Guardant Health (GH) 8-K Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of report (Date of earliest event reported): November 16, 2020

GUARDANT HEALTH, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Delaware	001-38683	45-4139254
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)	(Commission File Number)	(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)

505 Penobscot Dr.

Redwood City, California 94063

(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)

855-698-8887

(Registrant’s telephone number, include area code)

N/A

(Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)

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

☐ Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

☐ Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

☐ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

☐ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Title of each class	Trading Symbol(s)	Name of each exchange on which registered
Common Stock, par value $0.00001	GH	The Nasdaq Global Select Market

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).

Emerging growth company  ☐

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act.  ☐

Item 1.01. Entry Into or Amendment of a Material Definitive Agreement.

Indenture and Notes

On November 19, 2020, Guardant Health, Inc. (the “Company”) issued $1,150,000,000 principal amount of its 0% Convertible Senior Notes due 2027 (the “Notes”). The Notes were issued pursuant to, and are governed by, an indenture (the “Indenture”), dated as of November 19, 2020, between the Company and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee (the “Trustee”). Pursuant to the purchase agreement, dated November 16, 2020, between the Company and the initial purchasers of the Notes, the Company granted the initial purchasers an option to purchase, for settlement within a period of 13 days from, and including, the date the Notes are first issued, up to an additional $150,000,000 principal amount of Notes. The Notes issued on November 19, 2020 include $150,000,000 principal amount of Notes issued pursuant to the full exercise by the initial purchasers of such option.

The Notes are the Company’s senior, unsecured obligations and will be (i) equal in right of payment with the Company’s future senior, unsecured indebtedness; (ii) senior in right of payment to the Company’s future indebtedness that is expressly subordinated to the Notes in right of payment; (iii) effectively subordinated to the Company’s future secured indebtedness, to the extent of the value of the collateral securing that indebtedness; and (iv) structurally subordinated to all existing and future indebtedness and other liabilities, including trade payables, and (to the extent the Company is not a holder thereof) preferred equity, if any, of the Company’s subsidiaries.

The Notes will not bear regular interest, and the principal amount of the Notes will not accrete. However, special interest and additional interest may accrue on the Notes at a rate per annum not exceeding 0.50% (subject to certain exceptions) upon the occurrence of certain events relating to the failure to file certain SEC reports or to remove certain restrictive legends from the Notes. The Notes will mature on November 15, 2027, unless earlier repurchased, redeemed or converted. Before August 15, 2027, noteholders will have the right to convert their Notes only upon the occurrence of certain events. From and after August 15, 2027, noteholders may convert their Notes at any time at their election until the close of business on the second scheduled trading day immediately before the maturity date. The Company will settle conversions by paying or delivering, as applicable, cash, shares of its common stock or a combination of cash and shares of its common stock, at the Company’s election. The initial conversion rate is 7.1523 shares of common stock per $1,000 principal amount of Notes, which represents an initial conversion price of approximately $139.82 per share of common stock. The conversion rate and conversion price will be subject to customary adjustments upon the occurrence of certain events. In addition, if certain corporate events that constitute a “Make-Whole Fundamental Change” (as defined in the Indenture) occur, then the conversion rate will, in certain circumstances, be increased for a specified period of time.

The Company may not redeem the Notes at its option at any time before November 20, 2024. The Notes will be redeemable, in whole or in part (subject to the “Partial Redemption Limitation” (as defined in the Indenture)), at the Company’s option at any time, and from time to time, on or after November 20, 2024 and on or before the 25th scheduled trading day immediately before the maturity date, at a cash redemption price equal to the principal amount of the Notes to be redeemed, plus accrued and unpaid special interest and additional interest, if any, to, but excluding, the redemption date, but only if the last reported sale price per share of the Company’s common stock exceeds 130% of the conversion price on (i) each of at least 20 trading days, whether or not consecutive, during the 30 consecutive trading days ending on, and including, the trading day immediately before the date the Company sends the related redemption notice; and (ii) the trading day immediately before the date the Company sends such notice. In addition, calling any Note for redemption will constitute a Make-Whole Fundamental Change with respect to that Note, in which case the conversion rate applicable to the conversion of that Note will be increased in certain circumstances if it is converted after it is called for redemption.

If certain corporate events that constitute a “Fundamental Change” (as defined in the Indenture) occur, then, subject to a limited exception for certain cash mergers, noteholders may require the Company to repurchase their Notes at a cash repurchase price equal to the principal amount of the Notes to be repurchased, plus accrued and unpaid special interest and additional interest, if any, to, but excluding, the fundamental change repurchase date. The definition of Fundamental Change includes certain business combination transactions involving the Company and certain de-listing events with respect to the Company’s common stock.

