Stockholders' Equity |
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Stockholders' Equity | 6. STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY
2023 Reverse Stock Split
At the Company’s annual meeting on May 9, 2023, the stockholders of the Company approved the proposal to authorize the Board of Directors in its discretion, without further authorization of the Company’s stockholders, to amend the Company’s Certificate of Incorporation to effect a reverse split of the Company’s common stock by a ratio of between and . On May 9, 2023, the Company’s board of directors approved a reverse stock split of the Company’s common stock without any change to its par value, which became effective on May 12, 2023.
2023 At the Market offering
On February 10, 2023, the Company entered into a Controlled Equity OfferingSM Sales Agreement, (the “Sales Agreement”), with Cantor Fitzgerald & Co., (“Cantor”), as agent, pursuant to which it may offer and sell, from time to time, through Cantor, shares of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.001 per share, having an aggregate offering price of up to $12.5 million, (the “Placement Shares”). The Placement Shares will be issued and sold pursuant to the Company’s effective registration statement on Form S-3 (Registration Statement No. 333-252267), as previously filed with, and declared effective by, the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company filed a prospectus supplement, dated February 10, 2023, with the Securities and Exchange Commission in connection with the offer and sale of the Placement Shares.
Under the Sales Agreement, Cantor may sell the Placement Shares by any method permitted by law and deemed to be an “at the market offering” as defined in Rule 415 promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Act, including sales made directly on the Nasdaq Capital Market, on any other existing trading market for our common stock or to or through a market maker or in privately negotiated transactions. From time to time, the Company may instruct Cantor not to sell the Placement Shares if the sales cannot be effected at or above the price designated by the Company. Cantor receives a Placement Fee of 3% for each completed sale of Placement Shares under the Sales Agreement.
The Company is not obligated to make any sales of the Placement Shares under the Sales Agreement. The offering of the Placement Shares pursuant to the Sales Agreement will terminate upon the earlier of (a) the sale of all of the Placement Shares subject to the Sales Agreement or (b) the termination of the Sales Agreement by Cantor or the Company, as permitted therein. As of March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022 the Company had $145,000 and $150,000, respectively, of deferred transaction-related offering costs recorded in other assets in the unaudited condensed consolidated balance sheet.
The Company incurred incremental transaction-related offering costs of approximately $127,000 in connection with the execution of the Sales Agreement during the three months ended March 31, 2023.
During the three months ended March 31, 2023, the Company sold 23,217 of the Placement Shares, as adjusted for the Reverse Stock Split, for gross proceeds of approximately $162,000. For the three months ended March 31, 2023, the Company recorded $132,000 as an offset to additional paid-in capital representing transaction-related offering costs of the Placement Shares.
2023 Equity Line of Credit
On March 28, 2023, the Company entered into a purchase agreement (the “Purchase Agreement”) with Lincoln Park Capital Fund, LLC (“Lincoln Park”) and a registration rights agreement (the “Registration Rights Agreement”), pursuant to which the Company has the right, in its sole discretion, to sell to Lincoln Park shares of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.001 per share (the “Common Stock”), having an aggregate value of up to $10,000,000 (the “Purchase Shares”), subject to certain limitations and conditions set forth in the Purchase Agreement. The Company will control the timing and amount of any sales of Purchase Shares to Lincoln Park pursuant to the Purchase Agreement.
Under the Purchase Agreement, on any business day after March 28, 2023 selected by the Company over the term of the Purchase Agreement (each, a “Purchase Date”), the Company may direct Lincoln Park to purchase up to 6,666 shares of Common Stock on such Purchase Date (a “Regular Purchase”); provided, however, that (i) a Regular Purchase may be increased to up to 13,333 shares, if the closing sale price per share of the Common Stock on Nasdaq is not below $7.50 on the applicable Purchase Date; (ii) a Regular Purchase may be increased to up to 16,666 shares, if the closing sale price per share of the Common Stock on Nasdaq is not below $11.25 on the applicable Purchase Date; and (iii) a Regular Purchase may be increased to up to 20,000 shares, if the closing sale price per share of the Common Stock on Nasdaq is not below $15.00 on the applicable Purchase Date. All terms of the Purchase Agreement have been adjusted for the Reverse Stock Split. In any case, Lincoln Park’s maximum obligation under any single Regular Purchase will not exceed $1,000,000. The above-referenced share amount limitations and closing sale price thresholds are subject to adjustment for any reorganization, recapitalization, non-cash dividend, stock split, reverse stock split or other similar transaction as provided in the Purchase Agreement. The purchase price per share for each such Regular Purchase will be equal to the lesser of:
1.the lowest sale price for the Common Stock on the Nasdaq Capital Market on the date of sale; and 2.the average of the three lowest closing sale prices for the Common Stock on the Nasdaq Capital Market during the 10 consecutive business days ending on the business day immediately preceding the purchase date.
