As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 9, 2023
Registration No. 333-252229
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
_______________________________________
POST-EFFECTIVE AMENDMENT NO. 1
TO
FORM S-3
REGISTRATION STATEMENT
UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
_______________________________________
Gevo, Inc.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
_______________________________________
Delaware | 87-0747704 | |
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization) | (I.R.S. Employer Identification Number) |
345 Inverness Drive South, Building C, Suite 310 Englewood Colorado 80112 (303) 858-8358 |
(Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of registrant’s principal executive offices)
_______________________________________
Patrick R. Gruber
Chief Executive Officer
345 Inverness Drive South, Building C, Suite 310
Englewood, Colorado 80112
(303) 858-8358
(Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)
_______________________________________
With a copy to:
Jason Day
Ned A. Prusse
Perkins Coie LLP
1900 Sixteenth Street, Suite 1400
Denver, Colorado 80202
(303) 291-2300
Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public: From time to time after the effective date of this Registration Statement.
If the only securities being registered on this Form are being offered pursuant to dividend or interest reinvestment plans, please check the following box: ☐
If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, other than securities offered only in connection with dividend or interest reinvestment plans, check the following box: ☒
If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ☐
If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ☐
If this Form is a registration statement pursuant to General Instruction I.D. or a post-effective amendment thereto that shall become effective upon filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 462(e) under the Securities Act, check the following box. ☒
If this Form is a post-effective amendment to a registration statement filed pursuant to General Instruction I.D. filed to register additional securities or additional classes of securities pursuant to Rule 413(b) under the Securities Act, check the following box. ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
Large accelerated filer ☐ | Accelerated filer ☐ |
Non-accelerated filer ☒ | Smaller reporting company ☒ |
Emerging growth company ☐ |
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 7(a)(2)(B) of Securities Act. ☐
EXPLANATORY NOTE
This Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the Registration Statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-252229) (“Post-Effective Amendment No. 1”) of Gevo, Inc. (the “Company”) is being filed because the Company expects that it will no longer be a “well-known seasoned issuer” (as such term is defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended) when it files its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022. Accordingly, the Company is filing this Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 for the purpose of including disclosure required for a registrant other than a well-known seasoned issuer, identifying the securities being registered, registering a specific amount of securities and paying the associated filing fee.
This Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 contains:
• | a base prospectus which covers the offer, issuance and sale of up to an aggregate of $500.0 million of the Company’s common stock, preferred stock, debt securities, depositary shares, warrants, purchase contracts and units; and |
• | an “at the market offering” prospectus supplement covering the offering, issuance and sale by the Company of up to a maximum aggregate offering price of $500.0 million of the Company’s common stock that may be issued and sold under a sales agreement (the “Sales Agreement”), dated February 13, 2018, as amended, with H.C. Wainwright & Co., LLC. |
The base prospectus immediately follows this explanatory note. The at the market offering prospectus supplement immediately follows the base prospectus. Upon termination of the Sales Agreement or suspension or termination of the at the market offering prospectus supplement, any amounts included in that prospectus supplement that remain unsold will be available for sale in other offerings pursuant to the base prospectus, and if no shares are sold under the sales agreement, the full amount of this registration statement may be sold in other offerings pursuant to the base prospectus and a corresponding prospectus supplement.
PROSPECTUS
Gevo, Inc.
$500,000,000
Common Stock
Preferred Stock
Debt Securities
Depositary Shares
Warrants
Purchase Contracts
Units
_______________________________________
We may offer and sell the securities described in this prospectus from time to time in one or more offerings. The specific terms of the securities, including their offering prices, will be contained in one or more supplements to this prospectus. You should read this prospectus and any prospectus supplement carefully before you invest. The securities may be sold to or through one or more underwriters, dealers or agents, or directly to investors, on a continuous or delayed basis. See “Plan of Distribution.”
Our common stock is traded on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbol “GEVO.” On March 8, 2023, the last reported sales price of our common stock on the Nasdaq Capital Market was $1.73 per share.
_______________________________________
Investing in our securities involves risks. See “Risk Factors” on page 3 of this prospectus, and any applicable prospectus supplement, and in the documents that are incorporated by reference herein and therein.
_______________________________________
Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or passed upon the adequacy or accuracy of this prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
_______________________________________
The date of this prospectus is March 9, 2023.
Page | |
This prospectus is part of a registration statement on Form S-3 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), that we filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) using the “shelf” registration process. Under this shelf registration process, we may offer and sell any combination of the securities described in this prospectus in one or more offerings up to a total dollar amount of $500,000,000. This prospectus provides you with a general description of the securities we may offer. Each time we offer the securities described in this prospectus, we will provide you with a prospectus supplement that will describe the specific amounts, prices and terms of the securities being offered. We may also authorize one or more free writing prospectuses to be provided to you that may contain material information relating to these offerings. The prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus may also add, update or change information contained in this prospectus with respect to that offering. If there is any inconsistency between the information in this prospectus and the applicable prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus, you should rely on the prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus, as applicable. This prospectus does not contain all the information provided in the registration statement filed with the SEC. You should carefully read both this prospectus and any prospectus supplement (and any applicable free writing prospectuses), together with the additional information described below under “Where You Can Find More Information” and “Information Incorporated By Reference” before you make an investment decision.
We have not authorized anyone to provide any information other than that contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus or in any prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus prepared by or on behalf of us or to which we have referred you. We take no responsibility for, and can provide no assurance as to the reliability of, any other information that others may give you.
You should assume that the information appearing in this prospectus and the applicable prospectus supplement to this prospectus is accurate as of the date on its respective cover and that any information incorporated by reference is accurate only as of the date of the document incorporated by reference, unless we indicate otherwise. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since those dates. Any statement made in this prospectus or in a document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in this prospectus will be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes of this prospectus to the extent that a statement contained in a prospectus supplement or in any other subsequently filed document that is also incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in this prospectus modifies or supersedes that statement. Any statement so modified or superseded will not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this prospectus. See “Information Incorporated By Reference.”
This prospectus and any accompanying prospectus supplements may include trademarks, service marks and trade names owned by us or other companies. All trademarks, service marks and trade names included in this prospectus or any accompanying prospectus supplement are the property of their respective owners.
Unless the context otherwise indicates, references in this prospectus to “we,” “us,” “our,” the “Company” and “Gevo” refer to Gevo, Inc., a Delaware corporation, and its consolidated subsidiaries. The term “you” refers to a prospective investor.
CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
Certain statements in this prospectus, any prospectus supplement and the documents incorporated herein and therein by reference include “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”).
When used in this prospectus, any accompanying prospectus supplement and the documents incorporated by reference herein and therein, the words “expect,” “believe,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “intend,” “plan” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These statements relate to future events or our future financial or operational performance and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause our actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. These statements reflect our current views with respect to future events and are based on assumptions and subject to risks and uncertainties. These forward-looking statements include, among other things, statements about: our financial condition, our results of operation and liquidity, our ability to finance, develop, and construct our Net-Zero Projects, a series of planned facilities to produce energy dense liquid hydrocarbons using renewable energy and our proprietary technology, as well as other growth projects, our ability to produce our products, our ability to meet production, financial and operational guidance, our strategy to pursue low-carbon or "net-zero" carbon renewable fuels for sale into California and elsewhere, our ability to replace our fossil-based energy sources with renewable energy sources at our Net-Zero Projects and elsewhere, our ability and plans to construct greenfield commercial hydrocarbon facilities to produce sustainable aviation fuel (“SAF”) and other products, our ability to raise additional funds to finance our business, our ability to perform under our existing offtake agreements and other sales agreements we may enter into in the future, our ability to successfully operate our renewable natural gas project in Iowa, our ability to produce renewable hydrocarbon products at a commercial level and at a profit, the availability of, and market prices for, government economic incentives to the renewable energy market, achievement of advances in our technology platform, the availability of suitable and cost-competitive feedstocks, our ability to gain market acceptance for our products, the expected cost-competitiveness and relative performance attributes of our products, our strategy to pursue alcohol-to-SAF development and production, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our business, additional competition and changes in economic conditions and the future price and volatility of petroleum and products derived from petroleum.
Important factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated or implied by forward-looking statements such as those contained in documents we have filed with the SEC, including, but not limited to, those in the sections entitled “Risk Factors” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” in the documents incorporated by reference herein, and the section entitled “Risk Factors” of this prospectus and any accompanying prospectus supplement. All forward-looking statements in this prospectus, any accompanying prospectus supplement and the documents incorporated by reference herein and therein are qualified entirely by the cautionary statements included in this prospectus, any accompanying prospectus supplement and the documents incorporated by reference herein and therein. These risks and uncertainties or other important factors could cause actual results to differ materially from results expressed or implied by forward-looking statements contained in this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference herein and therein. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date made. Except as required by applicable law, we undertake no intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, and you should not rely on the forward-looking statements as representing our views as of any date subsequent to the date such statement is made.
An investment in our securities involves risks. You should carefully consider the risks described in the sections entitled “Risk Factors” in any prospectus supplement and those set forth in documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus and any applicable prospectus supplement, as well as other information in this prospectus and any applicable prospectus supplement, before purchasing any of our securities. Each of the risks described in these sections and documents could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects, and could result in a loss of your investment. Additional risks and uncertainties not known to us or that we deem immaterial may also impair our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.
We are a growth-oriented company with the mission of solving greenhouse gas emissions for those sectors of the transportation industry that are not amenable to electrification or hydrogen. We believe that the market size for hydrocarbon fuels will continue to remain significant in the long-term even with the rapid adoption of electric vehicles and hydrogen technologies. We also believe that we can achieve at least 1 billion gallons of hydrocarbon production and sales by 2030.
We are focused on transforming renewable energy into energy-dense liquid hydrocarbons that can be used as renewable fuels, such as SAF, with the potential to achieve a “net-zero” greenhouse gas ("GHG") footprint. We believe that this addresses the global need of reducing GHG emissions with "drop in" sustainable alternatives to petroleum fuels. We use the Argonne National Laboratory’s GREET (Greenhouse gases, Regulated Emissions, and Energy use in Transportation) model to measure, predict and verify GHG emissions across the life-cycle of our products. The “net-zero” concept means Gevo expects that by using sustainably grown feedstock (i.e., low till, no-till and dry corn cultivation), renewable and substantially decarbonized energy sources, drop-in hydrocarbon fuels can be produced that have a net-zero, full life cycle footprint measured from the capture of renewable carbon through the burning of the fuel.
We were incorporated in Delaware in June 2005 under the name Methanotech, Inc. and filed an amendment to our certificate of incorporation changing our name to Gevo, Inc. on March 29, 2006.
Our principal executive offices are located at 345 Inverness Drive South, Building C, Suite 310, Englewood, CO 80112, and our telephone number is (303) 858-8358. We maintain an Internet website at www.gevo.com. Information contained on our website is not incorporated by reference in this prospectus and you should not consider information contained on our website as part of this prospectus or any applicable prospectus supplement.
Unless otherwise indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, we intend to use the net proceeds from the sale of any securities offered by us under this prospectus for general corporate purposes, which may include, among others, repayment or refinancing of debt, acquisitions, working capital, capital expenditures, and repurchases or redemptions of securities. We will retain broad discretion over the allocation of net proceeds from the sale of any securities offered by us.
The following description of our capital stock is intended as a summary only. This description is based upon, and is qualified by reference to, our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, as amended, our second amended and restated bylaws, and the applicable provisions of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (“DGCL”). This summary is not complete. You should read our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and second amended and restated bylaws, each of which is filed as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part, for the provisions that are important to you.
Authorized and Outstanding Capital Stock
Our authorized capital stock consists of 500,000,000 shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share, and 10,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $0.01 per share, issuable in one or more series designated by our board of directors. As of January 31, 2023, there were 237,166,625 shares of common stock and no shares of preferred stock outstanding.
Common Stock
The holders of our common stock have one vote per share. Holders of common stock are not entitled to vote cumulatively for the election of directors. Generally, all matters to be voted on by stockholders must be approved by a majority, or, in the case of election of directors, by a plurality, of the votes cast at a meeting at which a quorum is present, voting together as a single class, subject to any voting rights granted to holders of any then outstanding preferred stock. Subject to preferences that may be applicable to any then outstanding preferred stock, holders of our common stock are entitled to participate equally in dividends when and as dividends may be declared by our board of directors out of funds legally available for the payment of dividends. In the event of our voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up, the prior rights of our creditors and the liquidation preference of any preferred stock then outstanding must first be satisfied. The holders of common stock will be entitled to share in the remaining assets on a pro rata basis. No shares of common stock are subject to redemption or have redemptive rights to purchase additional shares of common stock.
Preferred Stock
Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that we may issue shares of preferred stock from time to time in one or more series. Our board of directors is authorized to fix the voting rights, if any, designations, powers, preferences, qualifications, limitations and restrictions thereof, applicable to the shares of each series of preferred stock. Our board of directors may, without stockholder approval, issue preferred stock with voting and other rights that could adversely affect the voting power and other rights of the holders of our common stock, including the likelihood that such holders will receive dividend payments and payments upon liquidation, and could have anti-takeover effects, including preferred stock or rights to acquire preferred stock in connection with implementing a stockholder rights plan. The ability of our board of directors to issue preferred stock without stockholder approval could have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing a change of control or the removal of our existing management. There are currently no shares of preferred stock outstanding.
Anti-Takeover Effects of Certain Provisions of Our Certificate of Incorporation, Bylaws and Delaware Law
The DGCL, our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, and our second amended and restated bylaws contain provisions that could discourage or make more difficult a change in control of us, including an acquisition of us by means of a tender offer, a proxy contest and removal of our incumbent officers and directors, without the support of our board of directors. A summary of these provisions follows.
Statutory Business Combination Provision
We are subject to Section 203 of the DGCL, which, subject to certain exceptions, prohibits a Delaware corporation from engaging in any “business combination” with an “interested stockholder” for a period of three years following the time that such stockholder became an interested stockholder, unless:
● | the board of directors of the corporation approves either the business combination or the transaction that resulted in the stockholder becoming an interested stockholder, prior to the time the interested stockholder attained that status; |
● | upon the closing of the transaction that resulted in the stockholder becoming an interested stockholder, the interested stockholder owned at least 85% of the voting stock of the corporation outstanding at the time the transaction commenced, excluding, for purposes of determining the number of shares outstanding, those shares owned by persons who are directors and also officers and by employee stock plans in which employee participants do not have the right to determine confidentially whether shares held subject to the plan will be tendered in a tender or exchange offer; or |
● | at or subsequent to such time, the business combination is approved by the board of directors and authorized at an annual or special meeting of stockholders, and not by written consent, by the affirmative vote of at least 66-2/3% of the outstanding voting stock that is not owned by the interested stockholder. |
With certain exceptions, an “interested stockholder” is a person or group who or which owns 15% or more of the corporation’s outstanding voting stock (including any rights to acquire stock pursuant to an option, warrant, agreement, arrangement or understanding, or upon the exercise of conversion or exchange rights, and stock with respect to which the person has voting rights only), or is an affiliate or associate of the corporation and was the owner of 15% or more of such voting stock at any time within the previous three years.
