UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 8-K
CURRENT REPORT
PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(D) OF
THE
SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): January 20, 2021
Group Nine Acquisition Corp.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Delaware | 001-39905 | 85-3841363 | ||
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation) |
(Commission File Number) | (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.) |
568 Broadway Floor 10 New York, New York |
10012 | |
(Address of Principal Executive Offices) | (Zip Code) |
(646) 786-1980
(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)
Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:
¨ Written communication pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)
¨ Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)
¨ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
¨ Pre-commencements communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
Title of each class | Trading Symbol(s) | Name of each exchange on which registered | ||
Units, each consisting of one share of Class A common stock and one-third of one warrant | GNACU | The Nasdaq Capital Market LLC | ||
Class A common stock, par value $0.0001 per share | GNAC | The Nasdaq Capital Market LLC | ||
Warrants, each whole warrant exercisable for one share of Class A common stock at an exercise price of $11.50 per share |
GNACW | The Nasdaq Capital Market LLC |
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).
Emerging growth company x
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐
Item 8.01. | Other Events. |
On January 20, 2021, Group Nine Acquisition Corp. (the “Company”) consummated its initial public offering (the “IPO”) of 23,000,000 units (the “Units”) including 3,000,000 Units sold pursuant to the full exercise of the underwriters’ option to purchase additional Units to cover over-allotments. Each Unit consists of one share of Class A common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (“Class A Common Stock”), of the Company and one-third of one redeemable warrant of the Company (the “Warrants”), with each whole Warrant entitling the holder thereof to purchase one whole share of 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.
Simultaneously with the consummation of the IPO on January 20, 2021, the Company completed the private sale (the “Private Placement”) of 2,840,000 warrants (the “Private Placement Warrants”) at a purchase price of $1.50 per Private Placement Warrant, to the Company’s sponsor, Group Nine SPAC LLC, generating gross proceeds to the Company of $4,260,000.
$230 million of the net proceeds from the IPO and the sale of the Private Placement Warrants to the Sponsor have been deposited in a trust account maintained by Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, acting as trustee, established for the benefit of the Company’s public stockholders. An audited balance sheet as of January 20, 2021 reflecting receipt of the net proceeds from the IPO and the Private Placement is included as Exhibit 99.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K.
Item 9.01 | Financial Statements and Exhibits |
(d) Exhibits
Exhibit No. | Description of Exhibits | |
99.1 | Audited Balance Sheet, as of January 20, 2021 |
2
SIGNATURE
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
Group Nine Acquisition Corp. | ||
Date: January 26, 2021 | By: | /s/ Sean Macnew |
Name: | Sean Macnew | |
Title: | Chief Financial Officer |
3
Exhibit 99.1
GROUP NINE ACQUISITION CORP.
INDEX TO FINANCIAL STATEMENT
Page | ||
Audited Financial Statements of Group Nine Acquisition Corp.: | ||
Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm | F-2 | |
Balance Sheet as of January 20, 2021 | F-3 | |
Notes to Financial Statement | F-4 |
REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
To the Stockholders and the Board of Directors of
Group Nine Acquisition Corp.
Opinion on the Financial Statement
We have audited the accompanying balance sheet of Group Nine Acquisition Corp. (the “Company”) as of January 20, 2021, and the related notes (collectively referred to as the “financial statement”). In our opinion, the financial statement presents fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company as of January 20, 2021, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.
Basis for Opinion
This financial statement is 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 statement is 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 audits 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 statement. 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 statement. 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 2020. | |
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | |
January 26, 2021 |
F-2
GROUP NINE ACQUISITION CORP.
BALANCE SHEET
JANUARY 20, 2021
ASSETS | | |||
Current assets | ||||
Cash | $ | 995,644 | ||
Prepaid expenses | 26,800 | |||
Total Current Assets | 1,022,444 | |||
Cash held in Trust Account | 230,000,000 | |||
Total Assets | $ | 231,022,444 | ||
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY | | |||
Current liabilities: | | |||
Accrued offering costs | $ | 5,000 | ||
Total Current Liabilities | 5,000 | |||
Deferred underwriting fee payable | 9,890,000 | |||
Total Liabilities | 9,895,000 | |||
Commitments and Contingencies | ||||
Class A common stock subject to possible redemption, 21,612,744 shares at redemption value | 216,127,440 | |||
Stockholders’ Equity: | | |||
Preferred stock, $0.0001 par value; 1,000,000 shares authorized; none issued and outstanding | — | |||
Class A common stock, $0.0001 par value; 100,000,000 shares authorized; 1,387,256 issued and outstanding (excluding 21,612,744 shares subject to possible redemption) | 139 | |||
Class B common stock, $0.0001 par value; 20,000,000 shares authorized; 5,750,000 shares issued and outstanding (1) | 575 | |||
Additional paid-in capital | 5,000,572 | |||
Accumulated deficit | (1,282 | ) | ||
Total Stockholders’ Equity | 5,000,004 | |||
Total Liabilities and Stockholders’ Equity | $ | 231,022,444 |
The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statement.