The Notes have customary provisions relating to the occurrence of “Events of Default” (as defined in the Indenture), which include the following: (i) certain payment defaults on the Notes (which, in the case of a default in the payment of special interest or additional interest on the Notes, will be subject to a 30-day cure period); (ii) the Company’s failure to send certain notices under the Indenture within specified periods of time; (iii) the Company’s failure to comply with certain covenants in the Indenture relating to the Company’s ability to consolidate with or merge with or into, or sell, lease or otherwise transfer, in one transaction or a series of transactions, all or substantially all of the assets of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, to another person; (iv) a default by the Company in its other obligations or agreements under the Indenture or the Notes if such default is not cured or waived within 60 days after notice is given in accordance with the Indenture; (v) certain defaults by the Company or any of its significant subsidiaries with respect to indebtedness for borrowed money of at least $100,000,000; and (vi) certain events of bankruptcy, insolvency and reorganization involving the Company or any of the Company’s significant subsidiaries.

If an Event of Default involving bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization events with respect to the Company (and not solely with respect to a significant subsidiary of the Company) occurs, then the principal amount of, and any accrued and unpaid special interest or additional interest on, all of the Notes then outstanding will immediately become due and payable without any further action or notice by any person. If any other Event of Default occurs and is continuing, then, the Trustee, by notice to the Company, or noteholders of at least 25% of the aggregate principal amount of Notes then outstanding, by notice to the Company and the Trustee, may declare the principal amount of, and any accrued and unpaid special interest or additional interest on, all of the Notes then outstanding to become due and payable immediately. However, notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company may elect, at its option, that the sole remedy for an Event of Default relating to certain failures by the Company to comply with certain reporting covenants in the Indenture consists exclusively of the right of the noteholders to receive special interest on the Notes for up to 180 days at a specified rate per annum not exceeding 0.50% on the principal amount of the Notes.

The above description of the Indenture and the Notes is a summary and is not complete. A copy of the Indenture and the form of the certificate representing the Notes are filed as exhibits 4.1 and 4.2, respectively, to this Current Report on Form 8-K, and the above summary is qualified by reference to the terms of the Indenture and the Notes set forth in such exhibits.

Capped Call Transactions

On November 16, 2020, in connection with the pricing of the Notes, the Company entered into privately negotiated capped call transactions (the “Base Capped Call Transactions”) with certain financial institutions (the “Option Counterparties”), pursuant to capped call confirmations in substantially the form filed as Exhibit 10.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and which is incorporated herein by reference. On November 18, 2020, in connection with the initial purchasers’ exercise of their option to purchase additional Notes, the Company entered into additional privately negotiated capped call transactions with the Option Counterparties (the “Additional Capped Call Transactions,” and together with the Base Capped Call Transactions, the “Capped Call Transactions”), pursuant to capped call confirmations in substantially the form filed as Exhibit 10.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K. The Capped Call Transactions cover, subject to customary adjustments, the number of shares of common stock initially underlying the Notes. The Capped Call Transactions are expected generally to reduce potential dilution to holders of the Company’s common stock upon any conversion of the Notes or at the Company’s election (subject to certain conditions) offset any cash payments the Company is required to make in excess of the aggregate principal amount of converted Notes, as the case may be, with such reduction or offset subject to a cap based on the cap price. The cap price of the Capped Call Transactions will initially be approximately $182.60 per share, which represents a premium of 75% over the last reported sale price of the Company’s common stock of $104.34 per share on November 16, 2020, and is subject to certain adjustments under the terms of the Capped Call Transactions.

The Capped Call Transactions are separate transactions entered into by the Company with the Option Counterparties, are not part of the terms of the Notes and will not change the holders’ rights under the Notes. Holders of the Notes will not have any rights with respect to the Capped Call Transactions.

The foregoing description of the Capped Call Transactions contained herein is qualified in its entirety by reference to the text of the form of capped call confirmation relating to the Capped Call Transactions filed as Exhibit 10.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and which is incorporated herein by reference.

Item 2.03. Creation of a Direct Financial Obligation or an Off-Balance Sheet Arrangement.

The disclosure set forth in Item 1.01 above is incorporated by reference into this Item 2.03.

Item 3.02. Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities.

The disclosure set forth in Item 1.01 above is incorporated by reference into this Item 3.02. The Notes were issued to the initial purchasers in reliance upon Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) in transactions not involving any public offering. The Notes were resold by the initial purchasers to persons whom the initial purchasers reasonably believe are “qualified institutional buyers,” as defined in, and in accordance with, Rule 144A under the Securities Act. Any shares of the Company’s common stock that may be issued upon conversion of the Notes will be issued in reliance upon Section 3(a)(9) of the Securities Act as involving an exchange by the Company exclusively with its security holders. Initially, a maximum of 11,021,600 shares of the Company’s common stock may be issued upon conversion of the Notes and based on the initial maximum conversion rate of 9.5840 shares of common stock per $1,000 principal amount of Notes, which is subject to customary anti-dilution adjustment provisions.

Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(d) Exhibits

Exhibit No.	Description
4.1	Indenture, dated as of November 19, 2020, between Guardant Health, Inc. and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee.
4.2	Form of certificate representing the 0% Convertible Senior Notes due 2027 (included as Exhibit A to Exhibit 4.1)
10.1	Form of Capped Call Confirmation
104	Cover page interactive data file (embedded within the inline XBRL document).

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

	GUARDANT HEALTH, INC.
Date: November 19, 2020	By:	/s/ John G. Saia
		John G. Saia
		Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary