MERGER | NOTE 2: MERGER On February 12, 2024, the Company entered into an Agreement of Merger (the “ Merger Agreement ”) with Ozark Holdings, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“ Parent ”) and Sweet Oak Merger Sub, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Parent (“ Merger Sub ”). Upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the Merger Agreement, upon the closing of the transaction, Merger Sub is expected to merge with and into the Company (the “ Merger ”), with the Company surviving the Merger as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Parent. The transaction is expected to close in the second calendar quarter of 2024, subject to the satisfaction of closing conditions contained in the Merger Agreement, including approval of the Merger by (a) the holders of a majority in voting power of the Company’s outstanding common stock, voting as a single class, and (b) the holders of sixty-six and two-thirds percent of the outstanding common stock not owned by Parent or any Parent Affiliated Persons (as defined in the Merger Agreement ). Subsequent to completion of the transaction, the Company’s common stock will no longer be publicly listed and the Company will become a privately-held company. Subject to the terms and conditions of the Merger Agreement, at the effective time of the Merger (the “ Effective Time ”): • each share of the Company’s common stock issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time (other than (i) shares of common stock owned by the Company, its wholly owned subsidiaries, Parent or any of Parent’s affiliates and (ii) dissenting shares of common stock ) will be converted into the right to receive cash consideration equal to $4.875 per share of common stock (the “ Per Share Merger Consideration ”); • each warrant to purchase shares of common stock outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time shall, without any action on the part of the holder thereof, cease to represent a warrant to purchase shares of common stock and instead represent a right by the holder upon any subsequent exercise of such warrant to receive the Per Share Merger Consideration, provided that if the holder of such warrant properly exercises such warrant within 30 days following the public disclosure of the consummation of the Merger in a current report on Form 8-K, the exercise price of such warrant will be reduced by an amount equal to the difference (but in no event less than zero) of (i) the exercise price of such warrant in effect prior to such reduction minus (ii) (A) the Per Share Merger Consideration minus (B) the Black-Scholes value of such warrant; • each award of restricted common stock will become immediately fully vested and treated as a share of common stock issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time; • each restricted stock unit award with respect to shares of common stock will become fully vested and, after giving effect to such vesting, automatically be cancelled and converted into the right to receive an amount in cash (less any applicable tax withholding) equal to (A) the total number of shares of common stock underlying such award, multiplied by (B) the Per Share Merger Consideration; and • each performance-based restricted stock unit award with respect to shares of common stock will become fully vested based on target level achievement of all performance targets (without application of any modifier) and, after giving effect to such vesting, automatically be cancelled and converted into the right to receive an amount in cash (less any applicable tax withholding) equal to (Y) the total number of shares of common stock underlying such award, multiplied by (Z) the Per Share Merger Consideration. The Merger Agreement contains customary representations, warranties and covenants of the Company, Parent and Merger Sub, including, among others, covenants by the Company (i) to conduct its business in the ordinary course during the period between the execution of the Merger Agreement and consummation of the Merger and (ii) not to engage in certain expressly enumerated transactions during such period. Under the terms of the Merger Agreement, the Company is subject to a customary “no-shop” provision that restricts the Company and its representatives from soliciting a Takeover Proposal (as defined in the Merger Agreement) from third parties or providing information to or participating in any discussions or negotiations with third parties regarding any Takeover Proposal. However, prior to the receipt of the requisite approval of the holders of common stock, the “no-shop” provision permits the Company, under certain circumstances and in compliance with certain obligations set forth in the Merger Agreement, to provide non-public information and engage in discussions and negotiations with respect to an unsolicited Takeover Proposal that would reasonably be expected to lead to a Superior Proposal (as defined in the Merger Agreement). The Merger Agreement also contains certain termination rights for the Company and Parent, with a termination fee of $20 million payable by the Company to Parent under certain circumstances and a termination fee of $40 million payable by Parent to the Company under certain circumstances. In addition, the Company or Parent may terminate the Merger Agreement if the Merger is not consummated by August 12, 2024. The Merger Agreement, the Merger and the transactions contemplated thereby were (i) unanimously recommended by a special committee of the board of directors of the Company (the “Board”), consisting solely of disinterested members of the Board, on February 12, 2024 and (ii) unanimously approved by the disinterested members of the Board on February 12, 2024. The Company’s directors and executive officers may have interests in the Merger that may be different from, or in addition to, the interests of the Company’s stockholders generally. The following is a summary of the interests that certain of the Company’s directors and executive officers have in connection with the Merger: • Parent is controlled by Sir Martin Franklin, the father of Michael E. Franklin, a director. Additionally, Mr. Michael Franklin holds a profits interest in Sababa Holdings FREE LLC, which is an affiliate of Parent and Merger Sub. Mr. Michael Franklin also has the title of Partner in Mariposa Capital, LLC, which is the manager of Parent and Merger Sub. The Company has been advised by Parent that, following the consummation of the Merger, Mr. Michael Franklin may have a senior management position with the surviving company. • On February 12, 2024, Irwin D. Simon, the Executive Chairman of the Board, entered into a consulting agreement with Parent and the Company, pursuant to which Mr. Simon will provide certain transitional services to the Company following the consummation of the Merger for a term of six months, unless extended or renewed, and will be entitled to a consulting fee of $1.4 million to be paid on the closing date of the Merger. • Certain executive officers including the Co-Chief Executive Officers (Rajnish Ohri and Jeffrey Robinson), the Chief Financial Officer (Bernardo Fiaux), and the Chief Accounting Officer (Brian Litman) have entered into Transaction Bonus Agreements with the Company under which they are eligible to receive a cash bonus contingent upon the closing of a “Change in Control” of the Company (as defined in the Transaction Bonus Agreements), so long as such Change in Control occurs on or before December 31, 2024. • Each member of the Board, with the exception of Mr. Franklin, received a special one-time fee for their services in connection with the Merger ( for Mr. Simon, this fee was in the amount of $100,000; for Steven M. Cohen, this fee was in the amount of $130,000; for Denise M. Faltischek, this fee was in the amount of $120,000; for Ira D. Lamel, this fee was in the amount of $35,000; and for Anuraag Agarwal and Michael F. Goss, this fee was in the amount of $25,000) . • The vesting of certain unvested equity awards held by certain of the Company’s directors and executive officers will accelerate upon the effectiveness of the Merger. • Each of the Company’s directors and officers are entitled to continued indemnification and insurance coverage under the Merger Agreement and indemnification agreements between us and such individuals. The foregoing descriptions of the Merger, the Merger Agreement, and the transactions contemplated thereby are not complete and are qualified in their entirety by the full text of the Merger Agreement, which is incorporated by reference as an exhibit to this report. For more information about the Merger, see the preliminary proxy statement, as amended, initially filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 15, 2024. |