F-3
GROUP NINE ACQUISITION CORP.
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENT
NOTE 1 — DESCRIPTION OF ORGANIZATION AND BUSINESS OPERATIONS
Group Nine Acquisition Corp. (the “Company”) was incorporated in Delaware on November 9, 2020. The Company was 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 (the “Business Combination”).
Although the Company is not limited to a particular industry or sector for purposes of consummating a Business Combination, the Company intends to focus its search on companies in the digital media and adjacent industries, including the social media, e-commerce, events, and digital publishing and marketing sectors. The Company is an early stage and emerging growth company and, as such, the Company is subject to all of the risks associated with early stage and emerging growth companies.
As of January 20, 2021, the Company had not commenced any operations. All activity for the period from November 9, 2020 (inception) through January 20, 2021 relates to the Company’s formation and the proposed initial public offering (“Initial Public Offering”), which is described below. The Company will not generate any 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 Initial Public Offering.
The registration statement for the Company’s Initial Public Offering was declared effective on January 14, 2021. On January 20, 2021 the Company consummated the Initial Public Offering of 23,000,000 units (the “Units” and, with respect to the Class A common stock included in the Units sold, the “Public Shares”), which includes the full exercise by the underwriter of its over-allotment option in the amount of 3,000,000 Units, at $10.00 per Unit, generating gross proceeds of $230,000,000 which is described in Note 3.
Simultaneously with the closing of the Initial Public Offering, the Company consummated the sale of 2,840,000 warrants (the “Placement Warrants”) at a price of $1.50 per Placement Warrant in a private placement to Group Nine SPAC LLC, a Delaware Limited Liability Company (the “Sponsor”), generating gross proceeds of $4,260,000, which is described in Note 4.
Transaction costs amounted to $13,156,274, consisting of $2,760,000 in cash underwriting fees, $9,890,000 of deferred underwriting fees and $506,274 of other offering costs. In addition, as of January 20, 2021, cash of $995,644 was held outside of the Trust Account (as defined below) and is available for the payment of offering costs and for working capital purposes.
Following the closing of the Initial Public Offering on January 20, 2021, an amount of $230,000,000 ($10.00 per Unit) from the net proceeds of the sale of the Units in the Initial Public Offering and the sale of the Placement Warrants was placed in a trust account (the “Trust Account”), located in the United States and invested only in U.S. government securities, within the meaning set forth in Section 2(a)(16) of the Investment Company Act, with a maturity of 185 days or less or in a money market fund selected by the Company meeting the conditions of Rule 2a-7 of the Investment Company Act, as determined by the Company, until the earlier of: (i) the completion of a Business Combination and (ii) the distribution of the Trust Account, as described below.
The Company’s management has broad discretion with respect to the specific application of the net proceeds of the Initial Public Offering and the sale of Placement Warrants, although substantially all of the net proceeds are intended to be applied generally toward consummating a Business Combination. There is no assurance that the Company will be able to complete a Business Combination successfully. The Company must complete a Business Combination with one or more target businesses that together have an aggregate fair market value of at least 80% of the assets held in the Trust Account (excluding the deferred underwriting commissions and taxes payable on interest earned on the Trust Account) at the time of the agreement to enter into a Business Combination. The Company will only complete a Business Combination if the post-transaction company owns or acquires 50% or more of the outstanding voting securities of the target or otherwise acquires a controlling interest in the target sufficient for it not to be required to register as an investment company under the Investment Company Act 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”).
The Company will provide its holders of the outstanding Public Shares (the “public stockholders”) with the opportunity to redeem all or a portion of their Public Shares upon the completion of a Business Combination either (i) in connection with a stockholder meeting called to approve the Business Combination or (ii) by means of a tender offer. The decision as to whether the Company will seek stockholder approval of a Business Combination or conduct a tender offer will be made by the Company, solely in its discretion. The public stockholders will be entitled to redeem their Public Shares for a pro rata portion of the amount then in the Trust Account (initially anticipated to be $10.00 per Public Share, plus any pro rata interest earned on the funds held in the Trust Account and not previously released to the Company to pay its tax obligations). The per-share amount to be distributed to public stockholders who redeem their Public Shares will not be reduced by the deferred underwriting commissions the Company will pay to the underwriters (as discussed in Note 6). There will be no redemption rights upon the completion of a Business Combination with respect to the Company’s warrants.
