NOTE 13: SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY
FFI is a holding company and does not have any direct operating activities. Any future cash flow needs of FFI are expected to be met by its existing cash and cash equivalents and dividends from its subsidiaries. The Bank is subject to various laws and regulations that limit the amount of dividends that a bank can pay without obtaining prior approval from bank regulators. Additionally, under the terms of the holding company line of credit agreement, FFI may only declare and pay a dividend if the total amount of dividends and stock repurchases does not exceed 50% of FFI’s earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (“EBITDA”) for the current twelve-month period. FFI’s cash and cash equivalents totaled $9.5 million and $15.3 million at September 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023, respectively.
On July 8, 2024, the Company raised approximately $228 million of gross proceeds in an equity capital raise (“July 2024 Capital Raise”) with certain investors. In the July 2024 Capital Raise, the Company sold and issued to the investors: (a) 11,308,676 shares of common stock at a purchase price per share of $4.10 (on July 1, 2024, the day before the announcement of the July 2024 Capital Raise, the closing price of the common stock was $6.47); (b) 29,811 shares of a new series of preferred stock, par value $0.001 per share, of the Company designated as Series A Noncumulative Convertible Preferred Stock (the “Series A Preferred Stock”), at a price per share of $4,100, and each share of which is convertible into 1,000 shares of common stock (or, in certain limited circumstances, one share of Series B Preferred Stock), and all of which shares of Series A Preferred Stock represent the right (on an as converted basis) to receive approximately 29,811,000 shares of common stock; (c) 14,490 shares of a new series of preferred stock, par value $0.001 per share, of the Company designated as Series B Noncumulative Preferred Stock (the “Series B Preferred Stock”), at a price per share of $4,100, each share of which is convertible into 1,000 shares of common stock, and all of which shares of Series B Preferred Stock represent the right (on an as converted basis) to receive approximately 14,490,000 shares of common stock; and (d) Issued Warrants, which are not exercisable for 180 days after closing of the July 2024 Capital Raise, affording the holder thereof the right, until the seven-year anniversary of the issuance of such Issued Warrant, to purchase for $5,125 per share, 22,239 shares of Series C non-voting, common-equivalent preferred stock (the “Series C NVCE Stock”). Each share of Series C NVCE Stock is convertible into 1,000 shares of common stock, all of which shares of Series C NVCE Stock, upon issuance, will represent the right (on an as converted basis) to receive approximately 22,239,000 shares of common stock. The investors are subject to a 180-day lock-up period with respect to the securities purchased. Net proceeds from the July 2024 Capital Raise of $214.5 million, consisting of the $228 million gross proceeds less issuance costs of $13.5 million, were allocated amongst the newly issued equity instruments under the relative fair value method. Under the relative fair value method, each equity instrument was allocated a portion of the net proceeds based on the proportion of its fair value to the sum of the fair values of all of the equity instruments covered in the allocation.
The terms of the Series A Preferred Stock, Series B Preferred Stock, and Series C NVCE Stock are more fully described in the respective Certificates of Designation, which were included as Exhibit 3.1, Exhibit 3.2, and Exhibit 3.3, respectively to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on July 9, 2024, and incorporated by reference therein. The terms of the Issued Warrants are more fully described in the Issued Warrant, a form of which was included as Exhibit 4.1 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on July 9, 2024, and incorporated by reference therein.
On September 30, 2024, stockholders approved and adopted an amendment to the Company’s certificate of incorporation, as amended, to increase the number of authorized shares of common stock from 100,000,000 shares to 200,000,000 shares, and also approved the issuance of shares of common stock in connection with the July 2024 Capital Raise pursuant to NYSE listing rules. As a result of these approvals, all of the issued and outstanding shares of the Series B Preferred Stock automatically converted into shares of common stock as of the close of business on October 2, 2024, in accordance with the terms of the Certificate of Designation for the Series B Preferred Stock. In addition, the quarterly non-cumulative cash dividend (annual rate of 13%) and liquidation preference rights of the Series A Preferred Stock cease to apply. Shares of Series A Preferred Stock (a) are now entitled to receive dividends at the same time and on the same terms as shares of common stock in accordance with the Certificate of Designation for the Series A Preferred Stock, and