In general, Section 203 defines a business combination to include:
● | any merger or consolidation involving the corporation and the interested stockholder; |
● | any sale, transfer, pledge or other disposition of 10% or more of the assets of the corporation involving the interested stockholder; |
● | subject to certain exceptions, any transaction that results in the issuance or transfer by the corporation of any stock of the corporation to the interested stockholder; |
● | any transaction involving the corporation that has the effect of increasing the proportionate share of the stock of any class or series of the corporation beneficially owned by the interested stockholder; or |
● | the receipt by the interested stockholder of the benefit of any loans, advances, guarantees, pledges or other financial benefits provided by or through the corporation. |
A Delaware corporation may “opt out” of this provision with an express provision in its original certificate of incorporation or an express provision in its amended and restated certificate of incorporation or bylaws resulting from a stockholders’ amendment approved by at least a majority of the outstanding voting shares. However, we have not “opted out” of this provision. Section 203 could prohibit or delay mergers or other takeover or change-in-control attempts and, accordingly, may discourage attempts to acquire us.
Election and Removal of Directors
Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides for our board of directors to be divided into three classes, with staggered three-year terms. Only one class of directors is elected at each annual meeting of our stockholders, with the other classes continuing for the remainder of their respective three-year terms. Because our stockholders do not have cumulative voting rights, our stockholders holding a majority of the shares of common stock outstanding are able to elect all of our directors. Directors may be removed only with cause by the affirmative vote of the holders of at least a majority of the outstanding shares entitled to vote on such removal
No Stockholder Action by Written Consent
Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and our second amended and restated bylaws provide that any action required or permitted to be taken by the holders of common stock at an annual or special meeting of stockholders must be effected at a duly called meeting and may not be taken or effected by written consent of the stockholders.
Stockholder Meetings
Under our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and our second amended and restated bylaws, only our board of directors, acting pursuant to a resolution adopted by a majority of the directors then in office, may call a special meeting of the stockholders, and any business conducted at any special meeting will be limited to the purpose or purposes specified in the notice for such special meeting.
Requirements for Advance Notification of Stockholder Nominations and Proposals
In order for our stockholders to bring nominations or business before an annual meeting properly, they must comply with certain notice requirements as provided by our second amended and restated bylaws. Typically, in order for such notices to be timely, they must be provided to us not earlier than the close of business on the 120th day prior to the one-year anniversary of the preceding year’s annual meeting and not later than the close of business on the 90th day prior to the one-year anniversary of the preceding year’s annual meeting. For such notices to be timely in the event the annual meeting is advanced more than 30 days prior to or delayed by more than 70 days after the one-year anniversary of the preceding year’s annual meeting, notice must be provided to us not earlier than the close of business on the 120th day prior to such annual meeting and not later than the close of business on the later of the 90th day prior to such annual meeting or, if later, the 10th day following the day on which public announcement of the date of such meeting is first made.
Exclusive Forum Provision
Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware shall, unless we consent in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, be the sole and exclusive forum for (i) any derivative action or proceeding brought on behalf of the Company, (ii) any action asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any director, officer or other employee of the Company to the Company or its stockholders, (iii) any action asserting a claim arising pursuant to any provision of the Delaware General Corporation Law, or (iv) any action asserting a claim governed by the internal affairs doctrine, in each case subject to said Court of Chancery having personal jurisdiction over the indispensable parties named as defendants therein. Notwithstanding this exclusive forum provision, the exclusive forum provision shall not preclude or contract the scope of exclusive federal or concurrent jurisdiction for actions brought under the Exchange Act or the Securities Act, or the respective rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
Any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring any interest in any of our securities shall be deemed to have notice of and consented to these provisions. This exclusive forum provision may limit a stockholder’s ability to bring a claim in a judicial forum of its choosing for disputes with us or our directors, officers or other employees, which may discourage lawsuits against us and our directors, officers and other employees.
Amendment of Charter Provisions
The affirmative vote of the holders of at least 66-2/3% of the voting power of all of the then-outstanding shares of our voting stock, voting together as a single class, is required to, among other things, alter, amend or repeal certain provisions of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, including those related to the classification of our board of directors, the amendment of our bylaws and certificate of incorporation, restrictions against stockholder actions by written consent, the designated parties entitled to call a special meeting of the stockholders and the indemnification of officers and directors.
Our second amended and restated bylaws may only be amended (or new bylaws adopted) by our board of directors or the affirmative vote of the holders of at least 66-2/3% of the voting power of all of the then-outstanding shares of our voting stock.
Transfer Agent and Registrar
The transfer agent and registrar for our common stock is American Stock Transfer & Trust Company. Its address is 6201 15th Avenue, Brooklyn, New York 11219 and its telephone number is (718) 921-8300. The transfer agent for any series of preferred stock that we may offer under this prospectus will be named and described in the prospectus supplement for that series.
Listing
Our common stock is listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbol “GEVO.”
DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES
We may issue debt securities, in one or more series, as either senior or subordinated debt or as senior or subordinated convertible debt. While the terms we have summarized below will apply generally to any debt securities that we may offer under this prospectus, we will describe the particular terms of any debt securities that we may offer in more detail in the applicable prospectus supplement. The terms of any debt securities offered under a prospectus supplement may differ from the terms described below. Unless the context requires otherwise, whenever we refer to the indentures, we also are referring to any supplemental indentures that specify the terms of a particular series of debt securities.
We will issue the senior debt securities under the senior indenture that we will enter into with the trustee named in the senior indenture. We will issue the subordinated debt securities under the subordinated indenture that we will enter into with the trustee named in the subordinated indenture. The indentures will be qualified under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended (the “TIA”). We use the term “debenture trustee” to refer to either the trustee under the senior indenture or the trustee under the subordinated indenture, as applicable. We have filed forms of indentures as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, and supplemental indentures and forms of debt securities containing the terms of the debt securities being offered will be filed as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part or will be incorporated by reference from reports that we file with the SEC.
The following summaries of material provisions of the senior debt securities, the subordinated debt securities and the indentures are subject to, and qualified in their entirety by reference to, all of the provisions of the indenture applicable to a particular series of debt securities. We urge you to read the applicable prospectus supplements and any related free writing prospectuses related to the debt securities that we may offer under this prospectus, as well as the complete indentures that contain the terms of the debt securities. Except as we may otherwise indicate, the terms of the senior indenture and the subordinated indenture are identical.
General
We will describe in the applicable prospectus supplement the terms of the series of debt securities being offered, including:
● | the title; |
● | the principal amount being offered, and if a series, the total amount authorized and the total amount outstanding; |
● | any limit on the amount that may be issued; |
● | whether or not we will issue the series of debt securities in global form, the terms and who the depositary will be; |
● | the maturity date; |
● | whether and under what circumstances, if any, we will pay additional amounts on any debt securities held by a person who is not a U.S. person for tax purposes, and whether we can redeem the debt securities if we have to pay such additional amounts; |
● | the annual interest rate, which may be fixed or variable, or the method for determining the rate and the date interest will begin to accrue, the dates interest will be payable and the regular record dates for interest payment dates or the method for determining such dates; |
● | whether or not the debt securities will be secured or unsecured, and the terms of any secured debt; |
● | the terms of the subordination of any series of subordinated debt; |
● | the place where payments will be payable; |
● | restrictions on transfer, sale or other assignment, if any; |
● | our right, if any, to defer payment of interest and the maximum length of any such deferral period; |
● | the date, if any, after which, and the price at which, we may, at our option, redeem the series of debt securities pursuant to any optional or provisional redemption provisions and the terms of those redemption provisions; |
● | the date, if any, on which, and the price at which we are obligated, pursuant to any mandatory sinking fund or analogous fund provisions or otherwise, to redeem, or at the holder’s option to purchase, the series of debt securities and the currency or currency unit in which the debt securities are payable; |
● | whether the indenture will restrict our ability and/or the ability of our subsidiaries to: |
o | incur additional indebtedness; |
o | issue additional securities; |
o | create liens; |
o | pay dividends and make distributions in respect of our capital stock and/or the capital stock of our subsidiaries; |
o | redeem capital stock; |
o | make investments or other restricted payments; |
o | sell, transfer or otherwise dispose of assets; |
o | enter into sale-leaseback transactions; |
o | engage in transactions with stockholders and affiliates; |
o | issue or sell stock of our subsidiaries; or |
o | effect a consolidation or merger; |
● | whether the indenture will require us to maintain any interest coverage, fixed charge, cash flow-based, asset-based or other financial ratios; |
● | a discussion of certain material U.S. federal income tax considerations applicable to the debt securities; |
● | information describing any book-entry features; |
● | provisions for a sinking fund purchase or other analogous fund, if any; |
● | the applicability of the provisions in the indenture on discharge; |
● | whether the debt securities are to be offered at a price such that they will be deemed to be offered at an “original issue discount” as defined in paragraph (a) of Section 1273 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended; |
● | the denominations in which we will issue the series of debt securities, if other than denominations of $1,000 and any integral multiple thereof; |
● | the currency of payment of debt securities if other than U.S. dollars and the manner of determining the equivalent amount in U.S. dollars; |
● | any other specific terms, preferences, rights or limitations of, or restrictions on, the debt securities, including any additional events of default or covenants provided with respect to the debt securities, and any terms that may be required by us or advisable under applicable laws or regulations; and |
● | any other terms which shall not be inconsistent with the indentures. |
The notes may be issued as original issue discount securities. An original issue discount security is a note, including any zero coupon note, which:
● | is issued at a price lower than the amount payable upon its stated maturity; and |
● | provides that upon redemption or acceleration of the maturity, an amount less than the amount payable upon the stated maturity, shall become due and payable. |
U.S. federal income tax consequences applicable to notes sold at an original issue discount will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement. In addition, U.S. federal income tax or other consequences applicable to any notes which are denominated in a currency or currency unit other than U.S. dollars may be described in the applicable prospectus supplement.
Under the indentures, we will have the ability, in addition to the ability to issue notes with terms different from those of notes previously issued, without the consent of the holders, to reopen a previous issue of a series of notes and issue additional notes of that series, unless the reopening was restricted when the series was created, in an aggregate principal amount determined by us.
Conversion or Exchange Rights
We will set forth in the prospectus supplement the terms on which a series of debt securities may be convertible into or exchangeable for our common stock or our other securities. We will include provisions as to whether conversion or exchange is mandatory, at the option of the holder or at our option. We may include provisions pursuant to which the number of shares of our common stock or our other securities that the holders of the series of debt securities receive would be subject to adjustment.
Consolidation, Merger or Sale
Unless we provide otherwise in the prospectus supplement applicable to a particular series of debt securities, the indentures will not contain any covenant that restricts our ability to merge or consolidate, or sell, convey, transfer or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of our assets. However, any successor to or acquiror of such assets must assume all of our obligations under the indentures or the debt securities, as appropriate. If the debt securities are convertible into or exchangeable for our other securities or securities of other entities, the person with whom we consolidate or merge or to whom we sell all of our property must make provisions for the conversion of the debt securities into securities that the holders of the debt securities would have received if they had converted the debt securities before the consolidation, merger or sale.
Events of Default Under the Indentures
Unless we provide otherwise in the prospectus supplement applicable to a particular series of debt securities, the following are events of default under the indentures with respect to any series of debt securities that we may issue:
● | if we fail to pay interest when due and payable and our failure continues for 90 days and the time for payment has not been extended or deferred; |
● | if we fail to pay the principal, premium or sinking fund payment, if any, when due and payable and the time for payment has not been extended or delayed; |
● | if we fail to observe or perform any other covenant contained in the debt securities or the indentures, other than a covenant specifically relating to another series of debt securities, and our failure continues for 90 days after we receive notice from the debenture trustee or holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of the applicable series; |
● | if specified events of bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization occur; and |
● | any other event of default described in the applicable prospectus supplement. |
If an event of default with respect to debt securities of any series occurs and is continuing, other than an event of default specified in the second to last bullet point above, the debenture trustee or the holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of that series, by notice to us in writing, and to the debenture trustee if notice is given by such holders, may declare the unpaid principal of, premium, if any, and accrued interest, if any, due and payable immediately. If an event of default results from the occurrence of a specified event of bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization with respect to us, the principal amount of and accrued interest, if any, of each issue of debt securities then outstanding shall be due and payable without any notice or other action on the part of the debenture trustee or any holder.
The holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of an affected series may waive any default or event of default with respect to the series and its consequences, except defaults or events of default regarding payment of principal, premium, if any, or interest, unless we have cured the default or event of default in accordance with the indenture. Any such waiver shall cure the default or event of default.
Subject to the terms of the applicable indenture, if an event of default under an indenture shall occur and be continuing, the debenture trustee will be under no obligation to exercise any of its rights or powers under such indenture at the request or direction of any of the holders of the applicable series of debt securities, unless such holders have offered the debenture trustee reasonable indemnity. The holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of any series will have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the debenture trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred on the debenture trustee, with respect to the debt securities of that series, provided that:
● | the direction so given by the holders is not in conflict with any law or the applicable indenture; and |
● | subject to its duties under the TIA, the debenture trustee need not take any action that might involve it in personal liability or might be unduly prejudicial to the holders not involved in the proceeding. |
A holder of the debt securities of any series will have the right to institute a proceeding under an indenture or to appoint a receiver or trustee, or to seek other remedies only if:
● | the holder has given written notice to the debenture trustee of a continuing event of default with respect to that series; |
● | the holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of that series have made written request, and such holders have offered reasonable indemnity to the debenture trustee to institute the proceeding as trustee; and |
● | the debenture trustee does not institute the proceeding, and does not receive from the holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of that series other conflicting directions within 60 days after the notice, request and offer. |
These limitations do not apply to a suit instituted by a holder of debt securities if we default in the payment of the principal, premium, if any, or accrued interest on, the debt securities.
We will periodically file statements with the debenture trustee regarding our compliance with specified covenants in the indentures.