F-4
GROUP NINE ACQUISITION CORP.
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENT
The Company will proceed with a Business Combination if the Company has net tangible assets of at least $5,000,001 immediately prior to or upon such consummation of a Business Combination and, if the Company seeks stockholder approval, a majority of the shares voted are voted in favor of the Business Combination. If a stockholder vote is not required by law and the Company does not decide to hold a stockholder vote for business or other legal reasons, the Company will, pursuant to its Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (the “Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation”), conduct the redemptions pursuant to the tender offer rules of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) and file tender offer documents with the SEC prior to completing a Business Combination. If, however, stockholder approval of the transactions is required by law, or the Company decides to obtain stockholder approval for business or legal reasons, the Company will offer to redeem shares in conjunction with a proxy solicitation pursuant to the proxy rules and not pursuant to the tender offer rules. If the Company seeks stockholder approval in connection with a Business Combination, the Company’s Sponsor, officers and directors have agreed to vote their Founder Shares (as defined in Note 5) and any Public Shares purchased during or after the Initial Public Offering in favor of approving a Business Combination. Additionally, each public stockholder may elect to redeem their Public Shares irrespective of whether they vote for or against the proposed transaction.
If the Company seeks stockholder approval of a Business Combination and it does not conduct redemptions pursuant to the tender offer rules, the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation provides that a public stockholder, together with any affiliate of such stockholder or any other person with whom such stockholder is acting in concert or as a “group” (as defined under Section 13 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”)), will be restricted from redeeming its shares with respect to more than an aggregate of 15% or more of the Public Shares, without the prior consent of the Company.
The initial stockholders have agreed (a) to waive their redemption rights with respect to any Founder Shares and Public Shares held by them in connection with the completion of a Business Combination and (b) not to propose an amendment to the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation that would affect the substance or timing of the Company’s obligation to redeem 100% of its Public Shares if the Company does not complete a Business Combination, unless the Company provides the public stockholders with the opportunity to redeem their Public Shares in conjunction with any such amendment.
The Company will have until January 20, 2023 to complete a Business Combination (the “Combination Period”). If the Company has not completed a Business Combination within the Combination Period, the Company will (i) cease all operations except for the purpose of winding up, (ii) as promptly as reasonably possible but not more than ten business days thereafter, redeem 100% of the Public Shares, at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the Trust Account including interest earned on the funds held in the Trust Account (net of taxes payable and less up to $100,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses), divided by the number of then outstanding Public Shares, which redemption will completely extinguish public stockholders’ rights as stockholders (including the right to receive further liquidating distributions, if any), subject to applicable law, and (iii) as promptly as reasonably possible following such redemption, subject to the approval of the Company’s remaining stockholders and the Company’s board of directors, dissolve and liquidate, subject in each case to the Company’s obligations under Delaware law to provide for claims of creditors and the requirements of other applicable law. There will be no redemption rights or liquidating distributions with respect to the Company’s warrants, which will expire worthless if the Company fails to complete a Business Combination within the Combination Period.
The Company’s Sponsor, officers and directors have agreed to waive their liquidation rights with respect to the Founder Shares if the Company fails to complete a Business Combination within the Combination Period. However, if the Company’s Sponsor, officers, directors or any of their respective affiliates acquire Public Shares after the Initial Public Offering, such Public Shares will be entitled to liquidating distributions from the Trust Account if the Company fails to complete a Business Combination within the Combination Period. The underwriters have agreed to waive their rights to their deferred underwriting commission (see Note 6) held in the Trust Account in the event the Company does not complete a Business Combination within the Combination Period and, in such event, such amounts will be included with the other funds held in the Trust Account that will be available to fund the redemption of the Public Shares. One of the underwriters, Code Advisors LLC, has agreed to defer its share of its transaction fee to the earlier of (i) the completion of a Business Combination and (ii) December 31, 2021. Such deferred transaction fee will be paid by the Company from funds released to the Company upon completion of a Business Combination, or if due prior to the completion of a Business Combination, through a loan to the Company from the Sponsor. Although the Sponsor currently has expressed the intention to loan funds to the Company in such circumstance, the Sponsor has no obligation to do so. The terms of any such loan have not been determined and no written agreement exists with respect to such loan. Any such loans may be repaid only from funds held outside the Trust Account or from funds released to the Company upon completion of a Business Combination. Although Group Nine Media has irrevocably and unconditionally guaranteed the payment of such amounts, no assurance can be given that Group Nine Media will be able to satisfy its guarantee obligation when due. Code Advisors LLC has not executed any agreement with the Company waiving any right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to any monies held in the Trust Account in the event that such amounts become due prior to the completion of a Business Combination and the Company and Group Nine Media fail to pay such amounts. In the event that Code Advisors LLC makes a claim against the funds in the Trust Account with respect to such amounts, the Sponsor has also agreed to indemnify the Company for any reduction in the Trust Account as a result of any payment arising from such claim. However, the Company has not independently verified whether the Sponsor has sufficient funds to satisfy its indemnification obligations. Given that the Sponsor’s only assets are securities of the Company, the Sponsor may not be able to satisfy those indemnification obligations. The Company has not asked the Sponsor to reserve for such obligations. In the event of such distribution, it is possible that the per share value of the assets remaining available for distribution will be less than the Initial Public Offering price per Unit ($10.00).
