Information Reporting and Backup Withholding
Gross proceeds from the redemption of shares in connection with the approval of the Extension Amendment and the Trust Amendment may be subject to information reporting. Additionally, U.S. federal income tax laws require that, in order to avoid potential backup withholding in respect of certain “reportable payments”, each tendering U.S. Holder (or other payee) must either (i) provide to the Company such U.S. Holder’s correct taxpayer identification number (“TIN”) (or certify under penalty of perjury that such U.S. Holder is awaiting a TIN) and certify that (A) such U.S. Holder has not been notified by the IRS that such U.S. Holder is subject to backup withholding as a result of a failure to report all interest and dividends or (B) the IRS has notified such U.S. Holder that such U.S. Holder is no longer subject to backup withholding, or (ii) provide an adequate basis for exemption. Each tendering U.S. Holder is required to make such certifications by providing the Company a signed copy of IRS FormW-9. Exempt tendering U.S. Holders are not subject to backup withholding and reporting requirements, but will be required to certify their exemption from backup withholding on an applicable form. If the Company is not provided with the correct TIN or an adequate basis for exemption, the relevant tendering U.S. Holder may be subject to a $50 penalty imposed by the IRS, and any “reportable payments” made to such U.S. Holder pursuant to the redemption will be subject to backup withholding in an amount equal to 24% of such “reportable payments.”
ANon-U.S. Holder generally will eliminate the requirement for information reporting and backup withholding by providing certification of its foreign status, under penalties of perjury, on a duly executed applicable IRS FormW-8 or by otherwise establishing an exemption.
Amounts withheld, if any, are generally not an additional tax and may be refunded or credited against the stockholder’s U.S. federal income tax liability, provided that the stockholder timely furnishes the required information to the IRS.
FATCA
Pursuant to the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (“FATCA”), foreign financial institutions (which term includes most foreign hedge funds, private equity funds, mutual funds, securitization vehicles and other investment vehicles) and certain other foreign entities must comply with certain information reporting rules with respect to their U.S. account holders and investors. A foreign financial institution or such other foreign entity that does not comply with the FATCA reporting requirements generally will be subject to a 30% withholding tax with respect to any “withholdable payments.” For this purpose, withholdable payments generally include U.S.-source payments otherwise subject to nonresident withholding tax (e.g., U.S.-source dividends, including the proceeds of a redemption treated as a Distribution) and also include the entire gross proceeds from the sale of any stock of U.S. issuers (including a redemption treated as a Sale), even if the payment would otherwise not be subject to U.S. nonresident withholding tax (e.g., because it is capital gain). The IRS recently issued proposed Treasury Regulations that would eliminate the application of this regime with respect to payments of gross proceeds (but not interest). Pursuant to these proposed Treasury Regulations, the Company and any applicable withholding agent may (but are not required to) rely on this proposed change to FATCA withholding until final regulations are issued.
We will not pay any additional amounts to redeeming stockholders in respect of any amounts withheld, including pursuant to FATCA. Under certain circumstances, a stockholder might be eligible for refunds or credits of such taxes. Stockholders are urged to consult with their own tax advisors regarding the effect, if any, of the FATCA provisions to them based on their particular circumstances.
As previously noted above, the foregoing discussion of certain material U.S. federal income tax consequences is included for general information purposes only and is not intended to be, and should not be construed as, legal or tax advice to any stockholder. We once again urge you to consult with your own tax adviser to determine the particular tax consequences to you (including the application and effect of any U.S. federal, state, local or foreign income or other tax laws) of the receipt of cash in exchange for shares in connection with the Extension Amendment and the Trust Amendment.
Required Vote
The affirmative vote by holders of 65% of the Company’s outstanding common stock is required to approve the Extension Amendment and the Trust Amendment. If the Extension Amendment is not approved, the Extension Amendment will not be implemented and the Company will be required by its charter to (i) cease all operations except for the purpose of winding up, (ii) as promptly as reasonably possible but not more than ten business days thereafter, and subject to having lawfully available funds therefor, redeem the public shares, at aper-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account, including interest earned on the trust account deposits (which interest shall be net of taxes payable and less up to $50,000 to pay dissolution expenses), divided by the number of then outstanding public shares, which redemption will completely extinguish public stockholders’ rights as stockholders (including the right to receive further liquidation distributions, if any), subject to applicable law, and (iii) as promptly as reasonably possible following such redemption, subject to the approval of our remaining stockholders and our Board, dissolve and liquidate, subject in each case to our obligations under Delaware law to provide for claims of creditors and the requirements of other applicable law.
All of the Company’s directors, executive officers and their affiliates are expected to vote any common stock owned by them in favor of the Extension Amendment and the Trust Amendment. On the record date, the initial stockholders beneficially owned and were entitled to vote 5,175,000 founder shares, representing approximately 20.0% of the Company’s issued and outstanding common stock.
In addition, the initial stockholders, or the Company’s or the target company’s directors, officers or advisors, or any of their respective affiliates, may purchase public shares in privately negotiated transactions or in the open market prior to the special meeting, although they are under no obligation to do so. Any such purchases that are completed after the record date for the special meeting may include an agreement with a selling stockholder that such stockholder, for so long as it remains the record holder of the shares in question, will vote in favor of the Extension Amendment and the Trust Amendment and/or will not exercise its redemption rights with respect to the shares so purchased. The purpose of such share purchases and other transactions would be to increase the likelihood of that the proposals to be voted upon at the special meeting are approved by the requisite number of votes. In the event that such purchases do occur, the purchasers may seek to purchase shares from stockholders who would otherwise have voted against the Extension Amendment and Trust Amendment and elected to redeem their shares for a portion of the trust account. Any such privately negotiated purchases may be effected at purchase prices that are below or in excess of theper-share pro rata portion of the trust account. Any public shares held by or subsequently purchased by our affiliates may be voted in favor of the Extension Amendment and the Trust Amendment. None of the Company’s sponsor, directors, officers, advisors or their affiliates may make any such purchases when they are in possession of any materialnon-public information not disclosed to the seller or during a restricted period under Regulation M under the Exchange Act.
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