Brightcove (BCOV) 8-K Brightcove Enters into Definitive Agreement to be Acquired

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): November 24, 2024

BRIGHTCOVE INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

DELAWARE	001-35429	20-1579162
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)	(Commission File Number)	(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)

281 Summer Street, Boston, MA	02210
(Address of principal executive offices)	(Zip Code)

(888) 882-1880

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code

Not Applicable

(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

☐ Written communications 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-commencement 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
Common Stock, par value $0.001 per share	BCOV	The NASDAQ Global Market

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 ☐

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 1.01 Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement.

On November 24, 2024, Brightcove Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger (the “Merger Agreement”) with Bending Spoons US Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Parent”), Bending Spoons S.p.A., an Italian societá per azioni (solely for the purposes of Section 6.11, Section 6.13 and Section 9.15) (“Guarantor”), and Blossom Merger Sub Inc., a Delaware corporation and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Parent (“Merger Sub”), pursuant to which Merger Sub will be merged with and into the Company (the “Merger”), with the Company surviving the Merger as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Parent (the “Surviving Corporation”). The Merger Agreement was unanimously approved by the board of directors of the Company (the “Board”).

At the effective time of the Merger (the “Effective Time”), (a) each share of common stock, par value $0.001 per share, of the Company (the “Company Common Stock”) (other than (i) shares held in the treasury of the Company or owned by Guarantor, Parent or Merger Sub immediately prior to the Effective Time and (ii) shares held by stockholders who have perfected their statutory rights of appraisal under Section 262 of the Delaware General Corporation Law) will be automatically canceled and converted into the right to receive $4.45 in cash, without interest (the “Merger Consideration”), (b) each share of Company Common Stock held in the treasury of the Company and any shares of Company Common Stock owned by Guarantor, Parent or Merger Sub immediately prior to the Effective Time will automatically be canceled and shall cease to exist and no consideration will be delivered in exchange therefor, and (c) each share of common stock of Merger Sub issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time will automatically be converted into and become one fully paid, nonassessable share of common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the Surviving Corporation, with the same rights, powers and privileges as the shares so converted and shall constitute the only outstanding shares of capital stock of the Surviving Corporation.

Immediately prior to the Effective Time, each outstanding option to purchase Company Common Stock (each, a “Company Stock Option”) that has a per share exercise price that is less than the Merger Consideration, whether or not vested and exercisable, will be automatically canceled and converted into the right to receive from Parent or the Surviving Corporation an amount in cash equal to the product obtained by multiplying (i) the excess of the Merger Consideration over the per share exercise price of such Company Stock Option, by (ii) the aggregate number of shares of Company Common Stock underlying such Company Stock Option immediately prior to the Effective Time. Immediately prior to the Effective Time, each Company Stock Option, whether or not vested and exercisable, that has a per share exercise price that is equal to or greater than the Merger Consideration will be automatically canceled without payment of any consideration.

Immediately prior to the Effective Time, each outstanding restricted stock unit award with respect to Company Common Stock (each, a “Company RSU Award”), whether or not vested, will be canceled and extinguished and, in exchange therefor, each former holder of any such Company RSU Award will have the right to receive from Parent or the Surviving Corporation an amount in cash equal to the product obtained by multiplying (i) the Merger Consideration by (ii) the aggregate number of shares of Company Common Stock subject to such Company RSU Award immediately prior to the Effective Time (such product, the “RSU Payments”). For any Company RSU Award that includes performance-based vesting conditions, the holder thereof will be entitled to RSU Payments only to the extent the Company RSU Award becomes vested in accordance with its terms at or prior to the Effective Time.

The Merger Agreement contains customary representations, warranties and covenants of the Company, Parent, and Merger Sub, including, among others, the agreement by the Company to conduct its business in the ordinary course consistent in all material respects with past practice during the period between execution of the Merger Agreement and completion of the Merger (the “Closing”) and covenants prohibiting the Company from engaging in certain kinds of activities during such period without the consent of Parent.

The Closing is conditioned upon, among other things, (a) the approval of the Merger Agreement by the affirmative vote of holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of Company Common Stock entitled to vote on the adoption of the Merger Agreement at a meeting of holders of the Company Common Stock held for such purpose, (b) the absence of laws restraining, enjoining or otherwise prohibiting the consummation of the Merger, (c) the expiration or termination of the applicable waiting period (and any extension thereof) under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, as amended, and requisite approval under the United Kingdom’s National Security and Investment Act of 2021, (d) the accuracy of the other party’s representations and warranties, subject to certain customary materiality standards set forth in the Merger Agreement, (e) performance or compliance in all material respects with the other party’s obligations under the Merger Agreement, and (f) no Company Material Adverse Effect (as defined in the Merger Agreement) having occurred and continuing since the date of the Merger Agreement.

The Merger Agreement contains customary non-solicitation covenants that prohibit the Company from soliciting competing proposals or entering into discussions concerning, or providing confidential information in connection with, certain proposals for an alternative transaction. These non-solicitation covenants allow the Company, under certain circumstances and in compliance with certain obligations set forth in the Merger Agreement, to provide non-public information to, and engage in discussions and negotiations with, third parties in response to an unsolicited acquisition proposal. The Board also may change its recommendation to the holders of Company Common Stock to adopt the Merger Agreement in response to a “Superior Proposal” or an “Intervening Event” (each as defined in the Merger Agreement) if the Board determines in good faith, after consultation with a financial advisor and outside legal counsel, that the failure to take such action would be inconsistent with the fiduciary duties of the Board under applicable law.

The Merger Agreement provides for certain termination rights for both the Company and Parent, including the right of either party to terminate the Merger Agreement if the Merger has not been consummated on or prior to August 24, 2025 (subject to extension as set forth in the Merger Agreement). Upon termination of the Merger Agreement under certain specified circumstances, including (a) the termination of the Merger Agreement by the Company in order to enter into an alternative transaction constituting a Superior Proposal or (b) the termination of the Merger Agreement by Parent due to a change in recommendation of the Board to the holders of Company Common Stock or due to a material breach of the non-solicitation covenants by the Company, the Company would be required to pay Parent a termination fee of $7,860,000.

The foregoing descriptions of the terms of the Merger Agreement and the transactions contemplated thereby do not purport to be complete and are qualified in their entirety by the full text of the Merger Agreement, a copy of which is filed as Exhibit 2.1, and is incorporated herein by reference.

The Merger Agreement and the foregoing descriptions have been included to provide investors and stockholders with information regarding the terms of these agreements. They are not intended to provide any other factual information about the Company or other parties thereto. The representations, warranties and covenants contained in each of these documents were or will be made only as of specified dates for the purposes of such agreement, were (except as expressly set forth therein) solely for the benefit of the parties to such agreements and may be subject to qualifications and limitations agreed upon by such parties. In reviewing the representations, warranties and covenants contained in the Merger Agreement and discussed in the foregoing descriptions, it is important to bear in mind that such representations, warranties and covenants were negotiated with the principal purpose of allocating risk between the parties, rather than establishing matters as facts. Such representations, warranties and covenants may also be subject to a contractual standard of materiality different from those generally applicable to stockholders and reports and documents filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). Investors and stockholders should not rely on such representations, warranties and covenants as characterizations of the actual state of facts or circumstances described therein. Information concerning the subject matter of such representations, warranties and covenants may change after the date of the agreements, which subsequent information may or may not be fully reflected in the parties’ public disclosures.

Item 5.02 Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers.

On November 24, 2024, the Board approved transaction and retention bonuses to Marc DeBevoise, the Company’s Chief Executive Officer, John Wagner, the Company’s Chief Financial Officer, and David Plotkin, the Company’s Chief Legal Officer (the “Named Executive Officers”). Each Named Executive Officer was granted (i) a deal bonus in the amount of $200,000 that will become payable on the Closing, subject to the Named Executive Officer’s continued employment with the Company or one of its subsidiaries through the Closing, and (ii) a retention bonus in the amount of $150,000 that will become payable on the six-month anniversary of the Closing, subject to the Named Executive Officer’s continued employment with the Company or one of its subsidiaries through such date. In the event that the Named Executive Officer’s employment is terminated by the Company or one of its subsidiaries without “Cause” (as defined in the applicable transaction and retention bonus letter agreement) or the Named Executive Officer resigns for “Good Reason” (as defined in the applicable transaction and retention bonus letter agreement) prior to the six-month anniversary of the Closing, subject to, among other things, the Named Executive Officer’s execution and effectiveness of a separation agreement and a release of claims in favor of the Company and its affiliates, the retention bonus will be paid to the Named Executive Officer within 60 days of the date of such termination.