In order to protect the amounts held in the Trust Account, the Sponsor has agreed to be liable to the Company if and to the extent any claims by a third party for services rendered or products sold to the Company, or a prospective target business with which the Company has discussed entering into a transaction agreement, reduce the amount of funds in the Trust Account to below (i) $10.00 per Public Share or (ii) such lesser amount per Public Share held in the Trust Account as of the date of the liquidation of the Trust Account due to reductions in the value of the trust assets, in each case net of the interest which may be withdrawn to pay taxes. This liability will not apply with respect to any claims by a third party who executed a waiver of any and all rights to seek access to the Trust Account and except as to any claims under the Company’s indemnity of the underwriters of the Initial Public Offering against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). Moreover, in the event that an executed waiver is deemed to be unenforceable against a third party, the Sponsor will not be responsible to the extent of any liability for such third-party claims. The Company will seek to reduce the possibility that the Sponsor will have to indemnify the Trust Account due to claims of creditors by endeavoring to have all vendors, service providers, prospective target businesses or other entities with which the Company does business, execute agreements with the Company waiving any right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to monies held in the Trust Account.
F-5
GROUP NINE ACQUISITION CORP.
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENT
NOTE 2 — SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES
Basis of Presentation
The accompanying financial statement is presented in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”) and pursuant to the rules and regulations of the SEC.
Emerging Growth Company
The Company is an “emerging growth company,” as defined in Section 2(a) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), as modified by the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012 (the “JOBS Act”), and it may take advantage of certain exemptions from various reporting requirements that are applicable to other public companies that are not emerging growth companies including, but not limited to, not being required to comply with the independent registered public accounting firm attestation requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation in its periodic reports and proxy statements, and exemptions from the requirements of holding a nonbinding advisory vote on executive compensation and stockholder approval of any golden parachute payments not previously approved.
Further, Section 102(b)(1) of the JOBS Act exempts emerging growth companies from being required to comply with new or revised financial accounting standards until private companies (that is, those that have not had a Securities Act registration statement declared effective or do not have a class of securities registered under the Exchange Act) are required to comply with the new or revised financial accounting standards. The JOBS Act provides that a company can elect to opt out of the extended transition period and comply with the requirements that apply to non-emerging growth companies but any such election to opt out is irrevocable. The Company has elected not to opt out of such extended transition period which means that when a standard is issued or revised and it has different application dates for public or private companies, the Company, as an emerging growth company, can adopt the new or revised standard at the time private companies adopt the new or revised standard. This may make comparison of the Company’s financial statements with another public company which is neither an emerging growth company nor an emerging growth company which has opted out of using the extended transition period difficult or impossible because of the potential differences in accounting standards used.
Use of Estimates
The preparation of the financial statement in conformity with 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 statement.
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 statement, which management considered in formulating its estimate, could change in the near term due to one or more future confirming events. Accordingly, the actual results could differ significantly from those estimates.
Cash Held in Trust Account
At January 20, 2021, the assets held in the Trust Account were held in cash.
Class A Common Stock Subject to Possible Redemption
The Company accounts for its Class A common stock subject to possible redemption in accordance with the guidance in Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) Topic 480 “Distinguishing Liabilities from Equity.” Shares of Class A common stock subject to mandatory redemption is classified as a liability instrument and is measured at fair value. Conditionally redeemable common stock (including common stock that features redemption rights that is either within the control of the holder or subject to redemption upon the occurrence of uncertain events not solely within the Company’s control) is classified as temporary equity. At all other times, common stock is classified as stockholders’ equity. The Company’s Class A common stock features certain redemption rights that are considered to be outside of the Company’s control and subject to occurrence of uncertain future events. Accordingly, at January 20, 2021, Class A common stock subject to possible redemption is presented as temporary equity, outside of the stockholders’ equity section of the Company’s balance sheet.
