Asfiledwiththe Securities and Exchange Commission on October8, 2019
Registration No. 333–
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
_________________________
FORM S-1
REGISTRATION STATEMENT
UNDER
THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
___________________________________________
MERIDA MERGER CORP. I
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
___________________________________________
Delaware | 6770 | 84-2266022 | ||
(State or other jurisdiction of | (Primary Standard Industrial Classification Code Number) | (I.R.S. Employer |
Peter Lee, President and Chief Financial Officer
Merida Merger Corp. I
641 Lexington Avenue, 18th Floor
New York, NY 10022
(917) 745-7085
(Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of registrant’s principal executive offices)
_________________________
Peter Lee, President and Chief Financial Officer
Merida Merger Corp. I
641 Lexington Avenue, 18th Floor
New York, NY 10022
(917) 745-7085
(Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)
_________________________
Copies to:
David Alan Miller, Esq.Jeffrey M. Gallant, Esq.Graubard Miller The Chrysler Building 405 Lexington Avenue New York, New York 10174 (212) 818-8800 (212) 818-8881 — Facsimile | Mitchell S. Nussbaum,Esq. Giovanni Caruso, Esq. Loeb & Loeb LLP 345 Park Avenue New York, New York 10154 (212) 407-4000 (212) 407-4990 — Facsimile |
_________________________
Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public:As soon as practicable after the effective date of this registration statement.
If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933 check the following box. £
If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. £
If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. £
If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(d) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. £
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
Large accelerated filer £ | Accelerated filer £ | |
Non-accelerated filer S | Smaller reporting company S | |
Emerging growth company S |
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 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act.£
CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
Title of each Class of Security being registered | Amount being | Proposed Maximum Offering Price Per Security(1) | Proposed Maximum Aggregate Offering | Amount of Registration | ||||||||
Units, each consisting of one share of common stock, $.0001 par value, and one-half of one Redeemable Warrant(2) | 11,500,000 Units | $ | 10.00 | $ | 115,000,000 | $ | 14,927 |
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Shares of common stock included as part of the Units(3) | 11,500,000 Shares |
| — |
| — |
| — | (4) | ||||
Redeemable Warrants included as part of the Units(3) | 5,750,000 Warrants |
| — |
| — |
| — | (4) | ||||
Total |
| $ | 115,000,000 | $ | 14,927 |
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(1) Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee.
(2) Includes 1,500,000 Units, 1,500,000shares of common stock and 750,000 Redeemable Warrants underlying such Units which may be issued on exercise of a 45-day option granted to the underwriters.
(3) Pursuant to Rule 416, there are also being registered an indeterminable number of additional securities as may be issued to prevent dilution resulting from stock splits, stock dividends or similar transactions.
(4) No fee pursuant to Rule 457(g).
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The registrant hereby amends this registration statement on such date or dates as may be necessary to delay its effective date until the registrant shall file a further amendment which specifically states that this registration statement shall thereafter become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 or until the registration statement shall become effective on such date as the Commission, acting pursuant to said Section 8(a), may determine.
The information in this preliminary prospectus is not complete and may be changed. We may not sell these securities until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities and is not soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any state or jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.
SUBJECT TO COMPLETION, DATEDOCTOBER8, 2019
PRELIMINARY PROSPECTUS
$100,000,000
Merida Merger Corp. I
10,000,000 Units
_________________________
Merida Merger Corp. I is a blank check company formed for the purpose of entering into a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, recapitalization, reorganization or other similar business combination with one or more businesses or entities, which we refer to as a “target business.” Our efforts to identify a prospective target business will not be limited to a particular industry or geographic region although we intend to focus our search for target businesses on companies in the cannabis industry. We do not have any specific business combination under consideration and we have not (nor has anyone on our behalf), directly or indirectly, contacted any prospective target business or had any substantive discussions, formal or otherwise, with respect to such a transaction. If we are unable to consummate an initial business combination within24months from the closing of this offering, we will redeem 100% of the public shares for a pro rata portion of the trust account, 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, divided by the number of then outstanding public shares, subject to applicable law and as further described herein.
This is an initial public offering of our securities. Each unit that we are offering has a price of $10.00 and consists of one share of common stock and one-half of one warrant. Each whole warrant entitles the holder to purchase one share of common stock at a price of $11.50 per share. Each whole warrant will become exercisable on the later of the completion of an initial business combination or 12months from the closing of this offering and will expire on the fifth anniversary of our completion of an initial business combination, or earlier upon redemption or liquidation. No fractional warrants will be issued upon separation of the units and only whole warrants will trade. Accordingly, unless you purchase a multiple of two units, the number of warrants issuable to you upon separation of the units will be rounded down to the nearest whole number of warrants. We have granted the underwriters a 45-day option to purchase up to an additional 1,500,000 units to cover over-allotments, if any.
Merida Capital Partners III LP, which we refer to throughout this prospectus as our “sponsor,” and certain of our officers, directors, advisors and their respective affiliates, collectively which we refer to throughout this prospectus as the “Merida Purchasers,” and EarlyBirdCapital, Inc., the representative of the underwriters in this offering, have committed that they or their designees will purchase from us an aggregate of3,350,000warrants, or “private warrants,” at $1.00 per warrant for a total purchase price of $3,350,000 in a private placement that will occur simultaneously with the consummation of this offering. They have also agreed that if the over-allotment option is exercised by the underwriters in full or in part, they or their designees will purchase from us additional private warrants (up to a maximum of300,000private warrants at a price of $1.00 per warrant) in an amount that is necessary to maintain in the trust account $10.00 per unit sold to the public in this offering. These additional private warrants will be purchased in a private placement that will occur simultaneously with the purchase of units resulting from the exercise of the over-allotment option. The private warrants are identical to the warrants sold in this offering, subject to certain limited exceptions as described in this prospectus.
There is presently no public market for our units, shares of common stock or warrants. Wehave appliedto have our units listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market, or Nasdaq, under the symbol “MCMJU” on or promptly after the date of this prospectus. The common stock and warrants comprising the units will begin separate trading on the40th day following the date of this prospectus unless EarlyBirdCapital informs us of its decision to allow earlier separate trading, subject to our filing a Current Report on Form 8-K with the SEC containing an audited balance sheet reflecting our receipt of the gross proceeds of this offering and issuing a press release announcing when such separate trading will begin; provided that no fractional warrants will be issued upon separation of the units and only whole warrants will trade. Once the securities comprising the units begin separate trading, the units will cease trading and the common stock and warrants will be traded on Nasdaq under the symbols “MCMJ” and “MCMJW,” respectively. We also intend to apply to have our securities listed on the NEO Exchange Inc., or NEO, under the symbols “___,” “____” and “____.” We cannot guarantee that our securities will be approved for listing on either Nasdaq or the NEO.
We are an “emerging growth company” as defined in the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act and will therefore be subject to reduced public company reporting requirements.
Investing in our securities involves a high degree of risk. See “Risk Factors” beginning on page 16 of this prospectus for a discussion of information that should be considered in connection with an investment in our securities.
Neither the 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 | $ | 100,000,000 | ||
Underwriting discounts and commissions(1) | $ | 0.20 | $ | 2,000,000 | ||
Proceeds, before expenses, to us | $ | 9.80 | $ | 98,000,000 | ||
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(1) The underwriters havereceivedand will receive compensation in addition to the underwriting discount, including 100,000shares of common stock, which we refer to herein as the “representative shares.” See “Underwriting” for further information relating to the underwriting compensation we will pay in this offering.
Upon consummation of the offering, an aggregate of $100,000,000 (or $115,000,000 if the over-allotment option is exercised in full) or $10.00 per unit sold to the public in this offering, will be deposited into a U.S.-based trust account maintained by Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, acting as trustee. Except as described in this prospectus, these funds will not be released to us until the earlier of the completion of a business combination and our redemption of our public shares.
This offering is being made concurrently in certain provinces of Canada and in the United States.The underwriters are offering the units on a firm commitment basis. The underwriters expect to deliver the units to purchasers on or about[•], 2019.
Sole Book-Running Manager
EarlyBirdCapital, Inc.
, 2019
You should rely only on the information contained in this prospectus. We have not, and the underwriters have not, authorized anyone to provide you with different information. We are not, and the underwriters are not, making an offer of these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer is not permitted.
MERIDA MERGER CORP. I
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations | 42 | |
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F-1 |
i
This summary only highlights the more detailed information appearing elsewhere in this prospectus. As this is a summary, it does not contain all of the information that you should consider in making an investment decision. You should read this entire prospectus carefully, including the information under “Risk Factors” and our financial statements and the related notes included elsewhere in this prospectus, before investing. References in this prospectus to “we,” “us” or “our company” refer to Merida Merger Corp. I. References in this prospectus to our “public shares” are to shares of our common stock sold as part of the units in this offering (whether they are purchased in this offering or thereafter in the open market) and references to “public stockholders” refer to the holders of our public shares, including our sponsor (as defined below), officers and directors to the extent they purchase public shares, provided that their status as “public stockholders” shall only exist with respect to such public shares. References in this prospectus to our “management” or our “management team” refer to our offıcers and directors and references to our “initial stockholders” are to our stockholders prior to this offering (excluding EarlyBirdCapital and its designees). References to our “sponsor” refer to Merida Capital Partners III LP, a company affiliated with certain of our officers and directors, references to “Merida” refer to our sponsor and our sponsor’s other affiliated funds and references to the “Merida Purchasers” refer to our sponsor and certain of our officers, directors, advisors and their respective affiliates that are purchasing the private warrants. The term “equity-linked securities” refers to any debt or equity securities issued in a transaction, including but not limited to a private placement of equity or debt, that are convertible, exercisable or exchangeable for shares of common stock. Unless we tell you otherwise, the information in this prospectus assumes that the underwriters will not exercise their over-allotment option.
General
We are a blank check company formed under the laws of the State of Delaware on June20, 2019. We were formed for the purpose of entering into a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, recapitalization, reorganization or other similar business combination with one or more businesses or entities, which we refer to as a “target business.” To date, our efforts have been limited to organizational activities as well as activities related to this offering. None of our officers, directors, promoters and other affiliates has engaged in any substantive discussions on our behalf with representatives of other companies regarding the possibility of a potential business combination with us. Our initial business combination and value creation strategy will be to identify, acquire and, after our initial business combination, assist in the growth of a business in the legal cannabis industry. However, we are not limited to this industry and we may pursue a business combination opportunity in any business or industry we choose with operations or opportunities either inside or outside of the United States.
Although the cannabis industry has evolved significantly and continues to mature, we believe the industry is still undercapitalized and companies operating across multiple verticals consistently have trouble accessing capital from traditional sources. Historically, businesses that operate within the legal cannabis industry in the U.S. have relied largely on private money — friends and family, high net-worth individuals and small-to-medium-sized private investment firms, as institutional investors have shied away from companies in the cannabis industry, especially those that are directly involved in the production, distribution and sale of cannabis (businesses that “touch the plant”). Even businesses that do not “touch the plant” and instead provide ancillary services to the industry, have found it extremely difficult to access large pools of institutional capital. As a result, we believe we have the opportunity to create a compelling structure that will enable a target company to go public, thereby accessing significant capital for both organic growth and for acquisitions of synergistic and often undercapitalized assets. Given the rapid growth of the legal cannabis market, management believes that the ability to move quickly to capitalize on new opportunities will be critical to success in creating shareholder value.
Merida Capital Partners III LP, our sponsor, and its affiliated funds, which we collectively refer to as “Merida,” have worked diligently over the past 10 years to identify and complete transactions within the legal cannabis industry. Merida targets specific investments in the emerging cannabis industry as well as products and services associated with the evolution of cannabis as an agricultural product, a natural plant-based medicine, a constituent in pharmaceutical formulations, and an adult-use consumer product. It also has significant investments in companies that produce hemp-based Cannabidiol (“CBD”) products. CBD is one of the two most prevalent cannabinoids found in cannabis and hemp. Unlike tetrahydrocannabinol (“THC”), CBD is not responsible for the ‘high’ that is typically associated with cannabis use. The 2018 Farm Bill removed hemp (defined as cannabis with less than 0.3% THC content) from
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the federal Controlled Substance Act. This means that products containing hemp derived CBD do not fall under the purview of the federal Controlled Substance Act. Our management believes that further liberalization of the laws relating to CBD could occur which would lead to an even more expanded legalized market. Management believes this eventually could lead to the cannabis/hemp market exceeding $25billion of adult-use and medical sales by 2025 with an overall CAGR of approximately 17%, according to New Frontier Data.
In recent years, CBD has been studied and shown to be clinically effective for several orphan diseases and other afflictions — Epidiolex was recently approved by the FDA to treat Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and Dravet syndrome which are both rare & severe forms of epilepsy. Merida has invested in hemp/CBD businesses, such as Freedom Leaf, that grow and process hemp to create consumer packaged goods that rely on hemp derived CBD, or full spectrum hemp extract, as a major ingredient. Such products include: lotions/salves, soft-gel capsules, and tinctures. There are several other producers of such products in the US including: Charlotte’s Web, CV Sciences, and Elixinol Global.
While Merida believes it has a deep knowledge of the entire supply chain of the cannabis industry, its investment emphasis has been grounded primarily in four distinct verticals: cultivation infrastructure and support; data and technology services; cultivation, brand development and dispensing; and pharmaceutical development and life sciences. Merida’s principals have significant experience in observing and participating in the evolution of the cannabis industry over the past ten years. They have helped to build and operate sophisticated cannabis cultivation facilities and have directed significant investments into a broad spectrum of cannabis-related companies ranging from data analytics companies to hydroponic suppliers. Merida focuses on companies that it believes will benefit disproportionately from additional growth in legal access to cannabis and hemp-based CBD in the U.S. and globally. Because there is such fragmentation and information asymmetry in the cannabis industry, Merida focuses much of its time on consuming and contextualizing data and information. Merida looks to exploit its informational advantage to identify opportunities earlier in the value chain, emerging business models that are likely to gain traction at disproportionate rates, and conduct more aggressive price discovery on companies that have demonstrated successful business models. Merida believes that asset-light business models in large addressable markets are likely to generate the most attractive risk-adjusted returns. Merida looks to invest in companies that have successfully transitioned from the start-up phase to the revenue-generating growth phase, accelerating proven operating models and supercharging growth.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, we will not invest in or consummate a business combination with a target business that we determine has been operating in violation of U.S. federal laws, including the Controlled Substances Act. Additionally, our initial business combination must be with a target business that fits within the overall existing investment strategy of our sponsor, which generally seeks to make investments in companies with operations in and related to the legal cannabis industry that have experienced and passionate management teams, strong governance principals, rigorous risk controls in place, consistent results of operations and where our sponsor’s management team can add value to a company through participation on the board and as a strategic investor. However, given the breadth of such investment strategy, we do not anticipate that this will meaningfully limit the types of target businesses with which we may look to consummate an initial business combination with.
Members of our management team have been working with legal cannabis companies since 2009 and have been investing in cannabis related companies since 2013. We believe that our management team’s understanding of both the broader M&A market and of the legal cannabis industry — through direct involvement in investing in and working with cannabis companies — gives us a unique ability to successfully identify, evaluate, price, negotiate and close an attractive acquisition in this industry. For further information on our management team’s experience, see the section titled “Management.”
Notwithstanding the foregoing, past performance of our management team is not a guarantee either (i) of success with respect to any business combination we may consummate or (ii) that we will be able to identify a suitable candidate for our initial business combination. You should not rely on the historical performance record of our management as indicative of our future performance.
Effecting a Business Combination
We will seek stockholder approval of our initial business combination at a meeting called for such purpose at which stockholders may seek to convert their shares, regardless of whether they vote for or against the proposed business combination or don’t vote at all, into their pro rata share of the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account (net of taxes payable), subject to the limitations described herein. We will consummate our initial business combination
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only if we have net tangible assets of at least $5,000,001 either immediately prior to or upon consummation of the business combination and a majority of the outstanding shares of common stock voted are voted in favor of the business combination.
We will have up to 24months from the closing of this offering to consummate an initial business combination. If we are unable to consummate an initial business combination within such time period, we will redeem 100% of our outstanding public shares for a pro rata portion of the funds held in the trust account, 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, divided by the number of then outstanding public shares, subject to applicable law and as further described herein, and then seek to dissolve and liquidate. We expect the pro rata redemption price to be approximately $10.00 per share of common stock (regardless of whether or not the underwriters exercise their over-allotment option), without taking into account any interest earned on such funds. However, we cannot assure you that we will in fact be able to distribute such amounts as a result of claims of creditors which may take priority over the claims of our public stockholders.
The Nasdaq and NEO listing rules require that our initial business combination must occur with one or more target businesses that together have a fair market value of at least 80% of the assets held in the trust account (excluding taxes payable on the income earned on the trust account) at the time of the agreement to enter into the initial business combination. The fair market value of the target or targets will be determined by our board of directors based upon one or more standards generally accepted by the financial community (such as actual and potential sales, earnings, cash flow and/or book value). Even though our board of directors will rely on generally accepted standards, our board of directors will have discretion to select the standards employed. In addition, the application of the standards generally involves a substantial degree of judgment. Accordingly, investors will be relying on the business judgment of the board of directors in evaluating the fair market value of the target or targets. The proxy solicitation materials used by us in connection with any proposed transaction will provide public stockholders with our analysis of the fair market value of the target business, as well as the basis for our determinations. If our board is not able independently to determine the fair market value of the target business or businesses, we will obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm, or another independent entity that commonly renders valuation opinions, with respect to the satisfaction of such criteria.
We currently anticipate structuring a business combination to acquire 100% of the equity interests or assets of the target business or businesses. We may, however, structure our initial business combination where we merge directly with the target business or a newly formed subsidiary or where we acquire less than 100% of such interests or assets of the target business in order to meet certain objectives of the target management team or shareholders or for other reasons, but we will only complete such business combination if the post-transaction company owns or acquires 50% or more of the outstanding voting securities of the target or otherwise acquires a controlling interest in the target sufficient for it not to be required to register as an investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, or the Investment Company Act. Even if the post-transaction company owns or acquires 50% or more of the voting securities of the target, our stockholders prior to the business combination may collectively own a minority interest in the post-transaction company, depending on valuations ascribed to the target and us in the business combination transaction. For example, we could pursue a transaction in which we issue a substantial number of new shares in exchange for all of the outstanding capital stock of a target. In this case, we could acquire a 100% controlling interest in the target; however, as a result of the issuance of a substantial number of new shares, our stockholders immediately prior to our initial business combination could own less than a majority of our outstanding shares subsequent to our initial business combination. If less than 100% of the equity interests or assets of a target business or businesses are owned or acquired by the post-transaction company, the portion of such business or businesses that is owned or acquired is what will be valued for purposes of the 80% fair market value test. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if we are not then listed on the Nasdaq or NEO for whatever reason, we would no longer be required to meet the foregoing 80% fair market value test.
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Potential Conflicts
Members of our management team will directly or indirectly own shares of our common stock, or other instruments, such as warrants, linked to our common stock, following this offering and, accordingly, may have a conflict of interest in determining whether a particular target business is an appropriate business with which to effectuate our initial business combination. Further, each of our officers and directors may have a conflict of interest with respect to evaluating a particular business combination if the retention or resignation of any such officers and directors was included by a target business as a condition to any agreement with respect to our initial business combination. Our sponsor is limited to investing in the legal cannabis industry, and, to the extent that we seek a business combination with a target in another industry, our sponsor may be required to or may determine to sell our shares of common stock, warrants, and other equity-linked interests that it owns, either to its affiliates, including other Merida Purchasers, or to third parties (subject to the transfer limitations described elsewhere in this prospectus). If that occurs, our sponsor and our officers and directors affiliated with Merida may have interests that differ from yours.
Our officers and directors have agreed to present to us all target business opportunities that have a fair market value of at least 80% of the assets held in the trust account (excluding taxes payable on the income accrued in the trust account), subject to any pre-existing fiduciary or contractual obligations. As more fully discussed in “Management — Conflicts of Interest,” if any of our officers or directors becomes aware of an initial business combination opportunity that might be attractive to any entity to which he has pre-existing fiduciary or contractual obligations, he may be required to present such initial business combination opportunity to such entity prior to presenting such initial business combination opportunity to us. Certain of our officers and directors currently have certain relevant pre-existing fiduciary duties or contractual obligations. Specifically, members of our management team are affiliated with our sponsor, which, as described above, makes investments in the cannabis industry that fit the investment criteria of its related funds. Accordingly, members of our management team who are affiliated with Merida will be required to present all suitable business combination opportunities to Merida prior to presenting them to our company for consideration. For more information on the relevant pre-existing fiduciary duties or contractual obligations of our management team, see the section titled “Management — Conflicts of Interest.”
JOBS Act
We are an emerging growth company as defined in the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012 (which we refer to herein as the JOBS Act) and will remain such for up to five years. However, if our annual gross revenue is $1.07billion or more, if our non-convertible debt issued within a three year period exceeds $1billion or the market value of our shares of common stock that are held by non-affiliates exceeds $700million on the last day of the second fiscal quarter of any given fiscal year, we would cease to be an emerging growth company as of the following fiscal year. As an emerging growth company, we have elected, under Section 107(b) of the JOBS Act, to take advantage of the extended transition period provided in Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Act, for complying with new or revised accounting standards.
Private Placements
In August 2019, we issued an aggregate of 2,875,000shares of our common stock, which we refer to throughout this prospectus as the “founders’ shares,” for an aggregate purchase price of $25,000, or approximately $0.009 per share, to our initial stockholders. The founders’ shares held by our initial stockholders includes an aggregate of up to 375,000shares subject to forfeiture to the extent that the underwriters’ over-allotment option is not exercised in full or in part, so that our initial stockholders will continue to own 20.0% of our issued and outstanding shares after this offering (not including the representative shares and assuming the initial stockholders do not purchase units in this offering).
In August 2019, we also issued to EarlyBirdCapital and its designees an aggregate of 100,000shares of common stock, which we refer to throughout this prospectus as the “representative shares,” at a price of $0.0001 per share. The representative shares are deemed to be underwriters’ compensation by FINRA pursuant to Rule 5110 of the FINRA Manual.
In addition, the Merida Purchasers and EarlyBirdCapital have agreed that they and/or their designees will purchase from us an aggregate of 3,350,000 private warrants (2,850,000 private warrants by the Merida Purchasers and 500,000 private warrants by EarlyBirdCapital and its designees) at a price of $1.00 per warrant, for an aggregate purchase price of $3.35million in a private placement that will occur simultaneously with the closing of this offering. They have also agreed that if the over-allotment option is exercised by the underwriters in full or in part, they and/or their designees
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will purchase from us an additional number of private warrants (up to a maximum of 300,000 private warrants at $1.00 per private warrant, of which up to 255,224 private warrants will be purchased by the Merida Purchasers and up to 44,776 private warrants will be purchased by EarlyBirdCapital and its designees) in order to maintain in the trust account $10.00 per unit sold to the public in this offering. These additional private warrants will be purchased in a private placement that will occur simultaneously with the purchase of units resulting from the exercise of the over-allotment option. The proceeds from the private placement of the private warrants will be added to the proceeds of this offering and placed in a U.S.-based trust account maintained by Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, as trustee. If we do not complete an initial business combination within 24months from the closing of this offering, the proceeds from the sale of the private warrants will be included in the liquidating distribution to our public stockholders and the private warrants will be worthless.
Our executive offices are located at 641 Lexington Avenue, 18th Floor, New York, NY 10022 and our telephone number is (917) 745-7085.
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The Offering
Securities offered | 10,000,000 units, at $10.00 per unit, each unit consisting of one share of common stock and one-half of one warrant, each whole warrant to purchase one share of common stock. | |
Listing of our securities and proposed symbols |
We also anticipate that the units, and the shares of common stock and warrants once they begin separate trading, will be listed on NEO under the symbols “____U,” “_____” and “_____W,” respectively | |
Trading commencement and separation of common stock and warrants |
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Once the shares of common stock and warrants commence separate trading, the units will cease trading and no longer trade as a separate security. Holders will not need to take any action in order to separate the units into shares of common stock and warrants at that time. No fractional warrants will be issued upon separation of the units and only whole warrants will trade. Accordingly, unless you purchase a multiple of two units, the number of warrants issuable to you upon separation of the units will be rounded down to the nearest whole number of warrants. | ||
In no event will the common stock and warrants be traded separately earlier than the 40th day following the date of this prospectus unless we have filed a Current Report on Form 8-K with the SEC containing an audited balance sheet reflecting our receipt of the gross proceeds at the closing of this offering. We will file the Current Report on Form 8-K promptly after the closing of this offering, which is anticipated to take place three business days from the date of this prospectus. If the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised following the initial filing of such Current Report on Form 8-K, a second or amended Current Report on Form 8-K will be filed to provide updated financial information to reflect the exercise of the underwriters’ over-allotment option. We will also include the Form 8-K, or amendment thereto, or in a subsequent Form 8-K, information indicating if EarlyBirdCapital, Inc. has allowed separate trading of the common stock and warrants prior to the 40th day after the date of this prospectus. | ||
Units: | ||
Number outstanding before this offering |
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Shares of common stock: | ||
Number outstanding before this offering |
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Number to be outstanding after this offering |
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Warrants: | ||
Number outstanding before this offering |
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Number to be sold in private placement |
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Number to be outstanding after this offering and private placement |
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Exercisability | Each whole warrant is exercisable for one share of common stock at a price of $11.50 per share and only whole warrants are exercisable. The warrants will become exercisable on the later of the completion of an initial business combination and 12months from the date of this prospectus. The warrants will expire at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the fifth anniversary of our completion of an initial business combination, or earlier upon redemption. We structured each unit to contain one-half of one warrant, with each whole warrant exercisable for one share of common stock, as compared to units issued by some other similar blank check companies which contain whole warrants exercisable for one whole share, in order to reduce the dilutive effect of the warrants upon completion of an initial business combination, thus making us, we believe, a more attractive initial business combination partner for target businesses. | |
Exercise price | $11.50 per share, subject to adjustment as described herein. In addition, if (x) we issue additional shares of common stock or equity-linked securities for capital raising purposes in connection with the closing of our initial business combination at an issue price or effective issue price of less than $9.20 per share of common stock (with such issue price or effective issue price to be determined in good faith by our board of directors, and in the case of any such issuance to our sponsor, initial stockholders or their affiliates, without taking into account any founders’ shares held by them prior to such issuance), (y) the aggregate gross proceeds from such issuances represent more than 60% of the total equity proceeds, and interest thereon, available for the funding of our initial business combination on the date of the consummation of our initial business combination (net of redemptions), and (z) the volume weighted average trading price of our common stock during the 20 trading day period starting on the trading day prior to the day on which we consummate our initial business combination (such price, the “Market Value”) is below $9.20 per share, the exercise price of the warrants will be adjusted (to the nearest cent) to be equal to 115% of the greater of (i) the Market Value or (ii) the price at which we issue the additional shares of common stock or equity-linked securities. |
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1 Represents 2,875,000 founders’ shares and 100,000 representative shares. The 2,875,000 founders’ shares includes an aggregate of up to 375,000 founders’ shares that are subject to forfeiture if the over-allotment option is not exercised by the underwriters in full.
2 Assumes the over-allotment option has not been exercised and an aggregate of 375,000 founders’ shares have been forfeited.
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No warrants will be exercisable for cash unless we have an effective and current registration statement covering the shares of common stock issuable upon exercise of the warrants and a current prospectus relating to such shares of common stock. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if a registration statement covering the shares of common stock issuable upon exercise of the warrants is not effective within a specified period following the consummation of our initial business combination, warrant holders may, until such time as there is an effective registration statement and during any period when we shall have failed to maintain an effective registration statement, exercise warrants on a cashless basis pursuant to the exemption provided by Section 3(a)(9) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Act, provided that such exemption is available. If that exemption, or another exemption, is not available, holders will not be able to exercise their warrants on a cashless basis. | ||
Redemption | We may redeem the outstanding warrants (excluding the private warrants and any warrants issued to our sponsor, officers, directors, initial stockholders or their affiliates in payment of working capital loans made to us) in whole and not in part, at a price of $0.01 per warrant at any time after the warrants become exercisable, upon a minimum of 30 days’ prior written notice of redemption given after the warrants become exercisable, if, and only if, the last sales price of our shares of common stock equals or exceeds $18.00 per share (as adjusted for stock splits, stock dividends, reorganizations and recapitalizations) for any 20 trading days within a 30 trading day period commencing after the warrants become exercisable and ending three business days before we send the notice of redemption; and if, and only if, there is a current registration statement in effect with respect to the shares of common stock underlying such warrants. | |
If the foregoing conditions are satisfied and we issue a notice of redemption, each warrant holder can exercise his, her or its warrant prior to the scheduled redemption date. However, the price of the shares of common stock may fall below the $18.00 trigger price as well as the $11.50 warrant exercise price after the redemption notice is issued. | ||
If we call the warrants for redemption as described above, our management will have the option to require all holders that wish to exercise warrants to do so on a “cashless basis.” In such event, each holder would pay the exercise price by surrendering the warrants for that number of shares of common stock equal to the quotient obtained by dividing (x) the product of the number of shares of common stock underlying the warrants, multiplied by the difference between the exercise price of the warrants and the “fair market value”(defined below) by (y) the fair market value. The “fair market value” shall mean the average reported last sale price of the shares of common stock for the five trading days ending on the third trading day prior to the date on which the notice of redemption is sent to the holders of warrants. | ||
Securities purchased, or being purchased, by insiders in connection with this offering |
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(B) not to convert any shares in connection with a stockholder vote to approve a proposed initial business combination and (C) that the founders’ shares will not participate in any liquidating distributions from our trust account upon winding up if a business combination is not consummated. We also issued 100,000shares to Earlybird Capital and its designees, as described in more detail below. | ||
Simultaneously with the consummation of this offering, the Merida Purchasers and EarlyBirdCapital have committed that they and/or their designees will purchase an aggregate of 3,350,000 private warrants at $1.00 per private warrant for a total purchase price of $3,350,000 pursuant to subscription agreements with us. They have also agreed that if the over-allotment option is exercised by the underwriters in full or in part, they will purchase from us, on a pro rata basis, an additional number of private warrants (up to a maximum of 300,000 private warrants) at a price of $1.00 per private warrant in an amount necessary to maintain in the trust account $10.00 per unit sold to the public in this offering. These additional private warrants will be purchased in a private placement that will occur simultaneously with the purchase of units resulting from the exercise of the over-allotment option. The amounts to be paid upon consummation of the private placement will be placed in escrow with our counsel prior to the consummation of this offering. The private warrants are identical to the warrants sold in this offering except that the private warrants: (i) will not be redeemable by us and (ii) may be exercised for cash or on a cashless basis, as described in this prospectus, in each case so long as they are held by the initial purchasers or any of their permitted transferees. If the private warrants are held by holders other than the initial purchasers or any of their permitted transferees, the private warrants will be redeemable by us and exercisable by the holders on the same basis as the warrants included in the units being sold in this offering. In the event of a liquidation prior to our initial business combination, the private warrants will likely be worthless. | ||
Restrictions on transfer of founders’ shares and private warrants |
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The purchasers of the private warrants have also agreed not to transfer, assign or sell any of the private warrants (except in connection with the same limited exceptions that the founders’ shares may be transferred as described above) until after the completion of our initial business combination. | ||
Representative shares | In August 2019, we issued to EarlyBirdCapital and its designees the 100,000 representative shares. The holders of the representative shares have agreed not to transfer, assign or sell any such shares without our prior consent until the completion of our initial business combination. In addition, the holders of the representative shares have agreed (i) to waive their conversion rights with respect to such shares in connection with the completion of our initial business combination and (ii) to waive their rights to liquidating distributions from the trust account with respect to such shares if we fail to complete our initial business combination within 24months from the closing of this offering. | |
Offering proceeds to be held in trust |
Except as set forth below, the proceeds held in the trust account will not be released until the earlier of the completion of an initial business combination and our redemption of 100% of the outstanding public shares if we have not completed a business combination in the required time period. Therefore, except as set forth below, unless and until an initial business combination is consummated, the proceeds held in the trust account will not be available for our use for any expenses related to this offering or expenses which we may incur related to the investigation and selection of a target business and the negotiation of an agreement to acquire a target business. | |
Notwithstanding the foregoing, there can be released to us from the trust account any interest earned on the funds in the trust account that we need to pay our tax obligations. Additionally, up to $250,000 of interest earned on the funds in the trust account can be released to us for working capital during the first 12months after the date hereof and another $250,000 can be released to us for working capital after the 12-month anniversary of the date hereof. With these exceptions, expenses incurred by us may be paid prior to a business combination only from the net proceeds of this offering not held in the trust account (initially estimated to be $600,000). Additionally, in order to meet our working capital needs following the consummation of this offering if the funds not held in the trust account are insufficient, our sponsor, officers, directors, initial stockholders or their affiliates may, but are not obligated to, loan us funds, from time to time or at any time, in whatever amount they deem reasonable in their sole discretion. Each loan would be evidenced by a promissory note. The notes would either be paid upon consummation of our initial business combination, without interest, or, at the holder’s discretion, up to $1,500,000 of the notes may be converted into warrants at a price of $1.00 per warrant. These warrants would be identical to the private warrants. In the event that the initial business combination does not close, we may use a portion of the working capital held outside the trust account to repay such loaned amounts, but no other proceeds from our trust account would be used for such repayment. | ||
None of the warrants may be exercised until the later of the consummation of a business combination or 12months from the closing of this offering and, thus, after the proceeds of the trust account have been disbursed. Accordingly, the warrant exercise price will be paid directly to us and not placed in the trust account. |
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Limited payments to insiders | There will be no fees, reimbursements or other cash payments paid to our sponsor, officers, directors, initial stockholders or their affiliates for any services they render prior to, or in order to effectuate the consummation of, an initial business combination (regardless of the type of transaction that it is) other than the following payments, none of which will be made from the proceeds of this offering held in the trust account prior to the completion of our initial business combination: | |
• repayment at the closing of this offering of an aggregate of up to $150,000 of non-interest bearing loans that may be made by our sponsor; | ||
• payment of $10,000 per month to Merida Manager III LLC, the general partner of our sponsor, for office space and related services; | ||
• payment of consulting, success or finder fees to our sponsor, officers, directors, initial stockholders or their affiliates in connection with the consummation of our initial business combination; and | ||
• reimbursement of out-of-pocket expenses incurred by them in connection with certain activities on our behalf, such as identifying and investigating possible target businesses and business combinations. | ||
There is no limit on the amount of out-of-pocket expenses reimbursable by us. Our audit committee will review and approve all reimbursements and payments made to our sponsor, officers, directors, initial stockholders or our or their respective affiliates, with any interested director abstaining from such review and approval. | ||
Stockholder approval of initial business combination |
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We chose our net tangible asset threshold of $5,000,001 to ensure that we would avoid being subject to Rule 419 promulgated under the Securities Act. However, if we seek to consummate an initial business combination with a target business that imposes any type of working capital closing condition or requires us to have a minimum amount of funds available from the trust account upon consummation of such initial business combination, we may need to have more than $5,000,001 in net tangible assets and this may force us to seek third party financing which may not be available on terms acceptable to us or at all. As a result, we may not be able to consummate such initial business combination and we may not be able to locate another suitable target within the applicable time period, if at all. | ||
Our initial stockholders and officers and directors and their affiliates have agreed (i) to vote any shares owned by them in favor of any proposed business combination and (ii) not to convert any shares in connection with a stockholder vote to approve a proposed initial business combination. |
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None of our sponsor, initial stockholders, officers, directors or their affiliates has indicated any intention to purchase units in this offering or any units or shares of common stock from persons in the open market or in private transactions. However, if we hold a meeting to approve a proposed business combination and a significant number of stockholders vote, or indicate an intention to vote, against a proposed business combination, our sponsor, initial stockholders, officers, directors or their affiliates could make such purchases in the open market or in private transactions in order to influence any vote held to approve a proposed initial business combination. Notwithstanding the foregoing, our officers, directors, sponsor and their affiliates will not make purchases of shares of common stock if the purchases would violate Section 9(a)(2) or Rule 10b-5 of the Exchange Act, which are rules designed to stop potential manipulation of a company’s stock. | ||
Conversion rights | In connection with any stockholder meeting called to approve a proposed initial business combination, each public stockholder will have the right, regardless of whether he is voting for or against such proposed business combination or does not vote at all, to demand that we convert his shares into a pro rata share of the trust account. | |
We may require public stockholders, whether they are a record holder or hold their shares in “street name,” to either (i) physically deliver their certificates to our transfer agent or (ii) deliver their shares to the transfer agent electronically using Depository Trust Company’s DWAC (Deposit/Withdrawal At Custodian) System, at the holder’s option, in each case prior to a date set forth in the proxy materials sent in connection with the proposal to approve the business combination. There is a nominal cost associated with this process and the act of certificating the shares or delivering them through the DWAC system. The transfer agent will typically charge the broker delivering the shares a nominal amount and it would be up to the broker whether or not to pass this cost on to the converting holder. | ||
Liquidation if no business combination |
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into by Merida Manager III LLC specifically provides for two exceptions to the indemnity it has given: it will have no liability (1) as to any claimed amounts owed to a target business or vendor or other entity who has executed an agreement with us waiving any right, title, interest or claim of any kind they may have in or to any monies held in the trust account, or (2) as to any claims for indemnification by the underwriters of this offering against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act. Marcum LLP, our independent registered public accounting firm, and the underwriters of the offering, will not execute agreements with us waiving such claims to the monies held in the trust account. We have not asked Merida Manager III LLC to reserve for such indemnification obligations, nor have we independently verified whether Merida Manager III LLC has sufficient funds to satisfy its indemnity obligations. Accordingly, we cannot assure you that Merida Manager III LLC will be able to satisfy its indemnification obligations if it is required to do so. | ||
The holders of the founders’ shares and representative shares will not participate in any redemption distribution from our trust account with respect to such shares. | ||
If we are unable to consummate an initial business combination and we expend all of the net proceeds of this offering not deposited in the trust account, we expect that the initial per-share redemption price will be approximately $10.00 (which is equal to the anticipated aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account excluding interest earned on the funds held in the trust account). The proceeds deposited in the trust account could, however, become subject to claims of our creditors that are in preference to the claims of our stockholders. In addition, if we are forced to file a bankruptcy case or an involuntary bankruptcy case is filed against us that is not dismissed, the proceeds held in the trust account could be subject to applicable bankruptcy law, and may be included in our bankruptcy estate and subject to the claims of third parties with priority over the claims of our stockholders. Therefore, we cannot assure you that the actual per-share redemption price will not be less than approximately $10.00. | ||
We will pay the costs of any subsequent liquidation from our remaining assets outside of the trust account. If such funds are insufficient, Merida Manager III LLC has contractually agreed to advance us the funds necessary to complete such liquidation (currently anticipated to be no more than approximately $15,000) and has contractually agreed not to seek repayment for such expenses. | ||
Our sponsor, initial stockholders, officers and directors have agreed that they will not propose any amendment to our amended and restated certificate of incorporation that would affect our public stockholders’ ability to convert their shares in connection with a business combination as described herein or affect the substance or timing of our obligation to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete a business combination within 24months from the closing of this offering unless we provide our public stockholders with the opportunity to convert their shares of common stock upon the approval of any such amendment at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account, including interest not previously released to us but net of taxes payable, divided by the number of then outstanding public shares. This redemption right shall apply in the event of the approval of any such amendment, whether proposed by our sponsor, initial stockholders, executive officers, directors or any other person. |
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Risks
In making your decision on whether to invest in our securities, you should take into account the special risks we face as a blank check company, as well as the fact that this offering is not being conducted in compliance with Rule 419 promulgated under the Securities Act, and, therefore, you will not be entitled to protections normally afforded to investors in Rule 419 blank check offerings. For additional information concerning how Rule 419 blank check offerings differ from this offering, please see “Proposed Business — Comparison to offerings of blank check companies subject to Rule 419.” You should carefully consider these and the other risks set forth in the section entitled “Risk Factors” beginning on page 16 of this prospectus.