The Company also has the right to direct Lincoln Park, on any business day on which the Company has properly submitted a Regular Purchase notice for the maximum amount the Company is then permitted to sell to Lincoln Park in such Regular Purchase, to purchase an additional amount of the Common Stock (an “Accelerated Purchase”) of additional shares based on criteria established in the Purchase Agreement. An Accelerated Purchase, which is at the Company’s sole discretion, may be subject to additional requirements and discounts if certain conditions are met as defined in the Purchase Agreement.
The Company incurred approximately $323,000 of costs related to the execution of the Purchase Agreement, all of which are reflected in the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements. Of the total costs incurred, approximately $265,000 was paid in common stock to Lincoln Park for a commitment fee and $30,000 was accrued for Lincoln Park expenses. These transaction costs were included in other expense in the unaudited condensed statement of operations Approximately $28,000 was incurred for legal fees and were included in general and administrative expenses on the unaudited condensed statement of operations. No shares were purchased under the Purchase Agreement during the quarter ended March 31, 2023.
2022 Public Offering
On August 22, 2022, the Company, entered into an underwriting agreement (the “2022 Underwriting Agreement”) with William Blair & Company, L.L.C., as the sole underwriter (the “2022 Underwriter”). Pursuant to the 2022 Underwriting Agreement, the Company agreed to issue and sell, in an underwritten public offering (the “2022 Offering”), 800,000 shares, as adjusted for the reverse stock split, of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.001 per share (“Common Stock”) and warrants to purchase up to 800,000 shares of Common Stock (the “Warrants”). Each share of Common Stock was sold together with one Warrant to purchase one share of Common Stock, at a price to the public of $11.25 per share, as adjusted for the reverse stock split and related Warrant.
The Warrants were issued pursuant to a common stock purchase warrant (the “Form of Warrant”). Each Warrant has an initial exercise price equal to $13.20 per share of Common Stock, as adjusted for the reverse stock split, and are exercisable for five years from the date of issuance. The exercise price and the number of shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the Warrants are subject to adjustment in the event of certain subdivisions and combinations, including by any stock split or reverse stock split, stock dividend, recapitalization or otherwise. The exercise of the Warrants may be limited in certain circumstances if, after giving effect to such exercise, the holder or any of its affiliates would beneficially own (as determined in accordance with the terms of the Warrants) more than 4.99% (or, at the election of the holder, 9.99%) of the outstanding Common Stock immediately after giving effect to the exercise. There is no established trading market available for the Warrants on any securities exchange or nationally recognized trading system.
The Company accounts for common stock warrants as either equity-classified or liability-classified instruments based on an assessment of the specific terms of the warrants and applicable authoritative guidance in Financial Accounting Standards Board Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 480, Distinguishing Liabilities from Equity (“ASC 480”) and ASC 815-40, Contracts in Entity’s Own Equity (“ASC 815-40”). The assessment considers whether the warrants are freestanding financial instruments pursuant to ASC 480, meet the definition of a liability pursuant to ASC 480, and meet all of the requirements for equity classification under ASC 815-40, including whether the warrants are indexed to the Company’s own stock and whether the events where holders of the warrants could potentially require net cash settlement are within the Company’s control, among other conditions for equity classification. This assessment, which requires the use of professional judgment, is conducted at the time of warrant issuance and as of each subsequent quarterly period end date while the warrants are outstanding. The Form of Warrant requires that, if the Company consummates any merger, consolidation, sale or other reorganization event, including the sale of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets, in which its common stock is converted into or exchanged for securities, cash or other property (“Fundamental Transaction”), then the Company shall pay at the holder’s option, exercisable at any time commencing on the occurrence or the consummation of the Fundamental Transaction (or, if later, the date of public announcement) and continuing up to 30 days, an amount of cash equal to the value of the remaining unexercised portion of the Warrant as determined in accordance with the Black-Scholes option pricing model on the date of such Fundamental Transaction provided; however, that if the Fundamental Transaction is not within the Company’s control, including not approved by the Board of Directors, the holder of the Warrant shall only be entitled to receive the same type or form of consideration (and in the same proportion), at the Black Scholes Value of the unexercised portion of the Warrant, that is being offered and paid to the holder of the Common Stock of the Company in connection with the Fundamental Transaction. The Black-Scholes option pricing model, as defined in the Form of Warrant, includes as an input, the highest volume weighted average price (“VWAP”) for a period of one trading day preceding the consummation or announcement of a Fundamental Transaction up to 30 days after a Fundamental Transaction. The Company has determined that an adjustment based on this input is not limited to the effect that is attributable to the Fundamental Transaction and therefore causes the Warrants to fail the indexation guidance under ASC 815-40. As a result, the Company has determined that the Warrants must be recorded as derivative liabilities upon issuance and marked to market on a quarterly basis in the Company’s unaudited condensed consolidated statement of operations until their exercise or expiration.