F-6
GROUP NINE ACQUISITION CORP.
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENT
Offering Costs
Offering costs consist of underwriting, legal, accounting and other expenses incurred through the Initial Public Offering that are directly related to the Initial Public Offering. Offering costs amounting to $13,156,274 were charged to stockholders’ equity upon the completion of the Initial Public Offering.
Income Taxes
The Company complies with the accounting and reporting requirements of ASC Topic 740 “Income Taxes,” which requires an asset and liability approach to financial accounting and reporting for income taxes. Deferred income tax assets and liabilities are computed for differences between the financial statement and tax bases of assets and liabilities that will result in future taxable or deductible amounts, based on enacted tax laws and rates applicable to the periods in which the differences are expected to affect taxable income. Valuation allowances are established, when necessary, to reduce deferred tax assets to the amount expected to be realized. Deferred tax assets were deemed to be immaterial as of January 20, 2021.
ASC Topic 740 prescribes a recognition threshold and a measurement attribute for the financial statement recognition and measurement of tax positions taken or expected to be taken in a tax return. For those benefits to be recognized, a tax position must be more-likely-than-not to be sustained upon examination by taxing authorities. The Company recognizes accrued interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits as income tax expense. There were no unrecognized tax benefits and no amounts accrued for interest and penalties as of January 20, 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 may be subject to potential examination by federal, state and city taxing authorities in the areas of income taxes. These potential examinations may include questioning the timing and amount of deductions, the nexus of income among various tax jurisdictions and compliance with federal, state and city 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.
Concentration of Credit Risk
Financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to concentrations of credit risk consist of a cash account in a financial institution, which, at times, may exceed the Federal Depository Insurance Coverage of $250,000. The Company has not experienced losses on this account and management believes the Company is not exposed to significant risks on such account.
Fair Value of Financial Instruments
The fair value of the Company’s assets and liabilities, which qualify as financial instruments under ASC 820, “Fair Value Measurement,” approximates the carrying amounts represented in the balance sheet, primarily due to their short-term nature.
Recent Accounting Standards
Management does not believe that any recently issued, but not yet effective, accounting standards, if currently adopted, would have a material effect on the Company’s financial statement.
NOTE 3 — INITIAL PUBLIC OFFERING
Pursuant to the Initial Public Offering, the Company sold 23,000,000 Units, which includes a full exercise by the underwriters of their over-allotment option in the amount of 3,000,000 Units, at a price of $10.00 per Unit. Each Unit consists of one share of Class A common stock and one-third of one redeemable warrant (“Public Warrant”). Each whole Public Warrant entitles the holder to purchase one share of Class A common stock at a price of $11.50 per share, subject to adjustment (see Note 7).
NOTE 4 — PRIVATE PLACEMENT
Simultaneously with the closing of the Initial Public Offering, the Sponsor has agreed to purchase an aggregate of 2,840,000 Placement Warrants at a price of $1.50 per Placement Warrant, for an aggregate purchase price of $4,260,000 in a private placement. A portion of the proceeds from the Placement Warrants were added to the proceeds from the Initial Public Offering held in the Trust Account. The Placement Warrants are identical to the Public Warrants underlying the Units to be sold in the Initial Public Offering, except as described in Note 7.
F-7
GROUP NINE ACQUISITION CORP.
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENT
NOTE 5 — RELATED PARTIES
Founder Shares
In November 2020, the Sponsor purchased 7,187,500 shares (the “Founder Shares”) of the Company’s Class B common stock for an aggregate price of $25,000. In November 2020, the Company effectuated a 0.8-for-1 reverse split of the Founder Shares, resulting in the Sponsor holding an aggregate of 5,750,000 Founder Shares. All share and per-share amounts have been retroactively restated to reflect the reverse stock split. The Founder Shares will automatically convert into Class A common stock upon consummation of a Business Combination on a one-for-one basis, subject to certain adjustments, as described in Note 7.