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The following table summarizes the relevant financial data for our business and should be read with our financial statements, which are included in this prospectus. We have not had any significant operations to date, and accordingly only balance sheet data is presented.
August 7, 2019 | |||||||
Actual | As Adjusted | ||||||
Balance Sheet Data: |
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Working capital (deficiency)(1) | $ | (7,829 | ) | $ | 100,625,571 | ||
Total assets(1) |
| 33,410 |
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| 100,625,571 | ||
Total liabilities |
| 7,839 |
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| — | ||
Value of common stock subject to possible conversion(2) |
| — |
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| 95,625,570 | ||
Stockholders’ equity(3) |
| 25,571 |
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| 5,000,001 | ||
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(1) The “as adjusted” calculation includes $100,000,000 of cash held in trust from the proceeds of this offering and the sale of the private warrants, plus $600,000 of cash held outside the trust account, plus $25,571 of actual stockholder’s equity at August 7, 2019.
(2) The “as adjusted” calculation equals the “as adjusted” total assets, less the “as adjusted” total liabilities, less the “as adjusted” stockholders’ equity, which is set to approximate the minimum net tangible assets threshold of at least $5,000,001.
(3) Excludes 9,562,557shares of common stock purchased in the public market which are subject to conversion in connection with our initial business combination. The actual number of shares of common stock that may be subject to conversion could exceed the foregoing amount so long as we have net tangible assets of at least $5,000,001 either immediately prior to or upon consummation of the business combination. The “as adjusted” calculation equals the “as adjusted” total assets, less the “as adjusted” total liabilities, less the value of shares of common stock that may be converted in connection with our initial business combination ($10.00 per share).
The “as adjusted” information gives effect to the sale of the units we are offering and the sale of the private warrants, including the payment of the estimated costs of the offering from such sales and the repayment of the accrued and other liabilities required to be repaid.
The “as adjusted” working capital and total assets amounts include the $100,000,000 to be held in the trust account, which, except for limited situations described in this prospectus, will be available to us only upon the consummation of a business combination within the time period described in this prospectus. If a business combination is not so consummated, the trust account, less amounts we are permitted to withdraw from interest earned on the funds in the trust account as described in this prospectus, will be distributed solely to our public stockholders (subject to our obligations under Delaware law to provide for claims of creditors).
We will consummate our initial business combination only if we have net tangible assets of at least $5,000,001 either immediately prior to or upon consummation of the business combination and, solely if we seek stockholder approval, a majority of the outstanding shares of common stock voted are voted in favor of the business combination.
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An investment in our securities involves a high degree of risk. You should consider carefully the risks described below, which we believe represent the material risks related to the offering, together with the other information contained in this prospectus, before making a decision to invest in our units. This prospectus also contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Our actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements as a result of specific factors, including the risks described below.
Risks Associated with Our Business
We are a newly formed company with no operating history and, accordingly, you will not have any basis on which to evaluate our ability to achieve our business objective.
We are a newly formed company with no operating results to date. Therefore, our ability to commence operations is dependent upon obtaining financing through the public offering of our securities. Since we do not have an operating history, you will have no basis upon which to evaluate our ability to achieve our business objective, which is to acquire an operating business. We have not conducted any substantive discussions and we have no plans, arrangements or understandings with any prospective acquisition candidates. We will not generate any revenues until, at the earliest, after the consummation of a business combination.
Our independent registered public accounting firm’s report contains an explanatory paragraph that expresses substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a “going concern.”
As of August7, 2019, we had no cash and a working capital deficiency of $7,829. Further, we have incurred and expect to continue to incur significant costs in pursuit of our finance and acquisition plans. Management’s plans to address this need for capital through this offering are discussed in the section of this prospectus titled“Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.” We cannot assure you that our plans to raise capital or to consummate an initial business combination will be successful. These factors, among others, raise substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern. The financial statements contained elsewhere in this prospectus do not include any adjustments that might result from our inability to consummate this offering or our inability to continue as a going concern.
If we are unable to consummate a business combination, our public stockholders may be forced to wait more than24months before receiving distributions from the trust account.
We have 24months from the closing of this offering in which to complete a business combination. We have no obligation to return funds to investors prior to such date unless we consummate a business combination prior thereto and only then in cases where investors have sought to convert their shares. Only after the expiration of this full time period will public security holders be entitled to distributions from the trust account if we are unable to complete a business combination. Accordingly, investors’ funds may be unavailable to them until after such date and to liquidate your investment, public security holders may be forced to sell their public shares or warrants, potentially at a loss.
You will not be entitled to protections normally afforded to investors of blank check companies.
Since the net proceeds of this offering are intended to be used to complete a business combination with a target business that has not been identified, we may be deemed to be a “blank check” company under the United States securities laws. However, since we will have net tangible assets in excess of $5,000,000 upon the successful consummation of this offering and will file a Current Report on Form 8-K, including an audited balance sheet demonstrating this fact, we are exempt from rules promulgated by the SEC to protect investors of blank check companies such as Rule 419. Accordingly, investors will not be afforded the benefits or protections of those rules which would, for example, completely restrict the transferability of our securities, require us to complete a business combination within 18months of the effective date of the initial registration statement and restrict the use of interest earned on the funds held in the trust account. Because we are not subject to Rule 419, our units will be immediately tradable, we will be entitled to withdraw amounts from the funds held in the trust account prior to the completion of a business combination and we will have a longer period of time to complete such a business combination than we would if we were subject to such rule.
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If we determine to change our acquisition criteria or guidelines, many of the disclosures contained in this prospectus would not be applicable and you would be investing in our company without any basis on which to evaluate the potential target business we may acquire.
We could seek to deviate from the acquisition criteria or guidelines disclosed in this prospectus although we have no current intention to do so. For instance, we currently anticipate acquiring a target business ancillary to the cannabis industry. However, we are not obligated to do so and may determine to merge with or acquire a company which is not ancillary to the cannabis industry if the terms of the transaction are determined by us to be favorable to our public stockholders. In such event, many of the acquisition criteria and guidelines set forth in this prospectus would not be applicable. Accordingly, investors may be making an investment in our company without any basis on which to evaluate the potential target business we may acquire. Additionally, because our sponsor is limited to investing in the legal cannabis industry, to the extent that we seek a business combination with a target in another industry, our sponsor may be required to or may determine to sell our shares of common stock, warrants, and other equity-linked interests that it owns, either to its affiliates, including other Merida Purchasers, or to third parties (subject to the limitations on transfer described elsewhere in this prospectus). Regardless of whether or not we deviate from the acquisition criteria or guidelines in connection with any proposed business combination, investors will always be given the opportunity to convert their shares in connection with any proposed business combination as described in this prospectus.
We may issue shares of our capital stock or debt securities to complete a business combination, which would reduce the equity interest of our stockholders and likely cause a change in control of our ownership.
As of the date of this prospectus, our amended and restated certificate of incorporation will authorize the issuance of up to 50,000,000shares of common stock, par value $.0001 per share, and 1,000,000shares of preferred stock, par value $.0001 per share. Immediately after this offering and the purchase of the private warrants (assuming no exercise of the underwriters’ over-allotment option), there will be 29,050,000authorized but unissued shares of common stock available for issuance (after appropriate reservation for the issuance of the shares underlying the public and private warrants). Although we have no commitment as of the date of this offering, we may issue a substantial number of additional shares of common stock or shares of preferred stock, or a combination of common stock and preferred stock, to complete a business combination. The issuance of additional shares of common stock will not reduce the per-share conversion amount in the trust account. The issuance of additional shares of common stock or preferred stock:
• may significantly reduce the equity interest of investors in this offering;
• may subordinate the rights of holders of shares of common stock if we issue shares of preferred stock with rights senior to those afforded to our shares of common stock;
• may cause a change in control if a substantial number of shares of common stock are issued, which may affect, among other things, our ability to use our net operating loss carry forwards, if any, and could result in the resignation or removal of our present officers and directors; and
• may adversely affect prevailing market prices for our shares of common stock.
Similarly, if we issue debt securities, it could result in:
• default and foreclosure on our assets if our operating revenues after a business combination are insufficient to repay our debt obligations;
• acceleration of our obligations to repay the indebtedness even if we make all principal and interest payments when due if we breach certain covenants that require the maintenance of certain financial ratios or reserves without a waiver or renegotiation of that covenant;
• our immediate payment of all principal and accrued interest, if any, if the debt security is payable on demand; and
• our inability to obtain necessary additional financing if the debt security contains covenants restricting our ability to obtain such financing while the debt security is outstanding.
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If we incur indebtedness, our lenders will not have a claim on the cash in the trust account and such indebtedness will not decrease the per-share conversion amount in the trust account.
If the net proceeds of this offering not being held in trust are insufficient to allow us to operate for at least the next24months, we may be unable to complete a business combination.
Of the net proceeds of this offering, only approximately $600,000 will be available to us initially outside the trust account to fund our working capital requirements. We will also have access to interest earned on the funds held in the trust account to pay our tax obligations. Additionally, up to $250,000 of interest earned on the funds in the trust account can be released to us for working capital during the first 12months after the date hereof and another $250,000 can be released to us for working capital after the 12-month anniversary of the date hereof. We believe that, upon closing of this offering, such funds will be sufficient to allow us to operate for at least the next 24months; however, we cannot assure you that our estimate is accurate. Accordingly, if we use all of the funds held outside of the trust account and all interest available to us, we may not have sufficient funds available with which to structure, negotiate or close an initial business combination. In such event, we would need to borrow funds from our sponsor, officers or directors or their affiliates to operate or may be forced to liquidate. Our sponsor, initial stockholders, officers, directors and their affiliates may, but are not obligated to, loan us funds, from time to time or at any time, in whatever amount that they deem reasonable in their sole discretion for our working capital needs. Each loan would be evidenced by a promissory note. The notes would either be paid upon consummation of our initial business combination, without interest, or, at holder’s discretion, up to $1,500,000 of the notes may be converted into warrants at a price of $1.00 per warrant.
If third parties bring claims against us, the proceeds held in trust could be reduced and the per-share redemption price received by stockholders may be less than $10.00.
Our placing of funds in trust may not protect those funds from third party claims against us. Although we will seek to have all vendors and service providers we engage and prospective target businesses we negotiate with execute agreements with us waiving any right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to any monies held in the trust account for the benefit of our public stockholders, they may not execute such agreements. Furthermore, even if such entities execute such agreements with us, they may seek recourse against the trust account. A court may not uphold the validity of such agreements. Accordingly, the proceeds held in trust could be subject to claims which could take priority over those of our public stockholders. If we are unable to complete a business combination and distribute the proceeds held in trust to our public stockholders, Merida Manager III LLC has agreed (subject to certain exceptions described elsewhere in this prospectus) that it will be liable to ensure that the proceeds in the trust account are not reduced below $10.00 per share by the claims of target businesses or claims of vendors or other entities that are owed money by us for services rendered or contracted for or products sold to us. However, we have not asked it to reserve for such indemnification obligations, nor have we independently verified whether it has sufficient funds to satisfy its indemnity obligations. Therefore, we cannot assure you it will be able to satisfy its indemnification obligations if it is required to do so. As a result, the per-share distribution from the trust account may be less than $10.00, plus interest, due to such claims.
Additionally, if we are forced to file a bankruptcy case or an involuntary bankruptcy case is filed against us which is not dismissed, the proceeds held in the trust account could be subject to applicable bankruptcy law, and may be included in our bankruptcy estate and subject to the claims of third parties with priority over the claims of our stockholders. To the extent any bankruptcy claims deplete the trust account, we may not be able to return to our public stockholders at least $10.00.
Our stockholders may be held liable for claims by third parties against us to the extent of distributions received bythem.
Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that we will continue in existence only until 24months from the closing of this offering. If we have not completed a business combination by such date, we will (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, redeem 100% of the outstanding public shares, at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account, including any interest not previously released to us, 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 of directors, dissolve and liquidate, subject (in the case of (ii) and (iii) above) to our obligations under Delaware law to provide for claims of creditors and the requirements of other applicable law. We cannot assure you that we will properly assess all claims that may be potentially brought against us. As such, our stockholders could potentially be liable for any
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claims to the extent of distributions received by them (but no more) and any liability of our stockholders may extend well beyond the third anniversary of the date of distribution. Accordingly, we cannot assure you that third parties will not seek to recover from our stockholders amounts owed to them by us.
If we are forced to file a bankruptcy case or an involuntary bankruptcy case is filed against us which is not dismissed, any distributions received by stockholders could be viewed under applicable debtor/creditor and/or bankruptcy laws as either a “preferential transfer” or a “fraudulent conveyance.” As a result, a bankruptcy court could seek to recover all amounts received by our stockholders. Furthermore, because we intend to distribute the proceeds held in the trust account to our public stockholders promptly after expiration of the time we have to complete an initial business combination, this may be viewed or interpreted as giving preference to our public stockholders over any potential creditors with respect to access to or distributions from our assets. Furthermore, our board may be viewed as having breached their fiduciary duties to our creditors and/or may have acted in bad faith, and thereby exposing itself and our company to claims of punitive damages, by paying public stockholders from the trust account prior to addressing the claims of creditors. We cannot assure you that claims will not be brought against us for these reasons.
Our directors may decide not to enforce Merida Manager III LLC’s indemnification obligations, resulting in a reduction in the amount of funds in the trust account available for distribution to our public stockholders.
In the event that the proceeds in the trust account are reduced below $10.00 per public share and Merida Manager III LLC asserts that it is unable to satisfy its obligations or that it has no indemnification obligations related to a particular claim, our independent directors would determine whether to take legal action against it to enforce such indemnification obligations. It is possible that our independent directors in exercising their business judgment may choose not to do so in any particular instance. If our independent directors choose not to enforce these indemnification obligations, the amount of funds in the trust account available for distribution to our public stockholders may be reduced below $10.00 per share.
If we do not file and maintain a current and effective prospectus relating to the common stock issuable upon exercise of the warrants, holders will only be able to exercise such warrants on a “cashless basis.”
If we do not file and maintain a current and effective prospectus relating to the common stock issuable upon exercise of the warrants at the time that holders wish to exercise such warrants, they will only be able to exercise them on a “cashless basis” provided that an exemption from registration is available. As a result, the number of shares of common stock that holders will receive upon exercise of the warrants will be fewer than it would have been had such holder exercised his warrant for cash. Further, if an exemption from registration is not available, holders would not be able to exercise on a cashless basis and would only be able to exercise their warrants for cash if a current and effective prospectus relating to the common stock issuable upon exercise of the warrants is available. Under the terms of the warrant agreement, we have agreed to use our best efforts to meet these conditions and to file and maintain a current and effective prospectus relating to the common stock issuable upon exercise of the warrants until the expiration of the warrants. However, we cannot assure you that we will be able to do so. If we are unable to do so, the potential “upside” of the holder’s investment in our company may be reduced or the warrants may expire worthless.
An investor will only be able to exercise a warrant if the issuance of shares of common stock upon such exercise has been registered or qualified or is deemed exempt under the securities laws of the state of residence of the holder of the warrants.
No warrants will be exercisable and we will not be obligated to issue shares of common stock unless the shares of common stock issuable upon such exercise has been registered or qualified or deemed to be exempt under the securities laws of the state of residence of the holder of the warrants. If the shares of common stock issuable upon exercise of the warrants are not qualified or exempt from qualification in the jurisdictions in which the holders of the warrants reside, the warrants may be deprived of any value, the market for the warrants may be limited and they may expire worthless if they cannot be sold.
The private warrants may be exercised at a time when the public warrants may not be exercised.
Once the private warrants become exercisable, such warrants may immediately be exercised on a cashless basis, at the holder’s option, so long as they are held by the initial purchasers or their permitted transferees. The public warrants, however, will only be exercisable on a cashless basis at the option of the holders if we fail to register the shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants under the Securities Act within 90 days following the closing of our initial business combination. Accordingly, it is possible that the holders of the private warrants could exercise such warrants at a time when the holders of public warrants could not.
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We may amend the terms of the warrants in a manner that may be adverse to holders with the approval by the holders of at least 50% of the then outstanding public warrants.
Our warrants will be issued in registered form under a warrant agreement between Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, as warrant agent, and us. The warrant agreement provides that the terms of the warrants may be amended without the consent of any holder to cure any ambiguity or correct any defective provision. The warrant agreement requires the approval by the holders of at least 50% of the then outstanding public warrants in order to make any change that adversely affects the interests of the registered holders.
A provision of our warrant agreement may make it more difficult for us to consummate an initial business combination.
If:
• we issue additional shares of common stock or equity-linked securities for capital raising purposes in connection with the closing of our initial business combination at an issue price or effective issue price of less than $9.20 per share of common stock,
• the aggregate gross proceeds from such issuances represent more than 60% of the total equity proceeds, and interest thereon, available for the funding of our initial business combination on the date of the consummation of our initial business combination (net of redemptions), and
• the Market Value is below $9.20 per share,
then the exercise price of the warrants will be adjusted to be equal to 115% of the higher of the Market Value and the price at which we issue the additional shares of common stock or equity-linked securities. This may make it more difficult for us to consummate an initial business combination with a target business.
Since we have not yet selected a particular industry or target business with which to complete a business combination, we are unable to currently ascertain the merits or risks of the industry or business in which we may ultimately operate.
We may pursue an acquisition opportunity in any business industry or sector, although we intend to focus on companies in the cannabis industry as described in this prospectus. Accordingly, there is no current basis for you to evaluate the possible merits or risks of the particular industry in which we may ultimately operate or the target business which we may ultimately acquire. To the extent we complete a business combination with a financially unstable company or an entity in its development stage, we may be affected by numerous risks inherent in the business operations of those entities. If we complete a business combination with an entity in an industry characterized by a high level of risk, we may be affected by the currently unascertainable risks of that industry. Although our management will endeavor to evaluate the risks inherent in a particular industry or target business, we cannot assure you that we will properly ascertain or assess all of the significant risk factors. We also cannot assure you that an investment in our units will not ultimately prove to be less favorable to investors in this offering than a direct investment, if an opportunity were available, in a target business.
Our ability to successfully effect a business combination and to be successful thereafter will be totally dependent upon the efforts of our key personnel, some of whom may join us following a business combination. While we intend to closely scrutinize any individuals we engage after a business combination, we cannot assure you that our assessment of these individuals will prove to be correct.
Our ability to successfully effect a business combination is dependent upon the efforts of our key personnel. We believe that our success depends on the continued service of our key personnel, at least until we have consummated our initial business combination. We cannot assure you that any of our key personnel will remain with us for the immediate or foreseeable future. In addition, none of our officers is required to commit any specified amount of time to our affairs and, accordingly, our officers will have conflicts of interest in allocating management time among various business activities, including identifying potential business combinations and monitoring the related due diligence. We do not have employment agreements with, or key-man insurance on the life of, any of our officers. The unexpected loss of the services of our key personnel could have a detrimental effect on us.
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The role of our key personnel after a business combination, however, cannot presently be ascertained. Although some of our key personnel serve in senior management or advisory positions following a business combination, it is likely that most, if not all, of the management of the target business will remain in place. While we intend to closely scrutinize any individuals we engage after a business combination, we cannot assure you that our assessment of these individuals will prove to be correct. These individuals may be unfamiliar with the requirements of operating a public company which could cause us to have to expend time and resources helping them become familiar with such requirements. This could be expensive and time-consuming and could lead to various regulatory issues which may adversely affect our operations.
Our officers and directors may not have significant experience or knowledge regarding the jurisdiction or industry of the target business we may seek to acquire.
We may consummate a business combination with a target business in any geographic location or industry we choose, although we intend to focus on companies or assets ancillary to the cannabis industry. We cannot assure you that our officers and directors will have enough experience or have sufficient knowledge relating to the jurisdiction of the target or its industry to make an informed decision regarding a business combination.
Our key personnel may negotiate employment or consulting agreements with a target business in connection with a particular business combination. These agreements may provide for them to receive compensation following a business combination and as a result, may cause them to have conflicts of interest in determining whether a particular business combination is the most advantageous.
Our key personnel will be able to remain with the company after the consummation of a business combination only if they are able to negotiate employment or consulting agreements or other appropriate arrangements in connection with the business combination. Such negotiations would take place simultaneously with the negotiation of the business combination and could provide for such individuals to receive compensation in the form of cash payments and/or our securities for services they would render to the company after the consummation of the business combination. The personal and financial interests of such individuals may influence their motivation in identifying and selecting a target business.
Our officers and directors will allocate their time to other businesses thereby causing conflicts of interest in their determination as to how much time to devote to our affairs. This could have a negative impact on our ability to consummate a business combination.
Our officers and directors will not commit their full time to our affairs. We presently expect each of our officers and directors to devote such amount of time as they reasonably believe is necessary to our business. We do not intend to have any full time employees prior to the consummation of our initial business combination. The foregoing could have a negative impact on our ability to consummate our initial business combination.
Our officers and directors may have a conflict of interest in determining whether a particular target business is appropriate for a business combination.
Our initial stockholders, including our officers and directors, have waived their right to convert the founders’ shares or any other shares purchased in this offering or thereafter, or to receive distributions from the trust account with respect to the founders’ shares upon our liquidation if we are unable to consummate a business combination. Accordingly, the shares acquired prior to this offering, as well as the private warrants and any warrants purchased by our officers or directors in the aftermarket, will be worthless if we do not consummate a business combination. The personal and financial interests of our directors and officers may influence their motivation in timely identifying and selecting a target business and completing a business combination and in determining whether the terms, conditions and timing of a particular business combination are appropriate and in our stockholders’ best interest.
Our sponsor may have a conflict of interest in determining whether a particular target business is appropriate for a business combination.
While we intend to focus our search for an initial business combination target on businesses in the legal cannabis industry, we are not limited to this industry and we may pursue a business combination opportunity in any business or industry we choose and we may pursue a company with operations or opportunities outside of the United States. However, our sponsor is limited to investing in the legal cannabis industry, and, to the extent that we seek a business combination with a target in another industry, our sponsor may be required to or may determine to sell our shares of common stock, warrants, and other equity-linked interests that it owns, either to its affiliates, including other Merida Purchasers, or to third parties (subject to the transfer limitations described elsewhere in this prospectus), in connection with the business combination. If that occurs, our sponsor and our officers and directors affiliated with Merida may have interests that differ from yours.
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Our officers and directors or their affiliates have pre-existing fiduciary and contractual obligations and may in the future become affiliated with other entities engaged in business activities similar to those intended to be conducted by us. Accordingly, they may have conflicts of interest in determining to which entity a particular business opportunity should be presented.
Our officers and directors or their affiliates have pre-existing fiduciary and contractual obligations to other companies. Accordingly, they may participate in transactions and have obligations that may be in conflict or competition with our consummation of our initial business combination. As a result, a potential target business may be presented by our management team to another entity prior to its presentation to us and we may not be afforded the opportunity to engage in a transaction with such target business. Specifically, certain of our officers and directors are affiliated with Merida Capital Partners and its related funds. Additionally, our officers and directors may in the future become affiliated with entities that are engaged in a similar business, including another blank check company that may have acquisition objectives that are similar to ours. Accordingly, they may have conflicts of interest in determining to which entity a particular business opportunity should be presented. These conflicts may not be resolved in our favor and a potential target business may be presented to other entities prior to its presentation to us, subject to our officers’ and directors’ fiduciary duties under Delaware law. For a more detailed description of our officers’ and directors’ business affiliations and the potential conflicts of interest that you should be aware of, see the sections titled “Management — Directors and Executive Officers” and “Management — Conflicts of Interest.”
EarlyBirdCapital may have a conflict of interest in rendering services to us in connection with our initial business combination.
We have engaged EarlyBirdCapital to assist us in connection with our initial business combination. We will pay EarlyBirdCapital a cash fee for such services in an aggregate amount equal to up to 3.5% of the total gross proceeds raised in the offering only if we consummate our initial business combination. The private warrants purchased by EarlyBirdCapital and its designees and the representative shares will also be worthless if we do not consummate an initial business combination. These financial interests may result in EarlyBirdCapital having a conflict of interest when providing the services to us in connection with an initial business combination.
Our securities may be delisted which could limit investors’ ability to make transactions in our securities and subject us to additional trading restrictions.
We anticipate that our securities will be listed on Nasdaq and NEO upon consummation of this offering. We cannot assure you that our securities will be listed on Nasdaq and NEO or continue to be listed on such exchanges in the future prior to an initial business combination. Additionally, in connection with our initial business combination, it is likely that the exchanges will require us to file a new initial listing application and meet initial listing requirements as opposed to more lenient continued listing requirements. We cannot assure you that we will be able to meet those initial listing requirements at that time. The exchanges will also have discretionary authority to not approve our listing if they determine that the listing of the company to be acquired is against public policy at that time.
If our securities are delisted from trading on the exchanges, or we are not listed in connection with our initial business combination, we could face significant material adverse consequences, including:
• a limited availability of market quotations for our securities;
• reduced liquidity with respect to our securities;
• a determination that our shares of common stock are “penny stock” which will require brokers trading in our shares of common stock to adhere to more stringent rules, possibly resulting in a reduced level of trading activity in the secondary trading market for our shares of common stock;
• a limited amount of news and analyst coverage for our company; and
• a decreased ability to issue additional securities or obtain additional financing in the future.
The National Securities Markets Improvement Act of 1996, which is a federal statute, prevents or preempts the states from regulating the sale of certain securities, which are referred to as “covered securities.” Because we expect that our units and eventually our common stock and warrants will be listed on Nasdaq, our units, common stock and
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warrants will be covered securities. Although the states are preempted from regulating the sale of our securities, the federal statute does allow the states to investigate companies if there is a suspicion of fraud, and, if there is a finding of fraudulent activity, then the states can regulate or bar the sale of covered securities in a particular case. While we are not aware of a state having used these powers to prohibit or restrict the sale of securities issued by blank check companies, certain state securities regulators view blank check companies unfavorably and might use these powers, or threaten to use these powers, to hinder the sale of securities of blank check companies in their states. Further, if we were no longer listed on Nasdaq, our securities would not be covered securities and we would be subject to regulation in each state in which we offer our securities.
We are an “emerging growth company” and we cannot be certain if the reduced disclosure requirements applicable to emerging growth companies will make our shares of common stock less attractive to investors.
We are an “emerging growth company,” as defined in the JOBS Act. We will remain an “emerging growth company” for up to five years. However, if our non-convertible debt issued within a three year period or revenues exceeds $1.07billion, or the market value of our shares of common stock that are held by non-affiliates exceeds $700million on the last day of the second fiscal quarter of any given fiscal year, we would cease to be an emerging growth company as of the following fiscal year. As an emerging growth company, we are not required to comply with the auditor attestation requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, we have reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation in our periodic reports and proxy statements and we are exempt from the requirements of holding a nonbinding advisory vote on executive compensation and stockholder approval of any golden parachute payments not previously approved. Additionally, as an emerging growth company, we have elected to delay the adoption of new or revised accounting standards that have different effective dates for public and private companies until those standards apply to private companies. As such, our financial statements may not be comparable to companies that comply with public company effective dates. We cannot predict if investors will find our shares of common stock less attractive because we may rely on these provisions. If some investors find our shares of common stock less attractive as a result, there may be a less active trading market for our shares and our share price may be more volatile.
We may only be able to complete one business combination with the proceeds of this offering, which will cause us to be solely dependent on a single business which may have a limited number of products or services.