Modification of Indenture; Waiver
We and the debenture trustee may change an indenture without the consent of any holders with respect to specific matters:
● | to fix any ambiguity, defect or inconsistency in the indenture; |
● | to comply with the provisions described above under the heading “Description of Debt Securities—Consolidation, Merger or Sale;” |
● | to comply with any requirements of the SEC in connection with the qualification of any indenture under the TIA; |
● | to add to, delete from or revise the conditions, limitations, and restrictions on the authorized amount, terms, or purposes of issue, authentication and delivery of debt securities, as set forth in such indenture; |
● | to provide for the issuance of and establish the form and terms and conditions of the debt securities of any series as provided under the heading “Description of Debt Securities—General,” to establish the form of any certifications required to be furnished pursuant to the terms of an indenture or any series of debt securities, or to add to the rights of the holders of any series of debt securities; |
● | to evidence and provide for the acceptance of appointment hereunder by a successor trustee; |
● | to provide for uncertificated debt securities in addition to or in place of certificated debt securities and to make all appropriate changes for such purpose; |
● | to add to our covenants such new covenants, restrictions, conditions or provisions for the protection of the holders, and to make the occurrence, or the occurrence and the continuance, of a default in any such additional covenants, restrictions, conditions or provisions an event of default; or |
● | to change anything that does not materially adversely affect the interests of any holder of debt securities of any series; provided that any amendment made solely to conform the provisions of the indenture to the corresponding description of the debt securities contained in the applicable prospectus or prospectus supplement shall be deemed not to adversely affect the interests of the holders of such debt securities. |
In addition, under the indentures, the rights of holders of a series of debt securities may be changed by us and the debenture trustee with the written consent of the holders of at least a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of each series that is affected. However, unless we provide otherwise in the prospectus supplement applicable to a particular series of debt securities, we and the debenture trustee may make the following changes only with the consent of each holder of any outstanding debt securities affected:
● | extending the fixed maturity of the series of debt securities; |
● | reducing the principal amount, reducing the rate of or extending the time of payment of interest, or reducing any premium payable upon the redemption of any debt securities; |
● | reducing the percentage of debt securities, the holders of which are required to consent to any amendment, supplement, modification or waiver of the applicable indenture or notes or for waiver of compliance with certain provisions of the applicable indenture or for waiver of certain defaults; |
● | changing any of our obligations to pay additional amounts; |
● | reducing the amount of principal of an original issue discount security or any other note payable upon acceleration of the maturity thereof; |
● | changing the currency in which any note or any premium or interest is payable; |
● | impairing the right to enforce any payment on or with respect to any note; |
● | adversely changing the right to convert or exchange, including decreasing the conversion rate or increasing the conversion price of, such note, if applicable; |
● | in the case of the subordinated indenture, modifying the subordination provisions in a manner adverse to the holders of the subordinated notes; |
● | if the notes are secured, changing the terms and conditions pursuant to which the notes are secured in a manner adverse to the holders of the secured notes; |
● | reducing the requirements contained in the applicable indenture for quorum or voting; |
● | changing any of our obligations to maintain an office or agency in the places and for the purposes required by the indentures; or |
● | modifying any of the above provisions set forth in this paragraph. |
Discharge
Each indenture provides that we can elect to be discharged from our obligations with respect to one or more series of debt securities, except for specified obligations, including obligations to:
● | register the transfer or exchange of debt securities of the series; |
● | replace stolen, lost or mutilated debt securities of the series; |
● | maintain paying agencies; |
● | hold monies for payment in trust; |
● | recover excess money held by the debenture trustee; |
● | compensate and indemnify the debenture trustee; and |
● | appoint any successor trustee. |
In order to exercise our rights to be discharged, we must deposit with the debenture trustee money or government obligations sufficient to pay all the principal of, the premium, if any, and interest on, the debt securities of the series on the dates payments are due.
Form, Exchange and Transfer
We will issue the debt securities of each series only in fully registered form without coupons and, unless we provide otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement, in denominations of $1,000 and any integral multiple thereof. The indentures provide that we may issue debt securities of a series in temporary or permanent global form and as book-entry securities that will be deposited with, or on behalf of, The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) or another depositary named by us and identified in a prospectus supplement with respect to that series. See the section entitled “Legal Ownership of Securities” for a further description of the terms relating to any book-entry securities.
At the option of the holder, subject to the terms of the indentures and the limitations applicable to global securities described in the applicable prospectus supplement, the holder of the debt securities of any series can exchange the debt securities for other debt securities of the same series, in any authorized denomination and of like tenor and aggregate principal amount.
Subject to the terms of the indentures and the limitations applicable to global securities set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement, holders of the debt securities may present the debt securities for exchange or for registration of transfer, duly endorsed or with the form of transfer endorsed thereon duly executed if so required by us or the security registrar, at the office of the security registrar or at the office of any transfer agent designated by us for this purpose. Unless otherwise provided in the debt securities that the holder presents for transfer or exchange, we will impose no service charge for any registration of transfer or exchange, but we may require payment of any taxes or other governmental charges.
We will name in the applicable prospectus supplement the security registrar, and any transfer agent in addition to the security registrar, that we initially designate for any debt securities. We may at any time designate additional transfer agents or rescind the designation of any transfer agent or approve a change in the office through which any transfer agent acts, except that we will be required to maintain a transfer agent in each place of payment for the debt securities of each series.
If we elect to redeem the debt securities of any series, we will not be required to:
● | issue, register the transfer of, or exchange any debt securities of that series during a period beginning at the opening of business 15 days before the day of mailing of a notice of redemption of any debt securities that may be selected for redemption and ending at the close of business on the day of the mailing; or |
● | register the transfer of or exchange any debt securities so selected for redemption, in whole or in part, except the unredeemed portion of any debt securities we are redeeming in part. |
Information Concerning the Debenture Trustee
The debenture trustee, other than during the occurrence and continuance of an event of default under an indenture, undertakes to perform only those duties as are specifically set forth in the applicable indenture. Upon an event of default under an indenture, the debenture trustee must use the same degree of care as a prudent person would exercise or use in the conduct of his or her own affairs. Subject to this provision, the debenture trustee is under no obligation to exercise any of the powers given to it by the indentures at the request of any holder of debt securities unless it is offered reasonable security and indemnity against the costs, expenses and liabilities that it might incur.
Payment and Paying Agents
Unless we otherwise indicate in the applicable prospectus supplement, we will make payment of the interest on any debt securities on any interest payment date to the person in whose name the debt securities, or one or more predecessor securities, are registered at the close of business on the regular record date for the interest.
We will pay principal of, and any premium and interest on, the debt securities of a particular series at the office of the paying agents designated by us, except that unless we otherwise indicate in the applicable prospectus supplement, we will make interest payments by check that we will mail to the holder or by wire transfer to certain holders. Unless we otherwise indicate in the applicable prospectus supplement, we will designate the corporate trust office of the debenture trustee in the City of New York as our sole paying agent for payments with respect to debt securities of each series. We will name in the applicable prospectus supplement any other paying agents that we initially designate for the debt securities of a particular series. We will maintain a paying agent in each place of payment for the debt securities of a particular series.
All money we pay to a paying agent or the debenture trustee for the payment of the principal of, or any premium or interest on, any debt securities that remains unclaimed at the end of two years after such principal, premium or interest has become due and payable will be repaid to us, and the holder of the debt security thereafter may look only to us for payment thereof.
Governing Law
The indentures and the debt securities will be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, except to the extent that the TIA is applicable.
Subordination of Subordinated Debt Securities
The subordinated debt securities will be unsecured and will be subordinate and junior in priority of payment to certain of our other indebtedness to the extent described in a prospectus supplement. The subordinated indenture does not limit the amount of subordinated debt securities that we may issue, nor does it limit us from issuing any other secured or unsecured debt.
DESCRIPTION OF DEPOSITARY SHARES
General
We may, at our option, elect to offer fractional shares of preferred stock, which we call depositary shares, rather than full shares of preferred stock. If we do, we will issue to the public receipts, called depositary receipts, for depositary shares, each of which will represent a fraction, to be described in the applicable prospectus supplement, of a share of a particular series of preferred stock. Unless otherwise provided in the prospectus supplement, each owner of a depositary share will be entitled, in proportion to the applicable fractional interest in a share of preferred stock represented by the depositary share, to all the rights and preferences of the preferred stock represented by the depositary share. Those rights include dividend, voting, redemption, conversion and liquidation rights.
The shares of preferred stock underlying the depositary shares will be deposited with a bank or trust company selected by us to act as depositary under a deposit agreement between us, the depositary and the holders of the depositary receipts. The depositary will be the transfer agent, registrar and dividend disbursing agent for the depositary shares.
The depositary shares will be evidenced by depositary receipts issued pursuant to the deposit agreement. Holders of depositary receipts agree to be bound by the deposit agreement, which requires holders to take certain actions such as filing proof of residence and paying certain charges.
The summary of terms of the depositary shares contained in this prospectus is not complete and is subject to, and is qualified in its entirety by, all provisions of the applicable deposit agreement, our certificate of incorporation and the certificate of designation for the applicable series of preferred stock that are, or will be, filed with the SEC.
Dividends and Other Distributions
The depositary will distribute all cash dividends or other cash distributions, if any, received in respect of the preferred stock underlying the depositary shares to the record holders of depositary shares in proportion to the numbers of depositary shares owned by those holders on the relevant record date. The relevant record date for depositary shares will be the same date as the record date for the underlying preferred stock.
If there is a distribution other than in cash, the depositary will distribute property (including securities) received by it to the record holders of depositary shares, unless the depositary determines that it is not feasible to make the distribution. If this occurs, the depositary may, with our approval, adopt another method for the distribution, including selling the property and distributing the net proceeds from the sale to the holders.
Liquidation Preference
If a series of preferred stock underlying the depositary shares has a liquidation preference, in the event of the voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of us, holders of depositary shares will be entitled to receive the fraction of the liquidation preference accorded each share of the applicable series of preferred stock, as set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement.
Withdrawal of Stock
Unless the related depositary shares have been previously called for redemption, upon surrender of the depositary receipts at the office of the depositary, the holder of the depositary shares will be entitled to delivery, at the office of the depositary or upon his or her order, of the number of whole shares of the preferred stock and any money or other property represented by the depositary shares. If the depositary receipts delivered by the holder evidence a number of depositary shares in excess of the number of depositary shares representing the number of whole shares of preferred stock to be withdrawn, the depositary will deliver to the holder at the same time a new depositary receipt evidencing the excess number of depositary shares. In no event will the depositary deliver fractional shares of preferred stock upon surrender of depositary receipts. Holders of preferred stock thus withdrawn may not thereafter deposit those shares under the deposit agreement or receive depositary receipts evidencing depositary shares therefor.
Redemption of Depositary Shares
Whenever we redeem shares of preferred stock held by the depositary, the depositary will redeem as of the same redemption date the number of depositary shares representing shares of the preferred stock so redeemed, so long as we have paid in full to the depositary the redemption price of the preferred stock to be redeemed plus an amount equal to any accumulated and unpaid dividends on the preferred stock to the date fixed for redemption. The redemption price per depositary share will be equal to the redemption price and any other amounts per share payable on the preferred stock multiplied by the fraction of a share of preferred stock represented by one depositary share. If less than all the depositary shares are to be redeemed, the depositary shares to be redeemed will be selected by lot or pro rata or by any other equitable method as may be determined by the depositary.
After the date fixed for redemption, depositary shares called for redemption will no longer be deemed to be outstanding and all rights of the holders of depositary shares will cease, except the right to receive the monies payable upon redemption and any money or other property to which the holders of the depositary shares were entitled upon redemption upon surrender to the depositary of the depositary receipts evidencing the depositary shares.
Voting the Preferred Stock
Upon receipt of notice of any meeting at which the holders of the preferred stock are entitled to vote, the depositary will mail the information contained in the notice of meeting to the record holders of the depositary receipts relating to that preferred stock. The record date for the depositary receipts relating to the preferred stock will be the same date as the record date for the preferred stock. Each record holder of the depositary shares on the record date will be entitled to instruct the depositary as to the exercise of the voting rights pertaining to the number of shares of preferred stock represented by that holder’s depositary shares. The depositary will endeavor, insofar as practicable, to vote the number of shares of preferred stock represented by the depositary shares in accordance with those instructions, and we will agree to take all action that may be deemed necessary by the depositary in order to enable the depositary to do so. The depositary will not vote any shares of preferred stock except to the extent it receives specific instructions from the holders of depositary shares representing that number of shares of preferred stock.
Charges of Depositary
We will pay all transfer and other taxes and governmental charges arising solely from the existence of the depositary arrangements. We will pay charges of the depositary in connection with the initial deposit of the preferred stock and any redemption of the preferred stock. Holders of depositary receipts will pay transfer, income and other taxes and governmental charges and such other charges (including those in connection with the receipt and distribution of dividends, the sale or exercise of rights, the withdrawal of the preferred stock and the transferring, splitting or grouping of depositary receipts) as are expressly provided in the deposit agreement to be for their accounts. If these charges have not been paid by the holders of depositary receipts, the depositary may refuse to transfer depositary shares, withhold dividends and distributions and sell the depositary shares evidenced by the depositary receipt.
Amendment and Termination of the Deposit Agreement
The form of depositary receipt evidencing the depositary shares and any provision of the deposit agreement may be amended by agreement between us and the depositary. However, any amendment that materially and adversely alters the rights of the holders of depositary shares, other than fee changes, will not be effective unless the amendment has been approved by the holders of a majority of the outstanding depositary shares. The deposit agreement may be terminated by the depositary or us only if:
● | all outstanding depositary shares have been redeemed; or |
● | there has been a final distribution of the preferred stock in connection with our dissolution and such distribution has been made to all the holders of depositary shares. |
Resignation and Removal of Depositary
The depositary may resign at any time by delivering to us notice of its election to do so, and we may remove the depositary at any time. Any resignation or removal of the depositary will take effect upon our appointment of a successor depositary and its acceptance of such appointment. The successor depositary must be appointed within 60 days after delivery of the notice of resignation or removal and must be a bank or trust company having its principal office in the United States and having the requisite combined capital and surplus as set forth in the applicable agreement.
Notices
The depositary will forward to holders of depositary receipts all notices, reports and other communications, including proxy solicitation materials received from us, that are delivered to the depositary and that we are required to furnish to the holders of the preferred stock. In addition, the depositary will make available for inspection by holders of depositary receipts at the principal office of the depositary, and at such other places as it may from time to time deem advisable, any reports and communications we deliver to the depositary as the holder of preferred stock.