The Founder Shares include an aggregate of up 750,000 shares subject to forfeiture to the extent that the underwriters’ over-allotment option is not exercised in full or in part, so that the initial stockholders will own, on an as-converted basis, 20% of the Company’s issued and outstanding shares after the Initial Public Offering (assuming the initial stockholders do not purchase any Public Shares in the Initial Public Offering). As a result of the underwriters’ election to fully exercise their over-allotment option on January 20, 2021, a total of 750,000 Founder Shares are no longer subject to forfeiture.
The initial stockholders have agreed, subject to limited exceptions, not to transfer, assign or sell any of their Founder Shares until the earlier to occur of: (A) one year after the completion of a Business Combination or (B) subsequent to a Business Combination, (x) if the last sale price of the Company’s 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 a Business Combination, or (y) the date on which the Company completes a liquidation, merger, capital stock exchange, reorganization or other similar transaction that results in all of the Company’s stockholders having the right to exchange their shares of common stock for cash, securities or other property.
Advances from Related Party
As of January 20, 2021, the Sponsor paid for certain offering costs on behalf of the Company in connection with the Initial Public Offering. Advances amounting to $158,681 were repaid at the closing of the Initial Public Offering on January 20, 2021.
Promissory Note — Related Party
On November 9, 2020, the Sponsor agreed to loan the Company an aggregate of up to $300,000 to cover expenses related to the Initial Public Offering (the “Promissory Note”). The Promissory Note is non-interest bearing and payable on the earlier of December 31, 2021 or the completion of the Initial Public Offering. The outstanding balance of $300,000 was repaid at the closing of the Initial Public Offering on January 20, 2021.
Related Party Loans
In addition, in order to finance transaction costs in connection with a Business Combination, the Sponsor or an affiliate of the Sponsor, or certain of the Company’s officers and directors may, but are not obligated to, loan the Company funds as may be required (“Working Capital Loans”). If the Company completes a Business Combination, the Company would repay the Working Capital Loans out of the proceeds of the Trust Account released to the Company. Otherwise, the Working Capital Loans would be repaid only out of funds held outside the Trust Account. In the event that a Business Combination does not close, the Company may use a portion of proceeds held outside the Trust Account to repay the Working Capital Loans but no proceeds held in the Trust Account would be used to repay the Working Capital Loans. Except for the foregoing, the terms of such Working Capital Loans, if any, have not been determined and no written agreements exist with respect to such loans. The Working Capital Loans would either be repaid upon consummation of a Business Combination, without interest, or, at the lender’s discretion, up to $1,500,000 of such Working Capital Loans may be convertible into warrants of the post Business Combination entity at a price of $1.50 per warrant. The warrants would be identical to the Placement Warrants. At January 20, 2021, no such Working Capital Loans were outstanding.
F-8
GROUP NINE ACQUISITION CORP.
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENT
NOTE 6 — COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
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 and/or search for a target company, the specific impact is not readily determinable as of the date of the financial statement. The financial statement does not include any adjustments that might result from the outcome of this uncertainty.
Registration Rights
Pursuant to a registration rights agreement entered into on January 20, 2021, the Founder Shares, Placement Warrants (and their underlying shares), and warrants (and their underlying shares) that may be issued upon conversion of Working Capital Loans and the shares of Class A common stock issuable upon exercise of the foregoing and upon conversion of the Founder Shares. The holders of the Founder Shares, Placement Warrants, and warrants that may be issued upon conversion of Working Capital Loans (and in each case holders of their underlying shares, as applicable) will have registration rights to require the Company to register the sale of any of the securities held by them pursuant to a registration rights agreement. The holders of the majority of these securities will be entitled to certain demand rights that the Company register such securities for sale under the Securities Act. In addition, these holders will have certain “piggy-back” registration rights to include their securities in other registration statements filed subsequent to the completion of a Business Combination and rights to require the Company to register for resale such securities pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act. The Company will bear the expenses incurred in connection with the filing of any such registration statements.
Underwriting Agreement
The underwriters are entitled to a deferred fee of $0.35 per Unit, or $9,890,000. The deferred fee will become payable to the underwriters from the amounts held in the Trust Account solely in the event that the Company completes a Business Combination, subject to the terms of the underwriting agreement. Additionally, the deferred fee includes $0.08 per unit, or $1,840,000 in the aggregate, payable to one of the underwriters on the earlier of (i) the completion of a Business Combination and (ii) December 31, 2021. Such amounts will be paid from funds released to the Company upon completion of a Business Combination, or if due prior to the completion of a Business Combination, the Company anticipates such amounts will be paid with a loan from the Sponsor. Although the Sponsor currently has expressed the intention to loan funds to the Company in such circumstance, the Sponsor has no obligation to do so. The terms of any such loan have not been determined and no written agreement exists with respect to such loan.