It is likely we will consummate a business combination with a single target business, although we have the ability to simultaneously acquire several target businesses. By consummating a business combination with only a single entity, our lack of diversification may subject us to numerous economic, competitive and regulatory developments. Further, we would not be able to diversify our operations or benefit from the possible spreading of risks or offsetting of losses, unlike other entities which may have the resources to complete several business combinations in different industries or different areas of a single industry. Accordingly, the prospects for our success may be:
• solely dependent upon the performance of a single business, or
• dependent upon the development or market acceptance of a single or limited number of products, processes or services.
This lack of diversification may subject us to numerous economic, competitive and regulatory developments, any or all of which may have a substantial adverse impact upon the particular industry in which we may operate subsequent to a business combination.
Alternatively, if we determine to simultaneously acquire several businesses and such businesses are owned by different sellers, we will need for each of such sellers to agree that our purchase of its business is contingent on the simultaneous closings of the other business combinations, which may make it more difficult for us, and delay our ability, to complete the business combination. With multiple business combinations, we could also face additional risks, including additional burdens and costs with respect to possible multiple negotiations and due diligence investigations (if there are multiple sellers) and the additional risks associated with the subsequent assimilation of the operations and services or products of the acquired companies in a single operating business. If we are unable to adequately address these risks, it could negatively impact our profitability and results of operations.
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The ability of our stockholders to exercise their conversion rights may not allow us to effectuate the most desirable business combination or optimize our capital structure.
If our business combination requires us to use substantially all of our cash to pay the purchase price, because we will not know how many stockholders may exercise conversion rights, we may either need to reserve part of the trust account for possible payment upon such conversion, or we may need to arrange third party financing to help fund our business combination. In the event that the acquisition involves the issuance of our stock as consideration, we may be required to issue a higher percentage of our stock to make up for a shortfall in funds. Raising additional funds to cover any shortfall may involve dilutive equity financing or incurring indebtedness at higher than desirable levels. This may limit our ability to effectuate the most attractive business combination available to us.
In connection with any vote to approve a business combination, we will offer each public stockholder the option to vote in favor of a proposed business combination and still seek conversion of his, her or its shares.
In connection with any vote to approve a business combination, we will offer each public stockholder (but not our sponsor, officers or directors) the right to have his, her or its shares of common stock converted to cash (subject to the limitations described elsewhere in this prospectus) regardless of whether such stockholder votes for or against such proposed business combination or does not vote at all. The ability to seek conversion while voting in favor of our proposed business combination may make it more likely that we will consummate a business combination.
In connection with any stockholder meeting called to approve a proposed initial business combination, we may require stockholders who wish to convert their shares in connection with a proposed business combination to comply with specific requirements for conversion that may make it more difficult for them to exercise their conversion rights prior to the deadline for exercising their rights.
In connection with any stockholder meeting called to approve a proposed initial business combination, each public stockholder will have the right, regardless of whether he is voting for or against such proposed business combination or does not vote at all, to demand that we convert his shares into a pro rata share of the trust account as of two business days prior to the consummation of the initial business combination. We may require public stockholders who wish to convert their shares in connection with a proposed business combination to either (i) deliver their certificates to our transfer agent or (ii) deliver their shares to the transfer agent electronically using the Depository Trust Company’s DWAC (Deposit/Withdrawal At Custodian) System, at the holders’ option, in each case prior to a date set forth in the proxy materials sent in connection with the proposal to approve the business combination. In order to obtain a physical stock certificate, a stockholder’s broker and/or clearing broker, DTC and our transfer agent will need to act to facilitate this request. It is our understanding that stockholders should generally allot at least two weeks to obtain physical certificates from the transfer agent. However, because we do not have any control over this process or over the brokers or DTC, it may take significantly longer than two weeks to obtain a physical stock certificate. While we have been advised that it takes a short time to deliver shares through the DWAC System, we cannot assure you of this fact. Accordingly, if it takes longer than we anticipate for stockholders to deliver their shares, stockholders who wish to convert may be unable to meet the deadline for exercising their conversion rights and thus may be unable to convert their shares.
If, in connection with any stockholder meeting called to approve a proposed business combination, we require public stockholders who wish to convert their shares to comply with specific requirements for conversion, such converting stockholders may be unable to sell their securities when they wish to in the event that the proposed business combination is not approved.
If we require public stockholders who wish to convert their shares to comply with specific requirements for conversion and such proposed business combination is not consummated, we will promptly return such certificates to the public stockholders. Accordingly, investors who attempted to convert their shares in such a circumstance will be unable to sell their securities after the failed acquisition until we have returned their securities to them. The market price for our shares of common stock may decline during this time and you may not be able to sell your securities when you wish to, even while other stockholders that did not seek conversion may be able to sell their securities.
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Because of our structure, other companies may have a competitive advantage and we may not be able to consummate an attractive business combination.
We expect to encounter intense competition from entities other than blank check companies having a business objective similar to ours, including venture capital funds, leveraged buyout funds and operating businesses competing for acquisitions. Many of these entities are well established and have extensive experience in identifying and effecting business combinations directly or through affiliates. Many of these competitors possess greater technical, human and other resources than we do and our financial resources will be relatively limited when contrasted with those of many of these competitors. While we believe that there are numerous potential target businesses that we could acquire with the net proceeds of this offering, our ability to compete in acquiring certain sizable target businesses will be limited by our available financial resources. This inherent competitive limitation gives others an advantage in pursuing the acquisition of certain target businesses. Furthermore, seeking stockholder approval in connection with any proposed business combination may delay the consummation of such a transaction. Additionally, our outstanding warrants, and the future dilution they potentially represent, may not be viewed favorably by certain target businesses. Any of the foregoing may place us at a competitive disadvantage in successfully negotiating a business combination.
We may be unable to obtain additional financing, if required, to complete a business combination or to fund the operations and growth of the target business, which could compel us to restructure or abandon a particular business combination.
Although we believe that the net proceeds of this offering, together with interest earned on the funds held in the trust account available to us, will be sufficient to allow us to consummate a business combination, because we have not yet identified any prospective target business, we cannot ascertain the capital requirements for any particular transaction. If the net proceeds of this offering prove to be insufficient, either because of the size of the business combination, the depletion of the available net proceeds in search of a target business, or the obligation to convert into cash a significant number of shares from dissenting stockholders, we will be required to seek additional financing. Such financing may not be available on acceptable terms, if at all. To the extent that additional financing proves to be unavailable when needed to consummate a particular business combination, we would be compelled to either restructure the transaction or abandon that particular business combination and seek an alternative target business candidate. In addition, if we consummate a business combination, we may require additional financing to fund the operations or growth of the target business. The failure to secure additional financing could have a material adverse effect on the continued development or growth of the target business. None of our sponsor, officers, directors or stockholders is required to provide any financing to us in connection with or after a business combination.
Our initial stockholders will control a substantial interest in us and thus may influence certain actions requiring a stockholder vote.
Upon consummation of our offering, our initial stockholders will own approximately 20% of our issued and outstanding shares of common stock (assuming they do not purchase any units in this offering). None of our sponsor, officers, directors, initial stockholders or their affiliates has indicated any intention to purchase units in this offering or any units or shares of common stock from persons in the open market or in private transactions. However, our sponsor, officers, directors, initial stockholders or their affiliates could determine in the future to make such purchases in the open market or in private transactions, to the extent permitted by law, in order to influence the vote or magnitude of the number of shareholders seeking to convert their shares for a pro rata portion of the trust account. In connection with any vote for a proposed business combination, our initial stockholders, as well as all of our officers and directors, have agreed to vote the shares of common stock owned by them immediately before this offering as well as any shares of common stock acquired in this offering or in the aftermarket in favor of such proposed business combination.
Our board of directors is and will be divided into three classes, each of which will generally serve for a term of three years with only one class of directors being elected in each year. It is unlikely that there will be an annual meeting of stockholders to elect new directors prior to the consummation of a business combination, in which case all of the current directors will continue in office until at least the consummation of the business combination. Accordingly, you may not be able to exercise your voting rights under corporate law for up to 24months. If there is an annual meeting, as a consequence of our “staggered” board of directors, only a minority of the board of directors will be considered for election and our sponsor, because of their ownership position, will have considerable influence regarding the outcome. Accordingly, our initial stockholders will continue to exert control at least until the consummation of a business combination.
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Our initial stockholders and the holders of the representative shares paid a nominal price for the founders’ shares and representative shares and, accordingly, you will experience immediate and substantial dilution from the purchase of our shares of common stock.
The difference between the public offering price per share and the pro forma net tangible book value per share of common stock after this offering constitutes the dilution to the investors in this offering. Our initial stockholders and the holders of the representative shares acquired the founders’ shares and representative shares at a nominal price, significantly contributing to this dilution. Upon consummation of this offering, you and the other new investors will incur an immediate and substantial dilution of approximately 83.5% or $8.35 per share (the difference between the pro forma net tangible book value per share $1.65, and the initial offering price of $10.00 per unit). This is because investors in this offering will be contributing approximately 99.97% of the total amount paid to us for our outstanding securities after this offering but will only own approximately 79.4% of our outstanding shares and this becomes exacerbated to the extent that public stockholders seek to convert their shares into a pro rata share of the trust proceeds. Accordingly, the per-share purchase price you will be paying substantially exceeds our per share net tangible book value.
Our outstanding warrants may have an adverse effect on the market price of our common stock and make it more difficult to effect a business combination.
We will be issuing warrants to purchase 5,000,000shares of common stock as part of the units offered by this prospectus and private warrants to purchase 3,350,000shares of common stock. We may also issue other warrants to our sponsor, initial stockholders, officers, directors or their affiliates in payment of working capital loans made to us as described in this prospectus. To the extent we issue shares of common stock to effect a business combination, the potential for the issuance of a substantial number of additional shares upon exercise of these warrants could make us a less attractive acquisition vehicle in the eyes of a target business. Such securities, when exercised, will increase the number of issued and outstanding shares of common stock and reduce the value of the shares issued to complete the business combination. Accordingly, our warrants may make it more difficult to effectuate a business combination or increase the cost of acquiring the target business. Additionally, the sale, or even the possibility of sale, of the shares underlying the warrants could have an adverse effect on the market price for our securities or on our ability to obtain future financing. If and to the extent these warrants are exercised, you may experience dilution to your holdings.
We may redeem your unexpired warrants prior to their exercise at a time that is disadvantageous to you, thereby making your warrants worthless.
We have the ability to redeem outstanding warrants (excluding the private warrants and any warrants underlying additional units issued to our sponsor, officers or directors in payment of working capital loans made to us) at any time after they become exercisable and prior to their expiration, at a price of $0.01 per warrant, provided that the last reported sales price of the common stock equals or exceeds $18.00 per share (as adjusted for stock splits, stock dividends, reorganizations and recapitalizations) for any 20 trading days within a 30 trading-day period commencing after the warrants become exercisable and ending on the third business day prior to proper notice of such redemption provided that on the date we give notice of redemption and during the entire period thereafter until the time we redeem the warrants, we have an effective registration statement under the Securities Act covering the shares of common stock issuable upon exercise of the warrants and a current prospectus relating to them is available. If and when the warrants become redeemable by us, we may exercise our redemption right even if we are unable to register or qualify the underlying securities for sale under all applicable state securities laws. Redemption of the outstanding warrants could force you (i) to exercise your warrants and pay the exercise price therefor at a time when it may be disadvantageous for you to do so, (ii) to sell your warrants at the then-current market price when you might otherwise wish to hold your warrants or (iii) to accept the nominal redemption price which, at the time the outstanding warrants are called for redemption, is likely to be substantially less than the market value of your warrants. None of the private warrants will be redeemable by us so long as they are held by the initial purchasers or their permitted transferees.
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Our management’s ability to require holders of our warrants to exercise such warrants on a cashless basis will cause holders to receive fewer shares of common stock upon their exercise of the warrants than they would have received had they been able to exercise their warrants for cash.
If we call our public warrants for redemption after the redemption criteria described elsewhere in this prospectus have been satisfied, our management will have the option to require any holder that wishes to exercise his warrant (including any private warrants) to do so on a “cashless basis.” If our management chooses to require holders to exercise their warrants on a cashless basis, the number of shares of common stock received by a holder upon exercise will be fewer than it would have been had such holder exercised his warrant for cash. This will have the effect of reducing the potential “upside” of the holder’s investment in our company.
If our security holders exercise their registration rights, it may have an adverse effect on the market price of our shares of common stock and the existence of these rights may make it more difficult to effect a business combination.
Our initial stockholders are entitled to make a demand that we register the resale of the founders’ shares at any time commencing three months prior to the date on which their shares may be released from escrow. Additionally, the holders of representative shares, the private warrants and any warrants our sponsor, initial stockholders, officers, directors, or their affiliates may be issued in payment of working capital loans made to us, are entitled to demand that we register the resale of the representative shares, private warrants and any other warrants we issue to them (and the underlying securities) commencing at any time after we consummate an initial business combination. The presence of these additional securities trading in the public market may have an adverse effect on the market price of our securities. In addition, the existence of these rights may make it more difficult to effectuate a business combination or increase the cost of acquiring the target business, as the stockholders of the target business may be discouraged from entering into a business combination with us or will request a higher price for their securities because of the potential effect the exercise of such rights may have on the trading market for our shares of common stock.
If we are deemed to be an investment company, we may be required to institute burdensome compliance requirements and our activities may be restricted, which may make it difficult for us to complete a business combination.
A company that, among other things, is or holds itself out as being engaged primarily, or proposes to engage primarily, in the business of investing, reinvesting, owning, trading or holding certain types of securities would be deemed an investment company under the Investment Company Act, as amended, or the Investment Company Act. Since we will invest the proceeds held in the trust account, it is possible that we could be deemed an investment company. Notwithstanding the foregoing, we do not believe that our anticipated principal activities will subject us to the Investment Company Act. To this end, the proceeds held in trust may be invested by the trustee only in United States “government securities” within the meaning of Section 2(a)(16) of the Investment Company Act having a maturity of 180 days or less or in money market funds meeting certain conditions under Rule 2a-7 promulgated under the Investment Company Act which invest only in direct U.S. government treasury obligations. By restricting the investment of the proceeds to these instruments, we intend to meet the requirements for the exemption provided in Rule 3a-1 promulgated under the Investment Company Act.
If we are nevertheless deemed to be an investment company under the Investment Company Act, we may be subject to certain restrictions that may make it more difficult for us to complete a business combination, including:
• restrictions on the nature of our investments; and
• restrictions on the issuance of securities.
In addition, we may have imposed upon us certain burdensome requirements, including:
• registration as an investment company;
• adoption of a specific form of corporate structure; and
• reporting, record keeping, voting, proxy, compliance policies and procedures and disclosure requirements and other rules and regulations.
Compliance with these additional regulatory burdens would require additional expense for which we have not allotted.
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The determination for the offering price of our units is more arbitrary than the pricing of securities for an operating company in a particular industry.
Prior to this offering there has been no public market for any of our securities. The public offering price of the units and the terms of the warrants were negotiated between us and EarlyBirdCapital. Factors considered in determining the prices and terms of the units, including the shares of common stock and warrants underlying the units, include:
• the history and prospects of companies whose principal business is the acquisition of other companies;
• prior offerings of those companies;
• our prospects for acquiring an operating business at attractive values;
• our capital structure;
• an assessment of our management and their experience in identifying operating companies; and
• general conditions of the securities markets at the time of the offering.
However, although these factors were considered, the determination of our offering price is more arbitrary than the pricing of securities for an operating company in a particular industry since we have no historical operations or financial results to compare them to.
Because each unit contains one-half of one redeemable warrant and only a whole warrant may be exercised, the units may be worth less than units of other blank check companies.
Each unit contains one-half of one redeemable warrant. No fractional warrants will be issued upon separation of the units and only whole warrants will trade. Accordingly, unless you purchase a multiple of two units, the number of warrants issuable to you upon separation of the units will be rounded down to the nearest whole number of warrants. This is different from other offerings similar to ours whose units include one share of common stock and one warrant to purchase one whole share. We have established the components of the units in this way in order to reduce the dilutive effect of the warrants upon completion of an initial business combination since the warrants will be exercisable in the aggregate for three-quarters of the number of shares compared to units that each contain a warrant to purchase one whole share, thus making us, we believe, a more attractive merger partner for target businesses. Nevertheless, this unit structure may cause our units to be worth less than if they included a warrant to purchase one whole share.
If we do not conduct an adequate due diligence investigation of a target business, we may be required to subsequently take write-downs or write-offs, restructuring, and impairment or other charges that could have a significant negative effect on our financial condition, results of operations and our stock price, which could cause you to lose some or all of your investment.
We must conduct a due diligence investigation of the target businesses we intend to acquire. Intensive due diligence is time consuming and expensive due to the operations, accounting, finance and legal professionals who must be involved in the due diligence process. Even if we conduct extensive due diligence on a target business, this diligence may not reveal all material issues that may affect a particular target business, and factors outside the control of the target business and outside of our control may later arise. If our diligence fails to identify issues specific to a target business, industry or the environment in which the target business operates, we may be forced to later write-down or write-off assets, restructure our operations, or incur impairment or other charges that could result in our reporting losses. Even though these charges may be non-cash items and not have an immediate impact on our liquidity, the fact that we report charges of this nature could contribute to negative market perceptions about us or our common stock. In addition, charges of this nature may cause us to violate net worth or other covenants to which we may be subject as a result of assuming pre-existing debt held by a target business or by virtue of our obtaining post-combination debt financing.
The requirement that we complete an initial business combination within24months from the closing of this offering may give potential target businesses leverage over us in negotiating a business combination.
We have 24months from the closing of this offering to complete an initial business combination. Any potential target business with which we enter into negotiations concerning a business combination will be aware of this requirement. Consequently, such target business may obtain leverage over us in negotiating a business combination, knowing that
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if we do not complete a business combination with that particular target business, we may be unable to complete a business combination with any other target business. This risk will increase as we get closer to the time limit referenced above.
We may not obtain a fairness opinion with respect to the target business that we seek to acquire and therefore you may be relying solely on the judgment of our board of directors in approving a proposed business combination.
We will only be required to obtain a fairness opinion with respect to the target business that we seek to acquire if it is an entity that is affiliated with any of our sponsor, initial stockholders, officers, directors or their affiliates. In all other instances, we will have no obligation to obtain an opinion. Accordingly, investors will be relying solely on the judgment of our board of directors in approving a proposed business combination.
Resources could be spent researching acquisitions that are not consummated, which could materially adversely affect subsequent attempts to locate and acquire or merge with another business.
It is anticipated that the investigation of each specific target business and the negotiation, drafting, and execution of relevant agreements, disclosure documents, and other instruments will require substantial management time and attention and substantial costs for accountants, attorneys and others. If a decision is made not to complete a specific business combination, the costs incurred up to that point for the proposed transaction likely would not be recoverable. Furthermore, even if an agreement is reached relating to a specific target business, we may fail to consummate the business combination for any number of reasons including those beyond our control. Any such event will result in a loss to us of the related costs incurred which could materially adversely affect subsequent attempts to locate and acquire or merge with another business.
Compliance with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 will require substantial financial and management resources and may increase the time and costs of completing an acquisition.
Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 requires that we evaluate and report on our system of internal controls and may require that we have such system of internal controls audited beginning with our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ending December31, 2020. If we fail to maintain the adequacy of our internal controls, we could be subject to regulatory scrutiny, civil or criminal penalties and/or stockholder litigation. Any inability to provide reliable financial reports could harm our business. Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act also requires that our independent registered public accounting firm report on management’s evaluation of our system of internal controls. A target company may not be in compliance with the provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act regarding adequacy of their internal controls. The development of the internal controls of any such entity to achieve compliance with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act may increase the time and costs necessary to complete any such acquisition. Furthermore, any failure to implement required new or improved controls, or difficulties encountered in the implementation of adequate controls over our financial processes and reporting in the future, could harm our operating results or cause us to fail to meet our reporting obligations. Inferior internal controls could also cause investors to lose confidence in our reported financial information, which could have a negative effect on the trading price of our stock.
If we effect a business combination with a company located in a foreign jurisdiction, we would be subject to a variety of additional risks that may negatively impact our operations.
If we are successful in consummating a business combination with a target business in a foreign country, we would be subject to any special considerations or risks associated with companies operating in the target business’ home jurisdiction, including any of the following:
• rules and regulations or currency conversion or corporate withholding taxes on individuals;
• tariffs and trade barriers;
• regulations related to customs and import/export matters;
• longer payment cycles;
• tax issues, such as tax law changes and variations in tax laws as compared to the United States;
• currency fluctuations and exchange controls;
• challenges in collecting accounts receivable;
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• cultural and language differences;
• employment regulations;
• crime, strikes, riots, civil disturbances, terrorist attacks and wars; and
• deterioration of political relations with the United States.
We cannot assure you that we would be able to adequately address these additional risks. If we were unable to do so, our operations might suffer.
If we effect a business combination with a company located outside of the United States, the laws applicable to such company will likely govern all of our material agreements and we may not be able to enforce our legal rights.
If we effect a business combination with a company located outside of the United States, the laws of the country in which such company operates will govern almost all of the material agreements relating to its operations. We cannot assure you that the target business will be able to enforce any of its material agreements or that remedies will be available in this new jurisdiction. The system of laws and the enforcement of existing laws in such jurisdiction may not be as certain in implementation and interpretation as in the United States. The inability to enforce or obtain a remedy under any of our future agreements could result in a significant loss of business, business opportunities or capital. Additionally, if we acquire a company located outside of the United States, it is likely that substantially all of our assets would be located outside of the United States and some of our officers and directors might reside outside of the United States. As a result, it may not be possible for investors in the United States to enforce their legal rights, to effect service of process upon our directors or officers or to enforce judgments of United States courts predicated upon civil liabilities and criminal penalties of our directors and officers under federal securities laws.
Provisions in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and bylaws and Delaware law may inhibit a takeover of us, which could limit the price investors might be willing to pay in the future for our common stock and could entrench management.
Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and bylaws contain provisions that may discourage unsolicited takeover proposals that stockholders may consider to be in their best interests. Our board of directors is divided into three classes, each of which will generally serve for a term of three years with only one class of directors being elected in each year. As a result, at a given annual meeting only a minority of the board of directors may be considered for election. Since our “staggered board” may prevent our stockholders from replacing a majority of our board of directors at any given annual meeting, it may entrench management and discourage unsolicited stockholder proposals that may be in the best interests of stockholders. Moreover, our board of directors has the ability to designate the terms of and issue new series of preferred stock.
We are also subject to anti-takeover provisions under Delaware law, which could delay or prevent a change of control. Together these provisions may make more difficult the removal of management and may discourage transactions that otherwise could involve payment of a premium over prevailing market prices for our securities.
Because we must furnish our stockholders with target business financial statements prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles or international financial reporting standards, we will not be able to complete a business combination with prospective target businesses unless their financial statements are prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles or international financial reporting standards.
The federal proxy rules require that a proxy statement with respect to a vote on a business combination meeting certain financial significance tests include historical and/or pro forma financial statement disclosure in periodic reports. These financial statements may be required to be prepared in accordance with, or be reconciled to, accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America, or GAAP, or international financial reporting standards, or IFRS, depending on the circumstances, and the historical financial statements may be required to be audited in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States), or PCAOB. Additionally, to the extent we furnish our stockholders with financial statements prepared in accordance with IFRS, such financial statements will need to be audited in accordance with U.S. GAAP at the time of the consummation of the business combination. These financial statement requirements may limit the pool of potential target businesses we may acquire.
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There is currently no market for our securities and a market for our securities may not develop, which would adversely affect the liquidity and price of our securities.
There is currently no market for our securities. Stockholders therefore have no access to information about prior market history on which to base their investment decision. Following this offering, the price of our securities may vary significantly due to one or more potential business combinations and general market or economic conditions. Furthermore, an active trading market for our securities may never develop or, if developed, it may not be sustained. You may be unable to sell your securities unless a market can be established and sustained.
Changes in laws or regulations, or a failure to comply with any laws and regulations, may adversely affect our business, investments and results of operations.
We are subject to laws and regulations enacted by national, regional and local governments. In particular, we will be required to comply with certain SEC and other legal requirements. Compliance with, and monitoring of, applicable laws and regulations may be difficult, time consuming and costly. Those laws and regulations and their interpretation and application may also change from time to time and those changes could have a material adverse effect on our business, investments and results of operations. In addition, a failure to comply with applicable laws or regulations, as interpreted and applied, could have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations.
There may be tax consequences to our business combinations that may adversely affect us.
While we expect to undertake any merger or acquisition so as to minimize taxes both to the acquired business and/or asset and us, such business combination might not meet the statutory requirements of a tax-free reorganization, or the parties might not obtain the intended tax-free treatment upon a transfer of shares or assets. A non-qualifying reorganization could result in the imposition of substantial taxes.
Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation will provide, subject to limited exceptions, that the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware will be the sole and exclusive forum for certain stockholder litigation matters, which could limit our stockholders’ ability to obtain a favorable judicial forum for disputes with us or our directors, officers, employees or stockholders.
Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation requires, to the fullest extent permitted by law, that derivative actions brought in our name, actions against directors, officers and employees for breach of fiduciary duty and other similar actions may be brought only in the Court of Chancery in the State of Delaware and, if brought outside of Delaware, the stockholder bringing the suit will be deemed to have consented to service of process on such stockholder’s counsel except any action (A) as to which the Court of Chancery in the State of Delaware determines that there is an indispensable party not subject to the jurisdiction of the Court of Chancery (and the indispensable party does not consent to the personal jurisdiction of the Court of Chancery within ten days following such determination), (B) which is vested in the exclusive jurisdiction of a court or forum other than the Court of Chancery, (C) for which the Court of Chancery does not have subject matter jurisdiction, or (D) any action arising under the Securities Act, as to which the Court of Chancery and the federal district court for the District of Delaware shall have concurrent jurisdiction. Any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring any interest in shares of our capital stock shall be deemed to have notice of and consented to the forum provisions in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation.
This choice of forum provision may limit a stockholder’s ability to bring a claim in a judicial forum that it finds favorable for disputes with us or any of our directors, officers or employees, which may discourage lawsuits with respect to such claims, although our stockholders will not be deemed to have waived our compliance with federal securities laws and the rules and regulations thereunder and may therefore bring a claim in another appropriate forum. We cannot be certain that a court will decide that this provision is either applicable or enforceable, and if a court were to find the choice of forum provision contained in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation to be inapplicable or unenforceable in an action, we may incur additional costs associated with resolving such action in other jurisdictions, which could harm our business, operating results and financial condition.
Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation will provide that the exclusive forum provision will be applicable to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law. Section 27 of the Exchange Act creates exclusive federal jurisdiction over all suits brought to enforce any duty or liability created by the Exchange Act or the rules and regulations thereunder. As a result, the exclusive forum provision will not apply to suits brought to enforce any duty or liability created by the Exchange Act or any other claim for which the federal courts have exclusive jurisdiction.
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There are risks related to the cannabis industry to which we may be subject.
We will not invest in or consummate a business combination with a target business that we determine has been operating in violation of U.S. federal laws, including the Controlled Substances Act. Nevertheless, business combinations with companies with operations in the cannabis industry entail special considerations and risks. If we are successful in completing a business combination with a target business with operations in the cannabis industry, we will be subject to, and possibly adversely affected by, the following risks:
• The cannabis industry is extremely speculative and its legality is uncertain, making it subject to inherent risk;
• Use of cannabis that is not in compliance with the Controlled Substances Act is illegal under federal law, and therefore, strict enforcement of federal laws regarding the use, cultivation, processing and/or sale of cannabis could result in our inability to execute a business plan in the cannabis industry;
• Changes in the current policies of the Trump Administration and the Department of Justice resulting in heightened enforcement of federal cannabis laws may negatively impact our ability to pursue our prospective business operations and/or generate revenues;
• Federal courts may refuse to recognize the enforceability of contracts pertaining to any business operations that are deemed illegal under federal law and, as a result, cannabis-related contracts could prove unenforceable in such courts;
• Consumer complaints and negative publicity regarding cannabis related products and services could lead to political pressure on states to implement new laws and regulations that are adverse to the cannabis industry or to reverse current favorable laws and regulations relating to cannabis;
• Assets leased to cannabis businesses may be forfeited to the federal government in connection with government enforcement actions under federal law;
• U.S. Food and Drug Administration regulation of cannabis and the possible registration of facilities where cannabis is grown could negatively affect the cannabis industry, which could directly affect our financial condition;
• Due to our proposed involvement in the regulated cannabis industry, we may have a difficult time obtaining the various insurance policies that are needed to operate our business, which may expose us to additional risks and financial liabilities;
• The cannabis industry may face significant opposition from other industries that perceive cannabis products and services as competitive with their own, including but not limited to the pharmaceutical industry, adult beverage industry and tobacco industry, all of which are have powerful lobbying and financial resources;
• Many national and regional banks have been resistant to doing business with cannabis companies because of the uncertainties presented by federal law and, as a result, we may have difficulty accessing the service of banks, which may inhibit our ability to open bank accounts, obtain financing in the future, or otherwise utilize traditional banking services;
• Laws and regulations affecting the regulated cannabis industry are varied, broad in scope and subject to evolving interpretations, and may restrict the use of the properties we acquire or require certain additional regulatory approvals, which could materially adversely affect our operations;
• Securities exchanges may not list companies engaged in the cannabis industry; and
• Section 280E of the Internal Revenue Code, which disallows a tax deduction for any amount paid or incurred in carrying on any trade or business that consists of trafficking in controlled substances prohibited by federal or state law, may prevent us from deducting certain business expenditures, which would increase our net taxable income.
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Furthermore, because the regulatory environment relating to cannabis and other similar products (such as vaping) is so dynamic, it is extremely difficult to predict the impact of any new regulations that may be adopted on a target business we may acquire. Newly adopted regulations could limit or permanently reduce the profitability of any target business we ultimately acquire. As a result, these or any of the above could have an adverse impact on our operations following a business combination. However, our efforts in identifying prospective target businesses are not restricted to the cannabis industry. Accordingly, if we acquire a target business in another industry, these risks will likely not affect us and we will be subject to other risks attendant with the specific industry in which we operate or target business which we acquire, none of which can be presently ascertained.
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CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
The statements contained in this prospectus that are not purely historical are forward-looking statements. Our forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding our or our management’s expectations, hopes, beliefs, intentions or strategies regarding the future. In addition, any statements that refer to projections, forecasts or other characterizations of future events or circumstances, including any underlying assumptions, are forward-looking statements. The words “anticipates,” “believe,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intends,” “may,” “might,” “plan,” “possible,” “potential,” “predicts,” “project,” “should,” “would” and similar expressions may identify forward-looking statements, but the absence of these words does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking. Forward-looking statements in this prospectus may include, for example, statements about:
• our ability to complete our initial business combination;
• our success in retaining or recruiting, or changes required in, our officers, key employees or directors following our initial business combination;
• our officers and directors allocating their time to other businesses and potentially having conflicts of interest with our business or in approving our initial business combination, as a result of which they would then receive expense reimbursements and other benefits;
• our potential ability to obtain additional financing to complete a business combination;
• our pool of prospective target businesses;
• the ability of our officers and directors to generate a number of potential investment opportunities;
• potential changes in control of us if we acquire one or more target businesses for stock;
• our public securities’ potential liquidity and trading;
• the lack of a market for our securities;
• our expectations regarding the time during which we will be an “emerging growth company” under the JOBS Act;
• our use of proceeds not held in the trust account or available to us from interest income on the trust account balance; or
• our financial performance following this offering or following an initial business combination.
The forward-looking statements contained in this prospectus are based on our current expectations and beliefs concerning future developments and their potential effects on us. There can be no assurance that future developments affecting us will be those that we have anticipated. These forward-looking statements involve a number of risks, uncertainties (some of which are beyond our control) or other assumptions that may cause actual results or performance to be materially different from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, those factors described under the heading “Risk Factors.” Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should any of our assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary in material respects from those projected in these forward-looking statements. We undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required under applicable securities laws.
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We estimate that the net proceeds of this offering, in addition to the funds we will receive from the sale of the private warrants, will be as set forth in the following table:
Without | Over-Allotment | |||||||
Gross proceeds |
|
|
|
| ||||
From offering | $ | 100,000,000 |
| $ | 115,000,000 |
| ||
From private placement |
| 3,300,000 |
|
| 3,650,000 |
| ||
Total gross proceeds |
| 103,350,000 |
|
| 118,650,000 |
| ||
Offering expenses(1) |
|
|
|
| ||||
Underwriting discount (2.0% of gross proceeds from units offered to public) |
| 2,000,000 | (2) |
| 2,300,000 | (2) | ||
Legal fees and expenses |
| 380,000 |
|
| 380,000 |
| ||
Exchange Listing and Filing Fees |
| 185,000 |
|
| 185,000 |
| ||
Printing and engraving expenses |
| 40,000 |
|
| 40,000 |
| ||
Accounting fees and expenses |
| 40,000 |
|
| 40,000 |
| ||
FINRA filing fee |
| 17,750 |
|
| 17,750 |
| ||
SEC registration fee |
| 15,000 |
|
| 15,000 |
| ||
Miscellaneous expenses |
| 72,250 |
|
| 72,250 |
| ||
Total expenses |
| 2,750,000 |
|
| 3,050,000 |
| ||
Net proceeds |
|
|
|
| ||||
Held in trust |
| 100,000,000 |
|
| 115,000,000 |
| ||
Not held in trust |
| 600,000 |
|
| 600,000 |
| ||
Total net proceeds | $ | 100,600,000 |
| $ | 115,600,000 |
| ||
Amount | Percentage | |||||
Use of net proceeds not held in trust(3)(4) |
|
| ||||
Legal, accounting and other third party expenses attendant to the search for target businesses and to the due diligence investigation, structuring and negotiation of a business combination | $ | 100,000 | 13.3 | % | ||
Due diligence of prospective target businesses by officers, directors and sponsor |
| 50,000 | 6.7 | % | ||
Legal and accounting fees relating to SEC reporting obligations |
| 100,000 | 13.3 | % | ||
Payment of administrative fee to Merida Manager III LLC ($10,000 per month for up to 24 months) |
| 240,000 | 32.0 | % | ||
Working capital to cover miscellaneous expenses, including D&O insurance |
| 110,000 | 14.7 | % | ||
Total | $ | 600,000 | 100.0 | % | ||
____________
(1) A portion of the offering expenses, including the SEC registration fee, the FINRA filing fee, the non-refundable portion of the stock exchange listing fees and a portion of the legal and audit fees, have been paid from the loan we received from our sponsordescribed below. These funds will be repaid out of the proceeds of this offering available to us.