Limitation of Liability
Neither we nor the depositary will be liable if either we or it is prevented or delayed by law or any circumstance beyond its control in performing its obligations. Our obligations and those of the depositary will be limited to performance in good faith of our and their duties thereunder. We and the depositary will not be obligated to prosecute or defend any legal proceeding in respect of any depositary shares or preferred stock unless satisfactory indemnity is furnished. We and the depositary may rely upon written advice of counsel or accountants, on information provided by persons presenting preferred stock for deposit, holders of depositary receipts or other persons believed to be competent to give such information and on documents believed to be genuine and to have been signed or presented by the proper party or parties.
We may issue warrants for the purchase of debt securities, common stock, preferred stock or other securities. Warrants may be issued independently or together with debt securities, common stock, preferred stock or other securities offered by any prospectus supplement and may be attached to or separate from any such offered securities. Each series of warrants will be issued under a separate warrant agreement to be entered into between us and a bank or trust company, as warrant agent, all as will be set forth in the prospectus supplement relating to the particular issue of warrants. The warrant agent will act solely as our agent in connection with the warrants and will not assume any obligation or relationship of agency or trust for or with any holders of warrants or beneficial owners of warrants. The summary of the terms of the warrants contained in this prospectus is not complete and is subject to, and is qualified in its entirety to, all provisions of the applicable warrant agreement.
Reference is made to the prospectus supplement relating to the particular issue of warrants offered pursuant to such prospectus supplement for the terms of and information relating to such warrants, including, where applicable:
● | the specific designation and aggregate number of, and the offering price at which we will issue, the warrants; |
● | the currency or currency units in which the offering price, if any, and the exercise price are payable; |
● | the date on which the right to exercise the warrants will begin and the date on which that right will expire or, if you may not continuously exercise the warrants throughout that period, the specific date or dates on which you may exercise the warrants; |
● | whether the warrants are to be sold separately or with other securities as parts of units; |
● | whether the warrants will be issued in definitive or global form or in any combination of these forms, although, in any case, the form of a warrant included in a unit will correspond to the form of the unit and of any security included in that unit; |
● | a discussion of certain material U.S. federal income tax consequences applicable to the warrants; |
● | the identity of the warrant agent for the warrants and of any other depositaries, execution or paying agents, transfer agents, registrars or other agents; |
● | the proposed listing, if any, of the warrants or any securities purchasable upon exercise of the warrants on any securities exchange; |
● | the designation and terms of any equity securities purchasable upon exercise of the warrants; |
● | the designation, aggregate principal amount, currency and terms of any debt securities that may be purchased upon exercise of the warrants; |
● | if applicable, the designation and terms of the debt securities, preferred stock, depositary shares or common stock with which the warrants are issued and the number of warrants issued with each security; |
● | if applicable, the date from and after which any warrants issued as part of a unit and the related debt securities, preferred stock, depositary shares or common stock will be separately transferable; |
● | the number of shares of preferred stock, the number of depositary shares or the number of shares of common stock purchasable upon exercise of a warrant and the price at which those shares may be purchased; |
● | if applicable, the minimum or maximum amount of the warrants that may be exercised at any one time; |
● | information with respect to book-entry procedures, if any; |
● | the antidilution provisions of, and other provisions for changes to or adjustment in the exercise price of, the warrants, if any; |
● | any redemption or call provisions; and |
● | any additional terms of the warrants, including terms, procedures and limitations relating to the exchange or exercise of the warrants. |
DESCRIPTION OF PURCHASE CONTRACTS
We may issue, from time to time, purchase contracts, including contracts obligating holders to purchase from us and us to sell to the holders, a specified principal amount of debt securities, shares of common stock or preferred stock, or any of the other securities that we may sell under this prospectus at a future date or dates. The consideration payable upon settlement of the purchase contracts may be fixed at the time the purchase contracts are issued or may be determined by a specific reference to a formula set forth in the purchase contracts. The purchase contracts may be issued separately or as part of units consisting of a purchase contract and other securities or obligations issued by us or third parties, including United States treasury securities, securing the holders’ obligations to purchase the relevant securities under the purchase contracts. The purchase contracts may require us to make periodic payments to the holders of the purchase contracts or units or vice versa, and the payments may be unsecured or prefunded on some basis. The purchase contracts may require holders to secure their obligations under the purchase contracts. The summary of the terms of the purchase contracts contained in this prospectus is not complete and is subject to, and is qualified in its entirety by, all provisions of the applicable purchase contracts.
The prospectus supplement related to any particular purchase contracts will describe, among other things, the material terms of the purchase contracts and of the securities being sold pursuant to such purchase contracts, a discussion, if appropriate, of any special U.S. federal income tax considerations applicable to the purchase contracts and any material provisions governing the purchase contracts that differ from those described above. The description in the prospectus supplement will not necessarily be complete and will be qualified in its entirety by reference to the purchase contracts, and, if applicable, collateral arrangements and depositary arrangements, relating to the purchase contracts.
We may, from time to time, issue units comprised of one or more of the other securities that may be offered under this prospectus, in any combination. Each unit may also include debt obligations of third parties, such as U.S. Treasury securities. Each unit will be issued so that the holder of the unit is also the holder of each security included in the unit. Thus, the holder of a unit will have the rights and obligations of a holder of each included security. The unit agreement under which a unit is issued may provide that the securities included in the unit may not be held or transferred separately at any time, or at any time before a specified date or other specific circumstances occur. The summary of the terms of the units contained in this prospectus is not complete and is subject to, and is qualified in its entirety by, all provisions of the applicable unit agreements.
Any prospectus supplement related to any particular units will describe, among other things:
● | the material terms of the units and of the securities comprising the units, including whether and under what circumstances those securities may be held or transferred separately; |
● | any material provisions relating to the issuance, payment, settlement, transfer or exchange of the units or of the securities comprising the units; |
● | if appropriate, a discussion of certain material U.S. federal income tax considerations applicable to the units; and |
● | any material provisions of the governing unit agreement that differ from those described above. |
The applicable provisions described in this section, as well as those described under “Description of Capital Stock,” “Description of Debt Securities,” “Description of Depositary Shares,” “Description of Warrants” and “Description of Purchase Contracts,” will apply to each unit and to each security included in each unit, respectively.
We may sell the securities being offered hereby:
● | directly to one or more purchasers; |
● | through agents; |
● | through dealers; |
● | through underwriters; |
● | through a combination of any of the above methods of sale; or |
● | through any other methods described in a prospectus supplement. |
We will identify the specific plan of distribution, including any direct purchasers, agents, dealers, underwriters and, if applicable, their compensation, the purchase price, the net proceeds to us, the public offering price, and any discounts or concessions allowed or reallowed or paid to dealers, in a prospectus supplement.
The distribution of securities may be effected, from time to time, in one or more transactions, including block transactions, at-the-market offerings and transactions on the Nasdaq Capital Market or any other organized market where the securities may be traded. The securities may be sold at a fixed price or prices, which may be changed, or at market prices prevailing at the time of sale, at prices relating to the prevailing market prices or at negotiated prices. The consideration may be cash or another form negotiated by the parties. Agents, underwriters or broker-dealers may be paid compensation for offering and selling the securities. That compensation may be in the form of discounts, concessions or commissions to be received from us or from the purchasers of the securities.
Offers to purchase the securities may be solicited directly by us or by agents designated by us from time to time. We will, in the prospectus supplement relating to an offering, name any agent that could be viewed as an underwriter under the Securities Act and describe any commissions we must pay. Any such agent will be acting on a best efforts basis for the period of its appointment or, if indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, on a firm commitment basis.
If a dealer is utilized in the sale of the securities in respect of which this prospectus is delivered, we will sell the securities to the dealer, as principal. The dealer, which may be deemed to be an underwriter as that term is defined in the Securities Act, may then resell the securities to the public at varying prices to be determined by the dealer at the time of resale. Dealer trading may take place in certain of the securities, including securities not listed on any securities exchange.
If an underwriter or underwriters are utilized in the sale, we will execute an underwriting agreement with the underwriters at the time of sale to them and the names of the underwriters will be set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement, which will be used by the underwriters to make resales of the securities in respect of which this prospectus is delivered to the public. The obligations of underwriters to purchase securities will be subject to certain conditions precedent and the underwriters will be obligated to purchase all of the securities of a series if any are purchased.
We may directly solicit offers to purchase the securities and we may make sales of securities directly to institutional investors or others. These persons may be deemed to be underwriters within the meaning of the Securities Act with respect to any resale of the securities. To the extent required, the prospectus supplement will describe the terms of any such sales, including the terms of any bidding or auction process, if used.
Underwriters, dealers, agents and other persons may be entitled, under agreements that may be entered into with us, to indemnification against certain civil liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act, or to contribution with respect to payments that they may be required to make in respect thereof. Underwriters, dealers and agents may engage in transactions with, or perform services for, us in the ordinary course of business.
Any person participating in the distribution of common stock registered under the registration statement that includes this prospectus will be subject to applicable provisions of the Exchange Act and the applicable SEC rules and regulations, including, among others, Regulation M, which may limit the timing of purchases and sales of our common stock by any such person. Furthermore, Regulation M may restrict the ability of any person engaged in the distribution of our common stock to engage in market-making activities with respect to our common stock. These restrictions may affect the marketability of our common stock and the ability of any person or entity to engage in market-making activities with respect to our common stock.
In order to facilitate the offering of the securities, any underwriters may engage in transactions that stabilize, maintain or otherwise affect the price of the securities or any other securities the prices of which may be used to determine payments on such securities. Specifically, any underwriters may overallot in connection with the offering, creating a short position for their own accounts. In addition, to cover overallotments or to stabilize the price of the securities or of any such other securities, the underwriters may bid for, and purchase, the securities or any such other securities in the open market. Finally, in any offering of the securities through a syndicate of underwriters, the underwriting syndicate may reclaim selling concessions allowed to an underwriter or a dealer for distributing the securities in the offering if the syndicate repurchases previously distributed securities in transactions to cover syndicate short positions, in stabilization transactions or otherwise. Any of these activities may stabilize or maintain the market price of the securities above independent market levels. Any such underwriters are not required to engage in these activities and may end any of these activities at any time.
Unless the applicable prospectus supplement indicates otherwise, the validity of the securities offered by this prospectus will be passed upon for us by Perkins Coie LLP, Denver, Colorado.
The audited consolidated financial statements and management’s assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting incorporated by reference in this registration statement have been so incorporated by reference in reliance upon the report of Grant Thornton LLP, independent registered public accountants, upon the authority of said firm as experts in accounting and auditing.
WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION
We have filed with the SEC a registration statement on Form S-3 under the Securities Act with respect to the securities being offered hereby. This prospectus, which constitutes a part of the registration statement, does not contain all of the information set forth in the registration statement or the exhibits and schedules filed therewith. For further information about us and the securities offered hereby, we refer you to the registration statement and the exhibits filed thereto. Statements contained in this prospectus or any prospectus supplement regarding the contents of any contract or any other document that is filed as an exhibit to the registration statement are not necessarily complete, and each such statement is qualified in all respects by reference to the full text of such contract or other document filed as an exhibit to the registration statement.
We file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. Our SEC filings are available free of charge over the Internet at the SEC’s web site at www.sec.gov. Our filings with the SEC are also available free of charge on our website at www.gevo.com. The information contained in, or that can be accessed through, our website is not incorporated by reference in this prospectus or any prospectus supplement and you should not consider it a part of this prospectus or any accompanying prospectus supplement.
The prospectus included in this filing is part of a registration statement filed by us with the SEC. The full registration statement can be obtained from the SEC, as indicated above, or from us.
INFORMATION INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE
The SEC allows us to “incorporate by reference” the information we file with them, which means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to those documents. The information incorporated by reference is considered to be part of this prospectus and any accompanying prospectus supplement, and later information filed with the SEC will automatically update and supersede this information. We incorporate by reference the documents listed below and all documents subsequently filed with the SEC pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, prior to the termination of the offering under this prospectus and any prospectus supplement (other than information deemed furnished and not filed in accordance with SEC rules, including Items 2.02 and 7.01 of Form 8-K):
● | our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021, filed with the SEC on February 24, 2022; |
● | our Definitive Proxy Statement on Schedule 14A relating to our 2022 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, filed on April 20, 2022 (only with respect to information required by Part III of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021, which information shall update and supersede information included in Part III of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021); |
● | our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarterly periods ended March 31, 2022, June 30, 2022 and September 30, 2022, filed with the SEC on May 9, 2022, August 8, 2022 and November 8, 2022, respectively; |
● | our Current Reports on Forms 8-K filed with the SEC on February 1, 2022, March 2, 2022, March 7, 2022, March 21, 2022, March 22, 2022, June 3, 2022, June 8, 2022, July 22, 2022, December 2, 2022 and January 5, 2023; and |
● | the description of our common stock contained in our Registration Statement on Form 8-A filed with the SEC on February 4, 2011 under Section 12(b) of the Exchange Act, including any amendments or reports filed for the purpose of updating such description (including Exhibit 4.3 to the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021, filed with the SEC on February 24, 2022). |
Upon written or oral request, we will provide to you, without charge, a copy of any or all of the documents that are incorporated by reference into this prospectus but not delivered with the prospectus, including exhibits which are specifically incorporated by reference into such documents. Requests should be directed to: Gevo, Inc., Attention: Investor Relations, 345 Inverness Drive South, Building C, Suite 310, Englewood, Colorado 80112, telephone (303) 858-8358.
Prospectus Supplement
(To Prospectus dated March 9, 2023)
Gevo, Inc.
Up to $500,000,000
Common Stock
We have entered into an At-the-Market Offering Agreement, dated February 13, 2018, as amended (the “Sales Agreement”), with H.C. Wainwright & Co., LLC (“H.C. Wainwright” or the “sales agent”) relating to shares of our common stock, par value $0.01 per share, offered by this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus. In accordance with the terms of the Sales Agreement, we may from time to time offer and sell shares of our common stock having an aggregate offering price of up to $500.0 million through H.C. Wainwright as our sales agent under this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus. We originally filed a prospectus supplement, dated September 9, 2021 (the “Prior ATM Prospectus Supplement”), for the offer and sale of up to $500.0 million of shares of our common stock, from time to time through H.C. Wainwright, acting as our sales agent, pursuant to the sales agreement under the automatic shelf registration statement on Form S-3ASR (Registration Statement No. 333-252229). As of the date of this prospectus supplement, we have not issued and sold any shares of our common stock pursuant to the sales agreement and the Prior ATM Prospectus Supplement. The common stock remaining available to be sold under the Prior ATM Prospectus Supplement as of the date of this prospectus supplement will no longer be offered and sold under the Prior ATM Prospectus Supplement, but will instead be offered and sold under this prospectus supplement. Accordingly, we may offer and shell shares of our common stock having an aggregate offering price of up to $500.0 million.