Attorney’s Fees
Pursuant to an agreement between the Company and its attorneys, certain fees have been deferred and will become payable only if the Company consummates a Business Combination. If a Business Combination does not occur, the Company will not be required to pay these contingent fees. As of January 20, 2021, the amount of these contingent fees was approximately $342,690. There can be no assurances that the Company will complete a Business Combination.
NOTE 7 — 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 with such designations, voting and other rights and preferences as may be determined from time to time by the Company’s board of directors. At January 20, 2021, there were no shares of preferred stock issued or outstanding.
Class A Common Stock—The Company is authorized to issue 100,000,000 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. At January 20, 2021, there were1,387,256 shares of Class A common stock issued and outstanding, excluding 21,612,744 shares of Class A common stock 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 Class B common stock are entitled to one vote for each share. At January 20, 2021, there were 5,750,000 shares of Class B common stock issued and outstanding.
Only holders of Class B common stock will have the right to elect directors or remove directors prior to the completion of the initial Business Combination. These provisions in the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation may only be amended by a resolution passed by the holders of a majority of the Class B common stock. Holders of the Class A common stock and holders of the Class B common stock of record are entitled to one vote for each share held on all other matters to be voted on by stockholders, including any vote in connection with the initial Business Combination, and vote together as a single class, except as required by law or the applicable rules of the stock exchange.
The shares of Class B common stock will automatically convert into shares of Class A common stock at the time of a Business Combination on a one-for-one basis, subject to adjustment. In the case that additional shares of Class A common stock, or equity-linked securities, are issued or deemed issued in excess of the amounts offered in the Initial Public Offering and related to the closing of a Business Combination, the ratio at which shares of Class B common stock shall convert into shares of Class A common stock will be adjusted (unless the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of Class B common stock agree to waive such adjustment with respect to any such issuance or deemed issuance) so that the number of shares of Class A common stock issuable upon conversion of all shares of Class B common stock will equal, in the aggregate, on an as-converted basis, 20% of the sum of the total number of all shares of common stock outstanding upon the completion of the Initial Public Offering plus all shares of Class A common stock and equity-linked securities issued or deemed issued in connection with a Business Combination (excluding any shares or equity-linked securities issued, or to be issued, to any seller in a Business Combination).
F-9
GROUP NINE ACQUISITION CORP.
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENT
Warrants—Public Warrants may only be exercised for a whole number of shares. No fractional warrants will be issued upon separation of the Units and only whole warrants will trade. The Public Warrants will become exercisable on the later of (a) 30 days after the completion of a Business Combination or (b) 12 months from the closing of the Initial Public Offering. The Public Warrants will expire five years after the completion of a Business Combination or earlier upon redemption or liquidation.
The Company will not be obligated to deliver any shares of Class A common stock pursuant to the exercise of a warrant and will have no obligation to settle such warrant exercise unless a registration statement under the Securities Act with respect to the shares of Class A common stock underlying the warrants is then effective and a prospectus relating thereto is current, subject to the Company satisfying its obligations with respect to registration. No warrant will be exercisable and the Company will not be obligated to issue any shares of Class A common stock upon exercise of a warrant unless Class A common stock issuable upon such warrant exercise has been registered, qualified or deemed to be exempt under the securities laws of the state of residence of the registered holder of the warrants.
The Company has agreed that as soon as practicable, but in no event later than 20 business days, after the closing of a Business Combination, the Company will use its commercially reasonable efforts to file, and within 60 business days following a Business Combination to have declared effective, a registration statement for the registration, under the Securities Act, of the shares of Class A common stock issuable upon exercise of the warrants. The Company will use its commercially reasonable efforts to maintain the effectiveness of such registration statement, and a current prospectus relating thereto, until the expiration of the warrants in accordance with the provisions of the warrant agreement. Notwithstanding the above, if the Class A common stock is at the time of any exercise of a warrant not listed on a national securities exchange such that it satisfies the definition of a “covered security” under Section 18(b)(1) of the Securities Act, the Company may, at its option, require holders of Public Warrants who exercise their warrants to do so on a “cashless basis” in accordance with Section 3(a)(9) of the Securities Act and, in the event the Company so elects, the Company will not be required to file or maintain in effect a registration statement, but will be required to use its commercially reasonable efforts to register or qualify the shares under applicable blue sky laws to the extent an exemption is not available.