(2) No discounts or commissions will be paid with respect to the purchase of the private warrants.
(3) The amount of proceeds not held in trust will remain constant at approximately $600,000even if the over-allotment is exercised. The amount in the table above does not include interest available to us from the trust account. The proceeds held in the trust account may be invested only in U.S. government treasury obligations with a maturity of 180 days or less or in money market funds meeting certain conditions under Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act which invest only in direct U.S. government treasury obligations. We estimate the pre-tax interest earned on the trust account will be approximately $1,400,000 per year, assuming an interest rate of 1.4% per year; however, we can provide no assurances regarding this amount.
(4) These are estimates only. Our actual expenditures for some or all of these items may differ from the estimates set forth herein. For example, we may incur greater legal and accounting expenses than our current estimates in connection with negotiating and structuring our initial business combination based upon the level of complexity of that business combination. We do not anticipate any change in our intended use of proceeds, other than fluctuations among the current categories of allocated expenses, which fluctuations, to the extent they exceed current estimates for any specific category of expenses, would be deducted from our excess working capital.
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The Merida Purchasers and EarlyBirdCapital have committed that they and/or their designees will purchase the private warrants for an aggregate purchase price of $3,350,000 from us on a private placement basis simultaneously with the consummation of this offering. They have also agreed that if the over-allotment option is exercised by the underwriters in full or in part, they will purchase from us an additional number of private warrants (up to a maximum of 300,000 private warrants at a price of $1.00 per private warrant) necessary to maintain in the trust account $10.00 per unit sold to the public in this offering. These additional private warrants will be purchased in a private placement that will occur simultaneously with the purchase of units resulting from the exercise of the over-allotment option. The private warrants are identical to the warrants sold in this offering subject to certain limited exceptions as described elsewhere in this prospectus. All of the proceeds we receive from these purchases will be placed in the trust account described below.
$100,000,000, or $115,000,000 if the over-allotment option is exercised in full, of net proceeds of this offering and the sale of the private warrants, will be placed in a U.S.-based trust account maintained by Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, New York, New York, as trustee. The funds held in trust will be invested only in United States “government securities” within the meaning of Section 2(a)(16) of the Investment Company Act having a maturity of 180 days or less, or in money market funds meeting certain conditions under Rule 2a-7 promulgated under the Investment Company Act which invest only in direct U.S. government treasury obligations, so that we are not deemed to be an investment company under the Investment Company Act. Except with respect to interest earned on the funds held in the trust account that may be released to us to pay our tax obligations and for working capital requirements as described in this prospectus, the proceeds will not be released from the trust account until the earlier of the completion of a business combination or our redemption of 100% of the outstanding public shares if we have not completed a business combination in the required time period. The proceeds held in the trust account may be used as consideration to pay the sellers of a target business with which we complete a business combination. Any amounts not paid as consideration to the sellers of the target business may be used to finance operations of the target business.
The payment to Merida Manager III LLC, the general partner of our sponsor, of a monthly fee of $10,000 is for general and administrative services including office space, utilities and secretarial support. This arrangement is being agreed to by Merida Manager III LLCfor our benefit and is not intended to provide our officers or directors with compensation in lieu of a salary. We believe, based on rents and fees for similar services in the New York City metropolitan area, that the fee charged by Merida Manager III LLCis at least as favorable as we could have obtained from an unaffiliated person. This arrangement will terminate upon completion of our initial business combination or the distribution of the trust account to our public stockholders. Other than the $10,000 per month fee, the payment of consulting, success or finder fees to our sponsor, officers, directors, initial stockholders or their affiliates in connection with the consummation of our initial business combination and the repayment of the up to $150,000 ofloans that may be made to us from our sponsor (none of which payments will be made from the proceeds of this offering held in the trust account prior to the completion of our initial business combination), no compensation of any kind will be paid to our sponsor, initial stockholders, officers, directors, special advisors or any of their respective affiliates, for services rendered to us prior to or in connection with the consummation of our initial business combination (regardless of the type of transaction that it is). However, such entity and individuals will receive reimbursement for any out-of-pocket expenses incurred by them in connection with activities on our behalf, such as identifying potential target businesses, performing business due diligence on suitable target businesses and business combinations as well as traveling to and from the offices, plants or similar locations of prospective target businesses to examine their operations. Our audit committee will review and approve all reimbursements and payments made to our sponsor, officers, directors or our or their respective affiliates, with any interested director abstaining from such review and approval. There is no limit on the amount of such expenses reimbursable by us; provided, however, that to the extent such expenses exceed the available proceeds not deposited in the trust account and interest earned on the funds in the trust account that we are entitled to withdraw, such expenses would not be reimbursed by us unless we consummate an initial business combination. Since the role of present management after a business combination is uncertain, we have no ability to determine what remuneration, if any, will be paid to those persons after a business combination.
Regardless of whether the over-allotment option is exercised in full, the net proceeds from this offering available to us out of trust for our working capital requirements in searching for a business combination will be approximately $600,000. We intend to use the proceeds for miscellaneous expenses such as paying for director and officer liability insurance premiums, for due diligence, legal, accounting and other expenses of structuring and negotiating business combinations, as well as for reimbursement of any out-of-pocket expenses incurred by our sponsor, officers and directors in connection with activities on our behalf as described above. The allocation of the net proceeds available to us outside of the trust account represents our best estimate of the intended uses of these funds. In the event that our assumptions prove to be inaccurate, we may reallocate some of such proceeds within the above described categories.
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We may use substantially all of the net proceeds of this offering, including the funds held in the trust account, to acquire a target business and to pay our expenses relating thereto, including a fee payable to EarlyBirdCapital upon consummation of our initial business combination for assisting us in connection with our initial business combination, as described under the section titled “Underwriting — Business Combination Marketing Agreement.” To the extent that our capital stock is used in whole or in part as consideration to effect a business combination, the proceeds held in the trust account which are not used to consummate a business combination will be disbursed to the combined company and will, along with any other net proceeds not expended, be used as working capital to finance the operations of the target business. Such working capital funds could be used in a variety of ways including continuing or expanding the target business’ operations, for strategic acquisitions and for marketing, research and development of existing or new products.
To the extent we are unable to consummate a business combination, we will pay the costs of liquidation from our remaining assets outside of the trust account. If such funds are insufficient, Merida Manager III LLC has agreed to advance us the funds necessary to complete such liquidation (currently anticipated to be no more than $15,000) and has agreed not to seek repayment of such expenses.
As of August7, 2019, our sponsorhad loaned us an aggregate of $339 under a $150,000 promissory note. The amounts loaned under the promissory note will be used to pay a portion of the expenses of this offering referenced in the line items above for SEC registration fee, FINRA filing fee, the non-refundable portion of the stock exchange listing fees and a portion of the legal and audit fees and expenses. The note governing the loan is non-interest bearing and is payable on the earlier to occur of June30, 2020, the consummation of this offering, or the abandonment of this offering. The loan will be payable without interest. The loan will be repaid out of the proceeds of this offering available to us for payment of offering expenses.
We believe that, upon consummation of this offering, we will have sufficient available funds to operate for the next 24months, assuming that a business combination is not consummated during that time. However, if necessary, in order to meet our working capital needs following the consummation of this offering, our sponsor, initial stockholders, officers, directors and their affiliates may, but are not obligated to, loan us funds, from time to time or at any time, in whatever amount they deem reasonable in their sole discretion. Each loan would be evidenced by a promissory note. The notes would either be paid upon consummation of our initial business combination, without interest, or, at holder’s discretion, up to $1,500,000 of the notes may be converted into warrants at a price of $1.00 per warrant. The warrants would be identical to the private warrants. In the event that the initial business combination does not close, we may use a portion of the working capital held outside the trust account to repay such loaned amounts, but no proceeds from our trust account would be used for such repayment.
A public stockholder will be entitled to receive funds from the trust account (including interest earned on his, her or its portion of the trust account to the extent not previously released to us) only in the event of (i) our redemption of 100% of the outstanding public shares if we have not completed a business combination in the required time period, (ii) if that public stockholder converts such shares in connection with a business combination which we consummate or (iii) we seek to amend any provisions of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation that would affect our public stockholders’ ability to convert their shares in connection with a business combination as described herein or affect the substance or timing of our obligation to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete a business combination within 24months from the closing of this offering. This redemption right shall apply in the event of the approval of any such amendment to our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, whether proposed by our sponsor, initial stockholders, executive officers, directors or any other person. In no other circumstances will a public stockholder have any right or interest of any kind to or in the trust account.
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We have not paid any cash dividends on our common stock to date and do not intend to pay cash dividends prior to the completion of an initial business combination. The payment of cash dividends in the future will be dependent upon our revenues and earnings, if any, capital requirements and general financial condition subsequent to completion of a business combination. The payment of any dividends subsequent to a business combination will be within the discretion of our board of directors at such time. It is the present intention of our board of directors to retain all earnings, if any, for use in our business operations and, accordingly, our board of directors does not anticipate declaring any dividends in the foreseeable future. In addition, our board of directors is not currently contemplating and does not anticipate declaring any stock dividends in the foreseeable future, except if we increase the size of the offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, in which case we will effect a stock dividend immediately prior to the consummation of the offering in such amount as to maintain the ownership of our sponsor at 20.0% of our issued and outstanding shares of our common stock upon the consummation of this offering (not including the representative shares and assuming the initial stockholders do not purchase units in this offering). Further, if we incur any indebtedness, our ability to declare dividends may be limited by restrictive covenants we may agree to in connection therewith.
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The difference between the public offering price per share, assuming no value is attributed to the warrants included in the units we are offering by this prospectus and the private warrants, and the pro forma net tangible book value per share after this offering constitutes the dilution to investors in this offering. Such calculation does not reflect any dilution associated with the sale and exercise of warrants, including the private warrants. Net tangible book value per share is determined by dividing our net tangible book value, which is our total tangible assets less total liabilities (including the value of shares of common stock which may be converted into cash), by the number of outstanding shares of common stock.
At August7, 2019, our net tangible book deficit was $7,829, or approximately $(0.00) per share of common stock. After giving effect to the sale of 10,000,000shares of common stock included in the units we are offering by this prospectus, the sale of the private warrants and the deduction of underwriting commissions and estimated expenses of this offering, our pro forma net tangible book value at August7, 2019 would have been $5,000,001 or $1.65 per share, representing an immediate increase in net tangible book value (as decreased by the value of the approximately 9,562,557shares of common stock that may be converted to cash and assuming no exercise of the underwriters’ over-allotment option) of $1.65 per share to our initial stockholders and an immediate dilution of $8.35 per share or 83.5% to our public stockholders not exercising their conversion rights. The decrease attributable to public shares subject to conversion is included in the calculation below at $10.00 per share, as all public stockholders have the right to convert. The dilution to new investors if the underwriters exercise their over-allotment option in full would be an immediate dilution of $8.53 per share or 85.3%.
The following table illustrates the dilution to the new investors on a per-share basis, assuming no value is attributed to the warrants included in the units and the private warrants:
Public offering price |
|
| $ | 10.00 |
| |||
Net tangible book value before this offering(1) | $ | (0.00 | ) |
|
| |||
Increase attributable to public stockholders and private sales |
| 1.65 |
|
|
| |||
Pro forma net tangible book value after this offering |
|
|
| 1.65 |
| |||
Dilution to public stockholders |
|
| $ | 8.35 |
| |||
Percentage of dilution to public stockholders |
|
|
| 83.5 | % |
The following table sets forth information with respect to our existing stockholders and the public stockholders:
Number | Shares | Total Consideration | Average Price per Share | ||||||||||||
Purchased | Percentage | Amount | Percentage | ||||||||||||
Initial stockholders | 2,500,000 | (1) | 19.8 | % | $ | 25,000 | 0.03 | % | $ | 0.01 | |||||
Representative shares | 100,000 |
| 0.8 | % | $ | 10 | 0.0 | % | $ | 0.0001 | |||||
Public stockholders | 10,000,000 |
| 79.4 | % | $ | 100,000,000 | 99.97 | % | $ | 10.00 | |||||
Total | 12,600,000 |
| 100.0 | % | $ | 100,025,010 | 100.0 | % |
| ||||||
____________
(1) Assumes the over-allotment option has not been exercised and an aggregate of 375,000 founders’ shares have been forfeited as a result thereof.
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The pro forma net tangible book value after the offering is calculated as follows:
Numerator: |
|
| ||
Net tangible book value before the offering | $ | (7,829 | ) | |
Net proceeds from this offering and private placement |
| 100,600,000 |
| |
Plus: Offering costs accrued for and paid in advance, excluded from tangible book value before this offering |
| 33,400 |
| |
Less: Proceeds held in trust subject to conversion |
| (95,625,570 | ) | |
$ | 5,000,001 |
| ||
|
| |||
Denominator: |
|
| ||
Shares of common stock outstanding prior to this offering, including representative shares |
| 2,600,000 | (1) | |
Shares of common stock included in the units offered |
| 10,000,000 |
| |
Less: Shares subject to conversion |
| (9,562,557 | ) | |
| 3,037,443 |
|
____________
(1) Assumes the over-allotment option has not been exercised and an aggregate of 375,000 founders’ shares have been forfeited as a result thereof.
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The following table sets forth our capitalization at August7, 2019and as adjusted to give effect to the sale of our units and the private warrants and the application of the estimated net proceeds derived from the sale of such securities:
August 7, 2019 | ||||||||
Actual | As Adjusted(1) | |||||||
Note payable to related party(2) | $ | 339 |
| $ | — |
| ||
Common stock, $.0001 par value, –0– and 9,562,557 shares which are subject to possible conversion(3) |
| — |
|
| 95,625,570 |
| ||
Stockholders’ equity: |
|
|
|
| ||||
Preferred stock, $.0001 par value, 1,000,000 shares authorized; none issued or outstanding |
| — |
|
| — |
| ||
Common stock, $.0001 par value, 50,000,000 shares authorized; 2,975,000shares issued and outstanding, actual; 3,037,043 shares(4) issued and outstanding (excluding 9,562,557 shares subject to possible conversion), as adjusted |
| 298 |
|
| 303 |
| ||
Additional paid-in capital |
| 25,612 |
|
| 5,000,037 |
| ||
Accumulated deficit |
| (339 | ) |
| (339 | ) | ||
Total stockholders’ equity: |
| 25,571 |
|
| 5,000,001 |
| ||
Total capitalization | $ | 25,910 |
| $ | 100,625,571 |
| ||
____________
(1) Includes the $3.35million we will receive from the sale of the private warrants.
(2) Represents amounts loaned at August 7, 2019 under a non-interest bearing promissory note in the aggregate principal amount of $150,000 that is payable on the earlier to occur of June 30, 2020, the consummation of this offering, or the abandonment of this offering.
(3) Upon the consummation of our initial business combination, we will provide our stockholders (but not our sponsor, initial stockholders, officers or directors) with the opportunity to convert their public shares for cash equal to their pro rata share of the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account as of two business days prior to the consummation of the initial business combination, including interest not previously released to us (less taxes payable), subject to the limitations described herein whereby our net tangible assets will be maintained at a minimum of $5,000,001. The actual number of shares that may be converted could exceed this number so long as our net tangible assets are at least $5,000,001.
(4) Assumes the over-allotment option has not been exercised and an aggregate of 375,000 founders’ shares have been forfeited as a result thereof.
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MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION
AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
We were formed on June20, 2019 for the purpose of entering into a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, recapitalization, reorganization or other similar business combination with one or more target businesses. Our efforts to identify a prospective target business will not be limited to a particular industry or geographic region, although we intend to focus our search for target businesses in the cannabis industry. We intend to utilize cash derived from the proceeds of this offering, our securities, debt or a combination of cash, securities and debt, in effecting a business combination. The issuance of additional shares of common stock or preferred stock:
• may significantly reduce the equity interest of our stockholders;
• may subordinate the rights of holders of shares of common stock if we issue shares of preferred stock with rights senior to those afforded to our shares of common stock;
• will likely cause a change in control if a substantial number of our shares of common stock are issued, which may affect, among other things, our ability to use our net operating loss carry forwards, if any, and most likely will also result in the resignation or removal of our present officers and directors; and
• may adversely affect prevailing market prices for our securities.
Similarly, if we issue debt securities, it could result in:
• default and foreclosure on our assets if our operating revenues after a business combination are insufficient to pay our debt obligations;
• acceleration of our obligations to repay the indebtedness even if we have made all principal and interest payments when due if the debt security contains covenants that required the maintenance of certain financial ratios or reserves and we breach any such covenant without a waiver or renegotiation of that covenant;
• our immediate payment of all principal and accrued interest, if any, if the debt security is payable on demand; and
• our inability to obtain additional financing, if necessary, if the debt security contains covenants restricting our ability to obtain additional financing while such security is outstanding.
We have neither engaged in any operations nor generated any revenues to date. Our entire activity since inception has been to prepare for our proposed fundraising through an offering of our equity securities.
We are an emerging growth company as defined in the JOBS Act. As an emerging growth company, we have elected to delay the adoption of new or revised accounting standards that have different effective dates for public and private companies until those standards apply to private companies. As such, our financial statements may not be comparable to companies that comply with public company effective dates.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
As indicated in the accompanying financial statements, at August7, 2019, we had no cash and a working capital deficiency of $7,829. Further, we have incurred and expect to continue to incur significant costs in pursuit of our financing and acquisition plans. We cannot assure you that our plans to raise capital or to consummate an initial business combination will be successful. These factors, among others, raise substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern.
Our liquidity needs have been satisfied to date through the payment of certain of our deferred offering costs with the $25,000 purchase price of the founders’ shares and loans from our sponsor in an aggregate amount of $339 as of August7, 2019 that are more fully described below. We estimate that the net proceeds from (i) the sale of the units in this offering, after deducting offering expenses of approximately $750,000 and underwriting discounts and commissions of $2,000,000 (or $2,300,000 if the over-allotment option is exercised in full) and (ii) the sale of the private warrants for a purchase price of $3,350,000 (or $3,650,000 if the over-allotment option is exercised in full)
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will be $100,600,000 (or $115,600,000 if the over-allotment option is exercised in full). Of this amount, $100,000,000 (or $115,000,000 if the over-allotment option is exercised in full) will be held in the trust account. The remaining $600,000 will not be held in trust.
We may use substantially all of the net proceeds of this offering, including the funds held in the trust account, to acquire a target business and to pay our expenses relating thereto, including a fee payable to EarlyBirdCapital, upon consummation of our initial business combination for assisting us in connection with our initial business combination, as described under the section titled “Underwriting — Business Combination Marketing Agreement.” To the extent that our capital stock is used in whole or in part as consideration to effect a business combination, the remaining proceeds held in the trust account as well as any other net proceeds not expended will be used as working capital to finance the operations of the target business. Such working capital funds could be used in a variety of ways including continuing or expanding the target business’ operations, for strategic acquisitions and for marketing, research and development of existing or new products. Such funds could also be used to repay any operating expenses or finders’ fees which we had incurred prior to the completion of our business combination if the funds available to us outside of the trust account were insufficient to cover such expenses.
We believe that, upon consummation of this offering, the approximate $600,000 of net proceeds not held in the trust account, together with the interest earned on the funds in the trust account that can be released to us for working capital needs as described in this prospectus, will be sufficient to allow us to operate for at least the next 24months, assuming that a business combination is not consummated during that time. Over this time period, we will be using these funds for identifying and evaluating prospective acquisition candidates, performing business due diligence on prospective target businesses, traveling to and from the offices, plants or similar locations of prospective target businesses, reviewing corporate documents and material agreements of prospective target businesses, selecting the target business to acquire and structuring, negotiating and consummating the business combination. We anticipate that we will incur approximately:
• $100,000 of expenses for the search for target businesses and for the legal, accounting and other third-party expenses attendant to the due diligence investigations, structuring and negotiating of a business combination;
• $50,000 of expenses for the due diligence and investigation of a target business by our officers, directors and sponsor;
• $100,000 of expenses in legal and accounting fees relating to our SEC reporting obligations;
• $240,000 for the payment of the administrative fee to Merida Manager III LLC, the general partner of our sponsor (of $10,000 per month for up to 24months); and
• $110,000 for general working capital that will be used for miscellaneous expenses, including D&O insurance.
If our estimates of the above costs are less than the actual costs, we may have insufficient funds available to operate our business prior to our initial business combination. Moreover, we may need to obtain additional financing either to consummate our initial business combination or because we become obligated to redeem a significant number of our public shares upon consummation of our initial business combination, in which case we may issue additional securities or incur debt in connection with such business combination. We do not have a maximum debt leverage ratio or a policy with respect to how much debt we may incur. The amount of debt we will be willing to incur will depend on the facts and circumstances of the proposed business combination and market conditions at the time of the potential business combination. At this time, we are not party to any arrangement or understanding with any third party with respect to raising additional funds through the sale of our securities or the incurrence of debt. Subject to compliance with applicable securities laws, we would only consummate such financing simultaneously with the consummation of our initial business combination. In the current economic environment, it has become especially difficult to obtain acquisition financing. Additionally, following our initial business combination, if cash on hand is insufficient, we may need to obtain additional financing in order to meet our obligations.
Related Party Transactions
At August7, 2019, our sponsor has loaned an aggregate of $339to us, on a non-interest bearing basis, for payment of offering expenses on our behalf. The loan will be payable without interest on the earlier to occur of June30, 2020, the consummation of this offering, or the abandonment of this offering. If the offering is consummated, the loan will be repaid out of the proceeds of this offering not being placed in trust.
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We are obligated, commencing on the date of this prospectus, to pay Merida Manager III LLC, the general partner of our sponsor,a monthly fee of $10,000 for general and administrative services.
The Merida Purchasers and EarlyBirdCapital have committed that they and/or their designees will purchase an aggregate of 3,350,000 private warrants at $1.00 per private warrant (for a total purchase price of $3,350,000) from us. This purchase will take place on a private placement basis simultaneously with the consummation of this offering. They have also agreed that if the over-allotment option is exercised by the underwriters in full or in part, they will purchase from us an additional number of private warrants (up to a maximum of 300,000 private warrants at $1.00 per private warrant) necessary to maintain in the trust account $10.00 per unit sold to the public in this offering. These additional private warrants will be purchased in a private placement that will occur simultaneously with the purchase of units resulting from the exercise of the over-allotment option.
We do not believe we will need to raise additional funds following this offering in order to meet the expenditures required for operating our business. However, in order to finance transaction costs in connection with an intended initial business combination, our sponsor, initial stockholders, officers, directors or their affiliates may, but are not obligated to, loan us funds as may be required. If we consummate an initial business combination, we would repay such loaned amounts. In the event that the initial business combination does not close, we may use a portion of the working capital held outside the trust account to repay such loaned amounts, but no proceeds from our trust account would be used for such repayment. Up to $1,500,000 of such loans may be convertible into warrants of the post business combination entity at a price of $1.00 per warrant at the option of the lender. The warrants would be identical to the private warrants.
Controls and Procedures
We are not currently required to maintain an effective system of internal controls as defined by Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. We will be required to comply with the internal control requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act for the fiscal year ending December31, 2020. As of the date of this prospectus, we have not completed an assessment, nor have our auditors tested our systems, of internal controls. We expect to assess the internal controls of our target business or businesses prior to the completion of our initial business combination and, if necessary, to implement and test additional controls as we may determine are necessary in order to state that we maintain an effective system of internal controls. A target business may not be in compliance with the provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act regarding the adequacy of internal controls. Target businesses we may consider for a business combination may have internal controls that need improvement in areas such as:
• staffing for financial, accounting and external reporting areas, including segregation of duties;
• reconciliation of accounts;
• proper recording of expenses and liabilities in the period to which they relate;
• evidence of internal review and approval of accounting transactions;
• documentation of processes, assumptions and conclusions underlying significant estimates; and
• documentation of accounting policies and procedures.
Because it will take time, management involvement and perhaps outside resources to determine what internal control improvements are necessary for us to meet regulatory requirements and market expectations for our operation of a target business, we may incur significant expense in meeting our public reporting responsibilities, particularly in the areas of designing, enhancing, or remediating internal and disclosure controls. Doing so effectively may also take longer than we expect, thus increasing our exposure to financial fraud or erroneous financing reporting.
Once our management’s report on internal controls is complete, we will retain our independent auditors to audit and render an opinion on such report when required by Section 404. The independent auditors may identify additional issues concerning a target business’s internal controls while performing their audit of internal control over financial reporting.
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Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk
The net proceeds of this offering, including amounts in the trust account, will be invested in United States “government securities” within the meaning of Section 2(a)(16) of the Investment Company Act having a maturity of 180 days or less, or in money market funds meeting certain conditions under Rule 2a-7 promulgated under the Investment Company Act which invest only in direct U.S. government treasury obligations. Due to the short-term nature of these investments, we believe there will be no associated material exposure to interest rate risk.
Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements; Commitments and Contractual Obligations; Quarterly Results
As of the date of this prospectus, we did not have any off-balance sheet arrangements as defined in Item 303(a)(4)(ii) of Regulation S-K and did not have any commitments or contractual obligations. No unaudited quarterly operating data is included in this prospectus as we have conducted no operations to date.
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Introduction
We are a Delaware blank check company incorporated on June20, 2019 formed for the purpose of entering into a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, recapitalization, reorganization or other similar business combination with one or more target businesses. Our initial business combination and value creation strategy will be to identify, acquire and, after our initial business combination, assist in the growth of a business in the cannabis industry. However, we are not limited to this industry and we may pursue a business combination opportunity in any business or industry we choose with operations or opportunities either inside or outside of the United States.
Although the cannabis industry has evolved significantly and continues to mature, we believe the industry is still undercapitalized and companies operating across multiple verticals consistently have trouble accessing capital from traditional sources. Historically, businesses that operate within the legal cannabis industry in the U.S. have relied largely on private money — friends and family, high net-worth individuals and small-to-medium-sized private investment firms, as institutional investors have shied away from companies in the cannabis industry, especially those that are directly involved in the production, distribution and sale of cannabis (businesses that “touch the plant”). Even businesses that do not “touch the plant” and instead provide ancillary services to the industry, have found it extremely difficult to access large pools of institutional capital. As a result, we believe we have the opportunity to create a compelling structure that will enable a target company to go public, thereby accessing significant capital for both organic growth and for acquisitions of synergistic and often undercapitalized assets. Given the rapid growth of the legal cannabis market, management believes that the ability to move quickly to capitalize on new opportunities will be critical to success in creating shareholder value.
Merida has worked diligently over the past 10 years to identify and complete transactions within the legal cannabis industry. Merida targets specific investments in the emerging cannabis industry as well as products and services associated with the evolution of cannabis as an agricultural product, a natural plant-based medicine, a constituent in pharmaceutical formulations, and an adult-use consumer product. It also has significant investments in companies that produce hemp-based CBD products. CBD is one of the two most prevalent cannabinoids found in cannabis and hemp. Unlike THC, CBD is not responsible for the ‘high’ that is typically associated with cannabis use. The 2018 Farm Bill removed hemp (defined as cannabis with less than 0.3% THC content) from the federal Controlled Substance Act. This means that products containing hemp derived CBD do not fall under the purview of the federal Controlled Substance Act. Our management believes that further liberalization of the laws relating to CBD could occur which would lead to an even more expanded legalized market. Management believes this eventually could lead to the cannabis/hemp market exceeding $25billion of adult-use and medical sales by 2025 with an overall CAGR of approximately 17%, according to New Frontier Data.
In recent years, CBD has been studied and shown to be clinically effective for several orphan diseases and other afflictions – Epidiolex was recently approved by the FDA to treat Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and Dravet syndrome which are both rare & severe forms of epilepsy. Merida has invested in hemp/CBD businesses, such as Freedom Leaf, that grow and process hemp to create consumer packaged goods that rely on hemp derived CBD, or full spectrum hemp extract, as a major ingredient. Such products include: lotions/salves, soft-gel capsules, and tinctures. There are several other producers of such products in the US including: Charlotte’s Web, CV Sciences, and Elixinol Global.
While Merida believes it has a deep knowledge of the entire supply chain of the cannabis industry, its investment emphasis has been grounded primarily in four distinct verticals: cultivation infrastructure and support; data and technology services; cultivation, brand development and dispensing; and pharmaceutical development and life sciences. Merida’s principals have significant experience in observing and participating in the evolution of the cannabis industry over the past ten years. They have helped to build and operate sophisticated cannabis cultivation facilities and have directed significant investments into a broad spectrum of cannabis-related companies ranging from data analytics companies to hydroponic suppliers. Merida focuses on companies that it believes will benefit disproportionately from additional growth in legal access to cannabis and hemp-based CBD in the U.S. and globally. Because there is such fragmentation and information asymmetry in the cannabis industry, Merida focuses much of its time on consuming and contextualizing data and information. Merida looks to exploit its informational advantage to identify opportunities earlier in the value chain, emerging business models that are likely to gain traction at disproportionate rates, and conduct more aggressive price discovery on companies that have demonstrated successful business models. Merida believes that asset-light business models in large addressable markets are likely to generate the most attractive
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risk-adjusted returns. Merida looks to invest in companies that have successfully transitioned from the start-up phase to the revenue-generating growth phase, accelerating proven operating models and supercharging growth.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, we will not invest in or consummate a business combination with a target business that we determine has been operating in violation of U.S. federal laws, including the Controlled Substances Act. Additionally, our initial business combination must be with a target business that fits within the overall existing investment strategy of our sponsor, which generally seeks to make investments in companies with operations in and related to the legal cannabis industry that have experienced and passionate management teams, strong governance principals, rigorous risk controls in place, consistent results of operations and where our sponsor’s management team can add value to a company through participation on the board and as a strategic investor. However, given the breadth of such investment strategy, we do not anticipate that this will meaningfully limit the types of target businesses with which we may look to consummate an initial business combination with.
Members of our management team have been working with legal cannabis companies since 2009 and have been investing in cannabis related companies since 2013. We believe our management team’s understanding of both the broader M&A market and of the legal cannabis industry — through direct involvement in investing in and working with cannabis companies — gives us a unique ability to successfully identify, evaluate, price, negotiate and close an attractive acquisition in this industry. For further information on our management team’s experience, see the section titled “Management.”
Notwithstanding the foregoing, past performance of our management team is not a guarantee either (i) of success with respect to any business combination we may consummate or (ii) that we will be able to identify a suitable candidate for our initial business combination. You should not rely on the historical performance record of our management as indicative of our future performance.
Competitive Strengths
We believe we have the following competitive strengths:
Status as a public company
We believe our structure will make us an attractive business combination partner to target businesses. As an existing public company, we offer a target business an alternative to the traditional initial public offering through a merger or other business combination. In this situation, the owners of the target business would exchange their shares of stock in the target business for shares of our stock or for a combination of shares of our stock and cash, allowing us to tailor the consideration to the specific needs of the sellers. We believe target businesses might find this method a more certain and cost effective method to becoming a public company than the typical initial public offering. In a typical initial public offering, there are additional expenses incurred in marketing, roadshow and public reporting efforts that will likely not be present to the same extent in connection with a business combination with us. Furthermore, once the business combination is consummated, the target business will have effectively become public, whereas an initial public offering is always subject to the underwriters’ ability to complete the offering, as well as general market conditions, that could prevent the offering from occurring. Once public, we believe the target business would then have greater access to capital and an additional means of providing management incentives consistent with stockholders’ interests than it would have as a privately-held company. It can offer further benefits by augmenting a company’s profile among potential new customers and vendors and aid in attracting talented employees.
While we believe that our status as a public company will make us an attractive business partner, some potential target businesses may view the inherent limitations in our status as a blank check company as a deterrent and may prefer to effect a business combination with a more established entity or with a private company. These inherent limitations include limitations on our available financial resources, which may be inferior to those of other entities pursuing the acquisition of similar target businesses; the requirement that we seek shareholder approval of a business combination, which may delay the consummation of a transaction; and the existence of our outstanding warrants, which may represent a source of future dilution.
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Financial position
With funds in the trust account of $100,000,000 (or $115,000,000 if the over-allotment option is exercised in full) available to use for a business combination, we offer a target business a variety of options such as providing the owners of a target business with shares in a public company and a public means to sell such shares, providing capital for the potential growth and expansion of its operations or strengthening its balance sheet by reducing its debt ratio. Because we are able to consummate our initial business combination using our cash, debt or equity securities, or a combination of the foregoing, we have the flexibility to use the most efficient combination that will allow us to tailor the consideration to be paid to the target business to fit its needs and desires. However, since we have no specific business combination under consideration, we have not taken any steps to secure third party financing and there can be no assurance that it will be available to us.