Item 7.01 Regulation FD.

On November 25, 2024, Parent and the Company issued a joint press release announcing the execution of the Merger Agreement. A copy of the press release is attached to this Current Report as Exhibit 99.1 and is incorporated herein by reference.

The information in this Item 7.01, including Exhibit 99.1, is being furnished pursuant to Item 7.01 and shall not be deemed “filed” for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section, nor shall it be deemed to be incorporated by reference in any filing under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Exchange Act, except as shall be expressly set forth by specific reference in such a filing.

Additional Information and Where to Find it

In connection with the proposed transaction by and among the Company, Parent, Merger Sub and Guarantor, the Company intends to file with the SEC a proxy statement on Schedule 14A (the “Proxy Statement”), the definitive version of which will be sent or provided to Company stockholders, in connection with a special meeting of the Company’s stockholders for purposes of obtaining stockholder approval of the proposed transaction. The Company may also file other documents with the SEC regarding the proposed transaction. This document is not a substitute for the Proxy Statement or any other document which the Company may file with the SEC. INVESTORS AND SECURITY HOLDERS ARE URGED TO READ THE PROXY STATEMENT AND ANY OTHER RELEVANT DOCUMENTS THAT ARE FILED OR WILL BE FILED WITH THE SEC, AS WELL AS ANY AMENDMENTS OR SUPPLEMENTS TO THESE DOCUMENTS AND DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE THEREIN, CAREFULLY AND IN THEIR ENTIRETY BECAUSE THEY CONTAIN OR WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROPOSED TRANSACTION AND RELATED MATTERS. Investors and security holders may obtain free copies of the Proxy Statement (when it is available) and other documents that are filed or will be filed with the SEC by the Company through the website maintained by the SEC at www.sec.gov, the Company’s investor relations website at investor.brightcove.com or by contacting the Company’s investor relations department at the following: InvestorRelations@brightcove.com.

