated September 23, 2021, by and among the Company, the Holders named therein and DSAC Partners LLC (Incorporated by reference to the corresponding exhibit to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K (File No. 001-40831), filed with the SEC on September 29, 2021).
10.5
Private Placement Warrants Purchase Agreement, dated September 23, 2021, by and among the Company and DSAC Partners LLC (Incorporated by reference to the corresponding exhibit to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K (File No. 001-40831), filed with the SEC on September 29, 2021).
10.6
Administrative Services Agreement, dated September 23, 2021, by and between the Company and DSAC Partners LLC (Incorporated by reference to the corresponding exhibit to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K (File No. 001-40831), filed with the SEC on September 29, 2021).
14.1
Code of Business Conduct and Ethics (Incorporated by reference to the corresponding exhibit to Amendment No. 1 to the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-l (File No. 333-258997), filed with the SEC on August 25, 2021).
31.1
Certification of Principal Executive Officer pursuant to Rules 13a-14 and 15d-14 promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
31.2
Certification of Principal Financial Officer pursuant to Rules 13a-14 and 15d-14 promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
32.1
Certification of Principal Executive Officer pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
32.2
Certification of Principal Financial Officer pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
101.INS
Inline XBRL Instance Document
101.SCH
Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Schema Document
101.CAL
Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Calculation Linkbase Document
101.DEF XBRL
Inline Taxonomy Extension Definition Linkbase Document
101.LAB XBRL
Inline Taxonomy Extension Label Linkbase Document
101.PRE XBRL
Inline Taxonomy Extension Presentation Linkbase Document
Cover Page Interactive Data File (formatted as Inline XBRL and contained in Exhibit 101