Sales of the shares of common stock, if any, may be made by means of transactions that are deemed to be “at-the-market” offerings, as defined in Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), including ordinary brokers’ transactions on the Nasdaq Capital Market or other trading market. If we and H.C. Wainwright agree on any method of distribution other than sales of shares of our common stock into the Nasdaq Capital Market or another existing trading market in the United States at market prices, we will file a further prospectus supplement providing all information about such offering as required by Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act. The sales agent will receive from us a commission of up to 3.0% based on the gross sales price per share for any shares sold through the sales agent under the Sales Agreement. Under the terms of the Sales Agreement, we also may sell shares of our common stock to the sales agent as principal for its own account at a price agreed upon at the time of sale. If we sell shares to the sales agent as principal, we will enter into a separate terms agreement with the sales agent and we will describe the agreement in a separate prospectus supplement or pricing supplement.
In connection with the sale of shares of our common stock on our behalf, the sales agent may be deemed to be an “underwriter” within the meaning of the Securities Act, and the compensation paid to the sales agent may be deemed to be underwriting commissions or discounts. We have agreed to provide indemnification and contribution to the sales agent against certain liabilities, including civil liabilities under the Securities Act.
The sales agent is not required to sell any specific number or dollar amount of shares of our common stock, but, subject to the terms and conditions of the Sales Agreement and unless otherwise agreed by us and the sales agent, the sales agent will use its commercially reasonable efforts to sell the shares offered as our sales agent. There is no arrangement for funds to be received in any escrow, trust or similar arrangement.
Our common stock is traded on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbol “GEVO.” On March 8, 2023, the last reported sale price of our common stock on the Nasdaq Capital Market was $1.73 per share.
Investing in our securities involves a high degree of risk. Before buying any securities, you should review carefully the risks and uncertainties described under the heading “Risk Factors” beginning on page S-7 of this prospectus supplement, on page 3 of the accompanying prospectus and in the documents incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement.
Neither the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
H.C. Wainwright & Co.
The date of this prospectus supplement is March 9, 2023.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT
This prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus are part of a registration statement on Form S-3 that we filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the Securities Act”), utilizing a “shelf” registration process. This prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus relate to the offer by us of shares of our common stock to certain investors. Under the shelf registration process, we may offer shares of our Class A common stock having an aggregate offering price of up to $500,000,000 from time to time under this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus at prices and on terms to be determined by market conditions at the time of the offering.
We provide information to you about this offering of shares of our common stock in in two separate documents that are bound together: (1) this prospectus supplement, which describes the specific details regarding this offering, and (2) the accompanying prospectus, which provides general information, some of which may not apply to this offering. Generally, when we refer to this “prospectus,” we are referring to both documents combined. If information in this prospectus supplement is inconsistent with the accompanying prospectus, you should rely on this prospectus supplement. In addition, to the extent there is a conflict between the information contained in this prospectus supplement, on the one hand, and the information contained in any document incorporated by reference that was filed with the SEC before the date of this prospectus supplement, on the other hand, you should rely on the information in this sales agreement prospectus supplement. If any statement in one of these documents is inconsistent with a statement in another document having a later date - for example, a document incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement - the statement in the document having the later date modifies or supersedes the earlier statement.
This prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus, including the documents incorporated by reference therein, describes the specific terms of this offering. We urge you to carefully read this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus, and the documents incorporated by reference herein and therein, before buying any of the securities being offered under this prospectus supplement. This prospectus supplement may add to or update information contained in the accompanying prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference therein. To the extent that any statement we make in this prospectus supplement is inconsistent with statements made in the accompanying prospectus or any documents incorporated by reference therein that were filed before the date of this prospectus supplement, the statements made in this prospectus supplement will be deemed to modify or supersede those made in the accompanying prospectus and such documents incorporated by reference therein.
You should rely only on the information contained in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus or incorporated by reference herein or therein.
We have not, and the sales agent has not, authorized anyone to provide any information or to make any representations other than those contained in this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus or in any free writing prospectuses prepared by or on behalf of us or to which we have referred you. We and the sales agent take no responsibility for, and can provide no assurance as to the reliability of, any other information that others may give you. This prospectus supplement is an offer to sell only the securities offered hereby, but only under circumstances and in jurisdictions where it is lawful to do so. The information contained in this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus or in any applicable free writing prospectus is current only as of its date, regardless of its time of delivery or any sale of our securities. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since that date. You should read this prospectus supplement and the documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement in their entirety before making an investment decision. You should also read and consider the information in the documents to which we have referred you in the sections of this prospectus supplement entitled “Where You Can Find More Information” and “Incorporation of Certain Information by Reference.” These documents contain important information that you should consider when making your investment decision
For investors outside of the United States: we have not, and the sales agent has not, done anything that would permit this offering or possession or distribution of this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus or any free writing prospectuses in any jurisdiction where action for that purpose is required, other than in the United States. Persons outside of the United States who come into possession of this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus or any free writing prospectuses must inform themselves about, and observe any restrictions relating to, the offering of our securities and the distribution of this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus or any free writing prospectuses outside of the United States.
You should assume that the information in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus is accurate only as of the date on the front of the applicable document and that any information we have incorporated by reference is accurate only as of the date of the document incorporated by reference, regardless of the date of delivery of this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus, or the date of any sale of a security.
Unless otherwise mentioned or unless the context requires otherwise, all references in this prospectus supplement to the “Company,” “we,” “us,” “our,” and “Gevo” refer to Gevo, Inc., a Delaware corporation, and its consolidated subsidiaries.
We use various of our trademarks, including, without limitation, Gevo® and GIFT™, in this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference herein. This prospectus supplement includes, the accompanying prospectus includes, and the documents incorporated by reference herein include, trademarks, trade names and service marks that are the property of other organizations.
Solely for convenience, trademarks and trade names referred to in this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference herein appear without the ® and ™ symbols, but those references are not intended to indicate, in any way, that we or the applicable owner will not assert, to the fullest extent under applicable law, our or its rights to these trademarks and trade names.
Unless otherwise indicated, information contained in this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference herein concerning our industry and the markets in which we operate, including our general expectations and market position, market opportunity, market size and market share, is based on information from our own management estimates and research, as well as from industry and general publications and research, surveys and studies conducted by third parties. Management estimates are derived from publicly available information, our knowledge of our industry and assumptions based on such information and knowledge, which we believe to be reasonable. This data involves a number of assumptions and limitations. In addition, assumptions and estimates of our and our industry’s future performance are necessarily subject to a high degree of uncertainty and risk due to a variety of factors, including those described in “Risk Factors” and elsewhere in this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus and in the sections entitled “Risk Factors” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021, filed with the SEC on February 24, 2022, which is incorporated by reference herein. These and other factors could cause our future performance to differ materially from our assumptions and estimates and those made by third parties.
CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
Certain statements in this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus and the documents incorporated herein and therein by reference include “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”). When used in this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference herein and therein, the words “expect,” “believe,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “intend,” “plan” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These statements relate to future events or our future financial or operational performance and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause our actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. These statements reflect our current views with respect to future events and are based on assumptions and subject to risks and uncertainties. These forward-looking statements include, among other things, statements about: our financial condition, our results of operation and liquidity, our ability to finance, develop, and construct our Net-Zero Projects (as defined below), as well as other growth projects, our ability to produce our products, our ability to meet production, financial and operational guidance, our strategy to pursue low-carbon or "net-zero" carbon renewable fuels for sale into California and elsewhere, our ability to replace our fossil-based energy sources with renewable energy sources at our Net-Zero Projects and elsewhere, our ability and plans to construct greenfield commercial hydrocarbon facilities to produce sustainable aviation fuel (“SAF”) and other products, our ability to raise additional funds to finance our business, our ability to perform under our existing offtake agreements and other sales agreements we may enter into in the future, our ability to successfully operate our renewable natural gas project in Iowa, our ability to produce renewable hydrocarbon products at a commercial level and at a profit, the availability of, and market prices for, government economic incentives to the renewable energy market, achievement of advances in our technology platform, the availability of suitable and cost-competitive feedstocks, our ability to gain market acceptance for our products, the expected cost-competitiveness and relative performance attributes of our products, our strategy to pursue alcohol-to-SAF development and production, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our business, additional competition, changes in economic conditions, the future price and volatility of petroleum and products derived from petroleum, and statements regarding our intended uses of the proceeds of the shares of common stock offered hereby.
Important factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated or implied by forward-looking statements such as those contained in documents we have filed with the SEC, including, but not limited to, those in the sections entitled “Risk Factors” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” in the documents incorporated by reference herein, and the section entitled “Risk Factors” of this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus. All forward-looking statements in this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference herein and therein are qualified entirely by the cautionary statements included in this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference herein and therein. These risks and uncertainties or other important factors could cause actual results to differ materially from results expressed or implied by forward-looking statements contained in this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference herein and therein. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date made. Except as required by applicable law, we undertake no intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, and you should not rely on the forward-looking statements as representing our views as of any date subsequent to the date such statement is made.
The following summary highlights information contained elsewhere in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus and does not contain all of the information that you should consider in making your investment decision. Before investing in our securities, you should read this entire prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus carefully, including the documents incorporated by reference herein and therein, including the section entitled “Risk Factors” included elsewhere in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus, the sections entitled “Risk Factors” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and our audited consolidated financial statements and the related notes thereto, each included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021, filed with the SEC on February 24, 2022, which is incorporated by reference herein, and the sections entitled “Risk Factors” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and our unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements and the related notes thereto, each included in our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarterly periods ended March 31, 2022, June 30, 2022 and September 30, 2022, filed with the SEC on May 9, 2022, August 8, 2022 and November 8, 2022, respectively, each of which is incorporated by reference herein Some of the statements in this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus and in the documents incorporated by reference herein and therein, constitute forward-looking statements. See “Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements.”
Company Overview
We are a growth-oriented company with the mission of solving greenhouse gas emissions for those sectors of the transportation industry that are not amenable to electrification or hydrogen. We believe that the market size for hydrocarbon fuels will continue to remain significant in the long-term even with the rapid adoption of electric vehicles and hydrogen technologies. We also believe that we can achieve at least 1 billion gallons of hydrocarbon production and sales by 2030.
We are focused on transforming renewable energy into energy-dense liquid hydrocarbons that can be used as renewable fuels, such as SAF, with the potential to achieve a “net-zero” greenhouse gas (“GHG”) footprint. We believe that this addresses the global need of reducing GHG emissions with "drop in" sustainable alternatives to petroleum fuels. We use the Argonne National Laboratory’s GREET (Greenhouse gases, Regulated Emissions, and Energy use in Transportation) model to measure, predict and verify GHG emissions across the life-cycle of our products. The “net-zero” concept means Gevo expects that by using sustainably grown feedstock (i.e., low till, no-till and dry corn cultivation), renewable and substantially decarbonized energy sources, drop-in hydrocarbon fuels can be produced that have a net-zero, full life cycle footprint measured from the capture of renewable carbon through the burning of the fuel.
Corporate Information
We were incorporated in Delaware in June 2005 under the name Methanotech, Inc. and filed an amendment to our certificate of incorporation changing our name to Gevo, Inc. on March 29, 2006. Our principal executive offices are located at 345 Inverness Drive South, Building C, Suite 310, Englewood, Colorado 80112, and our telephone number is (303) 858-8358. We maintain an internet website at www.gevo.com. Information contained in or accessible through our website does not constitute part of this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus.
The Offering
Issuer | Gevo, Inc. | |
Common stock offered by us | Shares of common stock having an aggregate offering price of up to $500,000,000. | |
Plan of distribution | At-the-market offering that may be made from time to time through our sales agent, H.C. Wainwright. If we and H.C. Wainwright agree on any method of distribution other than sales of shares of our common stock into the Nasdaq Capital Market or another existing trading market in the United States at market prices, we will file a further prospectus supplement providing all information about such offering as required by Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act. We may also sell shares of our common stock to H.C. Wainwright as principal for its own account, at a price per share agreed upon at the time of sale. If we sell shares to H.C. Wainwright as principal, we will enter into a separate terms agreement setting forth the terms of such transaction, and we will describe the agreement in a separate prospectus or pricing supplement. See “Plan of Distribution.” | |
Use of proceeds | We intend to use the net proceeds from this offering to fund capital projects, working capital and for general corporate purposes. | |
Nasdaq Capital Market symbol | GEVO | |
Transfer agent | American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC. | |
Risk factors | This investment involves a high degree of risk. See “Risk Factors” for a discussion of factors you should carefully consider before deciding to invest in our securities. |
An investment in our securities involves a high degree of risk. Prior to making a decision about investing in our securities, you should carefully consider the following risks and uncertainties, as well as those discussed under the caption “Risk Factors” in the accompanying prospectus and in the documents incorporated by reference herein and therein. If any of the risks described in this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus or the documents incorporated by reference herein and therein, actually occur, our business, prospects, financial condition or operating results could be harmed. In that case, the trading price of our securities could decline, and you may lose all or part of your investment. Additional risks and uncertainties not presently known to us or that we currently believe are immaterial may also impair our business operations and our liquidity. You should also refer to the other information contained in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus, or incorporated by reference herein and therein, including our financial statements and the related notes thereto and the information set forth under the heading “Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements.”
Risks Related to this Offering and Our Common Stock
Management will have broad discretion as to the use of the net proceeds from this offering, and we may not use the proceeds effectively.
Our management will have broad discretion in the application of the net proceeds from this offering and could spend the proceeds in ways that do not improve our results of operations or enhance the value of our common stock. For example, management could invest the proceeds in assets or capital projects that do not produce attractive returns or to make acquisitions of properties or businesses that do not prove to be attractive or otherwise are unsuccessful. Conversely, management may not be able to identify and complete prospects, investments or acquisitions. Our failure to apply these funds effectively could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations and cause the price of our common stock to decline.
The common stock offered hereby will be sold in “at-the market” offerings, and investors who buy shares at different times will likely pay different prices.
Investors who purchase shares under this offering at different times will likely pay different prices, and so may experience different outcomes in their investment results. We will have discretion, subject to market demand, to vary the timing, prices, and numbers of shares sold, and there is no minimum or maximum sales price. Investors may experience declines in the value of their shares as a result of share sales made at prices lower than the prices they paid.
The actual number of shares we will issue under the Sales Agreement and the gross proceeds resulting from those sales, at any one time or in total, is uncertain.