Effecting a Business Combination
General
We are not presently engaged in, and we will not engage in, any substantive commercial business for an indefinite period of time following this offering. We intend to utilize cash derived from the proceeds of this offering and the private placement of private warrants, our capital stock, debt or a combination of these in effecting a business combination which has not yet been identified. Accordingly, investors in this offering are investing without first having an opportunity to evaluate the specific merits or risks of any one or more business combinations. A business combination may involve the acquisition of, or merger with, a company which does not need substantial additional capital but which desires to establish a public trading market for its shares, while avoiding what it may deem to be adverse consequences of undertaking a public offering itself. These include time delays, significant expense, loss of voting control and compliance with various federal and state securities laws. In the alternative, we may seek to consummate a business combination with a company that may be financially unstable or in its early stages of development or growth. While we may seek to effect simultaneous business combinations with more than one target business, we will probably have the ability, as a result of our limited resources, to effect only a single business combination.
We Have Not Identified a Target Business
To date, we have not selected any target business on which to concentrate our search for a business combination. None of our sponsor, officers, directors, promoters and other affiliates has engaged in any substantive discussions on our behalf with representatives of other companies regarding the possibility of a potential merger, capital stock exchange, asset acquisition or other similar business combination with us. Additionally, we have not engaged or retained any agent or other representative to identify or locate such companies. As a result, we cannot assure you that we will be able to locate a target business or that we will be able to engage in a business combination with a target business on favorable terms or at all.
Subject to our management team’s pre-existing fiduciary obligations and the fair market value requirement described below, we will have virtually unrestricted flexibility in identifying and selecting a prospective acquisition candidate. We have not established any specific attributes or criteria (financial or otherwise) for prospective target businesses other than as described above. Accordingly, there is no basis for investors in this offering to evaluate the possible merits or risks of the target business with which we may ultimately complete a business combination. Although our management will endeavor to evaluate the risks inherent in a particular target business, we cannot assure you that we will properly ascertain or assess all significant risk factors.
Sources of Target Businesses
While we have not yet selected a target business with which to consummate our initial business combination, we believe based on our management’s business knowledge and past experience that there are numerous potential candidates. We expect that our principal means of identifying potential target businesses will be through the extensive contacts and relationships of our sponsor, initial stockholders, officers and directors. While our officers and directors are not required to commit any specific amount of time in identifying or performing due diligence on potential target businesses, our officers and directors believe that the relationships they have developed over their careers and their access to our sponsor’s contacts and resources will generate a number of potential business combination opportunities that will warrant further investigation. We also anticipate that target business candidates will be brought to our attention
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from various unaffiliated sources, including investment bankers, venture capital funds, private equity funds, leveraged buyout funds, management buyout funds and other members of the financial community. Target businesses may be brought to our attention by such unaffiliated sources as a result of being solicited by us through calls or mailings. These sources may also introduce us to target businesses they think we may be interested in on an unsolicited basis, since many of these sources will have read this prospectus and know what types of businesses we are targeting.
Our officers and directors must present to us all target business opportunities that have a fair market value of at least 80% of the assets held in the trust account (excluding taxes payable on the income accrued in the trust account) at the time of the agreement to enter into the initial business combination, subject to any pre-existing fiduciary or contractual obligations. While we do not presently anticipate engaging the services of professional firms or other individuals that specialize in business acquisitions on any formal basis (other than EarlyBirdCapital as described elsewhere in this prospectus), we may engage these firms or other individuals in the future, in which event we may pay a finder’s fee, consulting fee or other compensation to be determined in an arm’s length negotiation based on the terms of the transaction. In no event, however, will our sponsor, initial stockholders, officers, directors, special advisors or their respective affiliates be paid any finder’s fee, consulting fee or other compensation prior to, or for any services they render in order to effectuate, the consummation of an initial business combination (regardless of the type of transaction that it is) other than the $10,000 administrative services fee, the payment of consulting, success or finder fees to our sponsor, officers, directors, initial stockholders or their affiliates in connection with the consummation of our initial business combination, the repayment of the up to $150,000of loans that may be made to us from our sponsor and reimbursement of any out-of-pocket expenses. Our audit committee will review and approve all reimbursements and payments made to our sponsor, officers, directors or our or their respective affiliates, with any interested director abstaining from such review and approval.
We have no present intention to enter into a business combination with a target business that is affiliated with any of our officers, directors or sponsor. However, we are not restricted from entering into any such transactions and may do so if (i) such transaction is approved by a majority of our disinterested independent directors and (ii) we obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm, or another independent entity that commonly renders valuation opinions, that the business combination is fair to our unaffiliated stockholders from a financial point of view.
Selection of a Target Business and Structuring of a Business Combination
Subject to our management team’s pre-existing fiduciary obligations and the limitations that a target business have a fair market value of at least 80% of the balance in the trust account (excluding taxes payable on the income earned on the trust account) at the time of the execution of a definitive agreement for our initial business combination, as described below in more detail, and that we must acquire a controlling interest in the target business, our management will have virtually unrestricted flexibility in identifying and selecting a prospective target business. We have not established any specific attributes or criteria (financial or otherwise) for prospective target businesses. In evaluating a prospective target business, our management may consider a variety of factors, including one or more of the following:
• financial condition and results of operation;
• growth potential;
• brand recognition and potential;
• experience and skill of management and availability of additional personnel;
• capital requirements;
• competitive position;
• barriers to entry;
• stage of development of the products, processes or services;
• existing distribution and potential for expansion;
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• degree of current or potential market acceptance of the products, processes or services;
• proprietary aspects of products and the extent of intellectual property or other protection for products or formulas;
• impact of regulation on the business;
• regulatory environment of the industry;
• the target business’s compliance with U.S. federal law, including the Controlled Substances Act;
• costs associated with effecting the business combination;
• industry leadership, sustainability of market share and attractiveness of market industries in which a target business participates; and
• macro competitive dynamics in the industry within which the company competes.
These criteria are not intended to be exhaustive. Any evaluation relating to the merits of a particular business combination will be based, to the extent relevant, on the above factors as well as other considerations deemed relevant by our management in effecting a business combination consistent with our business objective. In evaluating a prospective target business, we will conduct an extensive due diligence review which will encompass, among other things, meetings with incumbent management and inspection of facilities, as well as review of financial and other information which is made available to us. This due diligence review will be conducted either by our management or by unaffiliated third parties we may engage, although we have no current intention to engage any such third parties.
The time and costs required to select and evaluate a target business and to structure and complete the business combination cannot presently be ascertained with any degree of certainty. Any costs incurred with respect to the identification and evaluation of a prospective target business with which a business combination is not ultimately completed will result in a loss to us and reduce the amount of capital available to otherwise complete a business combination.
Fair Market Value of Target Business
The Nasdaq and NEO listing rules require that the target business or businesses that we acquire must collectively have a fair market value equal to at least 80% of the balance of the funds in the trust account (excluding taxes payable on the income earned on the trust account) at the time of the execution of a definitive agreement for our initial business combination. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if we are not then listed on Nasdaq or the NEO for whatever reason, we would no longer be required to meet the foregoing 80% fair market value test.
We currently anticipate structuring a business combination to acquire 100% of the equity interests or assets of the target business or businesses. We may, however, structure our initial business combination where we merge directly with the target business or a newly formed subsidiary or where we acquire less than 100% of such interests or assets of the target business in order to meet certain objectives of the target management team or shareholders or for other reasons, but we will only complete such business combination if the post-transaction company owns or acquires 50% or more of the outstanding voting securities of the target or otherwise acquires a controlling interest in the target sufficient for it not to be required to register as an investment company under the Investment Company Act. Even if the post-transaction company owns or acquires 50% or more of the voting securities of the target, our stockholders prior to the business combination may collectively own a minority interest in the post-transaction company, depending on valuations ascribed to the target and us in the business combination transaction. For example, we could pursue a transaction in which we issue a substantial number of new shares in exchange for all of the outstanding capital stock of a target. In this case, we could acquire a 100% controlling interest in the target; however, as a result of the issuance of a substantial number of new shares, our stockholders immediately prior to our initial business combination could own less than a majority of our outstanding shares subsequent to our initial business combination. If less than 100% of the equity interests or assets of a target business or businesses are owned or acquired by the post-transaction company, the portion of such business or businesses that is owned or acquired is what will be valued for purposes of the 80% of trust account balance test.
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The fair market value of the target will be determined by our board of directors based upon one or more standards generally accepted by the financial community (such as actual and potential sales, earnings, cash flow and/or book value). The proxy solicitation materials used by us in connection with any proposed transaction will provide public stockholders with our analysis of the fair market value of the target business, as well as the basis for our determinations. If our board is not able to independently determine that the target business has a sufficient fair market value, we will obtain an opinion from an unaffiliated, independent investment banking firm, or another independent entity that commonly renders valuation opinions, with respect to the satisfaction of such criteria.
We will not be required to obtain an opinion from an investment banking firm as to the fair market value if our board of directors independently determines that the target business complies with the 80% threshold.
Lack of Business Diversification
We may seek to effect a business combination with more than one target business, although we expect to complete our business combination with just one business. Therefore, at least initially, the prospects for our success may be entirely dependent upon the future performance of a single business operation. Unlike other entities which may have the resources to complete several business combinations of entities operating in multiple industries or multiple areas of a single industry, it is probable that we will not have the resources to diversify our operations or benefit from the possible spreading of risks or offsetting of losses. By consummating a business combination with only a single entity, our lack of diversification may:
• subject us to numerous economic, competitive and regulatory developments, any or all of which may have a substantial adverse impact upon the particular industry in which we may operate subsequent to a business combination, and
• result in our dependency upon the performance of a single operating business or the development or market acceptance of a single or limited number of products, processes or services.
If we determine to simultaneously acquire several businesses and such businesses are owned by different sellers, we will need for each of such sellers to agree that our purchase of its business is contingent on the simultaneous closings of the other acquisitions, which may make it more difficult for us, and delay our ability, to complete the business combination. With multiple acquisitions, we could also face additional risks, including additional burdens and costs with respect to possible multiple negotiations and due diligence investigations (if there are multiple sellers) and the additional risks associated with the subsequent assimilation of the operations and services or products of the acquired companies in a single operating business.
Limited Ability to Evaluate the Target Business’ Management
Although we intend to scrutinize the management of a prospective target business when evaluating the desirability of effecting a business combination, we cannot assure you that our assessment of the target business’ management will prove to be correct. In addition, we cannot assure you that the future management will have the necessary skills, qualifications or abilities to manage a public company. Furthermore, the future role of our officers and directors, if any, in the target business following a business combination cannot presently be stated with any certainty. While it is possible that some of our key personnel will remain associated in senior management or advisory positions with us following a business combination, it is unlikely that they will devote their full time efforts to our affairs subsequent to a business combination. Moreover, they would only be able to remain with the company after the consummation of a business combination if they are able to negotiate employment or consulting agreements in connection with the business combination. Such negotiations would take place simultaneously with the negotiation of the business combination and could provide for them to receive compensation in the form of cash payments and/or our securities for services they would render to the company after the consummation of the business combination. While the personal and financial interests of our key personnel may influence their motivation in identifying and selecting a target business, their ability to remain with the company after the consummation of a business combination will not be the determining factor in our decision as to whether or not we will proceed with any potential business combination. Additionally, we cannot assure you that our officers and directors will have significant experience or knowledge relating to the operations of the particular target business.
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Following a business combination, we may seek to recruit additional managers to supplement the incumbent management of the target business. We cannot assure you that we will have the ability to recruit additional managers, or that any such additional managers we do recruit will have the requisite skills, knowledge or experience necessary to enhance the incumbent management.
StockholderApproval in Connection withan Initial Business Combination
In connection with any proposed business combination, we will seek stockholder approval of our initial business combination at a meeting called for such purpose at which stockholders may seek to convert their shares, regardless of whether they vote for or against the proposed business combination or don’t vote at all, into their pro rata share of the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account (net of taxes payable), subject to the limitations described herein. We will consummate our initial business combination only if we have net tangible assets of at least $5,000,001 either immediately prior to or upon consummation of the business combination and a majority of the outstanding shares of common stock voted are voted in favor of the business combination.
We chose our net tangible asset threshold of $5,000,001 to ensure that we would avoid being subject to Rule 419 promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. However, if we seek to consummate an initial business combination with a target business that imposes any type of working capital closing condition or requires us to have a minimum amount of funds available from the trust account upon consummation of such initial business combination, we may need to have more than $5,000,001 in net tangible assets and this may force us to seek third party financing which may not be available on terms acceptable to us or at all. As a result, we may not be able to consummate such initial business combination and we may not be able to locate another suitable target within the applicable time period, if at all. Public stockholders may therefore have to wait 24months from the closing of this offering in order to be able to receive a pro rata share of the trust account.
Our sponsor, initial stockholders, officers and directors have agreed (1) to vote any shares of common stock owned by them in favor of any proposed business combination and (2) not to convert any shares of common stock in connection with a stockholder vote to approve a proposed initial business combination.
None of our officers, directors, sponsor, initial stockholders or their affiliates has indicated any intention to purchase units or shares of common stock in this offering or from persons in the open market or in private transactions. However, if we hold a meeting to approve a proposed business combination and a significant number of stockholders vote, or indicate an intention to vote, against such proposed business combination or that they wish to convert their shares, our officers, directors, sponsor, initial stockholders or their affiliates could make such purchases in the open market or in private transactions in order to influence the vote and reduce the number of conversions. Notwithstanding the foregoing, our officers, directors, sponsor, initial stockholders and their affiliates will not make purchases of shares of common stock if the purchases would violate Section 9(a)(2) or Rule 10b-5 of the Exchange Act, which are rules designed to stop potential manipulation of a company’s stock.
Conversion Rights
At any meeting called to approve an initial business combination, public stockholders may seek to convert their shares, regardless of whether they vote for or against the proposed business combination or do not vote at all, into their pro rata share of the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account as of two business days prior to the consummation of the initial business combination, less any taxes then due but not yet paid.
Our sponsor, initial stockholders and our officers and directors will not have conversion rights with respect to any shares of common stock owned by them, directly or indirectly, whether acquired prior to this offering or purchased by them in this offering or in the aftermarket. Additionally, the holders of the representative shares will not have conversion rights with respect to the representative shares.
We may require public stockholders, whether they are a record holder or hold their shares in “street name,” to either (i) deliver their certificates to our transfer agent or (ii) deliver their shares to the transfer agent electronically using Depository Trust Company’s DWAC (Deposit/Withdrawal At Custodian) System, at the holder’s option, in each case prior to a date set forth in the proxy materials sent in connection with the proposal to approve the business combination.
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There is a nominal cost associated with the above-referenced delivery process and the act of certificating the shares or delivering them through the DWAC System. The transfer agent will typically charge the broker delivering the shares a nominal amount and it would be up to the broker whether or not to pass this cost on to the holder. However, this fee would be incurred regardless of whether or not we require holders seeking to exercise conversion rights. The need to deliver shares is a requirement of exercising conversion rights regardless of the timing of when such delivery must be effectuated. However, in the event we require stockholders seeking to exercise conversion rights prior to the consummation of the proposed business combination and the proposed business combination is not consummated this may result in an increased cost to stockholders.
Any proxy solicitation materials we furnish to stockholders in connection with a vote for any proposed business combination will indicate whether we are requiring stockholders to satisfy such certification and delivery requirements. Accordingly, a stockholder would have from the time the stockholder received our proxy statement up until the vote on the proposal to approve the business combination to deliver his shares if he wishes to seek to exercise his conversion rights. This time period varies depending on the specific facts of each transaction. However, as the delivery process can be accomplished by the stockholder, whether or not he is a record holder or his shares are held in “street name,” in a matter of hours by simply contacting the transfer agent or his broker and requesting delivery of his shares through the DWAC System, we believe this time period is sufficient for an average investor. However, we cannot assure you of this fact. Please see the risk factor titled “In connection with any stockholder meeting called to approve a proposed initial business combination, we may require stockholders who wish to convert their shares in connection with a proposed business combination to comply with specific requirements for conversion that may make it more difficult for them to exercise their conversion rights prior to the deadline for exercising their rights” for further information on the risks of failing to comply with these requirements.
Any request to convert such shares once made, may be withdrawn at any time up to the vote on the proposed business combination. Furthermore, if a holder of public shares delivered his certificate in connection with an election of their conversion and subsequently decides prior to the applicable date not to elect to exercise such rights, he may simply request that the transfer agent return the certificate (physically or electronically).
If the initial business combination is not approved or completed for any reason, then our public stockholders who elected to exercise their conversion rights would not be entitled to convert their shares for the applicable pro rata share of the trust account. In such case, we will promptly return any shares delivered by public holders.
Liquidation if No Business Combination
Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that we will have only 24months from the closing of this offering to complete an initial business combination. If we have not completed an initial business combination by such date, we will (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, redeem 100% of the outstanding public shares, at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account, including any interest not previously released to us, 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 of directors, dissolve and liquidate, subject (in the case of (ii) and (iii) above) to our obligations under Delaware law to provide for claims of creditors and the requirements of other applicable law.
Our sponsor, initial stockholders, officers and directors have agreed that they will not propose any amendment to our amended and restated certificate of incorporation that would affect our public stockholders’ ability to convert their shares in connection with a business combination as described herein or affect the substance or timing of our obligation to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete a business combination within 24months from the closing of this offering unless we provide our public stockholders with the opportunity to convert their shares of common stock upon such approval at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account, including interest not previously released to us but net of taxes payable, divided by the number of then outstanding public shares. This redemption right shall apply in the event of the approval of any such amendment, whether proposed by our sponsor, initial stockholders, executive officers, directors or any other person.
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Under the Delaware General Corporation Law, stockholders may be held liable for claims by third parties against a corporation to the extent of distributions received by them in a dissolution. The pro rata portion of our trust account distributed to our public stockholders upon the redemption of 100% of our outstanding public shares in the event we do not complete our initial business combination within the required time period may be considered a liquidation distribution under Delaware law. If the corporation complies with certain procedures set forth in Section 280 of the Delaware General Corporation Law intended to ensure that it makes reasonable provision for all claims against it, including a 60-day notice period during which any third-party claims can be brought against the corporation, a 90-day period during which the corporation may reject any claims brought, and an additional 150-day waiting period before any liquidating distributions are made to stockholders, any liability of stockholders with respect to a liquidating distribution is limited to the lesser of such stockholder’s pro rata share of the claim or the amount distributed to the stockholder, and any liability of the stockholder would be barred after the third anniversary of the dissolution.
Furthermore, if the pro rata portion of our trust account distributed to our public stockholders upon the redemption of 100% of our public shares in the event we do not complete our initial business combination within the required time period is not considered a liquidation distribution under Delaware law and such redemption distribution is deemed to be unlawful, then pursuant to Section 174 of the Delaware General Corporation Law, the statute of limitations for claims of creditors could then be six years after the unlawful redemption distribution, instead of three years, as in the case of a liquidation distribution. If we are unable to complete a business combination within the prescribed time frame, we will (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, redeem 100% of the outstanding public shares, at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account, including any interest but net of taxes payable, 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 of directors, dissolve and liquidate, subject (in the case of (ii) and (iii) above) to our obligations under Delaware law to provide for claims of creditors and the requirements of other applicable law. Accordingly, it is our intention to redeem our public shares as soon as reasonably possible following our 24th month, and, therefore, we do not intend to comply with those procedures. As such, our stockholders could potentially be liable for any claims to the extent of distributions received by them (but no more) and any liability of our stockholders may extend well beyond the third anniversary of such date.
Because we will not be complying with Section 280 of the Delaware General Corporation Law, Section 281(b) of the Delaware General Corporation Law requires us to adopt a plan, based on facts known to us at such time that will provide for our payment of all existing and pending claims or claims that may be potentially brought against us within the subsequent ten years. However, because we are a blank check company, rather than an operating company, and our operations will be limited to searching for prospective target businesses to acquire, the only likely claims to arise would be from our vendors (such as lawyers, investment bankers, etc.) or prospective target businesses.
We are required to seek to have all third parties (including any vendors or other entities we engage after this offering) and any prospective target businesses enter into agreements with us waiving any right, title, interest or claim of any kind they may have in or to any monies held in the trust account. As a result, the claims that could be made against us will be limited, thereby lessening the likelihood that any claim would result in any liability extending to the trust. We therefore believe that any necessary provision for creditors will be reduced and should not have a significant impact on our ability to distribute the funds in the trust account to our public stockholders. Nevertheless, Marcum LLP, our independent registered public accounting firm, and the underwriters of the offering, will not execute agreements with us waiving such claims to the monies held in the trust account. Furthermore, there is no guarantee that other vendors, service providers and prospective target businesses will execute such agreements. Nor is there any guarantee that, even if they execute such agreements with us, they will not seek recourse against the trust account. Merida Manager III LLC has agreed that it will be liable to ensure that the proceeds in the trust account are not reduced below $10.00 per share by the claims of target businesses or claims of vendors or other entities that are owed money by us for services rendered or contracted for or products sold to us, but we cannot assure you that it will be able to satisfy its indemnification obligations if it is required to do so. We have not asked it to reserve for such indemnification obligations, nor have we independently verified whether it has sufficient funds to satisfy its indemnity obligations. Therefore, we cannot assure you that Merida Manager III LLC will be able to satisfy its indemnification obligations if it is required to do so. Additionally, the agreement with Merida
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Manager III LLC specifically provides for two exceptions to the indemnity it has given: it will have no liability (1) as to any claimed amounts owed to a target business or vendor or other entity who has executed an agreement with us waiving any right, title, interest or claim of any kind they may have in or to any monies held in the trust account, or (2) as to any claims for indemnification by the underwriters of this offering against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act. As a result, if we liquidate, the per-share distribution from the trust account could be less than $10.00 due to claims or potential claims of creditors.
We anticipate notifying the trustee of the trust account to begin liquidating such assets promptly after our 24th month and anticipate it will take no more than 10 business days to effectuate such distribution. The holders of the founders’ shares have waived their rights to participate in any liquidation distribution from the trust account with respect to such shares. There will be no distribution from the trust account with respect to our warrants, which will expire worthless. We will pay the costs of any subsequent liquidation from our remaining assets outside of the trust account. If such funds are insufficient, Merida Manager III LLC has contractually agreed to advance us the funds necessary to complete such liquidation (currently anticipated to be no more than approximately $15,000) and has contractually agreed not to seek repayment for such expenses.
If we are unable to complete an initial business combination and expend all of the net proceeds of this offering, other than the proceeds deposited in the trust account, and without taking into account interest, if any, earned on the trust account, the initial per-share redemption price would be $10.00. As discussed above, however, the proceeds deposited in the trust account could become subject to claims of our creditors that are in preference to the claims of public stockholders.
Our public stockholders shall be entitled to receive funds from the trust account only in the event of our failure to complete a business combination within the required time period, if the stockholders seek to have us convert or purchase their respective shares upon a business combination which is actually completed by us or upon certain amendments to our amended and restated certificate of incorporation prior to consummating an initial business combination. In no other circumstances shall a stockholder have any right or interest of any kind to or in the trust account.
If we are forced to file a bankruptcy case or an involuntary bankruptcy case is filed against us which is not dismissed, the proceeds held in the trust account could be subject to applicable bankruptcy law, and may be included in our bankruptcy estate and subject to the claims of third parties with priority over the claims of our stockholders. To the extent any bankruptcy claims deplete the trust account, we cannot assure you we will be able to return to our public stockholders at least $10.00 per share.
If we are forced to file a bankruptcy case or an involuntary bankruptcy case is filed against us which is not dismissed, any distributions received by stockholders could be viewed under applicable debtor/creditor and/or bankruptcy laws as either a “preferential transfer” or a “fraudulent conveyance.” As a result, a bankruptcy court could seek to recover all amounts received by our stockholders. Furthermore, because we intend to distribute the proceeds held in the trust account to our public stockholders promptly after 24months from the closing of this offering, this may be viewed or interpreted as giving preference to our public stockholders over any potential creditors with respect to access to or distributions from our assets. Furthermore, our board may be viewed as having breached their fiduciary duties to our creditors and/or may have acted in bad faith, and thereby exposing itself and our company to claims of punitive damages, by paying public stockholders from the trust account prior to addressing the claims of creditors. We cannot assure you that claims will not be brought against us for these reasons.
Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation
Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation contains certain requirements and restrictions relating to this offering that will apply to us until the consummation of our initial business combination. These provisions cannot be amended without the approval of a majority of our stockholders. If we seek to amend any provisions of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation that would affect our public stockholders’ ability to convert their shares in connection with a business combination as described herein or affect the substance or timing of our obligation to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete a business combination within 24months from the closing of this offering, we will provide dissenting public stockholders with the opportunity to convert their public shares in connection with any such vote. This conversion right shall apply in the event of the approval of any such amendment, whether proposed by our sponsor, any executive officer, director or director nominee, or any other person. Our sponsor,
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officers and directors have agreed to waive any conversion rights with respect to any founders’ shares and any public shares they may hold in connection with any vote to amend our amended and restated certificate of incorporation. Specifically, our amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides, among other things, that:
• we shall seek stockholder approval of our initial business combination at a meeting called for such purpose at which stockholders may seek to convert their shares, regardless of whether they vote for or against the proposed business combination or don’t vote at all, into their pro rata share of the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account (net of taxes payable), subject to the limitations described herein;
• we will consummate our initial business combination only if we have net tangible assets of at least $5,000,001 either immediately prior to or upon consummation of the business combination and a majority of the outstanding shares of common stock voted are voted in favor of the business combination;
• if our initial business combination is not consummated within 24months from the closing of this offering, then we will redeem all of the outstanding public shares and thereafter liquidate and dissolve our company;
• upon the consummation of this offering, $100,000,000, or $115,000,000 if the over-allotment option is exercised in full, shall be placed into the trust account;
• we may not consummate any other business combination, merger, capital stock exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, reorganization or similar transaction prior to our initial business combination; and
• prior to our initial business combination, we may not issue additional stock that participates in any manner in the proceeds of the trust account, or that votes as a class with the common stock sold in this offering on an initial business combination.
Competition
In identifying, evaluating and selecting a target business, we may encounter intense competition from other entities having a business objective similar to ours. Many of these entities are well established and have extensive experience identifying and effecting business combinations directly or through affiliates. Many of these competitors possess greater technical, human and other resources than us and our financial resources will be relatively limited when contrasted with those of many of these competitors. While we believe there may be numerous potential target businesses that we could acquire with the net proceeds of this offering, our ability to compete in acquiring certain sizable target businesses may be limited by our available financial resources.
The following also may not be viewed favorably by certain target businesses:
• our obligation to seek stockholder approval of a business combination may delay the completion of a transaction;
• our obligation to convert shares of common stock held by our public stockholders may reduce the resources available to us for a business combination; and
• our outstanding warrants, and the potential future dilution they represent.
Any of these factors may place us at a competitive disadvantage in successfully negotiating a business combination. Our management believes, however, that our status as a public entity and potential access to the United States public equity markets may give us a competitive advantage over privately-held entities having a similar business objective as ours in acquiring a target business with significant growth potential on favorable terms.
If we succeed in effecting a business combination, there will be, in all likelihood, intense competition from competitors of the target business. We cannot assure you that, subsequent to a business combination, we will have the resources or ability to compete effectively.
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Facilities
We currently maintain our principal executive offices at 641 Lexington Avenue, 18th Floor, New York, NY 10022. The cost for this space is included in the $10,000 per-month fee Merida Manager III LLC will charge us for general and administrative services commencing on the date of this prospectus pursuant to a letter agreement between us and our sponsor. We believe, based on rents and fees for similar services in New York City that the fee charged by our sponsor is at least as favorable as we could have obtained from an unaffiliated person. We consider our current office space, combined with the other office space otherwise available to our executive officers, adequate for our current operations.
Employees
We have two executive officers. These individuals are not obligated to devote any specific number of hours to our matters and intend to devote only as much time as they deem necessary to our affairs. The amount of time they will devote in any time period will vary based on whether a target business has been selected for the business combination and the stage of the business combination process the company is in. Accordingly, once a suitable target business to acquire has been located, management may spend more time investigating such target business and negotiating and processing the business combination (and consequently spend more time on our affairs) than had been spent prior to locating a suitable target business. We presently expect our executive officers to devote such amount of time as they reasonably believe is necessary to our business. We do not intend to have any full time employees prior to the consummation of a business combination.
Periodic Reporting and Audited Financial Statements
We have registered our units, common stock and warrants under the Exchange Act and have reporting obligations, including the requirement that we file annual, quarterly and current reports with the SEC. In accordance with the requirements of the Exchange Act, our annual report will contain financial statements audited and reported on by our independent registered public accountants.
We will provide stockholders with audited financial statements of the prospective target business as part of any proxy solicitation materials sent to stockholders to assist them in assessing the target business. These financial statements will need to be prepared in accordance with or reconciled to United States generally accepted accounting principles or international financial reporting standards. We cannot assure you that any particular target business identified by us as a potential acquisition candidate will have the necessary financial statements. To the extent that this requirement cannot be met, we may not be able to acquire the proposed target business.
We may be required to have our internal control procedures audited for the fiscal year ending December31, 2020as required by the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. A target company may not be in compliance with the provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act regarding adequacy of their internal controls. The development of the internal controls of any such entity to achieve compliance with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act may increase the time and costs necessary to complete any such acquisition.
Legal Proceedings
There is no material litigation, arbitration or governmental proceeding currently pending against us or any members of our management team in their capacity as such, and we and the members of our management team have not been subject to any such proceeding in the 12months preceding the date of this prospectus.
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Comparison to Offerings of Blank Check Companies Subject to Rule 419
The following table compares and contrasts the terms of our offering and the terms of an offering of blank check companies under Rule 419 promulgated by the SEC assuming that the gross proceeds, underwriting discounts and underwriting expenses for the Rule 419 offering are the same as this offering and that the underwriters will not exercise their over-allotment option. None of the terms of a Rule 419 offering will apply to this offering because we will have net tangible assets in excess of $5,000,000 upon the successful consummation of this offering and will file a Current Report on Form 8-K, including an audited balance sheet demonstrating this fact.
Terms of the Offering | Terms Under a Rule 419 Offering | |||
Escrow of offering proceeds | $100,000,000 of the proceeds from this offering and sale of the private warrants will be deposited into a U.S.-based trust account maintained by Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, acting as trustee | $88,200,000of the offering proceeds would be required to be deposited into either an escrow account with an insured depositary institution or in a separate bank account established by a broker-dealer in which the broker-dealer acts as trustee for persons having the beneficial interests in the account. | ||
Investment of net proceeds | The $100,000,000 of proceeds of this offering and the sale of the private warrants held in trust will only be invested in United States “government securities” within the meaning of Section 2(a)(16) of the Investment Company Act with a maturity of 180 days or less or in money market funds meeting certain conditions under Rule 2a-7 promulgated under the Investment Company Act which invest only in direct U.S. government treasury obligations. | Proceeds could be invested only in specified securities such as a money market fund meeting conditions of the Investment Company Act or in securities that are direct obligations of, or obligations guaranteed as to principal or interest by, the United States. | ||
Limitation on fair value or net assets of target business | Our initial business combination must occur with one or more target businesses that together have a fair market value of at least 80% of the assets held in the trust account (excluding taxes payable on the income earned on the trust account) at the time of the agreement to enter into the initial business combination. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if we are not then listed on Nasdaq or the NEO for whatever reason, we would no longer be required to meet the foregoing 80% fair market value test. | We would be restricted from acquiring a target business unless the fair value of such business or net assets to be acquired represent at least 80% of the maximum offering proceeds. |
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Terms of the Offering | Terms Under a Rule 419 Offering | |||
Trading of securities issued | The units may commence trading on or promptly after the date of this prospectus. The shares of common stock and warrants comprising the units will begin to trade separately on the 40th day after the date of this prospectus unless EarlyBirdCapital. informs us of its decision to allow earlier separate trading. However, in no event will separate trading occur prior to the 40th day after the date of this prospectus unless we have filed with the SEC a Current Report on Form 8-K, which includes an audited balance sheet reflecting our receipt of the proceeds of this offering, including any proceeds we receive from the exercise of the over-allotment option, if such option is exercised prior to the initial filing of such Current Report on Form 8-K. If the over-allotment option is exercised after the initial filing of such Current Report on Form 8-K, we will file an amendment to the Form 8-K to provide updated financial information to reflect the exercise and consummation of the over-allotment option. We will also include in this Form 8-K, an amendment thereto, or in a subsequent Form 8-K, information indicating if EarlyBirdCapital has allowed separate trading of the shares of common stock and warrants prior to the 40th day after the date of this prospectus. | No trading of the units or the underlying shares of common stock and warrants would be permitted until the completion of a business combination. During this period, the securities would be held in the escrow or trust account. | ||
Exercise of the warrants | The warrants cannot be exercised until the later of the completion of a business combination or 12months from the closing of this offering and, accordingly, will be exercised only after the trust account has been terminated and distributed | The warrants could be exercised prior to the completion of a business combination, but securities received and cash paid in connection with the exercise would be deposited in the escrow or trust account. | ||
Election to remain an investor | We will give our stockholders the opportunity to vote on the business combination and elect to convert their shares for their pro rata share of the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account, less taxes. In connection therewith, we will send each stockholder a proxy statement containing information required by the SEC. | A prospectus containing information required by the SEC would be sent to each investor. Each investor would be given the opportunity to notify the company, in writing, within a period of no less than 20 business days and no more than 45 business days from the effective date of the post-effective amendment, to decide whether he or she elects to remain a stockholder of the company or require the return of his or her investment. If the company has not received the notification by the end of the 45thbusiness day, funds and interest or dividends, if any, held in the trust or escrow account would automatically be returned to the stockholder. Unless a sufficient number of investors elect to remain investors, all of the deposited funds in the escrow account must be returned to all investors and none of the securities will be issued. |
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Terms of the Offering | Terms Under a Rule 419 Offering | |||
Business combination deadline | Pursuant to our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, if we are unable to complete our initial business combination within 24months from the closing of this offering, we will (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, redeem 100% of the outstanding public shares, at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account, including any interest not released to us, 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 of directors, dissolve and liquidate, subject (in the case of (ii) and (iii) above) to our obligations under Delaware law to provide for claims of creditors and the requirements of other applicable law. | If an acquisition has not been consummated within 18months after the effective date of the initial registration statement, funds held in the trust or escrow account would be returned to investors. | ||
Interest earned on the funds in the trust account | There can be released to us, from time to time, any interest earned on the funds in the trust account that we may need to pay our tax obligations. Additionally, up to $250,000 of interest earned on the funds in the trust account can be released to us for working capital during the first 12months after the date hereof and another $250,000 can be released to us for working capital after the 12-month anniversary of the date hereof. The remaining interest earned on the funds in the trust account will not be released until the earlier of the completion of a business combination and our liquidation upon failure to effect a business combination within the allotted time. | All interest earned on the funds in the trust account will be held in trust for the benefit of public stockholders until the earlier of the completion of a business combination and our liquidation upon failure to effect a business combination within the allotted time. | ||
Release of funds | Except for any interest earned on the funds in the trust account that we may need to pay our tax obligations and working capital needs as described in this prospectus, the proceeds held in the trust account will not be released to us until the earlier of the completion of a business combination and our liquidation upon failure to effect a business combination within the allotted time. | The proceeds held in the escrow account would not be released to the company until the earlier of the completion of a business combination or the failure to effect a business combination within the allotted time. |
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Directors and Executive Officers
Our current directors and executive officers are as follows:
Name | Age | Position | ||
Peter Lee | 43 | President, Chief Financial Officer and Director | ||
Richard Sellers | 49 | Executive Vice President of Mergers & Acquisitions | ||
Mitchell Baruchowitz | 45 | Non-Executive Chairman of the Board | ||
Jeffrey Monat | 41 | Director | ||
Andres Nannetti | 42 | Director |
Peter Leehas served as our President since August 2019 and our Chief Financial Officer and a member of our board of directors since September 2019. Mr.Lee has spent more than 20 years as an investment professional in both public markets and private equity. Since April 2018, Mr.Lee has been an independent investor and consultant for hedge funds. From 2011 to April 2018, he co-founded and was a Managing Partner at Sentinel Rock Capital, LLC, a long/short equity oriented hedge fund. Prior to this, from 2009 to 2011, he was an Analyst and a Partner at Spring Point Capital, a long/short equity oriented hedge fund. From 2007 to 2009, he was the sector head for financial services and retail industries at Blackstone Kailix, the long/short equity hedge fund business of The Blackstone Group. From 2005 to 2007, he was an analyst at Tiger Management evaluating public investments. Mr.Lee joined Tiger Management out of business school. Earlier, Mr.Lee focused on growth private equity investing in financial services and financial technology companies as a senior associate at J.H Whitney & Company from 2000 to 2002 and an associate at Capital Z Partners from 1999 to 2000. Mr.Lee began his career in 1997 as an analyst at Morgan Stanley Capital Partners, the private equity investment fund of Morgan Stanley. Mr.Lee received a B.S. in Business Administration from the University of California at Berkeley Haas School of Business and an MBA from Stanford Graduate School of Business.
