The information in this prospectus is not complete and may be changed. We may not sell these securities until the registration statement filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities and it is not soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.
SUBJECT TO COMPLETION, DATED OCTOBER 10, 2018
$225,000,000
Graf Industrial Corp.
22,500,000 Units
Graf Industrial Corp. is a newly organized blank check company formed for the purpose of effecting a merger, capital stock exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses, which we refer to as our initial business combination. We have not selected any specific business combination target and we have not, nor has anyone on our behalf, initiated any substantive discussions, directly or indirectly, with any business combination target with respect to an initial business combination with us. While we may pursue an initial business combination target in any business or industry, we intend to focus our search on industrial companies, as described in more detail in this prospectus.
This is an initial public offering of our securities. Each unit has an offering price of $10.00 and consists of one share of our common stock and one redeemable warrant. Each warrant entitles the holder thereof to purchase one-half of one share of our common stock at a price of $11.50 per whole share, provided that if we have not consummated our initial business combination within 15 months from the closing of this offering, each warrant will entitle the holder thereof to purchase three-quarters of one share of our common stock at a price of $11.50 per whole share, subject to adjustment in either case as described herein. Warrants may be exercised only for a whole number of shares of common stock.
The warrants will become exercisable on the later of 30 days after the completion of our initial business combination or 12 months from the closing of this offering, and will expire five years after the completion of our initial business combination or earlier upon redemption or liquidation, as described in this prospectus. The underwriters have a 45-day option from the date of this prospectus to purchase up to an additional 3,375,000 units to cover over-allotments, if any.
We will provide our public stockholders with the opportunity to redeem all or a portion of their shares of our common stock upon the completion of our initial business combination at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account described below as of two business days prior to the consummation of our initial business combination, including interest earned on the funds held in the trust account and not previously released to us to pay our franchise and income taxes, divided by the number of then outstanding shares of common stock that were sold as part of the units in this offering, which we refer to collectively as our public shares, subject to the limitations described herein. If we are unable to complete our initial business combination within 18 months from the closing of this offering, we will redeem 100% of the public shares at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account, including interest earned on the funds held in the trust account and not previously released to us to pay our franchise and income taxes (less up to $100,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses), divided by the number of then outstanding public shares, subject to applicable law and certain conditions as further described herein.
Our sponsor, Graf Acquisition LLC, has agreed to purchase an aggregate of 13,400,000 (or 14,750,000 if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full) warrants at a price of $0.50 per warrant, for an aggregate purchase price of $6,700,000 (or $7,375,000 if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full). The private placement warrants are identical to the warrants sold as part of the units in this offering.
Currently, there is no public market for our units, common stock or warrants. We intend to apply to list our units on the New York Stock Exchange, or the NYSE, under the symbol “GRAF.U”. We expect that our units will be listed on the NYSE on or promptly after the date of this prospectus. We cannot guarantee that our securities will be approved for listing on the NYSE. We expect the common stock and warrants comprising the units will begin separate trading on the 52nd day following the date of this prospectus unless EarlyBirdCapital, Inc., the representative of the underwriters, informs us of its decision to allow earlier separate trading, subject to our satisfaction of certain conditions. Once the securities comprising the units begin separate trading, we expect that the common stock and warrants will be listed on the NYSE under the symbols “GRAF” and “GRAF WS,” respectively.
We are an “emerging growth company” under applicable federal securities laws and will be subject to reduced public company reporting requirements. Investing in our securities involves a high degree of risk. See “Risk Factors” beginning on page
30 for a discussion of information that should be considered in connection with an investment in our securities. Investors will not be entitled to protections normally afforded to investors in Rule 419 blank check offerings.
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 is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
| | | PER UNIT | | | TOTAL | |
Public offering price | | | | $ | 10.00 | | | | | $ | 225,000,000 | | |
Underwriting discount | | | | $ | 0.20 | | | | | $ | 4,500,000 | | |
Proceeds, before expenses, to Graf Industrial Corp.(1) | | | | $ | 9.80 | | | | | $ | 220,500,000 | | |
(1)
Includes an amount payable to EarlyBirdCapital, Inc. and Oppenheimer & Co. Inc. (or, with respect to 40% of such amount, payable, at our discretion, to other members of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, or FINRA) as a fee pursuant to a business combination marketing agreement equal to 3.5% of the gross proceeds raised in this offering ($7,875,000, or $9,056,250 if the underwriters’ over-allotment is exercised in full) upon consummation of our initial business combination for assisting us in connection with our initial business combination. See the section of this prospectus entitled “Underwriting” beginning on page
138 for a description of the terms of the business combination marketing agreement and other compensation and items of value payable to the underwriters.
Of the proceeds we receive from this offering and the sale of the private placement warrants described in this prospectus, $225.0 million, or $258.75 million if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full ($10.00 per unit in either case), will be deposited into a trust account in the United States at J.P. Morgan Chase Bank, N.A., with Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company acting as trustee, and $1.5 million will be available to pay fees and expenses in connection with the closing of this offering and for working capital following the closing of this offering.
The underwriters are offering the units for sale on a firm commitment basis. The underwriters expect to deliver the units to the purchasers on or about , 2018.
Book-Running Managers
EarlyBirdCapital, Inc. Oppenheimer & Co.
Co-Manager
I-Bankers Securities, Inc.
, 2018