Subject to certain limitations in the Sales Agreement and compliance with applicable law, we have the discretion to deliver a sales notice to H.C. Wainwright at any time throughout the term of the Sales Agreement. The number of shares that are sold by H.C. Wainwright after delivering a sales notice will fluctuate based on the market price of the common stock during the sales period and limits we set with H.C. Wainwright. Because the price per share of each share sold will fluctuate based on the market price of our common stock during the sales period, it is not possible at this stage to predict the number of shares that will be ultimately issued by us under the Sales Agreement or the gross proceeds to be raised in connection with those sales.
The market price of our common stock may be adversely affected by the future issuance and sale of additional shares of our common stock, including pursuant to the Sales Agreement, or by our announcement that such issuances and sales may occur.
As of January 31, 2023, there were 237,166,625 shares of common stock outstanding. All of our issued and outstanding shares may be sold in the market, including any shares of common stock issued pursuant to the Sales Agreement, and will be freely tradeable, except for any shares held by our “affiliates,” as that term is defined in Rule 144 under the Securities Act. We cannot predict the size of future issuances or sales of shares of our common stock, including those made pursuant to the Sales Agreement with the sales agent or in connection with future acquisitions or capital raising activities, or the effect, if any, that such issuances or sales may have on the market price of our common stock. The issuance and sale of substantial amounts of shares of our common stock, including issuances and sales pursuant to the Sales Agreement, or announcement that such issuances and sales may occur, could adversely affect the market price of our common stock. If there are more shares of common stock offered for sale than buyers are willing to purchase, then the market price of our common stock may decline to a market price at which buyers are willing to purchase the offered shares of common stock and sellers remain willing to sell the shares.
In addition, sales of stock by any of our executive officers or directors could have a material adverse effect on the trading price of our common stock.
Future issuances of our common stock or instruments convertible or exercisable into our common stock may materially and adversely affect the price of our common stock and cause dilution to our existing stockholders.
Historically, we have raised capital by issuing common stock and warrants in underwritten public offerings because no other reasonable sources of capital were available. These underwritten public offerings of common stock and warrants have materially and adversely affected the prevailing market prices of our common stock and caused significant dilution to our stockholders. We have also historically raised capital or refinanced outstanding debt through the issuance of convertible notes.
We may need to raise capital through these public offerings of common stock, warrants and convertible debt in the future. We may obtain additional funds through public or private debt or equity financings, subject to certain limitations in the agreements governing our indebtedness outstanding at such time. If we issue additional shares of common stock or instruments convertible into common stock, it may materially and adversely affect the price of our common stock. In addition, the exercise of some or all of our warrants may dilute the ownership interests of our stockholders, and any sales in the public market of any of our common stock issuable upon such conversion or exercise could adversely affect prevailing market prices of our common stock.
Our stock price may be volatile and your investment in our securities could suffer a decline in value.
The market price of shares of our common stock has experienced significant price and volume fluctuations. We cannot predict whether the price of our common stock will rise or fall. A variety of factors may have a significant effect on our stock price, including:
● | actual or anticipated fluctuations in our liquidity, financial condition and operating results; |
● | the position of our cash and cash equivalents; |
● | the capital costs required to construct the “Net-Zero 1 Project,” which is the initial project in a concept of “Net-Zero Projects,” a series of planned facilities to produce energy dense liquid hydrocarbons using renewable energy and our proprietary technology; |
● | our ability to obtain certain regulatory permits or approvals for our production facilities, including the Net-Zero 1 Project; |
● | the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic to our business, our financial condition, our results of operation and liquidity; |
● | actual or anticipated changes in our growth rate relative to our competitors; |
● | actual or anticipated fluctuations in our competitors’ operating results or changes in their growth rate; |
● | announcements of technological innovations by us, our partners or our competitors; |
● | announcements by us, our partners or our competitors of significant acquisitions, strategic partnerships, joint ventures or capital commitments; |
● | the entry into, modification or termination of licensing arrangements, marketing arrangements, and/or research, development, commercialization, supply, off-take or distribution arrangements; |
● | our ability to repay our indebtedness when it becomes due; |
● | our ability to remarket, refinance, restructure or convert our current and future indebtedness; |
● | additions or losses of customers or partners; |
● | our ability to obtain certain regulatory approvals for the use of our isobutanol and ethanol in various fuels and chemicals markets; |
● | commodity prices, including oil, ethanol and corn prices; |
● | additions or departures of key management or scientific personnel; |
● | competition from existing products or new products that may emerge; |
● | issuance of new or updated research reports by securities or industry analysts; |
● | fluctuations in the valuation of companies perceived by investors to be comparable to us; |
● | litigation involving us, our general industry or both; |
● | disputes or other developments related to proprietary rights, including patents, litigation matters and our ability to obtain patent protection for our technologies; |
● | announcements or expectations of additional financing efforts or the pursuit of strategic alternatives; |
● | changes in existing laws, regulations and policies applicable to our business and products, and the adoption of or failure to adopt carbon emissions regulation; |
● | sales of our common stock or equity-linked securities, such as warrants, by us or our stockholders; |
● | share price and volume fluctuations attributable to inconsistent trading volume levels of our shares; |
● | general market conditions in our industry; and |
● | general economic and market conditions, including as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. |
Furthermore, the stock markets have experienced extreme price and volume fluctuations that have affected and continue to affect the market prices of equity securities of many companies. These fluctuations often have been unrelated or disproportionate to the operating performance of those companies. These broad market and industry fluctuations, as well as general economic, political and market conditions such as recessions, interest rate changes or international currency fluctuations, may negatively impact the market price of shares of our common stock, regardless of our operating performance, and cause the value of your investment to decline.
Additionally, in the past, companies that have experienced volatility in the market price of their stock have been subject to securities class action litigation or other derivative stockholder lawsuits. We may be the target of this type of litigation in the future. Securities litigation against us could result in substantial costs and divert our management’s attention from other business concerns, which could seriously harm our business regardless of the outcome.
The price of our common stock could also be affected by possible sales of common stock by investors who view our warrants as a more attractive means of equity participation in us and by hedging or engaging in arbitrage activity involving our common stock. The hedging or arbitrage could, in turn, affect the trading prices of our warrants, if any trading market becomes established, or any common stock that holders receive upon exercise of such warrants.
Sales of a substantial number of shares of our common stock or securities linked to our common stock, such as our warrants (should an established market for such securities then exist), in the public market could occur at any time. These sales, or the perception in the market that such sales may occur, could reduce the market price of our common stock.
In addition, certain holders of our outstanding common stock have rights, subject to certain conditions, to require us to file registration statements covering their shares and to include their shares in registration statements that we may file for ourselves or other stockholders.
Raising additional capital may cause dilution to our existing stockholders, restrict our operations or require us to relinquish rights to our technologies.
We may seek additional capital through a combination of public and private equity offerings, debt financings, strategic partnerships and licensing arrangements. To the extent that we raise additional capital through the sale or issuance of equity, warrants or convertible debt securities, the ownership interest of our existing stockholders will be diluted, and the terms of such securities may include liquidation or other preferences that adversely affect your rights as a stockholder. If we raise capital through debt financing, it may involve agreements that include covenants further limiting or restricting our ability to take certain actions, such as incurring additional debt, making capital expenditures or declaring dividends. If we raise additional funds through strategic partnerships or licensing agreements with third parties, we may have to relinquish valuable rights to our technologies or grant licenses on terms that are not favorable to us. If we are unable to raise additional funds when needed, we may be required to delay, limit, reduce or terminate our development and commercialization efforts.
We are subject to anti-takeover provisions in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, our second amended and restated bylaws and under Delaware law that could delay or prevent an acquisition of the Company, even if the acquisition would be beneficial to our stockholders.
Provisions in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and our second amended and restated bylaws may delay or prevent an acquisition of the Company. Among other things, our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and second amended and restated bylaws provide for a board of directors that is divided into three classes with staggered three-year terms, provide that all stockholder action must be effected at a duly called meeting of the stockholders and not by a consent in writing, and further provide that only our board of directors may call a special meeting of the stockholders. These provisions may also frustrate or prevent any attempts by our stockholders to replace or remove our current management by making it more difficult for stockholders to replace members of our board of directors, who are responsible for appointing the members of our management team. Furthermore, because we are incorporated in Delaware, we are governed by the provisions of Section 203 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, which prohibits, with some exceptions, stockholders owning in excess of 15% of our outstanding voting stock from merging or combining with us. Finally, our charter documents establish advance notice requirements for nominations for election to our board of directors and for proposing matters that can be acted upon at stockholder meetings. Although we believe these provisions together provide an opportunity to receive higher bids by requiring potential acquirers to negotiate with our board of directors, they would apply even if an offer to acquire the Company may be considered beneficial by some stockholders.
Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that, unless we consent in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware will be the sole and exclusive forum for substantially all disputes between us and our stockholders, which could limit our stockholders’ ability to obtain a favorable judicial forum for disputes with us or our directors, officers, or employees.
Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware shall, unless we consent in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, be the sole and exclusive forum for (i) any derivative action or proceeding brought on behalf of the Company, (ii) any action asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any director, officer or other employee of the Company to the Company or its stockholders, (iii) any action asserting a claim arising pursuant to any provision of the Delaware General Corporation Law, or (iv) any action asserting a claim governed by the internal affairs doctrine, in each case subject to said Court of Chancery having personal jurisdiction over the indispensable parties named as defendants therein.
The exclusive forum provision may limit a stockholder’s ability to bring a claim in a judicial forum that it finds favorable for disputes with us or our directors, officers, employees or agents, which may discourage such lawsuits against us and our directors, officers, employees and agents. Stockholders who do bring a claim in the Court of Chancery could face additional litigation costs in pursuing any such claim, particularly if they do not reside in or near the State of Delaware. The Court of Chancery may also reach different judgments or results than would other courts, including courts where a stockholder considering an action may be located or would otherwise choose to bring the action, and such judgments or results may be more favorable to us than to our stockholders. Alternatively, if a court were to find the choice of forum provision contained in our certificate of incorporation to be inapplicable or unenforceable in an action, we may incur additional costs associated with resolving such action in other jurisdictions, which could adversely affect our business and financial condition. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the exclusive forum provision shall not preclude or contract the scope of exclusive federal or concurrent jurisdiction for actions brought under the Exchange Act, or the Securities Act, or the respective rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
Any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring any interest in any of our securities shall be deemed to have notice of and consented to these provisions. This exclusive forum provision may limit a stockholder’s ability to bring a claim in a judicial forum of its choosing for disputes with us or our directors, officers or other employees, which may discourage lawsuits against us and our directors, officers and other employees.
If a court were to find the exclusive forum provision contained in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation to be inapplicable or unenforceable in an action, we may incur additional costs associated with resolving such action in other jurisdictions, which could harm our business, results of operations, and financial condition. Even if we are successful in defending against these claims, litigation could result in substantial costs and be a distraction to management and other employees.
We intend to use the net proceeds from this offering to fund capital projects, working capital and for general corporate purposes.
As of the date of this prospectus supplement, we cannot specify with certainty all of the particular uses of the proceeds from this offering. Accordingly, we will retain broad discretion over the use of such proceeds.
DESCRIPTION OF OUR COMMON STOCK
Authorized and Outstanding Capital Stock
Our authorized capital stock consists of 500,000,000 shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share, and 10,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $0.01 per share, issuable in one or more series designated by our board of directors. As of January 31, 2023, there were 237,166,625 shares of common stock and no shares of preferred stock outstanding.
The material terms and provisions of our common stock and each other class of our securities which may qualify or limit the rights and privileges of our common stock are described under the caption “Description of Capital Stock” in the accompanying prospectus.
MATERIAL UNITED STATES FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSEQUENCES
The following is a summary of the material U.S. federal income tax consequences of the acquisition, ownership and disposition of shares of our common stock.
Scope of this Summary
This summary is for general information purposes only and does not purport to be a complete analysis or listing of all potential U.S. federal income tax consequences of the acquisition, ownership and disposition of shares of our common stock. Except as specifically set forth below, this summary does not discuss applicable tax reporting requirements. In addition, this summary does not take into account the individual facts and circumstances of any particular holder that may affect the U.S. federal income tax consequences to such holder.
Accordingly, this summary is not intended to be, and should not be construed as, legal or tax advice with respect to any particular holder. Each holder should consult its own tax advisors regarding the U.S. federal, state and local, and non-U.S. tax consequences of the acquisition, ownership and disposition of shares of our common stock.
No legal opinion from U.S. legal counsel or ruling from the Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”) has been requested, or will be obtained, regarding the U.S. federal income tax consequences of the acquisition, ownership and disposition of shares of our common stock. This summary is not binding on the IRS, and the IRS is not precluded from taking a position that is different from, or contrary to, the positions taken in this summary.
Authorities
This summary is based upon provisions of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), regulations, rulings and judicial decisions as of the date hereof. Those authorities may be changed, perhaps retroactively, or be subject to differing interpretations, so as to result in U.S. federal tax considerations different from those summarized below.
U.S. Holders
As used in this summary, the term “U.S. Holder” means a beneficial owner of shares of our common stock acquired pursuant to this prospectus supplement that is, for U.S. federal income tax purposes:
● | an individual who is a citizen or resident of the U.S.; |
● | a corporation (or other entity taxable as a corporation) organized under the laws of the U.S., any state thereof or the District of Columbia; |
● | an estate whose income is subject to U.S. federal income taxation regardless of its source; or |
● | a trust that (1) is subject to the primary supervision of a court within the U.S. and the control of one or more U.S. persons for all substantial decisions or (2) has a valid election in effect under applicable Treasury Regulations to be treated as a U.S. person. |
Non-U.S. Holders
For purposes of this summary, a “Non-U.S. holder” means a beneficial owner of shares of our common stock acquired pursuant to this prospectus supplement that is neither a U.S. Holder nor a partnership (or an entity or arrangement treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes). A Non-U.S. Holder should review the discussion under the heading “Non-U.S. Holders” below for more information.
Holders Subject to Special U.S. Federal Income Tax Rules
This summary deals only with persons or entities who hold shares of our common stock as a capital asset within the meaning of Section 1221 of the Code (generally, property held for investment purposes). This summary does not address all aspects of U.S. federal income taxation that may be applicable to holders in light of their particular circumstances or to holders subject to special treatment under U.S. federal income tax law, such as: banks, insurance companies, and other financial institutions; dealers or traders in securities, commodities or foreign currencies; regulated investment companies; U.S. expatriates or former long-term residents of the U.S.; persons holding shares of our common stock as part of a straddle, appreciated financial position, synthetic security, hedge, conversion transaction or other integrated investment; persons holding shares of our common stock as a result of a constructive sale; real estate investment trusts; U.S. Holders that have a “functional currency” other than the U.S. dollar; holders that acquired shares of our common stock in connection with the exercise of employee stock options or otherwise as consideration for services; or holders that are “controlled foreign corporations” or “passive foreign investment companies.” Holders that are subject to special provisions under the Code, including holders described immediately above, should consult their own tax advisors regarding the U.S. federal, state and local, and non-U.S. tax consequences of the acquisition, ownership and disposition of shares of our common stock.