Richard Sellers has served as our Executive Vice President of Mergers & Acquisitions since September 2019. Mr.Sellers has been involved in the cannabis industry for over 20 years. Since January 2018, Mr.Sellers has served as the Vice President of US Operations for Origin House (CSE: OH), a multinational, publicly traded company with cannabis assets throughout North America’s cannabis market. In addition to his duties in operations at Origin House, he has been instrumental in identifying, evaluating, negotiating, closing and transitioning multiple mergers and acquisitions. Previously, in January 2015, Mr.Sellers founded Alta Supply, California’s first formal cannabis distribution company. In March 2016, he also founded KAYA Manufacturing, one of the first California state licensed cannabis manufacturing companies. Kaya’s facility produces several cannabis products including gourmet cannabis chocolate, gummies, premium vaporizers, and mouth sprays. Alta Supply and Kaya were acquired by Origin House March 2018. From January 2010 to June 2019, Mr.Sellers was with Bhang Inc. (CSE: BHNG), a publicly traded company he co-founded and served as its Senior Vice President of Business Development. Bhang has become one of the most widely distributed cannabis brands in the world.
Mitchell Baruchowitz has been a member of the board of directors since August 2019 and our non-executive Chairman of the Board since September 2019. Mr.Baruchowitz has approximately 20 years of experience in the legal and finance fields. He also has nine years of experience in the legal cannabis industry. Through his leadership of Merida Capital Partners and his expertise in the diverse licensing regimes governing each state, Mr.Baruchowitz has been involved in over 100 cannabis transactions with a notional value over $1billion. Mr.Baruchowitz has served as the Managing Member of Merida Advisors, LLC and the Managing Partner of Merida Capital Partners since September 2016. From April 2005 to March 2007, he served as the Associate General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer of MarketAxess, a publicly traded financial technology company. He was also the General Counsel of investment banking boutique Pali Capital from October 2007 to May 2010. From May 2010 to October 2013, he served as the General Counsel of ACGM, Inc. In March 2013, he cofounded Theraplant, LLC, where he architected the highest scoring application in Connecticut’s highly selective licensing process. From October 2013 to October 2016, he served as the Head of Investment Banking of CAVU Securities. In 2014, he cofounded Leafline Labs, LLC, which was one of only two Minnesota companies to win a license to cultivate and dispense cannabis in extracted form. He formerly sat on the Board of Leafline Labs as well. In 2015, Mr.Baruchowitz co-founded a Nevada cultivator that also holds interests in two dispensary licenses. In 2016, he founded Merida Capital Partners and Grow West MD, a cultivator licensed in Maryland. He currently sits on the Boards of New Frontier Data, Simplifya, Mainstem, Steep Hill Labs and Manna Molecular Sciences. Mr.Baruchowitz received a B.A. in History from Brandeis University and a JD from Boston University School of Law. He is a member of the
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New York and Massachusetts Bars and holds FINRA7,24, 63 and 79 licenses. We believe he is well qualified to serve on the board of directors due to his public and private company experience and experience in the cannabis industry.
Jeffrey Monathas been a member of the board of directors since August 2019. He has been investing in cannabis companies since 2013, having made investments in cultivation and ancillary businesses. He has been with Merida since 2018 and is a partner in all three of its funds, where he serves in a primary analytical role for the funds’ investments. Since 2018, Mr.Monat has served as Chairman of the Board of Steep Hill Labs. From 2000 to 2002, he was with Goldman Sachs, where he advised clients on M&A transactions, financial valuation, and corporate governance issues. He worked in the Goldman Sachs Principal Strategies Group from 2002 to 2003, analyzing public-market opportunities for the firm’s proprietary investment fund. From 2003 to 2010, he was an investment analyst at Rockbay Capital, where he helped grow the firm to $1billion in assets under management. From 2010 to 2012, he was with FrontPoint Rockbay, an event-driven hedge fund in New York where he evaluated prospective investments and helped build the firm’s investment analysis infrastructure. Mr.Monat also served as a Senior Analyst at Seven Locks Capital, a long/short equity hedge fund from 2012 to 2016 and was a Senior Analyst at Sage Rock Capital, an event-driven hedge fund based in New York from 2016 to 2018. Mr.Monat received a B.S. in Economics from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. We believe he is well qualified to serve on the board of directors due to his investment advisory experience and experience in the cannabis industry.
Andres Nannettihas been a member of the board of directors since September 2019. Mr.Nannetti brings over twenty years of domestic and international business leadership and experience as both a CEO of companies and private equity principal investor. Since August 2018, Mr.Nannetti has served as Executive Chairman of Natuera Sarl, a Luxembourg-based global cannabis contract development and manufacturing organization with its initial production operations in Colombia. Natuera is a 50/50 Joint Venture between the Cronos Group, a publicly traded Toronto based leading global cannabinoid company whose main investor is Altria and Monaco Investments, and an affiliate of Agroidea SAS, Colombia’s leading agricultural services provider with over 30 years of research, development and production operations. Since 2005, Mr.Nannetti has also served as Managing Director of Leawood Investments, a privately held holding company whose direct and affiliated holdings include cannabis cultivation and manufacturing of derivative products, real estate development, fresh cut flower growing, and agricultural services companies in Colombia, and retail operations in the US. From 1999 to 2002, Mr.Nannetti was Co-founder and CEO of Rovia Inc., a Boston-based digital rights management software provider that was subsequently acquired by Enchoice. Mr.Nannetti began his career in 1998 at JP Morgan in the Latin America M&A and Morgan Capital Private Equity Groups. Mr.Nannetti received a BS in Economics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and an MBA from Stanford Graduate School of Business. We believe Mr.Nannetti is well qualified to serve on the board of directors due to his extensive private equity investment and operational experience as well as his experience in the cannabis industry.
Our board of directors is divided into three classes with only one class of directors being elected in each year and each class serving a three-year term. The term of office of the first class of directors, consisting of Andres Nannetti, will expire at our first annual meeting of stockholders. The term of office of the second class of directors, consisting of Mitchell Baruchowitz, will expire at the second annual meeting. The term of office of the third class of directors, consisting of Jeffrey Monat and Peter Lee, will expire at the third annual meeting.
Special Advisors
We may seek guidance and advice from the following special advisors. We have no formal arrangements or agreements with these advisors to provide services to us and they have no fiduciary obligations to present business opportunities to us. These special advisors will simply provide advice, introductions to potential targets, and assistance to us, at our request, only if they are able to do so. Nevertheless, we believe with their business background and extensive contacts, they will be helpful to our search for a target business and our consummation of a business combination.
Kevin Fickle is an entrepreneur with extensive capital markets experience in the technology and consumer goods verticals. Since October 2018, he has been a Partner of Merida Capital Partners where he is responsible for overseeing the capital strategy and capital markets activities of its funds’ portfolio companies. In 2008, he co-founded Nuwa Ventures, a family office where he is responsible for originating, structuring and analyzing portfolio investments, and has served as its President since its founding. Since 2018, Mr.Fickle has also served on the Board of MediaJel Inc., a leading provider of advertising and marketing solutions for the cannabis industry. Mr.Fickle received a B.S. in Finance from San Diego State University.
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Greg Wilson is an entrepreneur and corporate finance strategist with more than 20 years of experience advising on and structuring capital market transactions for emerging growth enterprises. In 2005, Mr.Wilson co-founded Paramount Gold & Silver Corp., a precious metals exploration company that was sold to Coeur Mining in late 2014. Mr.Wilson was a founding Director in February 2015 of CannaRoyalty Corp. (CSE:CRZ), now operating as Origin House, and held the title of Chief Operating Officer from November 2016 until April 2018. Mr.Wilson was also a Director of Planet 13 Holdings (CSE:PLTH) and assisted with their RTO financing and public listing. Mr.Wilson currently sits on the Board of Directors of 12 Exploration (CSE:TWLV), and is actively involved as an advisor and investor in numerous private companies spanning a diverse set of sectors including cannabis, biotechnology and real estate.
In 1998, Mr.Wilson earned the Chartered Investment Manager designation (CIM), and was awarded the Fellow of the Canadian Securities Institute (FCSI) accreditation.
Mario Maruzzo is Head of Investment Banking at Beacon Securities Limited, a boutique investment bank headquartered in Toronto, Ontario. Mr.Maruzzo started Beacon’s cannabis practice in 2016 and has been an early advisor to the sector, specializing in capital raising for private and public companies, M&A and advisory services. He plays a central role in originating opportunities and provides ongoing banking coverage to cannabis clients. He began his career in investment banking in 2008 at Paradigm Capital in Toronto, eventually becoming a Partner with a focus on the natural resource sector. He has 12 years of investment banking experience, focusing on equity and debt financings, domestic and cross border M&A and fairness opinion/valuation work. He has advised on over $9billion of completed M&A and advisory transactions and led over $1.5billion in domestic and cross-border financings across various sectors. Mr.Maruzzo received a Bachelor of Mathematics from the University of Waterloo and a Bachelor of Business Administration from Wilfrid Laurier University. Mr.Maruzzo is a CFA charterholder.
Executive Compensation
No executive officer has received any cash compensation for services rendered to us. Commencing on the date of this prospectus through the acquisition of a target business, we will pay Merida Manager III LLC, an affiliate of our sponsor, an aggregate fee of $10,000 per month for providing us with office space and certain office and secretarial services. However, this arrangement is solely for our benefit and is not intended to provide our officers or directors compensation in lieu of a salary.
Other than the $10,000 per month administrative fee, the payment of consulting, success or finder fees to our sponsor, officers, directors, initial stockholders or their affiliates in connection with the consummation of our initial business combination and the repayment of the up to $150,000of loans that may be made by our sponsor to us, no compensation or fees of any kind, including finder’s, consulting fees and other similar fees, will be paid to our sponsor, initial stockholders, special advisors, members of our management team or their respective affiliates, for services rendered prior to or in connection with the consummation of our initial business combination (regardless of the type of transaction that it is). However, they will receive reimbursement for any out-of-pocket expenses incurred by them in connection with activities on our behalf, such as identifying potential target businesses, performing business due diligence on suitable target businesses and business combinations as well as traveling to and from the offices, plants or similar locations of prospective target businesses to examine their operations. There is no limit on the amount of out-of-pocket expenses reimbursable by us.
After our initial business combination, members of our management team who remain with us may be paid consulting, management or other fees from the combined company with any and all amounts being fully disclosed to stockholders, to the extent then known, in the proxy solicitation materials furnished to our stockholders. However, the amount of such compensation may not be known at the time of the stockholder meeting held to consider our initial business combination, as it will be up to the directors of the post-combination business to determine executive and director compensation. In this event, such compensation will be publicly disclosed at the time of its determination in a Current Report on Form 8-K or a periodic report, as required by the SEC.
Director Independence
Currently, Mitchell Baruchowitz, Jeffrey Monat and Andres Nannetti would each be considered an “independent director” under the Nasdaq listing rules, which is defined generally as a person other than an officer or employee of the company or its subsidiaries or any other individual having a relationship, which, in the opinion of the company’s board of directors would interfere with the director’s exercise of independent judgment in carrying out the responsibilities of a director.
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Our independent directors will have regularly scheduled meetings at which only independent directors are present.
Any affiliated transactions will be on terms no less favorable to us than could be obtained from independent parties. Our board of directors will review and approve all affiliated transactions with any interested director abstaining from such review and approval.
Audit Committee
Effective upon the date of this prospectus, we will establish an audit committee of the board of directors, which will consist of Mitchell Baruchowitz, Jeffrey Monat and Andres Nannetti, each of whom is an independent director under Nasdaq’s listing standards. The audit committee’s duties, which are specified in our Audit Committee Charter, include, but are not limited to:
• reviewing and discussing with management and the independent auditor the annual audited financial statements, and recommending to the board whether the audited financial statements should be included in our Form 10-K;
• discussing with management and the independent auditor significant financial reporting issues and judgments made in connection with the preparation of our financial statements;
• discussing with management major risk assessment and risk management policies;
• monitoring the independence of the independent auditor;
• verifying the rotation of the lead (or coordinating) audit partner having primary responsibility for the audit and the audit partner responsible for reviewing the audit as required by law;
• reviewing and approving all related-party transactions;
• inquiring and discussing with management our compliance with applicable laws and regulations;
• pre-approving all audit services and permitted non-audit services to be performed by our independent auditor, including the fees and terms of the services to be performed;
• appointing or replacing the independent auditor;
• determining the compensation and oversight of the work of the independent auditor (including resolution of disagreements between management and the independent auditor regarding financial reporting) for the purpose of preparing or issuing an audit report or related work;
• establishing procedures for the receipt, retention and treatment of complaints received by us regarding accounting, internal accounting controls or reports which raise material issues regarding our financial statements or accounting policies; and
• approving reimbursement of expenses incurred by our management team in identifying potential target businesses.
Financial Experts on Audit Committee
The audit committee will at all times be composed exclusively of “independent directors” who are “financially literate” as defined under Nasdaq’s listing standards. Nasdaq’s standards define “financially literate” as being able to read and understand fundamental financial statements, including a company’s balance sheet, income statement and cash flow statement.
In addition, we must certify to Nasdaq that the committee has, and will continue to have, at least one member who has past employment experience in finance or accounting, requisite professional certification in accounting, or other comparable experience or background that results in the individual’s financial sophistication. The board of directors has determined that Mr.Baruchowitz qualifies as an “audit committee financial expert,” as defined under rules and regulations of the SEC.
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Nominating Committee
Effective upon the date of this prospectus, we will establish a nominating committee of the board of directors, which will consist of Mitchell Baruchowitz, Andres Nannetti and Jeffrey Monat, each of whom is an independent director under Nasdaq’s listing standards. The nominating committee is responsible for overseeing the selection of persons to be nominated to serve on our board of directors. The nominating committee considers persons identified by its members, management, stockholders, investment bankers and others.
Guidelines for Selecting Director Nominees
The guidelines for selecting nominees, which are specified in the Nominating Committee Charter, generally provide that persons to be nominated:
• should have demonstrated notable or significant achievements in business, education or public service;
• should possess the requisite intelligence, education and experience to make a significant contribution to the board of directors and bring a range of skills, diverse perspectives and backgrounds to its deliberations; and
• should have the highest ethical standards, a strong sense of professionalism and intense dedication to serving the interests of the stockholders.
The Nominating Committee will consider a number of qualifications relating to management and leadership experience, background and integrity and professionalism in evaluating a person’s candidacy for membership on the board of directors. The nominating committee may require certain skills or attributes, such as financial or accounting experience, to meet specific board needs that arise from time to time and will also consider the overall experience and makeup of its members to obtain a broad and diverse mix of board members. The nominating committee does not distinguish among nominees recommended by stockholders and other persons.
Compensation Committee
Effective upon the date of this prospectus, we will establish a compensation committee of the board of directors, which will consist of Mitchell Baruchowitz, Andres Nannetti and Jeffrey Monat, each of whom is an independent director under Nasdaq’s listing standards. The compensation committee’s duties, which are specified in our Compensation Committee Charter, include, but are not limited to:
• reviewing and approving on an annual basis the corporate goals and objectives relevant to our Chief Executive Officer’s compensation, evaluating our Chief Executive Officer’s performance in light of such goals and objectives and determining and approving the remuneration (if any) of our Chief Executive Officer based on such evaluation;
• reviewing and approving the compensation of all of our other executive officers;
• reviewing our executive compensation policies and plans;
• implementing and administering our incentive compensation equity-based remuneration plans;
• assisting management in complying with our proxy statement and annual report disclosure requirements;
• approving all special perquisites, special cash payments and other special compensation and benefit arrangements for our executive officers and employees;
• if required, producing a report on executive compensation to be included in our annual proxy statement; and
• reviewing, evaluating and recommending changes, if appropriate, to the remuneration for directors.
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Code of Ethics
Effective upon consummation of this offering, we will adopt a code of ethics that applies to all of our executive officers, directors and employees. The code of ethics codifies the business and ethical principles that govern all aspects of our business.
Conflicts of Interest
In general, officers and directors of a corporation incorporated under the laws of the State of Delaware are required to present business opportunities to a corporation if:
• the corporation could financially undertake the opportunity;
• the opportunity is within the corporation’s line of business; and
• it would not be fair to the corporation and its stockholders for the opportunity not to be brought to the attention of the corporation.
Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that:
• except as may be prescribed by any written agreement with us, we renounce our interest in any corporate opportunity offered to any director or officer unless such opportunity is expressly offered to such person solely in his or her capacity as a director or officer of our company and such opportunity is one we are legally and contractually permitted to undertake and would otherwise be reasonable for us to pursue; and
• our officers and directors will not be liable to our company or our stockholders for monetary damages for breach of any fiduciary duty by reason of any of our activities or any of our sponsor or its affiliates to the fullest extent permitted by Delaware law.
Our officers and directors are, and may in the future become, affiliated with other companies. In order to minimize potential conflicts of interest which may arise from such other corporate affiliations, each of our officers and directors has contractually agreed, pursuant to a written agreement with us, until the earliest of our execution of a definitive agreement for a business combination, our liquidation or such time as he ceases to be an officer or director, to present to our company for our consideration, prior to presentation to any other entity, any suitable business opportunity which may reasonably be required to be presented to us, subject to any pre-existing fiduciary or contractual obligations he might have.
Members of our management team are affiliated with Merida. Merida manages several private investment funds, including our sponsor. Although we do not believe any conflict currently exists between us and Merida, funds and separate accounts managed by Merida or its affiliates may compete with us for business combination or investment opportunities. If these funds or separate accounts decide to pursue any such opportunity, we may be precluded from procuring such opportunities. In addition, investment ideas generated within Merida may be suitable for both us and for a current or future Merida fund or separate account and may be directed to such investment vehicle rather than to us. Merida will not have any obligation to present us with any opportunity for a potential business combination of which it becomes aware. Merida may be required to present potential business combinations to future Merida affiliates or third parties, before they present such opportunities to us. Merida and our management team may have similar obligations to future investment vehicles or third parties. Accordingly, members of our management team that are affiliated with Merida may be required to present suitable business combination opportunities to Merida prior to presenting them to our company for consideration.
Further, our sponsor is limited to investing in the legal cannabis industry, and, to the extent that we seek a business combination with a target in another industry, our sponsor may be required to or may determine to sell our shares of common stock, warrants, and other equity-linked interests that it owns, either to its affiliates, including other Merida Purchasers, or to third parties (subject to the transfer limitations described elsewhere in this prospectus), in connection with the business combination. Accordingly, members of our management team that are affiliated with Merida directors may have interests that differ from yours.
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In addition to the foregoing, the members of our management team have relevant existing obligations to other companies. The following table summarizes the relevant pre-existing fiduciary or contractual obligations of our officers and directors besides our sponsor:
Name of Individual | Name of Affiliated Entity | |
Richard Sellers | Origin House | |
Mitchell Baruchowitz | Merida New Frontier Data Simplifya Mainstem Steep Hill Labs Manna Molecular Sciences | |
Jeffrey Monat | Merida Steep Hill Labs | |
Andres Nannetti | Natuera Sarl Leawood Investments |
Investors should also be aware of the following additional potential conflicts of interest:
• None of our officers and directors is required to commit their full time to our affairs and, accordingly, they may have conflicts of interest in allocating their time among various business activities.
• Unless we consummate our initial business combination, our officers, directors and sponsor will not receive reimbursement or repayment for any out-of-pocket expenses incurred by them, or loans made to us, to the extent that such expenses exceed the amount of available proceeds not deposited in the trust account or interest earned on the trust account funds that are available to us.
• The founders’ shares beneficially owned by our initial stockholderswill be released from escrow only if a business combination is successfully completed, and the private warrants purchased by it, and any warrants which our officers or directors may purchase in the aftermarket will expire worthless if a business combination is not consummated. Additionally, our officers and directors and affiliates will not receive liquidation distributions from the trust account with respect to any of the founders’ shares. Furthermore, our sponsorhas agreed that the private warrants will not be sold or transferred by it until after we have completed a business combination.
For the foregoing reasons, our board may have a conflict of interest in determining whether a particular target business is appropriate to effect a business combination with.
To further minimize conflicts of interest, we have agreed not to consummate an initial business combination with an entity that is affiliated with any of our officers, directors, sponsor or initial stockholders unless we have obtained an opinion from an independent investment banking firm, or another independent entity that commonly renders valuation opinions, and the approval of a majority of our disinterested independent directors that the business combination is fair to our unaffiliated stockholders from a financial point of view. Furthermore, in no event will any of our sponsor, members of our management team or their respective affiliates be paid any compensation prior to, or for any services they render in order to effectuate, the consummation of an initial business combination (regardless of the type of transaction that it is) other than the $10,000 administrative services fee, the payment of consulting, success or finder fees to our sponsor, officers, directors, initial stockholders or their affiliates in connection with the consummation of our initial business combination, repayment of the up to $150,000of loans that may be made to us by our sponsor and reimbursement of any out-of-pocket expenses.
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The following table sets forth information regarding the beneficial ownership of our shares of common stock as of the date of this prospectus and as adjusted to reflect the sale of our shares of common stock included in the units offered by this prospectus (assuming none of the individuals listed purchase units in this offering), by:
• each person known by us to be the beneficial owner of more than 5% of our outstanding shares of common stock;
• each of our officers and directors; and
• all of our officers and directors as a group.
Unless otherwise indicated, we believe that all persons named in the table have sole voting and investment power with respect to all shares of common stock beneficially owned by them. The following table does not reflect record of beneficial ownership of the warrants included in the units offered by this prospectus or the private warrants as these warrants are not exercisable within 60 days of the date of this prospectus.
Prior to Offering | After Offering(2) | |||||||||
Name and Address of Beneficial Owner(1) | Amount and | Approximate | Amount and | Approximate | ||||||
Peter Lee(3) | 2,875,000 | 96.6 | % | 2,500,000 | 19.8 | % | ||||
Richard Sellers(4) | 0 | 0.0 | % | 0 | 0.0 | % | ||||
Mitchell Baruchowitz(3) | 2,875,000 | 96.6 | % | 2,500,000 | 19.8 | % | ||||
Jeffrey Monat(3) | 2,875,000 | 96.6 | % | 2,500,000 | 19.8 | % | ||||
Andres Nannetti(3) | 2,875,000 | 96.6 | % | 2,500,000 | 19.8 | % | ||||
Merida Holdings, LLC | 2,875,000 | 96.6 | % | 2,500,000 | 19.8 | % | ||||
All directors and executive officers as a group (fiveindividuals) | 2,875,000 | 96.6 | % | 2,500,000 | 19.8 | % | ||||
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* Less than 1%.
(1) Unless otherwise indicated, the business address of each of the individuals is 641 Lexington Avenue, 18th Floor, New York, NY 10022.
(2) Assumes no exercise of the over-allotment option and, therefore, the forfeiture of an aggregate of 375,000shares of common stock.
(3) Represents securities held by Merida Holdings, LLC, of which each of Messrs. Lee, Baruchowitz, Monat and Nannetti is a managing member. Each individual has one vote, and the approval of three of the four managing members is required for approval of an action of the entity. Under the so-called “rule of three”, if voting and dispositive decisions regarding an entity’s securities are made by three or more individuals, and a voting or dispositive decision requires the approval of a majority of those individuals, then none of the individuals is deemed a beneficial owner of the entity’s securities. Based on the foregoing, no individual of the committee exercises voting or dipositive control over any of the securities held by such entity, even those in which he directly owns a pecuniary interest. Accordingly, none of them will be deemed to have or share beneficial ownership of such shares.
(4) Does not include any shares held by Merida Holdings, LLC, of which this individuals is a member.
Immediately after this offering, our initial stockholders will beneficially own approximately 20% of the then issued and outstanding shares of common stock (assuming they do not purchase any units offered by this prospectus). None of our sponsor, officers, directors and initial stockholders has indicated to us that it or they intend to purchase our securities in the offering. Because of the ownership block held by our sponsor, officers, directors and initial stockholders, such individuals may be able to effectively exercise influence over all matters requiring approval by our stockholders, including the election of directors and approval of significant corporate transactions other than approval of our initial business combination.
If the underwriters do not exercise all or a portion of the over-allotment option, an aggregate of 375,000 founders’ shares will be forfeited. Only a number of shares necessary to maintain the 20% ownership interest in our shares of common stock after giving effect to the offering and the exercise, if any, of the underwriters’ over-allotment option (not including the private warrants and representative shares and assuming they do not purchase any units in this offering) will be necessary.
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All of the founders’ shares outstanding prior to the date of this prospectus will be placed in escrow with Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, as escrow agent, until (i) with respect to 50% of such shares, the earlier of one year after the date of the consummation of our initial business combination and the date on which the closing price of our common stock equals or exceeds $12.50 per share (as adjusted for share splits, share dividends, reorganizations and recapitalizations) for any 20 trading days within any 30-trading day period commencing after our initial business combination and (ii) with respect to the remaining 50% of such shares, one year after the date of the consummation of our initial business combination, or earlier if, subsequent to our initial business combination, we consummate a liquidation, merger, stock exchange or other similar transaction which results in all of our stockholders having the right to exchange their shares of common stock for cash, securities or other property. Up to 375,000 of the founders’ shares may also be released from escrow earlier than this date for cancellation if the over-allotment option is not exercised in full as described above.
During the escrow period, the holders of these shares will not be able to sell or transfer their securities except for transfers, assignments or sales (i) among our initial stockholders or to our initial stockholders’ members, officers, directors, consultants or their affiliates, (ii) to a holder’s stockholders or members upon its liquidation, (iii) by bona fide gift to a member of the holder’s immediate family or to a trust, the beneficiary of which is the holder or a member of the holder’s immediate family, for estate planning purposes, (iv) by virtue of the laws of descent and distribution upon death, (v) pursuant to a qualified domestic relations order, (vi) to us for no value for cancellation in connection with the consummation of our initial business combination, or (vii) in connection with the consummation of a business combination at prices no greater than the price at which the shares were originally purchased, in each case (except for clause (vi) or with our prior consent) where the transferee agrees to the terms of the escrow agreement and to be bound by these transfer restrictions, but will retain all other rights as our stockholders, including, without limitation, the right to vote their shares of common stock and the right to receive cash dividends, if declared. If dividends are declared and payable in shares of common stock, such dividends will also be placed in escrow. If we are unable to effect a business combination and liquidate, there will be no liquidation distribution with respect to the founders’ shares.
The Merida Purchasers and EarlyBirdCapital have committed that they and/or their designees will purchase the 3,350,000 private warrants (for a total purchase price of $3,350,000) from us. These purchases will take place on a private placement basis simultaneously with the consummation of this offering. They have also agreed that if the over-allotment option is exercised by the underwriters in full or in part, they will purchase from us an additional number of private warrants (up to a maximum of 300,000 private warrants) necessary to maintain in the trust account $10.00 per unit sold to the public in this offering. These additional private warrants will be purchased in a private placement that will occur simultaneously with the purchase of units resulting from the exercise of the over-allotment option. The private warrants are identical to the warrants sold in this offering except that the private warrants: (i) will not be redeemable by us and (ii) may be exercised for cash or on a cashless basis, as described in this prospectus, so long as they are held by the initial purchasers or any of their permitted transferees. If the private warrants are held by holders other than the initial purchasers or any of their permitted transferees, the private warrants will be redeemable by us and exercisable by the holders on the same basis as the warrants included in the units being sold in this offering. The initial purchasers have agreed not to transfer, assign or sell any of the private warrants and underlying securities (except in connection with the same limited exceptions that the founders’ shares may be transferred as described above) until after the completion of our initial business combination. In the event of a liquidation prior to our initial business combination, the private warrants will likely be worthless.
In order to meet our working capital needs following the consummation of this offering, our sponsor, officers, directors and their affiliates may, but are not obligated to, loan us funds, from time to time or at any time, in whatever amount they deem reasonable in their sole discretion. Each loan would be evidenced by a promissory note. The notes would either be paid upon consummation of our initial business combination, without interest, or, at holder’s discretion, up to $1,500,000 of the notes may be converted into warrants at a price of $1.00 per warrant. The warrants would be identical to the private warrants. In the event that the initial business combination does not close, we may use a portion of the working capital held outside the trust account to repay such loaned amounts, but no proceeds from our trust account other than the interest earned thereon would be used for such repayment.
Our executive officers and our sponsor are our “promoters,” as that term is defined under the federal securities laws.
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In August 2019, we issued 2,875,000shares of common stock to our initial stockholdersfor $25,000 in cash, at a purchase price of approximately $0.009 per share, in connection with our organization.
If the underwriters do not exercise all or a portion of their over-allotment option, our initial stockholders will forfeit up to an aggregate of 375,000shares of common stock in proportion to the portion of the over-allotment option that was not exercised.
If the underwriters determine the size of the offering should be increased (including pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act) or decreased, a share dividend or a contribution back to capital, as applicable, would be effectuated in order to maintain our initial stockholders’ ownership at a percentage of the number of shares to be sold in this offering.
The Merida Purchasers and EarlyBirdCapital have committed that they and/or their designees will purchase, pursuant to written subscription agreements with us, the 3,350,000 private warrants (for a total purchase price of $3,350,000) from us. This purchase will take place on a private placement basis simultaneously with the consummation of this offering. They have also agreed that if the over-allotment option is exercised by the underwriters in full or in part, they will purchase from us an additional number of private warrants (up to a maximum of 300,000 private warrants) necessary to maintain in the trust account $10.00 per unit sold to the public in this offering. These additional private warrants will be purchased in a private placement that will occur simultaneously with the purchase of units resulting from the exercise of the over-allotment option. The purchase price for the private warrants will be delivered to an escrow account at least 24 hours prior to the closing of this offering and will be deposited into the trust account simultaneously with the consummation of the offering. The private warrants are identical to the warrants sold in this offering except that the private warrants: (i) will not be redeemable by us and (ii) may be exercised for cash or on a cashless basis, as described in this prospectus, so long as they are held by the initial purchaser or any of their permitted transferees. Once the private warrants are transferred by the initial purchasers or their permitted transferees to other holders, they will be redeemable by us and exercisable by the holders on the same basis as the warrants included in the units being sold in this offering. In the event of a liquidation prior to our initial business combination, the private warrants will likely be worthless.
In order to meet our working capital needs following the consummation of this offering, our sponsor, initial stockholders, officers and directors or their affiliates may, but are not obligated to, loan us funds, from time to time or at any time, in whatever amount they deem reasonable in their sole discretion. Each loan would be evidenced by a promissory note. The notes would either be paid upon consummation of our initial business combination, without interest, or, at holder’s discretion, up to $1,500,000 of the notes may be converted into warrants at a price of $1.00 per warrant. The warrants would be identical to the private warrants. In the event that the initial business combination does not close, we may use a portion of the working capital held outside the trust account to repay such loaned amounts, but no proceeds from our trust account other than the interest earned thereon would be used for such repayment.