Redemptions of Warrants for Cash — Once the warrants become exercisable, the Company may redeem the 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 reported last sale price of the Company’s Class A common stock equals or exceeds $18.00 per share (as adjusted for stock splits, stock dividends, reorganizations, recapitalizations and the like and certain issuances of Class A common stock and equity-linked securities) for any 20 trading days within a 30-trading day period ending three business days before the Company sends the notice of redemption to each warrant holder. |
If and when the warrants become redeemable by the Company, the Company may exercise its redemption right even if it is unable to register or qualify the underlying securities for sale under all applicable state securities laws.
Redemption of Warrants for Shares of Class A Common Stock — Once the warrants become exercisable, the Company may redeem the outstanding warrants:
· | in whole and not in part; |
· | at $0.10 per warrant upon a minimum of 30 days’ prior written notice of redemption provided that holders will be able to exercise their warrants prior to redemption and receive that number of shares of Class A common stock to be determined, based on the redemption date and the fair market value of the Company’s Class A common stock ; |
· | if, and only if, the last reported sale price of the Company’s Class A common stock equals or exceeds $10.00 per share (as adjusted for stock splits, stock dividends, reorganizations, recapitalizations and the like) (the “Reference Value”) on the trading day prior to the date on which the Company sends the notice of redemption to the warrant holders; |
· | if the Reference Value is less than $18.00 per share, the Placement Warrants are also concurrently called for redemption at the same price (equal to a number of shares of the Company’s Class A common stock) as the Company’s outstanding Public Warrants, as described above; and |
· | if, and only if, there is an effective registration statement covering the shares of Class A common stock issuable upon exercise of the warrants and a current prospectus relating thereto is available throughout the 30-day period after the written notice of redemption is given. |
F-10
GROUP NINE ACQUISITION CORP.
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENT
If the Company calls the Public Warrants for redemption for cash, management will have the option to require all holders that wish to exercise the Public Warrants to do so on a “cashless basis,” as described in the warrant agreement. The exercise price and number of shares of Class A common stock issuable upon exercise of the warrants may be adjusted in certain circumstances including in the event of a stock dividend, or recapitalization, reorganization, merger or consolidation. However, the warrants will not be adjusted for issuance of Class A common stock at a price below its exercise price. Additionally, in no event will the Company be required to net cash settle the warrants. If the Company is unable to complete a Business Combination within the Combination Period and the Company liquidates the funds held in the Trust Account, holders of warrants will not receive any of such funds with respect to their warrants, nor will they receive any distribution from the Company’s assets held outside of the Trust Account with the respect to such warrants. Accordingly, the warrants may expire worthless.
In addition, if (x) the Company issues additional shares of Class A common stock or equity-linked securities for capital raising purposes in connection with the closing of a Business Combination at an issue price or effective issue price of less than $9.20 per share (with such issue price or effective issue price to be determined in good faith by the Company’s board of directors, and in the case of any such issuance to the Sponsor, initial stockholders or their affiliates, without taking into account any Founder Shares held by them prior to such issuance) (the “Newly Issued Price”), (y) the aggregate gross proceeds from such issuances represent more than 60% of the total equity proceeds, and interest thereon, available for the funding of a Business Combination on the date of the consummation of a Business Combination (net of redemptions), and (z) the volume weighted average trading price of the Company’s Class A common stock during the 20 trading day period starting on the trading day prior to the day on which the Company consummates a Business Combination (such priced, the “Market Value”) is below $9.20 per share, the exercise price of each warrant will be adjusted (to the nearest cent) to be equal to 115% of the higher of (i) the Market Value and (ii) the Newly Issued Price, and the $18.00 per share redemption trigger price described above will be adjusted to be equal to 180% of the higher of (i) the Market Value and (ii) the Newly Issued Price.
The Placement Warrants are identical to the Public Warrants underlying the Units sold in the Initial Public Offering, except that the Placement Warrants and the Class A common stock issuable upon the exercise of the Placement Warrants will not be transferable, assignable or salable until 30 days after the completion of a Business Combination, subject to certain limited exceptions. Additionally, the Placement Warrants will be exercisable on a cashless basis and be non-redeemable (subject to certain exceptions) so long as they are held by the initial purchasers or their permitted transferees. If the Placement Warrants are held by someone other than the initial purchasers or their permitted transferees, the Placement Warrants will be redeemable by the Company and exercisable by such holders on the same basis as the Public Warrants.
NOTE 8 — SUBSEQUENT EVENTS
The Company evaluated subsequent events and transactions that occurred after the balance sheet date through January 26, 2021, the date that the financial statement was issued. Based upon this review, the Company did not identify any subsequent events that would have required adjustment or disclosure in the financial statement.
F-11