If an entity classified as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes holds shares of our common stock, the tax treatment of a partner generally will depend on the status of the partner and the activities of the partnership. This summary does not address the tax consequences to any such owner or entity. Partners of entities or arrangements that are classified as partnerships for U.S. federal income tax purposes should consult their own tax advisors regarding the U.S. federal income tax consequences of the acquisition, ownership and disposition of shares of our common stock.
Tax Consequences Not Addressed
This summary does not address the U.S. state and local, U.S. federal estate and gift, U.S. federal alternative minimum tax, or non-U.S. tax consequences to holders of the acquisition, ownership and disposition of shares of our common stock. Each holder should consult its own tax advisors regarding the U.S. state and local, U.S. federal estate and gift, U.S. federal alternative minimum tax, and non-U.S. tax consequences of the acquisition, ownership and disposition of shares of our common stock.
U.S. Holders
Distributions on Shares of Our Common Stock
We have never declared or paid any cash dividends on our common stock and do not anticipate paying any cash dividends on our common stock in the foreseeable future. If we were to pay cash dividends in the future, such distributions made on shares of our common stock generally would be included in a U.S. Holder’s income as ordinary dividend income to the extent of our current or accumulated earnings and profits (determined under U.S. federal income tax principles) as of the end of our taxable year in which the distribution occurred. Dividends received by certain non-corporate U.S. Holders may be eligible for taxation at preferential rates provided certain holding period and other requirements are satisfied. Distributions in excess of our current and accumulated earnings and profits would be treated as a return of capital to the extent of a U.S. Holder’s adjusted tax basis in the shares and thereafter as capital gain from the sale or exchange of such shares, which would be taxable according to rules discussed under the heading “Sale, Certain Redemptions or Other Taxable Dispositions of Shares of Our Common Stock,” below. Dividends received by a corporate holder may be eligible for a dividends received deduction, subject to applicable limitations.
Sale, Certain Redemptions or Other Taxable Dispositions of Shares of Our Common Stock
Upon the sale, certain qualifying redemptions, or other taxable disposition of shares of our common stock, a U.S. Holder generally will recognize capital gain or loss equal to the difference, if any, between (i) the amount of cash and the fair market value of any property received upon such taxable disposition and (ii) the U.S. Holder’s adjusted tax basis in the shares of our common stock sold or otherwise disposed of. Such capital gain or loss will be long-term capital gain or loss if a U.S. Holder’s holding period in the shares of our common stock is more than one year at the time of the taxable disposition. Long-term capital gains recognized by certain non-corporate U.S. Holders (including individuals) may be eligible for taxation at preferential rates. Deductions for capital losses are subject to limitations under the Code.
Additional Tax on Passive Income
Individuals, estates and certain trusts whose income exceeds certain thresholds will be required to pay a 3.8% Medicare surtax on “net investment income” including, among other things, dividends and net gain from the disposition of shares of stock. U.S. Holders should consult their own tax advisors regarding the effect, if any, of this tax on their ownership and disposition of shares of our common stock.
Information Reporting and Backup Withholding
Information reporting requirements generally will apply to payments of dividends on shares of our common stock and to the proceeds of a sale of shares of our common stock paid to a U.S. Holder unless the U.S. Holder is an exempt recipient (such as a corporation). Backup withholding will apply to those payments if the U.S. Holder fails to provide its correct taxpayer identification number, or certification of exempt status, or if the U.S. Holder is notified by the IRS that it has failed to report in full payments of interest and dividend income. Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Any amounts withheld under the backup withholding rules generally will be allowed as a refund or a credit against a U.S. Holder’s U.S. federal income tax liability, if any, provided the required information is furnished in a timely manner to the IRS.
Non-U.S. Holders
Distributions on Shares of Our Common Stock
We have never declared or paid any cash dividends on our common stock and do not anticipate paying any cash dividends on our common stock in the foreseeable future. If we were to pay cash dividends in the future on our common stock, such distributions would be subject to U.S. federal income tax in the manner described below.
Cash distributions on shares of our common stock generally would constitute dividends for U.S. federal income tax purposes to the extent paid out of our current or accumulated earnings and profits, as determined under U.S. federal income tax principles as of the end of our taxable year in which the distribution occurred. Distributions in excess of current and accumulated earnings and profits would be applied against and reduce a Non-U.S. Holder’s tax basis in shares of our common stock, to the extent thereof, and any excess would be treated as capital gain realized on the sale or other disposition of the shares and subject to tax in the manner described under the heading “Sale or Other Taxable Disposition of Shares of Our Common Stock,” below.
Any dividends paid to a Non-U.S. Holder with respect to shares of our common stock that constitute dividends under the rules described above generally would be subject to withholding of U.S. federal income tax at a 30% rate or such lower rate as may be specified by an applicable income tax treaty. However, dividends that are effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business by a Non-U.S. Holder within the U.S. and, where an income tax treaty applies, are attributable to a U.S. permanent establishment of the Non-U.S. Holder, would not be subject to this withholding tax, but instead would be subject to U.S. federal income tax on a net income basis at applicable individual or corporate rates. A Non-U.S. Holder generally must deliver an IRS Form W-8ECI certifying under penalties of perjury that such dividends are effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business of the holder in order for effectively connected dividends to be exempt from this withholding tax. Any such effectively connected dividends received by a foreign corporation may be subject to an additional “branch profits tax” at a 30% rate or such lower rate as may be specified by an applicable income tax treaty.
A Non-U.S. Holder of shares of our common stock who is entitled to and wishes to claim the benefits of an applicable treaty rate (and avoid backup withholding as discussed below) with respect to dividends received generally must (i) complete an IRS Form W-8BEN or W-8BEN-E (or an acceptable substitute form) and make certain certifications, under penalty of perjury, to establish its status as a non-U.S. person and its entitlement to treaty benefits or (ii) if the stock is held through certain foreign intermediaries, satisfy the relevant certification requirements of applicable U.S. Treasury regulations. Special certification and other requirements apply to certain Non-U.S. Holders that are entities rather than individuals.
The certification requirements described above must be satisfied prior to the payment of dividends and may be required to be updated periodically. A Non-U.S. Holder eligible for a reduced rate of U.S. federal withholding tax pursuant to an income tax treaty may obtain a refund of any excess amounts withheld by timely filing an appropriate claim for refund with the IRS.
Sale or Other Taxable Disposition of Shares of Our Common Stock
In general, a Non-U.S. Holder of shares of our common stock will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax with respect to gain recognized on a sale or other disposition of such shares of our common stock, unless: (i) the gain is effectively connected with a trade or business of the Non-U.S. Holder in the U.S. and, where a tax treaty applies, is attributable to a U.S. permanent establishment of the Non-U.S. Holder (in which case, the special rules described below apply), (ii) in the case of a Non-U.S. Holder who is an individual, such holder is present in the U.S. for 183 or more days in the taxable year of the sale or other disposition and certain other conditions are met, in which case the gain would be subject to a flat 30% tax, or such reduced rate as may be specified by an applicable income tax treaty, which may be offset by U.S. source capital losses, even though the individual is not considered a resident of the U.S., or (iii) subject to certain exceptions, we are or have been a “U.S. real property holding corporation,” as such term is defined in Section 897(c) of the Code, during the shorter of the five-year period ending on the date of disposition or the holder’s holding period of our shares of our common stock.
We believe we currently are not, and do not anticipate becoming, a “U.S. real property holding corporation” for U.S. federal income tax purposes.
Any gain described in (i) above will be subject to U.S. federal income tax on a net income basis at applicable individual or corporate rates. If the Non-U.S. Holder is a corporation, under certain circumstances, that portion of its earnings and profits that is effectively connected with its U.S. trade or business, subject to certain adjustments, generally would be subject to an additional “branch profits tax” at a 30% rate or such lower rate as may be specified by an applicable income tax treaty.
Information Reporting and Backup Withholding
We must report annually to the IRS and to each Non-U.S. Holder the amount of dividends paid to such holder on the shares of our common stock and the tax withheld (if any) with respect to such dividends, regardless of whether withholding was required. Copies of the information returns reporting such dividends and any withholding may also be made available to the tax authorities in the country in which the Non-U.S. Holder resides under the provisions of an applicable income tax treaty or information sharing agreement. In addition, dividends paid to a Non-U.S. Holder may be subject to backup withholding unless applicable certification requirements are met.
Payment of the proceeds of a sale of shares of our common stock within the U.S. or conducted through certain U.S. related financial intermediaries is subject to information reporting and, depending upon the circumstances, backup withholding unless the Non-U.S. Holder certifies under penalties of perjury that it is not a U.S. person (and the payor does not have actual knowledge or reason to know that the holder is a U.S. person) or the holder otherwise establishes an exemption.
Any amounts withheld under the backup withholding rules may be allowed as a refund or a credit against such holder’s U.S. federal income tax liability provided the required information is timely furnished to the IRS.
Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (“FATCA”)
Legislation commonly referred to as the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act and associated guidance, or FATCA, generally will impose a 30% U.S. federal withholding tax on any “withholdable payment” (as defined below) paid to (i) a “foreign financial institution” (as specifically defined in the legislation), whether such foreign financial institution is the beneficial owner or an intermediary, unless such foreign financial institution agrees to verify, report and disclose its U.S. “account” holders (as specifically defined in the legislation) and meets certain other specified requirements, or (ii) a non-financial foreign entity, whether such non-financial foreign entity is the beneficial owner or an intermediary, unless such entity provides a certification that the beneficial owner of the payment does not have any substantial U.S. owners or provides the name, address and taxpayer identification number of each such substantial U.S. owner and certain other specified requirements are met. In certain cases, the relevant foreign financial institution or non-financial foreign entity may qualify for an exemption from, or be deemed to be in compliance with, these rules. Under final regulations and other current guidance, “withholdable payments” generally include dividends on shares of our common stock, and will include the gross proceeds of a disposition of shares of our common stock, on or after January 1, 2019. Investors are urged to consult their own tax advisors regarding the possible application of these rules to their investment in shares of our common stock.
We have entered into the Sales Agreement with H.C. Wainwright, as our sales agent, under which we may offer and sell from time to time shares of our common stock pursuant to this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus. The sales, if any, of shares of our common stock made under the Sales Agreement may be made in sales deemed to be “at-the-market offerings” as defined in Rule 415 under the Securities Act, including by sales made directly on or through the Nasdaq Capital Market or another market for our common stock, sales made to or through a market maker other than on an exchange or otherwise, in negotiated transactions at market prices prevailing at the time of sale or at negotiated prices, or as otherwise agreed with the sales agent. If we and H.C. Wainwright agree on any method of distribution other than sales of shares of our common stock into the Nasdaq Capital Market or another existing trading market in the United States at market prices, we will file a further prospectus supplement providing all information about such offering as required by Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act.
We will designate the maximum amount of shares of our common stock to be sold through the sales agent on a daily basis or otherwise as we and the sales agent agree and the minimum price per share at which such shares may be sold. Subject to the terms and conditions of the Sales Agreement, the sales agent will use its commercially reasonable efforts to sell on our behalf all of the designated shares. We may instruct the sales agent not to sell any shares if the sales cannot be effected at or above the price designated by us in any such instruction. We or the sales agent may suspend the offering of shares at any time and from time to time by notifying the other party. We cannot predict the number of shares that we may sell hereby or if any shares will be sold.
We will pay the sales agent a commission of up to 3.0% of the gross sales price per share sold through it as our agent under the Sales Agreement. We have agreed to reimburse expenses of H.C. Wainwright in the amount of $50,000 in connection with the Sales Agreement. Additionally, pursuant to the terms of the Sales Agreement, we agreed to reimburse H.C. Wainwright for the documented fees and costs of its legal counsel reasonably incurred in connection with H.C. Wainwright’s ongoing diligence, drafting and other filing requirements arising from the transactions contemplated by the Sales Agreement in an amount not to exceed $2,500 in the aggregate per calendar quarter.
The sales agent will provide to us written confirmation following the close of trading on the Nasdaq Capital Market each day in which shares are sold under the Sales Agreement. Each confirmation will include the number of shares sold on that day, the gross sales proceeds, the net proceeds to us (after deducting any expenses payable by us and any transaction fees, transfer taxes or similar taxes or fees imposed by any governmental entity or self-regulatory organization in respect of such sales) and the compensation payable by us to the sales agent. We will report in a prospectus supplement and/or our filings under the Exchange Act, at least quarterly the number of shares sold by or through the sales agent under the Sales Agreement, the net proceeds to us and the aggregate compensation of the sales agent in connection with sales of the shares.
Settlement for sales of shares will occur in return for payment of the net proceeds to us in accordance with the standard settlement cycle provided in Rule 15c6-1(a) under the Exchange Act, unless the parties agree otherwise. There is no arrangement for funds to be received in an escrow, trust or similar arrangement.
Under the terms of the Sales Agreement, we also may sell shares of our common stock to the sales agent, as principal for its own account, at a price per share agreed upon at the time of sale. If we sell shares to the sales agent as principal, we will enter into a separate terms agreement with the sales agent and we will describe the agreement in a separate prospectus supplement or pricing supplement.
To the extent required by Regulation M, H.C. Wainwright will not engage in any market making activities involving our shares of common stock while the offering is ongoing under this prospectus supplement.
The offering of shares pursuant to the Sales Agreement will terminate upon the earlier of (1) the sale of all shares subject to the Sales Agreement or (2) the termination of the Sales Agreement by us or by the sales agent.
In connection with the sale of shares of our common stock on our behalf, the sales agent may be deemed to be an “underwriter” within the meaning of the Securities Act, and the compensation paid to the sales agent may be deemed to be underwriting commissions or discounts. We have agreed to provide indemnification and contribution to the sales agent against certain liabilities, including civil liabilities under the Securities Act.
H.C. Wainwright and its affiliates may in the future provide various investment banking and other financial services for us and our affiliates, for which services they may in the future receive customary fees.
We estimate that the total expenses of this offering payable by us, excluding commissions payable to the sales agent under the Sales Agreement, will be approximately $125,000.
The validity of the shares of common stock being offered by this prospectus supplement will be passed upon by Perkins Coie LLP, Denver, Colorado. Certain legal matters in connection with the offering will be passed upon for the sales agent by Ellenoff Grossman & Schole LLP, New York, New York.