The holders of our founders’ shares issued and outstanding on the date of this prospectus, as well as the holders of the private warrants and any warrants our sponsor, initial stockholders, officers, directors or their affiliates may be issued in payment of working capital loans made to us (and all underlying securities), will be entitled to registration rights pursuant to an agreement to be signed prior to or on the effective date of this offering. The holders of a majority of these securities are entitled to make up to two demands that we register such securities. The holders of the majority of the founders’ shares can elect to exercise these registration rights at any time commencing three months prior to the date on which these shares of common stock are to be released from escrow. The holders of a majority of the private warrants and warrants issued in payment of working capital loans made to us (or underlying securities) can elect to exercise these registration rights at any time after we consummate a business combination. In addition, the holders have certain “piggy-back” registration rights with respect to registration statements filed subsequent to our consummation of a business combination. We will bear the expenses incurred in connection with the filing of any such registration statements.
We will enter into agreements with our officers and directors to provide contractual indemnification in addition to the indemnification provided for in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation.
As of August7, 2019, our sponsorhas loaned us an aggregate of $339to cover expenses related to this offering. We intend to repay the loan from the proceeds of this offering not being placed in trust upon consummation of this offering.
Merida Manager III LLC, an affiliate of our sponsor,has agreed that, commencing on the effective date of this prospectus through the earlier of our consummation of our initial business combination or our liquidation, it will make available to us certain general and administrative services, including office space, utilities and administrative support,
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as we may require from time to time. We have agreed to pay Merida Manager III LLC$10,000 per month for these services.We believe, based on rents and fees for similar services in the New York City metropolitan area, that the fee charged by Merida Manager III LLCis at least as favorable as we could have obtained from an unaffiliated person.
Other than the $10,000 per month administrative fee, the payment of consulting, success or finder fees to our sponsor, officers, directors, initial stockholders or their affiliates in connection with the consummation of our initial business combination and repayment of the up to $150,000of loans that may be made to us by our sponsor, no compensation or fees of any kind, including finder’s, consulting fees and other similar fees, will be paid to our sponsor, initial stockholders, members of our management team or their respective affiliates, for services rendered prior to or in connection with the consummation of our initial business combination (regardless of the type of transaction that it is). However, such individuals will receive reimbursement for any out-of-pocket expenses incurred by them in connection with activities on our behalf, such as identifying potential target businesses, performing business due diligence on suitable target businesses and business combinations as well as traveling to and from the offices, plants or similar locations of prospective target businesses to examine their operations. There is no limit on the amount of out-of-pocket expenses reimbursable by us.
After our initial business combination, members of our management team who remain with us may be paid consulting, management or other fees from the combined company with any and all amounts being fully disclosed to stockholders, to the extent then known, in the proxy solicitation materials furnished to our stockholders. It is unlikely the amount of such compensation will be known at the time of a stockholder meeting held to consider an initial business combination, as it will be up to the directors of the post-combination business to determine executive and director compensation. In this event, such compensation will be publicly disclosed at the time of its determination in a Current Report on Form 8-K, as required by the SEC.
All ongoing and future transactions between us and any of our officers and directors or their respective affiliates will be on terms believed by us to be no less favorable to us than are available from unaffiliated third parties. Such transactions will require prior approval by a majority of our uninterested “independent” directors or the members of our board who do not have an interest in the transaction, in either case who had access, at our expense, to our attorneys or independent legal counsel. We will not enter into any such transaction unless our disinterested “independent” directors determine that the terms of such transaction are no less favorable to us than those that would be available to us with respect to such a transaction from unaffiliated third parties.
Related Party Policy
Our Code of Ethics requires us to avoid, wherever possible, all related party transactions that could result in actual or potential conflicts of interests, except under guidelines approved by the board of directors (or the audit committee). Related-party transactions are defined as transactions in which (1) the aggregate amount involved will or may be expected to exceed $120,000 in any calendar year, (2) we or any of our subsidiaries is a participant, and (3) any (a) executive officer, director or nominee for election as a director, (b) greater than 5% beneficial owner of our shares of common stock, or (c) immediate family member, of the persons referred to in clauses (a) and (b), has or will have a direct or indirect material interest (other than solely as a result of being a director or a less than 10% beneficial owner of another entity). A conflict of interest situation can arise when a person takes actions or has interests that may make it difficult to perform his or her work objectively and effectively. Conflicts of interest may also arise if a person, or a member of his or her family, receives improper personal benefits as a result of his or her position.
Our audit committee, pursuant to its written charter, will be responsible for reviewing and approving related-party transactions to the extent we enter into such transactions. The audit committee will consider all relevant factors when determining whether to approve a related party transaction, including whether the related party transaction is on terms no less favorable to us than terms generally available from an unaffiliated third-party under the same or similar circumstances and the extent of the related party’s interest in the transaction. No director may participate in the approval of any transaction in which he is a related party, but that director is required to provide the audit committee with all material information concerning the transaction. We also require each of our directors and executive officers to complete a directors’ and officers’ questionnaire that elicits information about related party transactions.
These procedures are intended to determine whether any such related party transaction impairs the independence of a director or presents a conflict of interest on the part of a director, employee or officer.
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To further minimize conflicts of interest, we have agreed not to consummate an initial business combination with an entity that is affiliated with any of our sponsor, officers or directors including (i) an entity that is either a portfolio company of, or has otherwise received a material financial investment from, any private equity fund or investment company (or an affiliate thereof) that is affiliated with any of the foregoing, (ii) an entity in which any of the foregoing or their affiliates are currently passive investors, (iii) an entity in which any of the foregoing or their affiliates are currently officers or directors, or (iv) an entity in which any of the foregoing or their affiliates are currently invested through an investment vehicle controlled by them, unless we have obtained an opinion from an independent investment banking firm, or another independent entity that commonly renders valuation opinions, and the approval of a majority of our disinterested independent directors that the business combination is fair to our unaffiliated stockholders from a financial point of view.
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General
As of the date of this prospectus, we will be authorized to issue 50,000,000shares of common stock, par value $0.0001, and 1,000,000shares of preferred stock, par value $0.0001. As of the date of this prospectus, 2,975,000shares of common stock are outstanding. No shares of preferred stock are currently outstanding. The following description summarizes the material terms of our securities. Because it is only a summary, it may not contain all the information that is important to you. For a complete description you should refer to our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, bylaws and the form of warrant agreement, which are filed as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, and to the applicable provisions of Delaware law.
Units
Each unit consists of one share of common stock and one-half of one warrant. Each whole warrant entitles the holder to purchase one share of common stock. Pursuant to the warrant agreement, a warrantholder may exercise its warrants only for a whole number of shares of common stock. This means that only a whole warrant may be exercised at any given time by a warrantholder. No fractional warrants will be issued upon separation of the units and only whole warrants will trade. Accordingly, unless you purchase a multiple of two units, the number of warrants issuable to you upon separation of the units will be rounded down to the nearest whole number of warrants.
The shares of common stock and warrants will begin to trade separately on the 40th day after the date of this prospectus unless EarlyBirdCapital, Inc. informs us of its decision to allow earlier separate trading. However, in no event may the shares of common stock and warrants be traded separately prior to the 40th day after the date of this prospectus unless we have filed with the SEC a Current Report on Form 8-K which includes an audited balance sheet reflecting our receipt of the gross proceeds of this offering. Once the shares of common stock and warrants commence separate trading, the units will cease trading and no longer trade as a separate security. Holders will not need to take any action in order to separate the units into shares of common stock and warrants at that time.
We will file a Current Report on Form 8-K which includes an audited balance sheet promptly upon the consummation of this offering. The audited balance sheet will reflect proceeds we receive from the exercise of the over-allotment option, if the over-allotment option is exercised on the date of this prospectus. If the over-allotment option is exercised after the date of this prospectus, we will file an amendment to the Form 8-K to provide updated financial information to reflect the exercise of the over-allotment option. We will also include in this Form 8-K, an amendment thereto, or in a subsequent Form 8-K information indicating if EarlyBirdCapital, Inc. has allowed separate trading of the shares of common stock and warrants prior to the 40th day after the date of this prospectus.
Common Stock
Our stockholders of record are entitled to one vote for each share held on all matters to be voted on by stockholders. In connection with any vote held to approve our initial business combination, our sponsor, as well as all of our officers and directors, have agreed to vote their respective shares of common stock owned by them immediately prior to this offering and any shares purchased in this offering or following this offering in the open market in favor of the proposed business combination.
We will consummate our initial business combination only if we have net tangible assets of at least $5,000,001 either immediately prior to or upon consummation of the business combination and, solely if a vote is held to approve a business combination, a majority of the outstanding shares of common stock voted are voted in favor of the business combination.
Our board of directors is divided into three classes, each of which will generally serve for a term of three years with only one class of directors being elected in each year. There is no cumulative voting with respect to the election of directors, with the result that the holders of more than 50% of the shares eligible to vote for the election of directors can elect all of the directors.
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Pursuant to our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, if we do not consummate an initial business combination by 24months from the closing of this offering, our corporate existence will cease except for the purposes of winding up our affairs and liquidating and we will redeem 100% of our outstanding public shares for a pro rata portion of the funds held in the trust account, 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, divided by the number of then outstanding public shares, subject to applicable law and as further described herein. Our sponsor, officers and directors have agreed to waive their rights to participate in any liquidation distribution from the trust account occurring upon our failure to consummate an initial business combination with respect to the founder’s common stock. Our sponsor, officers and directors will therefore not participate in any liquidation distribution from the trust account with respect to such shares. They will, however, participate in any liquidation distribution from the trust account with respect to any shares of common stock acquired in, or following, this offering.
Our stockholders have no conversion, preemptive or other subscription rights and there are no sinking fund or redemption provisions applicable to the shares of common stock, except that public stockholders have the right to have their shares of common stock converted to cash equal to their pro rata share of the trust account in connection with the consummation of our business combination. Public stockholders who convert their stock into their share of the trust account still have the right to exercise the warrants that they received as part of the units.
Preferred Stock
There are no shares of preferred stock outstanding. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation authorizes the issuance of 1,000,000shares of preferred stock with such designation, rights and preferences as may be determined from time to time by our board of directors. No shares of preferred stock are being issued or registered in this offering. Accordingly, our board of directors is empowered, without stockholder approval, to issue preferred stock with dividend, liquidation, conversion, voting or other rights which could adversely affect the voting power or other rights of the holders of common stock. However, the underwriting agreement prohibits us, prior to a business combination, from issuing preferred stock which participates in any manner in the proceeds of the trust account, or which votes as a class with the common stock on a business combination. We may issue some or all of the preferred stock to effect a business combination. In addition, the preferred stock could be utilized as a method of discouraging, delaying or preventing a change in control of us. Although we do not currently intend to issue any shares of preferred stock, we cannot assure you that we will not do so in the future.
Warrants
No warrants are currently outstanding. Each whole warrant entitles the registered holder to purchase one share of common stock at a price of $11.50 per share, subject to adjustment as discussed below, at any time commencing on the later of 30 days after the completion of an initial business combination or 12months from the closing of this offering. However, no warrants will be exercisable for cash unless we have an effective and current registration statement covering the shares of common stock issuable upon exercise of the warrants and a current prospectus relating to such shares of common stock. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if a registration statement covering the shares of common stock issuable upon exercise of the public warrants is not effective within a specified period following the consummation of our initial business combination, warrant holders may, until such time as there is an effective registration statement and during any period when we shall have failed to maintain an effective registration statement, exercise warrants on a cashless basis pursuant to the exemption provided by Section 3(a)(9) of the Securities Act, provided that such exemption is available. If that exemption, or another exemption, is not available, holders will not be able to exercise their warrants on a cashless basis. In the event of such a cashless exercise, each holder would pay the exercise price by surrendering the warrants for that number of shares of common stock equal to the quotient obtained by dividing (x) the product of the number of shares of common stock underlying the warrants, multiplied by the difference between the exercise price of the warrants and the “fair market value” (defined below) by (y) the fair market value. The “fair market value” for this purpose will mean the average reported last sale price of the shares of common stock for the 5 trading days ending on the trading day prior to the date of exercise. The warrants will expire on the fifth anniversary of our completion of an initial business combination, at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, or earlier upon redemption or liquidation.
The private warrants, as well as any warrants underlying additional units we issue to our sponsor, officers, directors or their affiliates in payment of working capital loans made to us, will be identical to the warrants underlying the units being offered by this prospectus except that such warrants will be exercisable for cash or on a cashless basis, at
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the holder’s option, and will not be redeemable by us, in each case so long as they are still held by our sponsor or its permitted transferees.
We may call the warrants for redemption (excluding the private warrants and any warrants underlying additional units issued to our sponsor, initial stockholders, officers, directors or their affiliates in payment of working capital loans made to us), in whole and not in part, at a price of $0.01 per warrant,
• at any time after the warrants become exercisable,
• upon not less than 30 days’ prior written notice of redemption to each warrant holder after the warrants become exercisable,
• if, and only if, the reported last sale price of the shares of common stock equals or exceeds $18.00 per share (as adjusted for stock splits, stock dividends, reorganizations and recapitalizations), for any 20 trading days within a 30 trading day period commencing after the warrants become exercisable and ending on the third business day prior to the notice of redemption to warrant holders; and
• if, and only if, there is a current registration statement in effect with respect to the shares of common stock underlying such warrants.
The right to exercise will be forfeited unless the warrants are exercised prior to the date specified in the notice of redemption. On and after the redemption date, a record holder of a warrant will have no further rights except to receive the redemption price for such holder’s warrant upon surrender of such warrant.
The redemption criteria for our warrants have been established at a price which is intended to provide warrant holders a reasonable premium to the initial exercise price and provide a sufficient differential between the then-prevailing share price and the warrant exercise price so that if the share price declines as a result of our redemption call, the redemption will not cause the share price to drop below the exercise price of the warrants.
If we call the warrants for redemption as described above, our management will have the option to require all holders that wish to exercise warrants to do so on a “cashless basis.” In such event, each holder would pay the exercise price by surrendering the warrants for that number of shares of common stock equal to the quotient obtained by dividing (x) the product of the number of shares of common stock underlying the warrants, multiplied by the difference between the exercise price of the warrants and the “fair market value” (defined below) by (y) the fair market value. The “fair market value” for this purpose shall mean the average reported last sale price of the shares of common stock for the 5 trading days ending on the third trading day prior to the date on which the notice of redemption is sent to the holders of warrants.
The warrants will be issued in registered form under a warrant agreement between Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, as warrant agent, and us. The warrant agreement provides that the terms of the warrants may be amended without the consent of any holder to cure any ambiguity or correct any defective provision, but requires the approval, by written consent or vote, of the holders of at least 50% of the then outstanding public warrants in order to make any change that adversely affects the interests of the registered holders.
The exercise price and number of shares of common stock issuable on exercise of the warrants may be adjusted in certain circumstances including in the event of a stock dividend, extraordinary dividend or our recapitalization, reorganization, merger or consolidation. However, except as described below, the warrants will not be adjusted for issuances of shares of common stock at a price below their respective exercise prices.
In addition, if (x) we issue additional shares of common stock or equity-linked securities for capital raising purposes in connection with the closing of our initial business combination at an issue price or effective issue price of less than $9.20 per share of common stock (with such issue price or effective issue price to be determined in good faith by our board of directors, and in the case of any such issuance to our sponsor, initial stockholders or their affiliates, without taking into account any founders’ shares held by them prior to such issuance), (y) the aggregate gross proceeds from such issuances represent more than 60% of the total equity proceeds, and interest thereon, available for the funding of our initial business combination on the date of the consummation of our initial business combination (net of redemptions), and (z) the Market Value is below $9.20 per share, the exercise price of the warrants will be adjusted (to the nearest cent) to be equal to 115% of the greater of (i) the Market Value or (ii) the price at which we issue the additional shares of common stock or equity-linked securities.
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The warrants may be exercised upon surrender of the warrant certificate on or prior to the expiration date at the offices of the warrant agent, with the exercise form on the reverse side of the warrant certificate completed and executed as indicated, accompanied by full payment of the exercise price, by certified or official bank check payable to us, for the number of warrants being exercised. The warrant holders do not have the rights or privileges of holders of shares of common stock and any voting rights until they exercise their warrants and receive shares of common stock. After the issuance of shares of common stock upon exercise of the warrants, each holder will be entitled to one vote for each share held of record on all matters to be voted on by stockholders.
Warrant holders may elect to be subject to a restriction on the exercise of their warrants such that an electing warrant holder would not be able to exercise their warrants to the extent that, after giving effect to such exercise, such holder would beneficially own in excess of 9.8% of the shares of common stock outstanding.
No fractional shares will be issued upon exercise of the warrants. If, upon exercise of the warrants, a holder would be entitled to receive a fractional interest in a share, we will, upon exercise, round up to the nearest whole number the number of shares of common stock to be issued to the warrant holder.
Dividends
We have not paid any cash dividends on our shares of common stock to date and do not intend to pay cash dividends prior to the completion of a business combination. The payment of cash dividends in the future will be dependent upon our revenues and earnings, if any, capital requirements and general financial condition subsequent to completion of a business combination. The payment of any dividends subsequent to a business combination will be within the discretion of our then board of directors. It is the present intention of our board of directors to retain all earnings, if any, for use in our business operations and, accordingly, our board does not anticipate declaring any dividends in the foreseeable future.
Our Transfer Agent and Warrant Agent
The transfer agent for our securities and warrant agent for our warrants in the United States is Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, 1 State Street, New York, New York 10004. The transfer agent for our securities and warrant agent for our warrants in Canada is TSX Trust, 301 – 100 Adelaide Street West, Toronto ON M5H 4H1.
Listing of our Securities
We have applied to have our units, common stock and warrants listed on Nasdaq under the symbols “MCMJU,” “MCMJ,” and “MCMJW,” respectively. We also intend to apply to have our units, common stock and warrants listed on the NEO under the symbols “____U,” “_____,” and “_____W,” respectively. If approved for listing, we anticipate that our units will be listed on Nasdaq and the NEO on or promptly after the effective date of the registration statement. Following the date the common stock and warrants are eligible to trade separately, we anticipate that the common stock and warrants will be listed separately and as a unit on Nasdaq and the NEO.
Certain Anti-Takeover Provisions of Delaware Law and our Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation and By-Laws
Staggered board of directors
Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that our board of directors will be classified into three classes of directors of approximately equal size. As a result, in most circumstances, a person can gain control of our board only by successfully engaging in a proxy contest at two or more annual meetings.
Special meeting of stockholders
Our bylaws provide that special meetings of our stockholders may be called only by a majority vote of our board of directors, by our president or by our chairman or by our secretary at the request in writing of stockholders owning a majority of our issued and outstanding capital stock entitled to vote.
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Advance notice requirements for stockholder proposals and director nominations
Our bylaws provide that stockholders seeking to bring business before our annual meeting of stockholders, or to nominate candidates for election as directors at our annual meeting of stockholders must provide timely notice of their intent in writing. To be timely, a stockholder’s notice will need to be delivered to our principal executive offices not later than the close of business on the 60th day nor earlier than the close of business on the 90th day prior to the scheduled date of the annual meeting of stockholders. In the event that less than 70 days’ notice or prior public disclosure of the date of the annual meeting of stockholders is given, a stockholder’s notice shall be timely if delivered to our principal executive offices not later than the 10th day following the day on which public announcement of the date of our annual meeting of stockholders is first made or sent by us. Our bylaws also specify certain requirements as to the form and content of a stockholders’ meeting. These provisions may preclude our stockholders from bringing matters before our annual meeting of stockholders or from making nominations for directors at our annual meeting of stockholders.
Authorized but unissued shares
Our authorized but unissued common stock and preferred stock are available for future issuances without stockholder approval and could be utilized for a variety of corporate purposes, including future offerings to raise additional capital, acquisitions and employee benefit plans. The existence of authorized but unissued and unreserved common stock and preferred stock could render more difficult or discourage an attempt to obtain control of us by means of a proxy contest, tender offer, merger or otherwise.
Exclusive Forum Selection
Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation will require, to the fullest extent permitted by law, that derivative actions brought in our name, actions against directors, officers and employees for breach of fiduciary duty and other similar actions may be brought only in the Court of Chancery in the State of Delaware, except any action (A) as to which the Court of Chancery in the State of Delaware determines that there is an indispensable party not subject to the jurisdiction of the Court of Chancery (and the indispensable party does not consent to the personal jurisdiction of the Court of Chancery within ten days following such determination), (B) which is vested in the exclusive jurisdiction of a court or forum other than the Court of Chancery, (C) for which the Court of Chancery does not have subject matter jurisdiction or (D) any action arising under the Securities Act, as to which the Court of Chancery and the federal district court for the District of Delaware shall have concurrent jurisdiction. If an action is brought outside of Delaware, the stockholder bringing the suit will be deemed to have consented to service of process on such stockholder’s counsel. Although we believe this provision benefits us by providing increased consistency in the application of Delaware law in the types of lawsuits to which it applies, a court may determine that this provision is unenforceable, and to the extent it is enforceable, the provision may have the effect of discouraging lawsuits against our directors and officers, although our stockholders will not be deemed to have waived our compliance with federal securities laws and the rules and regulations thereunder and therefore bring a claim in another appropriate forum. Additionally, we cannot be certain that a court will decide that this provision is either applicable or enforceable, and if a court were to find the choice of forum provision contained in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation to be inapplicable or unenforceable in an action, we may incur additional costs associated with resolving such action in other jurisdictions, which could harm our business, operating results and financial condition.
Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation will provide that the exclusive forum provision will be applicable to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law. Section 27 of the Exchange Act creates exclusive federal jurisdiction over all suits brought to enforce any duty or liability created by the Exchange Act or the rules and regulations thereunder. As a result, the exclusive forum provision will not apply to suits brought to enforce any duty or liability created by the Exchange Act or any other claim for which the federal courts have exclusive jurisdiction.
Limitation on Liability and Indemnification of Directors and Officers
Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that our directors and officers will be indemnified by us to the fullest extent authorized by Delaware law as it now exists or may in the future be amended. In addition, our amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that our directors will not be personally liable for
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monetary damages to us for breaches of their fiduciary duty as directors, unless they violated their duty of loyalty to us or our stockholders, acted in bad faith, knowingly or intentionally violated the law, authorized unlawful payments of dividends, unlawful stock purchases or unlawful redemptions, or derived an improper personal benefit from their actions as directors.
We will enter into agreements with our officers and directors to provide contractual indemnification in addition to the indemnification provided for in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation. Our bylaws also will permit us to secure insurance on behalf of any officer, director or employee for any liability arising out of his or her actions, regardless of whether Delaware law would permit indemnification. We will purchase a policy of directors’ and officers’ liability insurance that insures our directors and officers against the cost of defense, settlement or payment of a judgment in some circumstances and insures us against our obligations to indemnify the directors and officers.
These provisions may discourage stockholders from bringing a lawsuit against our directors for breach of their fiduciary duty. These provisions also may have the effect of reducing the likelihood of derivative litigation against directors and officers, even though such an action, if successful, might otherwise benefit us and our stockholders. Furthermore, a stockholder’s investment may be adversely affected to the extent we pay the costs of settlement and damage awards against directors and officers pursuant to these indemnification provisions. We believe that these provisions, the insurance and the indemnity agreements are necessary to attract and retain talented and experienced directors and officers.
Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to our directors, officers and controlling persons pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, we have been advised that in the opinion of the SEC such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable.
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SHARES ELIGIBLE FOR FUTURE SALE
Immediately after this offering, we will have 12,600,000shares of common stock outstanding, or 14,475,000shares if the over-allotment option is exercised in full. Of these shares, the 10,000,000shares sold in this offering, or 11,500,000shares if the over-allotment option is exercised in full, will be freely tradable without restriction or further registration under the Securities Act, except for any shares purchased by one of our affiliates within the meaning of Rule 144 under the Securities Act. All of the remaining shares are restricted securities under Rule 144, in that they were issued in private transactions not involving a public offering. All of those shares have been placed in escrow and will not be transferable until they are released except in limited circumstances described elsewhere in this prospectus.
Rule 144
A person who has beneficially owned restricted shares of common stock or warrants for at least six months would be entitled to sell their securities provided that (i) such person is not deemed to have been one of our affiliates at the time of, or at any time during the three months preceding, a sale and (ii) we are subject to the Exchange Act periodic reporting requirements for at least three months before the sale. Persons who have beneficially owned restricted shares of common stock for at least six months but who are our affiliates at the time of, or any time during the three months preceding, a sale, would be subject to additional restrictions, by which such person would be entitled to sell within any three-month period a number of shares that does not exceed the greater of either of the following:
• 1% of the number of shares of common stock then outstanding, which will equal 126,000shares immediately after this offering (or 144,750 if the over-allotment option is exercised in full); and
• the average weekly trading volume of the shares of common stock during the four calendar weeks preceding the filing of a notice on Form 144 with respect to the sale.
Sales under Rule 144 are also limited by manner of sale provisions and notice requirements and to the availability of current public information about us.
Restrictions on the Use of Rule 144 by Shell Companies or Former Shell Companies
Historically, the SEC staff had taken the position that Rule 144 is not available for the resale of securities initially issued by companies that are, or previously were, blank check companies, like us. The SEC has codified and expanded this position in the amendments discussed above by prohibiting the use of Rule 144 for resale of securities issued by any shell companies (other than business combination related shell companies) or any issuer that has been at any time previously a shell company. The SEC has provided an important exception to this prohibition, however, if the following conditions are met:
• the issuer of the securities that was formerly a shell company has ceased to be a shell company;
• the issuer of the securities is subject to the reporting requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act;
• the issuer of the securities has filed all Exchange Act reports and material required to be filed, as applicable, during the preceding 12months (or such shorter period that the issuer was required to file such reports and materials), other than Form 8-K reports; and
• at least one year has elapsed from the time that the issuer filed current Form 10 type information with the SEC reflecting its status as an entity that is not a shell company.
As a result, it is likely that pursuant to Rule 144, our sponsor will be able to sell its founders’ shares freely without registration one year after we have completed our initial business combination assuming it is not an affiliate of ours at that time.
Registration Rights
The holders of the founders’ shares and representative shares issued and outstanding on the date of this prospectus, as well as the holders of the private warrants and any warrants our sponsor, officers, directors or their affiliates may be issued in payment of working capital loans made to us (and all underlying securities), will be entitled to registration rights pursuant to an agreement to be signed prior to or on the effective date of this offering. The holders
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of a majority of these securities are entitled to make up to two demands that we register such securities. The holders of the majority of the founders’ shares can elect to exercise these registration rights at any time commencing three months prior to the date on which these shares of common stock are to be released from escrow. The holders of a majority of the representative shares, private warrants and warrants issued to our sponsor, officers, directors or their affiliates in payment of working capital loans made to us (or underlying securities) can elect to exercise these registration rights at any time after we consummate a business combination. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, EarlyBirdCapital may only make a demand on one occasion and only during the five-year period beginning on the effective date of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part. In addition, the holders have certain “piggy-back” registration rights with respect to registration statements filed subsequent to our consummation of a business combination; provided, however, that EarlyBirdCapital may participate in a “piggy-back” registration only during the seven-year period beginning on the effective date of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part. We will bear the expenses incurred in connection with the filing of any such registration statements.
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MATERIAL U.S. FEDERAL TAX CONSIDERATIONS
The following are the material U.S. federal income and estate tax considerations with respect to your acquisition, ownership and disposition of our units or components thereof, which we refer to collectively as our securities, assuming you purchase the securities in this offering and will hold them as capital assets within the meaning of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”). Because the components of a unit generally are separable at the option of the holder, the holder of a unit generally should be treated, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, as the owner of one share of the underlying common stock and one-half of one redeemable warrant that are components of the unit. As a result, the discussion below with respect to actual holders of common stock and warrants should also apply to holders of units (as the deemed owners of the underlying common stock and warrants that comprise the units).
This discussion does not address all of the U.S. federal income and estate tax considerations that may be relevant to you in light of your particular circumstances, and it does not describe all of the tax consequences that may be relevant to persons subject to special rules, such as:
• certain financial institutions;
• insurance companies;
• dealers and traders in securities or foreign currencies;
• persons holding our securities as part of a hedge, straddle, conversion transaction or other integrated transaction;
• former citizens or residents of the United States;
• U.S. persons whose functional currency for U.S. federal income tax purposes is not the U.S. dollar;
• partnerships or other entities classified as partnerships for U.S. federal income tax purposes;
• persons liable for the alternative minimum tax; and
• tax-exempt organizations.
The following does not discuss any aspect of state, local or non-U.S. taxation. This discussion is based on current provisions of the Code, Treasury regulations, judicial opinions, published positions of the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) and all other applicable authorities, all of which are subject to change, possibly with retroactive effect.
If an entity that is treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes holds our securities, the tax treatment of a partner will generally depend on the status of the partner and the activities of the entity. If you are a holder of our securities that is a partnership or a partner in such an entity, you should consult your tax advisor.
WE URGE PROSPECTIVE INVESTORS TO CONSULT THEIR TAX ADVISORS REGARDING THE U.S. FEDERAL, STATE, LOCAL AND NON-U.S. INCOME, ESTATE AND OTHER TAX CONSIDERATIONS WITH RESPECT TO ACQUIRING, HOLDING AND DISPOSING OF OUR SECURITIES.
Allocation of Purchase Price and Characterization of a Unit
No statutory, administrative or judicial authority directly addresses the treatment of a unit or instruments similar to a unit for U.S. federal income tax purposes and, therefore, that treatment is not entirely clear. Each unit should be treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes as an investment unit consisting of one share of our common stock and one-half of one warrant, each whole warrant to acquire one share of our common stock, subject to adjustment. The acquisition of a unit should be treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes as the acquisition of one share of our common stock and one-half of one warrant to acquire one share of our common stock. We intend to treat the acquisition of a unit in this manner and, by purchasing a unit, you will agree to adopt such treatment for tax purposes. In determining your basis for the common stock and one-half of one warrant composing a unit, you should allocate your purchase price for the unit between the components on the basis of their relative fair market values at the time of issuance. The price allocated to each share of common stock and the one-half of one warrant should be the stockholder’s initial tax basis in such share or one-half of one warrant, as the case may be. Any disposition of a unit should be treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes as a disposition of the share of common stock and one-half of one warrant comprising the unit,
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and the amount realized on the disposition should be allocated between the share of common stock and the one-half of one warrant based on their respective relative fair market values at the time of disposition. The separation of shares of common stock and warrants comprising units should not be a taxable event for U.S. federal income tax purposes.
The foregoing treatment of the shares of common stock and warrants and a holder’s purchase price allocation are not binding on the IRS or the courts. Because there are no authorities that directly address instruments that are similar to the units, no assurance can be given that the IRS or the courts will agree with the characterization described above or the discussion below. Accordingly, each prospective investor is urged to consult its own tax advisors regarding the tax consequences of an investment in a unit (including alternative characterizations of a unit). The balance of this discussion assumes that the characterization of the units described above is respected for U.S. federal income tax purposes.
Personal Holding Company Status
We could be subject to United States federal income tax at rates in excess of those generally applicable to corporations on a portion of our income if we are determined to be a personal holding company, (or “PHC”), for United States federal income tax purposes. A U.S. corporation will generally be classified as a PHC for United States federal income tax purposes in a given taxable year if (i) at any time during the last half of such taxable year, five or fewer individuals (without regard to their citizenship or residency and including as individuals for this purpose certain entities such as certain tax-exempt organizations, pension funds, and charitable trusts) own or are deemed to own (pursuant to certain constructive ownership rules) more than 50% of the stock of the corporation by value and (ii) at least 60% of the corporation’s adjusted ordinary gross income, as determined for United States federal income tax purposes, for such taxable year consists of PHC income (which includes, among other things, dividends, interest, certain royalties, annuities and, under certain circumstances, rents).
Depending on the date and size of our initial business combination, it is possible that at least 60% of our adjusted ordinary gross income may consist of PHC income as discussed above. In addition, depending on the concentration of our stock in the hands of individuals, including the members of our sponsor and certain tax-exempt organizations, pension funds, and charitable trusts, it is possible that more than 50% of our stock will be owned or deemed owned (pursuant to the constructive ownership rules) by such persons during the last half of a taxable year. Thus, no assurance can be given that we will not become a PHC following this offering or in the future. If we are or were to become a PHC in a given taxable year, we would be subject to an additional PHC tax, currently 20%, on our undistributed taxable income, subject to certain adjustments.
U.S. Holders
This section is addressed to U.S. holders of our securities. For purposes of this discussion, you are a “U.S. holder” if you are a beneficial owner of a security that is:
• an individual citizen or resident of the United States for U.S. federal income tax purposes;
• a corporation, or other entity taxable as a corporation, created or organized in, or under the laws of, the United States or any state thereof or the District of Columbia;
• an estate the income of which is subject to U.S. federal income taxation regardless of its source; or
• a trust, if (i) a court within the United States is able to exercise primary jurisdiction over its administration and one or more United States persons has the authority to control all of its substantial decisions, or (ii) a valid election is in place under applicable U.S. Treasury regulations to be treated as a United States person.
Dividends and Distributions
As discussed under “Dividend Policy” above, we do not anticipate that any dividends will be paid in the foreseeable future. If we do make distributions of cash or other property on our common stock, such distributions generally will be treated as dividends for U.S. federal income tax purposes to the extent of our current or accumulated earnings and profits. Distributions in excess of our current or accumulated earnings and profits generally will first reduce your basis in the common stock (but not below zero) and then will be treated as gain realized on the sale or other disposition of the common stock (as described in the first paragraph under “—Sale or Other Disposition or Conversion of Common Stock” below).
