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): June 26, 2023
CERENCE INC.
(Exact name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)
| Delaware | 001-39030 | 83-4177087 | ||
(State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation) | (Commission File Number) | (IRS Employer Identification No.) |
1 Burlington Woods Drive, Suite 301A Burlington, MA | 01803 | |||
| (Address of Principal Executive Offices) | (Zip Code) | |||
Registrant’s Telephone Number, Including Area Code: (857) 362-7300
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 | Name of each exchange on which registered | ||
| Common stock, $0.01 par value | CRNC | 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 a Material Definitive Agreement. |
Indentures and Notes
On June 26, 2023, Cerence Inc. (the “Company”) issued $190.0 million in aggregate principal amount of 1.50% Convertible Senior Notes due 2028 (the “Initial Notes”), pursuant to an Indenture dated as of June 26, 2023 (the “Indenture”), between the Company and U.S. Bank Trust Company, National Association, as trustee (the “Trustee”), in a private offering to qualified institutional buyers (the “Note Offering”) pursuant to Rule 144A under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). The Initial Notes issued in the Note Offering were sold pursuant to a purchase agreement, dated June 21, 2023, by and among the Company and the representative, on behalf of the initial purchasers (the “Purchase Agreement”). Pursuant to the Purchase Agreement, the Company also granted the initial purchasers a 13-day option to purchase up to an additional $20.0 million in aggregate principal amount of 1.50% Convertible Senior Notes due 2028 (the “Option Notes” and, to the extent issued, together with the Initial Notes, the “Notes”), which option has not been exercised as of the date of this Current Report.
The Notes are senior, unsecured obligations of the Company and will accrue interest payable semi-annually in arrears on January 1 and July 1 of each year, beginning on January 1, 2024, at a rate of 1.50% per year. The Notes will mature on July 1, 2028, unless earlier converted, redeemed or repurchased. The Notes are convertible into cash, shares of the Company’s common stock or a combination of cash and shares of the Company’s common stock, at the Company’s election.
A holder of Notes may convert all or any portion of its Notes at its option at any time prior to the close of business on the business day immediately preceding April 3, 2028 only under the following circumstances: (1) during any fiscal quarter commencing after the fiscal quarter ending on September 30, 2023 (and only during such fiscal quarter), if the last reported sale price of the Company’s common stock for at least 20 trading days (whether or not consecutive) during a period of 30 consecutive trading days ending on, and including, the last trading day of the immediately preceding fiscal quarter is greater than or equal to 130% of the conversion price on each applicable trading day; (2) during the five business day period after any ten consecutive trading day period (the “measurement period”) in which the “trading price” (as defined in the Indenture) per $1,000 principal amount of Notes for each trading day of the measurement period was less than 98% of the product of the last reported sale price of the Company’s common stock and the conversion rate on each such trading day; (3) if the Company calls such Notes for redemption, at any time prior to the close of business on the business day immediately preceding the redemption date; or (4) upon the occurrence of specified corporate events. On or after April 3, 2028 until the close of business on the second scheduled trading day immediately preceding the maturity date, a holder may convert all or any portion of its Notes at any time, regardless of the foregoing circumstances.
The conversion rate will initially be 24.5586 shares of the Company’s common stock per $1,000 principal amount of Notes (equivalent to an initial conversion price of approximately $40.72 per share of the Company’s common stock). The conversion rate is subject to adjustment in some events but will not be adjusted for any accrued and unpaid interest. In addition, following certain corporate events that occur prior to the maturity date or if the Company delivers a notice of redemption, the Company will, in certain circumstances, increase the conversion rate for a holder who elects to convert its Notes in connection with such a corporate event or convert its Notes called for redemption in connection with such notice of redemption, as the case may be.
The Company may not redeem the Notes prior to July 6, 2026. The Company may redeem for cash all or any portion of the Notes (subject to certain limitations), at its option, on a redemption date occurring on or after July 6, 2026 and on or before the 31st scheduled trading day immediately before the maturity date, if the last reported sale price of the Company’s common stock has been at least 130% of the conversion price then in effect for at least 20 trading days (whether or not consecutive), including the trading day immediately preceding the date on which the Company provides notice of redemption, during any 30 consecutive trading day period ending on, and including, the trading day immediately preceding the date on which the Company provides notice of redemption at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the notes to be redeemed, plus accrued and unpaid interest to, but excluding, the redemption date. No sinking fund is provided for the Notes.
If the Company undergoes a fundamental change (as defined in the Indenture), subject to certain conditions, holders may require the Company to repurchase for cash all or any portion of their Notes at a fundamental change repurchase price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the Notes to be repurchased, plus any accrued and unpaid interest to, but excluding, the fundamental change repurchase date.
The Indenture contains customary terms and covenants, including that upon certain events of default occurring and continuing, either the Trustee or the holders of not less than 25% in aggregate principal amount of the Notes then outstanding may declare the entire principal amount of all the Notes plus accrued special interest, if any, to be immediately due and payable.
The Notes are the Company’s general unsecured obligations and rank senior in right of payment to all of the Company’s indebtedness that is expressly subordinated in right of payment to the Notes; equal in right of payment with all of the Company’s liabilities that are not so subordinated; effectively junior to any of the Company’s secured indebtedness to the extent of the value of the assets securing such indebtedness; and structurally junior to all indebtedness and other liabilities (including trade payables) of the Company’s subsidiaries.
A copy of the Indenture and form of Note are filed as Exhibit 4.1 and Exhibit 4.2, respectively, to this Current Report on Form 8-K and are incorporated by reference herein. The foregoing description of the Indenture and Notes does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to such exhibits.
| Item 2.03 | Creation of a Direct Financial Obligation or an Obligation under an Off-Balance Sheet Arrangement of a Registrant. |
The information provided in Item 1.01 of this Current Report on Form 8-K is hereby incorporated by reference into this Item 2.03.
| Item 3.02 | Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities. |
The information provided in Item 1.01 of this Current Report on Form 8-K is hereby incorporated by reference into this Item 3.02.
The Company’s offering of the Notes to the initial purchasers was made in reliance on the exemption from registration provided by Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act. The Company relied on this exemption from registration based in part on representations made by the initial purchasers in the Purchase Agreement for the Notes, including that the initial purchasers would only offer, sell or deliver the Notes to persons whom they believed to be qualified institutional buyers within the meaning of Rule 144A under the Securities Act.
The Notes and the Company’s common stock issuable upon conversion of the Notes, if any, have not been registered under the Securities Act and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or applicable exemption from registration requirements. Initially, a maximum of 6,317,682 shares of the Company’s common stock may be issued upon conversion of the Notes (assuming all of the Option Notes are issued), based on the initial maximum conversion rate of 30.0842 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 Number | Description | |
| 4.1 | Indenture, dated as of June 26, 2023, by and between Cerence Inc. and U.S. Bank Trust Company, National Association, as Trustee. | |
| 4.2 | Form of Global Note, representing Cerence Inc.’s 1.50% Convertible Senior Notes due 2028 (included as Exhibit A to the Indenture filed as Exhibit 4.1). | |
| 104 | Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within the Inline XBRL document) | |
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.
| Cerence Inc. | ||||||
| Date: June 26, 2023 | By: | /s/ Thomas L. Beaudoin | ||||
| Name: | Thomas L. Beaudoin | |||||
| Title: | Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer | |||||