The 2022 Offering resulted in net proceeds to the Company of approximately $7,675,000, after deducting underwriting discounts and offering expenses of $1,325,000. Offering costs were allocated between liability expense and equity based on the fair value of the Warrants of $7,752,000 and the total gross proceeds of $9,000,000. $1,117,000 of offering costs were allocated to the Warrants and were expensed immediately and recorded as selling, general and administrative expense in the consolidated statement of operations for the year ended December 31, 2022, resulting in a net impact to the Company’s equity of $208,000.
2010 Stock Incentive Plan
The Company’s employees, directors, and consultants were eligible to receive awards under the Vermillion, Inc. Second Amended and Restated 2010 Stock Incentive Plan (the “2010 Plan”), which was replaced by the 2019 Plan (as defined below) with respect to future equity grants. As of March 31, 2023, there were no shares of Aspira common stock available for future grants under the 2010 Plan.
As of March 31, 2023, a total of 270,554 shares of Aspira common stock were subject to outstanding stock options under the 2010 Plan.
2019 Stock Incentive Plan At the Company’s 2019 annual meeting of stockholders, the Company’s stockholders approved the Vermillion, Inc. 2019 Stock Incentive Plan, the name of which was subsequently changed to the Aspira Women’s Health Inc. 2019 Stock Incentive Plan (the “2019 Plan”). The purposes of the 2019 Plan are (i) to align the interests of the Company’s stockholders and recipients of awards under the 2019 Plan by increasing the proprietary interest of such recipients in the Company’s growth and success; (ii) to advance the interests of the Company by attracting and retaining non-employee directors, officers, other employees, consultants, independent contractors and agents; and (iii) to motivate such persons to act in the long-term best interests of the Company and its stockholders. The 2019 Plan allows the Company to grant stock options, stock appreciation rights, restricted stock, restricted stock units and performance awards to participants.
Subject to the terms and conditions of the 2019 Plan, the initial number of shares authorized for grants (as adjusted for the reverse stock split) under the 2019 Plan is 699,485. On May 9, 2023, the Company’s stockholders approved an increase of 333,333 in the number of shares available for issuance under the 2019 Plan for a total of 1,032,818 shares. To the extent an equity award granted under the 2019 Plan expires or otherwise terminates without having been exercised or paid in full, or is settled in cash, the shares of common stock subject to such award will become available for future grant under the 2019 Plan. As of March 31, 2023, 496,031 shares of Aspira common stock were subject to outstanding stock options, and 17,412 shares of Aspira common stock were subject to unvested restricted stock awards and a total of 93,112 shares of Aspira common stock were reserved for issuance under the 2019 Plan.
Stock-Based Compensation
During the three months ended March 31, 2023, the Company granted the following awards under the 2019 Plan. Assumptions included in the fair value per share calculations were (i) expected terms of to four years, (ii) one- to five-year treasury interest rates of 4.01% to 4.87% and (iii) market close prices ranging from $4.80 to $8.70, as adjusted for the reverse stock split. The Company recorded $598,000 in forfeitures for the three months ended March 31, 2023.
The allocation of employee stock-based compensation expense, including expense reversals due to forfeitures, by functional area for the three months ended March 31, 2023 and 2022 was as follows:
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