The audited consolidated financial statements and management’s assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement and elsewhere in the registration statement have been so incorporated by reference in reliance upon the report of Grant Thornton LLP, independent registered public accountants, upon the authority of said firm as experts in accounting and auditing.
WHERE YOU CAN FIND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
We have filed with the SEC a registration statement on Form S-3 under the Securities Act with respect to the securities being offered hereby. This prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus, which constitutes a part of the registration statement, does not contain all of the information set forth in the registration statement or the exhibits and schedules filed therewith. For further information about us and the securities offered hereby, we refer you to the registration statement and the exhibits filed thereto. Statements contained in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus regarding the contents of any contract or any other document that is filed as an exhibit to the registration statement are not necessarily complete, and each such statement is qualified in all respects by reference to the full text of such contract or other document filed as an exhibit to the registration statement.
We file annual, quarterly and special reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. The SEC maintains an internet website at www.sec.gov that contains reports, proxy and information statements, and other information regarding issuers that file electronically with the SEC, including us, which you may access free of charge. You may also access our reports and proxy statements free of charge at our website, www.gevo.com. The information contained in, or that can be accessed through, our website is not part of this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus. The prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus included in this filing are part of a registration statement filed by us with the SEC. The full registration statement can be obtained from the SEC, as indicated above, or from us.
INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE
The SEC allows us to incorporate by reference the information we file with it, which means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to another document that we have filed separately with the SEC. We hereby incorporate by reference the following information or documents into this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus:
● | our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021, filed with the SEC on February 24, 2022; |
● | our Definitive Proxy Statement on Schedule 14A relating to our 2022 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, filed on April 20, 2022 (only with respect to information required by Part III of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021, which information shall update and supersede information included in Part III of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021); |
● | our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarterly periods ended March 31, 2022, June 30, 2022 and September 30, 2022, filed with the SEC on May 9, 2022, August 8, 2022 and November 8, 2022, respectively; |
● | our Current Reports on Forms 8-K filed with the SEC on February 1, 2022, March 2, 2022, March 7, 2022, March 21, 2022, March 22, 2022, June 3, 2022, June 8, 2022, July 22, 2022, December 2, 2022 and January 5, 2023; and |
● | the description of our common stock contained in our Registration Statement on Form 8-A filed with the SEC on February 4, 2011 under Section 12(b) of the Exchange Act, including any amendments or reports filed for the purpose of updating such description (including Exhibit 4.3 to the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021, filed with the SEC on February 24, 2022). |
Any information in any of the foregoing documents will automatically be deemed to be modified or superseded to the extent that information in this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus or in a later filed document that is incorporated or deemed to be incorporated herein by reference modifies or replaces such information.
We also incorporate by reference any future filings (other than current reports furnished under Item 2.02 or Item 7.01 of Form 8-K and exhibits filed on such form that are related to such items) made with the SEC pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, until we sell all of the securities offered by this prospectus supplement. Information in such future filings updates and supplements the information provided in this prospectus supplement. Any statements in any such future filings will automatically be deemed to modify and supersede any information in any document we previously filed with the SEC that is incorporated or deemed to be incorporated herein by reference to the extent that statements in the later filed document modify or replace such earlier statements.
Upon written or oral request, we will provide to you, without charge, a copy of any or all of the documents that are incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus but not delivered herewith, including exhibits which are specifically incorporated by reference into such documents. Requests should be directed to: Gevo, Inc., Attention: Investor Relations, 345 Inverness Drive South, Building C, Suite 310, Englewood, Colorado 80112, telephone (303) 858-8358.
Gevo, Inc.
Up to $500,000,000
Common Stock
PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT
H.C. Wainwright & Co.
March 9, 2023
PART II
INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS
Item 14. Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution
The registrants’ estimated expenses in connection with the issuance and distribution of the securities being registered are set forth in the following table.
SEC Registration Fee | $ | 550(1) | ||
Legal Fees and Expenses | (2 | ) | ||
Trustee Fees and Expenses | (2 | ) | ||
Accounting Fees and Expenses | (2 | ) | ||
Printing Expenses | (2 | ) | ||
Stock Exchange and Other Listing Fees | (2 | ) | ||
Miscellaneous | (2 | ) | ||
Total | $ | (2 | ) |
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(1) | The registrant previously paid a fee of $54,550 related to $500,000,000 of the registrant’s common stock registered on the prospectus supplement (File No. 333-252229) filed with the SEC on September 9, 2021. Of such shares of common stock, $500,000,000 remain unsold, and the registration fee in the amount of $54,550 related thereto is applied to the registrant’s total registration fee hereunder. |
(2) | The amount of securities and number of offerings are indeterminable and the expenses cannot be estimated at this time. An estimate of the aggregate expenses in connection with the sale and distribution of securities being offered will be included in the applicable prospectus supplement. |
Item 15. Indemnification of Directors and Officers
Under Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law (the “DGCL”), a corporation has the power to indemnify its directors and officers under certain prescribed circumstances and, subject to certain limitations, against certain costs and expenses, including attorneys’ fees, judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement, actually and reasonably incurred in connection with any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether criminal, civil, administrative or investigative, to which any of them is a party by reason of his being a director or officer of the corporation if it is determined that he acted in accordance with the applicable standard of conduct set forth in such statutory provision. In addition, a corporation may advance expenses incurred by a director or officer in defending a proceeding upon receipt of an undertaking from such person to repay any amount so advanced if it is ultimately determined that such person is not eligible for indemnification. The registrant’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that, pursuant to the DGCL, the registrant’s directors shall not be liable for monetary damages to the fullest extent authorized under applicable law, including for breach of the directors’ fiduciary duty of care to the registrant and the registrant’s stockholders. This provision in the registrant’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation does not eliminate the duty of care, and in appropriate circumstances equitable remedies such as injunctive or other forms of non-monetary relief will remain available under Delaware law. In addition, each director will continue to be subject to liability for breach of the director’s duty of loyalty, for acts or omissions not in good faith or involving intentional misconduct or knowing violations of the law, for actions leading to improper personal benefit to the director, and for payment of dividends or approval of stock repurchases or redemptions that are unlawful under Delaware law. The provision also does not affect a director’s responsibilities under any other law, such as the federal securities laws or state or federal environmental laws.
Article 10 of the registrant’s second amended and restated bylaws provides that the registrant will indemnify, to the fullest extent authorized by the DGCL, each person who was or is made a party or is threatened to be made a party to or is involved in any action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, by reason of the fact that he or she is or was a director or officer of the registrant, whether the basis of such proceeding is alleged action in an official capacity as a director or officer or in any other capacity while serving as a director or officer against all expenses, liability and loss reasonably incurred or suffered by such person in connection therewith.
In addition to the above, the registrant has entered into indemnification agreements with each of the registrant’s directors and officers. These indemnification agreements provide the registrant’s directors and officers with the same indemnification and advancement of expenses as described above, and provide that our directors and officers will be indemnified to the fullest extent authorized by any future Delaware law that expands the permissible scope of indemnification. The registrant also has directors’ and officers’ liability insurance, which provides coverage against certain liabilities that may be incurred by the registrant’s directors and officers in their capacities as directors and officers of the registrant.
Any underwriting agreement will provide for indemnification by the underwriters of the registrant and its officers and directors for certain liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or otherwise.
Item 16. Exhibits
The following exhibits are filed as part of this registration statement:
Exhibit No. | Description | Form | File No. | Filing Date | Exhibit | ||||||
1.1* | Form of Underwriting Agreement. | ||||||||||
1.2 | 8-K | 001-35073 | February 13, 2018 | 1.1 | |||||||
1.3 | 8-K | 001-35073 | June 20, 2018 | 1.2 | |||||||
1.4 | 8-K | 001-35073 | June 25, 2018 | 1.3 | |||||||
1.5 | 8-K | 001-35073 | June 28, 2018 | 1.4 | |||||||
1.6 | 8-K | 001-35073 | August 15, 2019 | 1.5 | |||||||
1.7 | 8-K | 001-35073 | December 30, 2020 | 10.1 | |||||||
1.8 | 8-K | 001-35073 | September 9, 2021 | 10.1 | |||||||
4.1 | Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of Gevo, Inc. | 10-K | 001-35073 | February 24, 2022 | 3.1 | ||||||
4.2 | 10-K | 001-35073 | November 24, 2021 | 3.2 | |||||||
4.3 | S-1 | 333-168792 | January 19, 2011 | 4.1 | |||||||
4.4* | Specimen Preferred Stock Certificate. | ||||||||||
4.5 | S-3 | 333-226686 | August 8, 2018 | 4.2 | |||||||
4.6 | S-3 | 333-226686 | August 8, 2018 | 4.3 | |||||||
4.7* | Form of Senior Note. | ||||||||||
4.8* | Form of Subordinated Note. | ||||||||||
4.9* | Form of Deposit Agreement. | ||||||||||
4.10* | Form of Warrant Agreement. | ||||||||||
4.11* | Form of Purchase Contract. | ||||||||||
4.12* | Form of Unit Agreement. | ||||||||||
5.1† | |||||||||||
23.1† | |||||||||||
23.2† | |||||||||||
24.1† | |||||||||||
25.1# | Form T-1 Statement of Eligibility under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, with respect to the Indentures. | ||||||||||
107† |
_________________________________
† | Filed herewith. | |
* | To be filed by amendment, as an exhibit to a Current Report on Form 8-K or by other applicable filing with the SEC to be incorporated by reference herein. | |
# | To be filed in accordance with the requirements of Section 305(b)(2) of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended. |
Item 17. Undertakings
(a) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:
(1) | To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement: |
(i) | to include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933; | |
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(ii) | to reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of this registration statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in this registration statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than a 20 percent change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in the effective registration statement; and |
(iii) | to include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in this registration statement or any material change to such information in this registration statement; |
provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i), (a)(1)(ii) and (a)(1)(iii) above do not apply if the registration statement is on Form S-3 or Form F-3 and the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in reports filed with or furnished to the Commission by the registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are incorporated by reference in this registration statement, or is contained in a form of prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) that is part of this registration statement.
(2) | That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at the time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof. |
(3) | To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering. |
(4) | That, for the purpose of determining liability under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser: |
(i) | each prospectus filed by the registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(3) shall be deemed to be part of the registration statement as of the date the filed prospectus was deemed part of and included in the registration statement; and |
(ii) | each prospectus required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424(b)(2), (b)(5), or (b)(7) as part of a registration statement in reliance on Rule 430B relating to an offering made pursuant to Rule 415(a)(1)(i), (vii) or (x) for the purpose of providing the information required by Section 10(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 shall be deemed to be part of and included in the registration statement as of the earlier of the date such form of prospectus is first used after effectiveness or the date of the first contract of sale of securities in the offering described in the prospectus. As provided in Rule 430B, for liability purposes of the issuer and any person that is at that date an underwriter, such date shall be deemed to be a new effective date of the registration statement relating to the securities in the registration statement to which that prospectus relates, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof. Provided, however, that no statement made in a registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement or made in a document incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference into the registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement will, as to a purchaser with a time of contract of sale prior to such effective date, supersede or modify any statement that was made in the registration statement or prospectus that was part of the registration statement or made in any such document immediately prior to such effective date. |
(5) | That, for the purpose of determining liability of the registrant under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser in the initial distribution of the securities: |
The undersigned registrant undertakes that in a primary offering of securities of the undersigned registrant pursuant to this registration statement, regardless of the underwriting method used to sell the securities to the purchaser, if the securities are offered or sold to such purchaser by means of any of the following communications, the undersigned registrants will be sellers to the purchaser and will be considered to offer or sell such securities to such purchaser:
(i) | any preliminary prospectus or prospectus of the undersigned registrant relating to the offering required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424; |
(ii) | any free writing prospectus relating to the offering prepared by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant or used or referred to by the undersigned registrant; |
(iii) | the portion of any other free writing prospectus relating to the offering containing material information about the undersigned registrant or its securities provided by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant; and |
(iv) | any other communication that is an offer in the offering made by the undersigned registrants to the purchaser. |
(b) | The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the registrant’s annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan’s annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) that is incorporated by reference in this registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof. |
(h) | Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act of 1933 and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrants of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the registrant sin the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act of 1933 and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue. |
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(j) | The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes to file an application for the purpose of determining the eligibility of the trustee to act under subsection (a) of Section 310 of the Trust Indenture Act in accordance with the rules and regulations prescribed by the Commission under Section 305(b)(2) of the Act. |
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Englewood, State of Colorado, on March 9, 2023.
GEVO, INC. | |||
By: | /s/ Patrick R. Gruber | ||
Name: | Patrick R. Gruber | ||
Title: | Chief Executive Officer | ||
Each person whose signature appears below hereby constitutes and appoints Patrick R. Gruber, L. Lynn Smull and Geoffrey T. Williams, Jr., and each of them acting individually, as his or her true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, each with full power of substitution, for him or her in any and all capacities, to execute any and all amendments to this Registration Statement (including any post-effective amendments, and any new registration statement with respect to the offering contemplated thereby filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) of the Securities Act), and to file the same, with exhibits thereto and other documents in connection therewith, with the SEC, granting unto such attorneys-in-fact and agents, with full power of each to act alone, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in connection therewith, as fully for all intents and purposes as he or she might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that such attorneys-in-fact and agents, or his, her or their substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this registration statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.
Signature | Title | Date | ||
/s/ Patrick R. Gruber | Chief Executive Officer (Principal Executive Officer) | March 9, 2023 | ||
Patrick R. Gruber, Ph.D. | and Director | |||
/s/ L. Lynn Smull | Chief Financial Officer | March 9, 2023 | ||
L. Lynn Smull | (Principal Financial Officer) | |||
/s/ Alisher Nurmat | Vice President and Controller | March 9, 2023 | ||
Alisher Nurmat | (Principal Accounting Officer) | |||
/s/ William H. Baum | Chairperson of the Board of Directors | March 9, 2023 | ||
William H. Baum | ||||
/s/ Carol J. Battershell | Director | March 9, 2023 | ||
Carol J. Battershell | ||||
/s/ Ruth I. Dreessen | Director | March 9, 2023 | ||
Ruth I. Dreessen | ||||
/s/ Jaime Guillen | Director | March 9, 2023 | ||
Jaime Guillen | ||||
/s/ Gary W. Mize | Director | March 9, 2023 | ||
Gary W. Mize | ||||
/s/ Andrew J. Marsh | Director | March 9, 2023 | ||
Andrew J. Marsh |