Participants in the Solicitation

The Company and certain of its directors, executive officers and other members of management and employees may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from the Company’s stockholders in respect of the proposed transaction and any other matters to be voted on at the special meeting. Information regarding the Company’s directors and executive officers, including a description of their direct interests, by security holdings or otherwise, is contained in the Company’s proxy statement for its 2024 annual meeting of stockholders, which was filed with the SEC on March 29, 2024, the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023, which was filed with the SEC on February 22, 2024, and in subsequently filed Current Reports on Form 8-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, and will be included in the Proxy Statement (when available). Company stockholders may obtain additional information regarding the direct and indirect interests of the participants in the solicitation of proxies in connection with the proposed transaction, including the interests of Company directors and executive officers in the proposed transaction, which may be different than those of Company stockholders generally, by reading the Proxy Statement and any other relevant documents that are filed or will be filed with the SEC relating to the proposed transaction. You may obtain free copies of these documents using the sources indicated above.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This communication contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the federal securities laws, including Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Exchange Act. These forward-looking statements are based on the Company’s current expectations, estimates and projections about the expected date of closing of the proposed transaction and the potential benefits thereof, its business and industry, management’s beliefs and certain assumptions made by the Company, Parent, Merger Sub, and Guarantor all of which are subject to change. In this context, forward-looking statements often address expected future business and financial performance and financial condition, and often contain words such as “expect,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “plan,” “believe,” “could,” “seek,” “see,” “will,” “may,” “would,” “might,” “potentially,” “estimate,” “continue,” similar expressions or the negatives of these words or other comparable terminology that convey uncertainty of future events or outcomes. All forward-looking statements by their nature address matters that involve risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond our control, and are not guarantees of future results, such as statements about the consummation of the proposed transaction and the anticipated benefits thereof. These and other forward-looking statements, including the failure to consummate the proposed transaction or to make or take any filing or other action required to consummate the proposed transaction on a timely matter or at all, are not guarantees of future results and are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in any forward-looking statements. Accordingly, there are or will be important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated in such statements and, therefore, you should not place undue reliance on any such statements and caution must be exercised in relying on forward-looking statements. Important risk factors that may cause such a difference include, but are not limited to: (i) the ability of the parties to consummate the proposed transaction in the anticipated time period or at all; (ii) the satisfaction (or waiver) of closing conditions to the consummation of the proposed transaction, including the receipt of required regulatory approvals and the requisite approval of the Company’s stockholders; (iii) potential delays in consummation of the proposed transaction; (iv) risks associated with the disruption of management’s attention from ongoing business operations due to the pendency and announcement of the proposed transaction; (v) the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstance or condition that could give rise to the termination of the merger agreement; (vi) the Company’s ability to implement its business strategy; (vii) significant transaction costs associated with the proposed transaction; (viii) the risk that Company’s stock price may decline significantly if the proposed transaction is not consummated; (ix) the nature, cost and outcome of any potential litigation relating to the proposed transaction; (x) the risk that disruptions from the proposed transaction will harm the Company’s business, including current plans and operations; (xi) the effects of the proposed transaction on relationships with employees, other business partners or governmental entities; (xii) potential adverse reactions or changes to business relationships resulting from the announcement or completion of the proposed transaction; (xiii) legislative, regulatory and economic developments affecting the Company’s business; (xiv) general economic and market developments and conditions; (xv) the evolving legal, regulatory and tax regimes under which the Company operates; (xvi) potential business uncertainty, including changes to existing business relationships, during the pendency of the merger that could affect the Company’s financial performance; (xvii) restrictions during the pendency of the proposed transaction that may impact the Company’s ability to pursue certain business opportunities or strategic transactions; and (xviii) unpredictability and severity of catastrophic events, including, but not limited to, acts of terrorism or outbreak of war or hostilities, as well as the Company’s response to any of the aforementioned factors. These risks, as well as other risks associated with the proposed transaction, will be more fully discussed in the Proxy Statement to be filed with the SEC in connection with the proposed transaction. Additional risks and uncertainties that could cause actual outcomes and results to differ materially from those contemplated by the forward-looking statements are included under the caption “Risk Factors” in the Company’s most recent annual and quarterly reports filed with the SEC and any subsequent reports on Form 10-K, Form 10-Q or Form 8-K filed from time to time and available at www.sec.gov. While the list of factors presented here is, and the list of factors presented in the Proxy Statement will be, considered representative, no such list should be considered to be a complete statement of all potential risks and uncertainties. Unlisted factors may present significant additional obstacles to the realization of forward-looking statements. Consequences of material differences in results as compared with those anticipated in the forward-looking statements could include, among other things, business disruption, operational problems, financial loss, legal liability and similar risks, any of which could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s financial condition, results of operations, or liquidity. The forward-looking statements included herein are made only as of the date hereof. The Company does not assume any obligation to publicly provide revisions or updates to any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise, should circumstances change, except as otherwise required by securities and other applicable laws.

Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(d) Exhibits

2.1*	Agreement and Plan of Merger, by and among Parent, Company, Guarantor and Merger Sub, dated November 24, 2024.
99.1**	Joint Press Release, dated November 25, 2024.
104	Cover Page Interactive Data file (embedded within the Inline XBRL document).

* All schedules to the Merger Agreement have been omitted pursuant to Item 601(b)(2) of Regulation S-K. The Company hereby agrees to furnish supplementally a copy of any omitted schedule to the Securities and Exchange Commission upon request.

** Furnished herewith

SIGNATURES

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.

Brightcove Inc.
By:	/s/ John Wagner
Name:	John Wagner
Title:	Chief Financial Officer

Dated: November 25, 2024