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The conversion feature of the common stock described under “Proposed Business — Effecting a Business Combination — Conversion Rights” may be viewed as a position with respect to substantially similar or related property which diminishes your risk of loss and thereby affects your ability to satisfy the holding period requirements for the dividends received deduction or the preferential tax rate on qualified dividend income with respect to the time period prior to the approval of an initial business combination. Accordingly, it is unclear whether the conversion rights with respect to the common stock described in this prospectus may prevent a U.S. holder from satisfying the applicable holding period requirements with respect to the dividends received deduction or the preferential tax rate on qualified dividend income, as the case may be.
Sale or Other Disposition or Conversion of Common Stock
Gain or loss you realize on the sale or other disposition of our common stock (other than conversion into cash but including a liquidation in the event we do not consummate a business combination within the required time) will be capital gain or loss. The amount of your gain or loss will be equal to the difference between your tax basis in the common stock disposed of and the amount realized on the disposition. The deductibility of capital losses is subject to limitations. Any capital gain or loss you realize on a sale or other disposition of our common stock will generally be long-term capital gain or loss if your holding period for the common stock is more than one year. However, the conversion feature of the common stock described under “Proposed Business — Effecting a Business Combination — Conversion Rights” could affect your ability to satisfy the holding period requirements for the long-term capital gain tax rate with respect to the time period prior to the approval of an initial business combination. Long-term capital gains recognized by non-corporate U.S. holders generally will be eligible to be taxed at reduced rates. The deductibility of capital losses is subject to limitations.
If you convert your common stock into a right to receive cash as described in “Proposed Business — Effecting a Business Combination — Conversion Rights,” the treatment of the transaction for U.S. federal income tax purposes will depend on whether the conversion qualifies as sale of the common stock under Section 302 of the Code. If the redemption qualifies as a sale of common stock, the conversion generally will be treated as a sale of common stock described in the preceding paragraph (rather than as a dividend or distribution). The conversion will, however, be treated as a dividend or distribution and taxed as described in “— Dividends and Distributions” above if the conversion does not qualify as a sale of common stock. Whether a conversion qualifies for sale treatment will depend largely on the total number of shares of our stock treated as held by a U.S. holder (including shares that you are deemed to own under certain attribution rules, such as the shares into which the warrants are exercisable) relative to all of our shares outstanding both before and after the conversion. The conversion of common stock generally will be treated as a sale of the common stock (rather than as a corporate distribution from us) if the redemption (i) is “substantially disproportionate” with respect to the U.S. holder, (ii) results in a “complete termination” of the U.S. holder’s interest in us or (iii) is “not essentially equivalent to a dividend” with respect to the U.S. holder. These tests are explained more fully below.
In determining whether any of the foregoing tests are satisfied, a U.S. holder takes into account not only stock actually owned by the U.S. holder, but also shares of our stock that are constructively owned by it. A U.S. holder may constructively own, in addition to stock owned directly, stock owned by certain related individuals and entities in which the U.S. holder has an interest or that have an interest in such U.S. holder, as well as any stock the U.S. holder has a right to acquire by exercise of an option, which would generally include common stock which could be acquired pursuant to the exercise of the warrants. In order to meet the substantially disproportionate test, the percentage of our outstanding voting stock actually and constructively owned by the U.S. holder immediately following the conversion of common stock must, among other requirements, be less than 80% of the percentage of our outstanding voting stock actually and constructively owned by the U.S. holder immediately before the conversion. There will be a complete termination of a U.S. holder’s interest if either (i) all of the shares of our stock actually and constructively owned by the U.S. holder are converted or (ii) all of the shares of our stock actually owned by the U.S. holder are converted and the U.S. holder is eligible to waive, and effectively waives in accordance with specific rules, the attribution of stock owned by certain family members, and the U.S. holder does not constructively own any other shares of our stock (including stock constructively owned by the U.S. holder as a result of owning warrants). The conversion of common stock will not be essentially equivalent to a dividend if the conversion results in a “meaningful reduction” of the U.S. holder’s proportionate interest in us.
Whether the redemption will result in a meaningful reduction in a U.S. holder’s proportionate interest in us will depend on the particular facts and circumstances. However, the IRS has indicated in a published ruling that even a small reduction in the stockholder’s proportionate interest constituted a “meaningful reduction” in a transaction in which
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a holder held less than 1% of the shares of a corporation and did not have management control over the corporation. You should consult your own tax advisor as to whether conversion of your common stock will be treated as a sale or as a dividend under the Code and, if you actually or constructively own 5% (or, if our stock is not then publicly traded, 1%) or more of our common stock before conversion, whether you are subject to special reporting requirements with respect to such conversion.
Sale or Other Disposition, Exercise or Expiration of Warrants
Upon the sale or other disposition of a warrant (other than by exercise), you will generally recognize capital gain or loss equal to the difference between the amount realized on the sale or other disposition and your tax basis in the warrant. This capital gain or loss will be long-term capital gain or loss if, at the time of the sale or other disposition, the warrant has been held by you for more than one year. The deductibility of capital losses is subject to limitations.
In general, you will not be required to recognize income, gain or loss upon the acquisition of a share of common stock upon exercise of a warrant for its exercise price in cash. Your basis in a share of common stock received upon exercise generally will be equal to the sum of (1) your basis in the warrant and (2) the exercise price of the warrant. Your holding period in the shares received upon exercise will commence on the day after you exercise the warrants (or possibly the date of exercise).
The tax consequences of a cashless exercise of a warrant on are not clear under current tax law. Although there is no direct legal authority as to the U.S. federal income tax treatment of an exercise of a warrant on a cashless basis, we intend to take the position that such exercise will not be taxable, either because the exercise is not a gain realization event or because it qualifies as a tax-free recapitalization. In the former case, the holding period of the common stock should commence on the day after the warrant is exercised (or possibly the date of exercise). In the latter case, the holding period of the common stock would include the holding period of the exercised warrants. In either tax-free situation, a U.S. holder’s basis in the common stock received would generally equal the holder’s basis in the warrant. However, our position is not binding on the IRS and the IRS may treat a cashless exercise of a warrant as a taxable exchange in which gain or loss would be recognized. In such event, a U.S. holder could be deemed to have surrendered warrants equal to the number of shares of common stock having a value equal to the exercise price for the total number of warrants to be exercised. The U.S. holder would recognize capital gain or loss in an amount equal to the difference between the fair market value of the common stock represented by the warrants deemed surrendered and the U.S. holder’s adjusted tax basis in the warrants deemed surrendered. In this case, a U.S. holder’s tax basis in the common stock received would equal the sum of the fair market value of the common stock represented by the warrants deemed surrendered and the U.S. holder’s adjusted tax basis in the warrants exercised. A U.S. holder’s holding period for the common stock would commence on the date following the date of exercise (or possibly the date of exercise) of the warrant. Due to the absence of authority on the U.S. federal income tax treatment of a cashless exercise of a warrant, there can be no assurance which, if any, of the alternative tax consequences and holding periods described above would be adopted by the IRS or a court of law. You are urged to consult your own tax advisor as to the consequences of an exercise of a warrant on a cashless basis.
If a warrant expires without being exercised, you generally will recognize a capital loss in an amount equal to your basis in the warrant. Such loss generally will be long-term capital loss if, at the time of the expiration, the warrant has been held by you for more than one year. The deductibility of capital losses is subject to limitations.
Constructive Dividends on Warrants
As discussed under “Dividend Policy” above, we do not anticipate that any dividends will be paid in the foreseeable future. The terms of the warrants provide for an adjustment to the number of shares of common stock for which warrants may be exercised or to the exercise price of the warrants in certain events, An adjustment that has the effect of preventing dilution generally is not taxable. The U.S. holders of the warrants would, however, be treated as receiving a constructive distribution from us if, for example, the adjustment increases the proportionate interest in our assets or earnings and profits (e.g., through an increase in the number of shares of common stock that would be obtained upon exercise as a result of a distribution of cash or other property to the holders of our common stock that were treated a taxable dividend to our stockholders and that increase may be deemed to be the payment of a taxable dividend to you to the extent of our earnings and profits, notwithstanding the fact that you will not receive a cash payment. If
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the conversion rate is adjusted in certain other circumstances (or in certain circumstances, there is a failure to make adjustments), such adjustments may also result in the deemed payment of a taxable dividend to you. You should consult your tax advisor regarding the proper treatment of any adjustments to the warrants.
Unearned Income Medicare Tax
A 3.8% Medicare contribution tax will generally apply to all or some portion of the net investment income of a U.S. holder that is an individual with adjusted gross income that exceeds a threshold amount ($250,000 if married filing jointly or if considered a “surviving spouse” for federal income tax purposes, $125,000 if married filing separately, and $200,000 in other cases). This 3.8% tax will also apply to all or some portion of the undistributed net investment income of certain U.S. holders that are estates and trusts. For these purposes, dividends and gains from the taxable dispositions of the common stock and warrants will generally be taken into account in computing such a U.S. holder’s net investment income.
Information Reporting and Backup Withholding
Information returns may be filed with the IRS with respect to dividends or other distributions we may pay to you and proceeds from the sale of your shares of common stock or warrants. You will be subject to backup withholding on these payments if you fail to provide your taxpayer identification number to the paying agent and comply with certain certification procedures or otherwise establish an exemption from backup withholding. Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Any amounts withheld with respect to your shares of common stock or warrants under the backup withholding rules will be refunded to you or credited against your United States federal income tax liability, if any, by the IRS provided that certain required information is furnished to the IRS in a timely manner.
Non-U.S. Holders
This section is addressed to non-U.S. holders of the securities. For purposes of this discussion, a “non-U.S. holder” is a beneficial owner of a security (other than an entity treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes) that is not a U.S. holder.
Dividends and Distributions
As discussed under “Dividend Policy” above, we do not anticipate that any dividends will be paid in the foreseeable future. If, however, we were to pay taxable dividends to you with respect to your shares of common stock (including any deemed distributions treated as a dividend on the warrants, as described in “— Constructive Dividends on Warrants” below), those dividends would generally be subject to United States withholding tax at a rate of 30% of the gross amount, unless you are eligible for a reduced rate of withholding tax under an applicable income tax treaty and you provide proper certification of your eligibility for such reduced rate (usually on an IRS Form W-8BEN or Form W-8BEN-E). A distribution generally will constitute a dividend for U.S. federal income tax purposes to the extent of our current or accumulated earnings and profits as determined under the Code. Any distribution not constituting a dividend generally will be treated first as reducing your basis in your shares of common stock and, to the extent it exceeds your basis, as gain from the disposition of your shares of common stock treated as described under “Sale or Other Disposition of Common Stock or Warrants” below. The full amount of any distributions to you may, however, be subject to United States withholding tax unless the applicable withholding agent elects to withhold a lesser amount based on a reasonable estimate of the amount of the distribution that would be treated as a dividend. In addition, if we determine that we are likely to be classified as a “United States real property holding corporation”(see “Sale or Other Disposition of Common Stock or Warrants” below), we will withhold at least 15% of any distribution that exceeds our current and accumulated earnings and profits as provided by the Code.
Dividends we pay to you that are effectively connected with your conduct of a trade or business within the United States (and, if certain income tax treaties apply, are attributable to a United States permanent establishment maintained by you) generally will not be subject to United States withholding tax if you comply with applicable certification and disclosure requirements (usually by providing an IRS Form W-8ECI). Instead, such dividends generally will be subject to United States federal income tax, net of certain deductions, at the same graduated individual or corporate rates applicable to United States persons. If you are a corporation, effectively connected income may also be subject to a “branch profits tax” at a rate of 30% (or such lower rate as may be specified by an applicable income tax treaty).
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Exercise of Warrants
You generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax on the exercise of the warrants into shares of common stock. However, if a cashless exercise of warrants results in a taxable exchange, as described in “—U.S. Holders — Sale or Other Disposition, Exercise or Expiration of Warrants,” the rules described below under “Sale or Other Disposition of Common Stock or Warrants” would apply.
Sale or Other Disposition of Common Stock or Warrants
You generally will not be subject to United States federal income tax on any gain realized upon the sale, exchange or other disposition of our common stock (which would include a dissolution and liquidation in the event we do not consummate an initial business combination within the required timeframe) or warrants (including an expiration or redemption of our warrants), unless:
• the gain is effectively connected with your conduct of a trade or business within the United States (and, under certain income tax treaties, is attributable to a United States permanent establishment you maintain);
• you are an individual, you hold your shares of common stock or warrants as capital assets, you are present in the United States for 183 days or more in the taxable year of disposition and you meet other conditions, and you are not eligible for relief under an applicable income tax treaty; or
• we are or have been a “United States real property holding corporation” for United States federal income tax purposes and, in the case where the shares of our common stock are regularly traded on an established securities market, you hold or have held, directly or indirectly, at any time within the shorter of the five-year period preceding disposition or your holding period for your shares of common stock or warrants, more than 5% of our common stock. Special rules may apply to the determination of the 5% threshold in the case of a holder of a warrant. You are urged to consult your own tax advisors regarding the effect of holding the warrants on the calculation of such 5% threshold. We will be classified as a United States real property holding corporation if the fair market value of our “United States real property interests” equals or exceeds 50% of the sum of (1) the fair market value of our United States real property interests, (2) the fair market value of our non-United States real property interests and (3) the fair market value of any other of our assets which are used or held for use in our trade or business. Although we currently are not a United States real property holding corporation, we cannot determine whether we will be a United States real property holding corporation in the future until we consummate an initial business combination.
Gain that is effectively connected with your conduct of a trade or business within the United States generally will be subject to United States federal income tax, net of certain deductions, at the same rates applicable to United States persons. If you are a corporation, the branch profits tax also may apply to such effectively connected gain. If the gain from the sale or disposition of your shares of common stock or warrants is effectively connected with your conduct of a trade or business in the United States but under an applicable income tax treaty is not attributable to a permanent establishment you maintain in the United States, your gain may be exempt from United States tax under the treaty. If you are described in the second bullet point above, you generally will be subject to United States federal income tax at a rate of 30% on the gain realized, although the gain may be offset by some United States source capital losses realized during the same taxable year. If you are described in the third bullet point above, gain recognized by you on the sale, exchange or other disposition of shares of common stock or warrants will be subject to U.S. federal income tax on a net income basis at normal graduated U.S. federal income tax rates. In addition, a buyer of your shares of common stock or warrants may be required to withhold United States income tax at a rate of 15% of the amount realized upon such disposition.
If you convert your common stock into a right to receive cash as described in “Proposed Business — Effecting a Business Combination — Conversion Rights,” the conversion generally will be treated as a sale of common stock rather than as a dividend or distribution. The conversion will, however, be treated as a dividend or distribution and taxed as described in “Dividends and Distributions” if your percentage ownership in us (including shares that you are deemed to own under certain attribution rules, such as the shares into which the warrants are exercisable) after the conversion is not meaningfully reduced from what your percentage ownership was prior to the conversion. See the discussion in “—U.S. Holders — Sale or Other Disposition or Conversion of Common Stock.” You should consult your own tax advisor as to whether conversion of your common stock will be treated as a sale or as a dividend under the Code.
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Constructive Dividends on Warrants
As discussed under “Dividend Policy” above, we do not anticipate that any dividends will be paid in the foreseeable future. The terms of each warrant provide for an adjustment to the number of shares of common stock for which the warrant may be exercised or to the exercise price of the warrant in certain events. The character of such an adjustment generally will correspond to the U.S. federal income tax characterization of such an adjustment described under “U.S. Holders — Constructive Distributions on Warrants,” and the consequences of a taxable adjustment to a non-U.S. holder generally will be as described above under “Non-U.S. Holders — Dividends and Distributions.” Any resulting withholding tax attributable to deemed dividends may be collected from other amounts payable or distributable to you. You should consult your tax advisor regarding the proper treatment of any adjustments to the warrants.
Information Reporting and Backup Withholding
Information returns will be filed with the IRS in connection with payments of dividends and the proceeds from a sale or other disposition of our units, shares of common stock and warrants. We must report annually to the IRS the amount of dividends or other distributions we may pay to you on your shares of common stock and the amount of tax we withhold on any such distributions regardless of whether withholding is required. The IRS may make copies of the information returns reporting those dividends and amounts withheld available to the tax authorities in the country in which you reside pursuant to the provisions of an applicable income tax treaty or exchange of information treaty.
The United States imposes backup withholding on dividends and certain other types of payments to United States persons. You will not be subject to backup withholding on dividends you receive on your shares of common stock if you provide proper certification (usually on an IRS Form W-8BEN or Form W-8BEN-E) of your status as a non-United States person or you are a corporation or one of several types of entities and organizations that qualify for exemption (an “exempt recipient”).
Information reporting and backup withholding generally are not required with respect to the amount of any proceeds from the sale of your shares of common stock or warrants outside the United States through a foreign office of a foreign broker that does not have certain specified connections to the United States. However, if you sell your shares of common stock or warrants through a United States broker or the United States office of a foreign broker, the broker will be required to report to the IRS the amount of proceeds paid to you unless you provide appropriate certification (usually on an IRS Form W-8BEN or Form W-8BEN-E) to the broker of your status as a non-United States person or you are an exempt recipient. Information reporting also would apply if you sell your shares of common stock or warrants through a foreign broker deriving more than a specified percentage of its income from United States sources or having certain other connections to the United States.
Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Any amounts withheld with respect to your shares of common stock or warrants under the backup withholding rules will be refunded to you or credited against your United States federal income tax liability, if any, by the IRS provided that certain required information is furnished to the IRS in a timely manner.
Estate Tax
Common stock owned or treated as owned by an individual who is not a citizen or resident (as defined for United States federal estate tax purposes) of the United States at the time of his or her death, or by an entity the property of which is potentially includible in such an individual’s gross estate, will be included in the individual’s gross estate for United States federal estate tax purposes and therefore may be subject to United States federal estate tax unless an applicable estate tax treaty provides otherwise. The foregoing may also apply to warrants.
Unearned Income Medicare Tax
If you are a foreign estate or trust, you may be subject to the Medicare contribution tax described under “U.S. Holders — Unearned Income Medicare Tax” above. Non-U.S. holders should consult their tax advisors regarding the possible implications of the Medicare contribution tax on their investments in the units.
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FATCA
A 30% withholding tax is currently imposed on payments to certain foreign entities of U.S.-source dividends (including constructive dividends) , unless various U.S. information reporting and due diligence requirements (generally relating to ownership by U.S. persons of interests in or accounts with those entities) have been satisfied or an exemption has otherwise been established. The IRS has issued proposed regulations (on which taxpayers may rely until final regulations are issued) that would generally not apply these withholding requirements to gross proceeds from sales or other disposition proceeds from our units, shares of common stock and warrants. Foreign financial institutions located in jurisdictions that have an intergovernmental agreement with the United States governing FATCA may be subject to different rules. Potential investors should consult their tax advisors regarding the possible implications of this withholding tax on their investment in the units.
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We are offering the units described in this prospectus in the United States through the underwriters named below. EarlyBirdCapital, Inc. is acting as representative of the underwriters. We have entered into an underwriting agreement with the representative. Subject to the terms and conditions of the underwriting agreement, the underwriters have agreed to purchase, and we have agreed to sell to the underwriters, the number of units listed next to each of its name in the following table:
Underwriter | Number of Units | |
EarlyBirdCapital, Inc. | [•] | |
[•] | ||
Total | 10,000,000 |
The underwriting agreement provides that the underwriters must buy all of the units if they buy any of them. However, the underwriters are not required to purchase the units covered by the option to purchase additional units as described below.
Our units are offered subject to a number of conditions, including:
• receipt and acceptance of our units by the underwriters; and
• the underwriters’ right to reject orders in whole or in part.
In connection with this offering, the underwriters or securities dealers may distribute prospectuses electronically.
EarlyBirdCapital has engaged Echelon Wealth Partners Inc. to act as its agent to offer the units described in this prospectus in each of the provinces of Canada other than Quebec.
Option To Purchase Additional Units
We have granted the underwriters an over-allotment option to buy up to an aggregate of 1,500,000 additional units. The underwriters have 45 days from the date of this prospectus to exercise this option. If the underwriters exercise this option, they will purchase additional units approximately in proportion to the amounts specified in the table above.
Underwriting Discount
Units sold by the underwriters to the public will initially be offered at the initial offering price set forth on the cover of this prospectus. Any units sold by the underwriters to securities dealers may be sold at a discount of up to $[•] per unit from the initial public offering price and the dealers may reallow a concession not in excess of $[•] per unit to other dealers. Additionally, EarlyBirdCapital will be paying a fee to Echelon Wealth Partners Inc. for acting as its agent to offer the units in each of the provinces of Canada other than Quebec. Sales of units made outside of the United States to countries other than Canada may be made by affiliates of the underwriters. After completion of this offering, if the underwriters still hold any units sold by us to them in this offering, the representative may change the offering price and the other selling terms. Upon execution of the underwriting agreement, the underwriters will be obligated to purchase the units at the prices and upon the terms stated therein.
The following table shows the per unit and total underwriting discount we will pay to the underwriters assuming both no exercise and full exercise of the underwriters’ over-allotment option to purchase up to 1,500,000 additional units.
No Exercise | Full Exercise | |||||
Per Unit | $ | 0.20 | $ | 0.20 | ||
Total | $ | 2,000,000 | $ | 2,300,000 | ||
We estimate that the total expenses of the offering payable by us, not including the underwriting discount, will be approximately $750,000.
We have agreed to pay for the FINRA-related fees and expenses of the underwriters’ legal counsel, not to exceed $15,000, the expenses of transaction “bibles” and lucite cube “mementos,” not to exceed $3,000, and the expenses of investigations and background checks, not to exceed $3,500 per individual, for an aggregate expense allowance of $_______.
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Business Combination Marketing Agreement
We have engaged EarlyBirdCapital as an advisor in connection with our business combination to assist us in holding meetings with our shareholders to discuss the potential business combination and the target business’ attributes, introduce us to potential investors that are interested in purchasing our securities in connection with our initial business combination, assist us in obtaining shareholder approval for the business combination and assist us with our press releases and public filings in connection with the business combination. We will pay EarlyBirdCapital a cash fee for such services upon the consummation of our initial business combination in an amount equal to 3.5% of the gross proceeds of this offering (exclusive of any applicable finders’ fees which might become payable), provided that up to 30% of the fee may be allocated at our sole discretion to other FINRA members that assist us in identifying and consummating an initial business combination.
Representative Shares
In August 2019, we issued to EarlyBirdCapital and its designees the 100,000 representative shares for nominal consideration. The holders of the representative shares have agreed not to transfer, assign or sell any such shares without our prior consent until the completion of our initial business combination. In addition, the holders of the representative shares have agreed (i) to waive their conversion rights with respect to such shares in connection with the completion of our initial business combination and (ii) to waive their rights to liquidating distributions from the trust account with respect to such shares if we fail to complete our initial business combination within 24months from the closing of this offering.
The representative shares have been deemed compensation by FINRA and are therefore subject to a lock-up for a period of 180 days immediately following the date of the effectiveness of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part pursuant to Rule 5110(g)(1) of the FINRA Manual. Pursuant to FINRA Rule 5110(g)(1), these securities will not be sold during the offering, or sold, transferred, assigned, pledged, or hypothecated, or be the subject of any hedging, short sale, derivative, put or call transaction that would result in the economic disposition of the securities by any person for a period of 180 days immediately following the effective date of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part or commencement of sales of the public offering, except to any underwriter and selected dealer participating in the offering and their bona fide officers or partners, provided that all securities so transferred remain subject to the lockup restriction above for the remainder of the time period.
We have granted the holders of these shares the registration rights as described under the section “Shares Eligible for Future Sale — Registration Rights.”
Private warrants
EarlyBirdCapital has committed that it and/or its designees will purchase from us 500,000 private warrants for a total purchase price of $500,000. This purchase will take place on a private placement basis simultaneously with the consummation of this offering. EarlyBirdCapital has also agreed that if the over-allotment option is exercised by the underwriters in full or in part, they will purchase from us an additional number of private warrants (up to a maximum of 44,776 private warrants) necessary to maintain in the trust account $10.00 per unit sold to the public in this offering. The private warrants are identical to the warrants sold in this offering except as described elsewhere in this prospectus. The private warrants and underlying shares of common stock have been deemed compensation by FINRA and are therefore subject to a 180-day lock-up pursuant to FINRA Rule 5110(g)(1). Additionally, the private warrants purchased by EarlyBirdCapital may not be sold, transferred, assigned, pledged or hypothecated or be the subject of any hedging, short sale, derivative, put or call transaction that would result in the economic disposition of the securities by any person for a 180-day period following the effective date of this prospectus except to any selected dealer participating in the offering and the bona fide officers or partners of the underwriter and any such participating selected dealer. EarlyBirdCapital has agreed that the private warrants it purchases will not be sold or transferred by it (except to certain permitted transferees) until after we have completed an initial business combination. We have granted the holders of private warrants, including EarlyBirdCapital, the registration rights as described under the section “Shares Eligible for Future Sale — Registration Rights.” In compliance with FINRA Rule 5110(f)(2)(G), the EarlyBirdCapital registration rights are limited to (i) one demand right at the issuer’s expense pursuant to FINRA Rule 5110(f)(2)(G)(iii), and (ii) demand and “piggy back” rights for periods of five and seven years, respectively, from the effective date of this prospectus with respect to the registration under the Securities Act of the private warrants and the underlying securities.
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Indemnification
We have agreed to indemnify the underwriter against certain liabilities, including certain liabilities under the Securities Act. If we are unable to provide this indemnification, we have agreed to contribute to payments the underwriter may be required to make in respect of those liabilities.
Listing
We have applied to have our units listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbol “MCMJU” and, once the common stock and warrants begin separate trading, under the symbols “MCMJ” and “MCMJW,” respectively. We also intend to apply to have our units listed on the NEO under the symbol “____U” and, once the common stock and warrants begin separate trading, under the symbols “_____” and “_____W,” respectively.
Price Stabilization, Short Positions
In connection with this offering, the underwriters may engage in activities that stabilize, maintain or otherwise affect the price of units during and after this offering, including:
• stabilizing transactions;
• short sales;
• purchases to cover positions created by short sales;
• imposition of penalty bids; and
• syndicate covering transactions.
Stabilizing transactions consist of bids or purchases made for the purpose of preventing or retarding a decline in the market price of our units while this offering is in progress. Stabilization transactions permit bids to purchase the underlying security so long as the stabilizing bids do not exceed a specified maximum. These transactions may also include making short sales of our units, which involve the sale by the underwriters of a greater number of units than they are required to purchase in this offering and purchasing units on the open market to cover short positions created by short sales. Short sales may be “covered short sales,” which are short positions in an amount not greater than the underwriters’ option to purchase additional units referred to above, or may be “naked short sales,” which are short positions in excess of that amount.
The underwriters may close out any covered short position by either exercising their option, in whole or in part, or by purchasing units in the open market. In making this determination, the underwriters will consider, among other things, the price of units available for purchase in the open market as compared to the price at which they may purchase units through the over-allotment option.
Naked short sales are short sales made in excess of the over-allotment option. The underwriters must close out any naked short position by purchasing units in the open market. A naked short position is more likely to be created if the underwriters are concerned that there may be downward pressure on the price of the units in the open market that could adversely affect investors who purchased in this offering.
The underwriters also may impose a penalty bid. This occurs when a particular underwriter repays to the representative of the underwriters a portion of the underwriting discount received by it because the representative has repurchased units sold by or for the account of that underwriter in stabilizing or short covering transactions.
These stabilizing transactions, short sales, purchases to cover positions created by short sales, the imposition of penalty bids and syndicate covering transactions may have the effect of raising or maintaining the market price of our units or preventing or retarding a decline in the market price of our units. As a result of these activities, the price of our units may be higher than the price that otherwise might exist in the open market. The underwriters may carry out these transactions on the Nasdaq, in the over-the-counter market or otherwise. Neither we nor the underwriters make any representation or prediction as to the effect that the transactions described above may have on the price of the units. Neither we, nor the underwriters, make any representation that the underwriter will engage in these stabilization transactions or that any transaction, once commenced, will not be discontinued without notice.
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Determination of Offering Price
Prior to this offering, there was no public market for our units. The initial public offering price will be determined by negotiation between us and the representative of the underwriters. The principal factors to be considered in determining the initial public offering price include:
• the information set forth in this prospectus and otherwise available to the representative;
• our history and prospects and the history and prospects for the industry in which we compete;
• our past and present financial performance;
• our prospects for future earnings and the present state of our development;
• the general condition of the securities market at the time of this offering;
• the recent market prices of, and demand for, publicly traded units of generally comparable companies; and
• other factors deemed relevant by the underwriters and us.
Neither we nor the underwriters can assure investors that an active trading market will develop for our units, warrants or common stock or that the units will trade in the public market at or above the initial public offering price.
Affiliations
EarlyBirdCapital and its affiliates are full service financial institutions engaged in various activities, which may include securities trading, commercial and investment banking, financial advisory, investment management, investment research, principal investment, hedging, financing and brokerage activities. EarlyBirdCapital and its affiliates may from time to time in the future engage with us and perform services for us or in the ordinary course of their business for which they will receive customary fees and expenses. In the ordinary course of their various business activities, the underwriters and their respective affiliates may also make or hold a broad array of investments and actively trade debt and equity securities (or related derivative securities) and financial instruments (including bank loans) for their own account and for the accounts of their customers, and such investment and securities activities may involve securities and/or instruments of us. The underwriters and their affiliates may also make investment recommendations and/or publish or express independent research views in respect of these securities or instruments and may at any time hold, or recommend to clients that they acquire, long and/or short positions in these securities and instruments.
Additional Future Arrangements
We are not under any contractual obligation to engage any of the underwriters to provide any services for us after this offering, and have no present intent to do so. However, the underwriters may introduce us to potential target businesses or assist us in raising additional capital in the future. If any of the underwriters provide services to us after this offering, we may pay such underwriter fair and reasonable fees that would be determined at that time in an arm’s length negotiation; provided that no agreement will be entered into with any underwriter and no fees for such services will be paid to any underwriter prior to the date that is 90 days from the date of this prospectus, unless FINRA determines that such payment would not be deemed underwriter’s compensation in connection with this offering.
Electronic Distribution
A prospectus in electronic format may be made available on the Internet sites or through other online services maintained by the underwriters participating in this offering, or by their affiliates. In those cases, prospective investors may view offering terms online and, depending upon the particular underwriter, prospective investors may be allowed to place orders online. The underwriters may agree with us to allocate a specific number of units for sale to online brokerage account holders. Any such allocation for online distributions will be made by the underwriters on the same basis as other allocations. Other than the prospectus in electronic format, the information on any underwriter’s website and any information contained in any other website maintained by an underwriter is not part of the prospectus or the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part, has not been approved and/or endorsed by us or any underwriter in its capacity as underwriter and should not be relied upon by investors.
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Selling Restrictions
Notice to Prospective Investors in Australia
No placement document, prospectus, product disclosure statement or other disclosure document has been lodged with the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (“ASIC”), in relation to the offering. This prospectus does not constitute a prospectus, product disclosure statement or other disclosure document under the Corporations Act 2001 (the “Corporations Act”), and does not purport to include the information required for a prospectus, product disclosure statement or other disclosure document under the Corporations Act.
Any offer in Australia of the shares may only be made to persons (the “Exempt Investors”) who are “sophisticated investors” (within the meaning of section 708(8) of the Corporations Act), “professional investors” (within the meaning of section 708(11) of the Corporations Act) or otherwise pursuant to one or more exemptions contained in section 708 of the Corporations Act so that it is lawful to offer the shares without disclosure to investors under Chapter 6D of the Corporations Act.
The shares applied for by Exempt Investors in Australia must not be offered for sale in Australia in the period of 12months after the date of allotment under the offering, except in circumstances where disclosure to investors under Chapter 6D of the Corporations Act would not be required pursuant to an exemption under section 708 of the Corporations Act or otherwise or where the offer is pursuant to a disclosure document which complies with Chapter 6D of the Corporations Act. Any person acquiring shares must observe such Australian on-sale restrictions.
This prospectus contains general information only and does not take account of the investment objectives, financial situation or particular needs of any particular person. It does not contain any securities recommendations or financial product advice. Before making an investment decision, investors need to consider whether the information in this prospectus is appropriate to their needs, objectives and circumstances, and, if necessary, seek expert advice on those matters.
Notice to Prospective Investors in the Dubai International Financial Centre
This prospectus relates to an Exempt Offer in accordance with the Offered Securities Rules of the Dubai Financial Services Authority (“DFSA”). This prospectus is intended for distribution only to persons of a type specified in the Offered Securities Rules of the DFSA. It must not be delivered to, or relied on by, any other person. The DFSA has no responsibility for reviewing or verifying any documents in connection with Exempt Offers. The DFSA has not approved this prospectus nor taken steps to verify the information set forth herein and has no responsibility for the prospectus. The shares to which this prospectus relates may be illiquid and/or subject to restrictions on their resale. Prospective purchasers of the shares offered should conduct their own due diligence on the shares. If you do not understand the contents of this prospectus you should consult an authorized financial advisor.
Notice to Prospective Investors in the European Economic Area
In relation to each member state of the European Economic Area that has implemented the Prospectus Directive (each, a “relevant member state”), with effect from and including the date on which the Prospectus Directive is implemented in that relevant member state (the “relevant implementation date”), an offer of units described in this prospectus may not be made to the public in that relevant member state prior to the publication of a prospectus in relation to the units that has been approved by the competent authority in that relevant member state or, where appropriate, approved in another relevant member state and notified to the competent authority in that relevant member state, all in accordance with the Prospectus Directive, except that, with effect from and including the relevant implementation date, an offer of our units may be made to the public in that relevant member state at any time:
• to any legal entity which is a qualified investor as defined in the Prospectus Directive;
• to fewer than 100, or, if the relevant member state has implemented the relevant provisions of the 2010 PD Amending Directive, 150, natural or legal persons (other than qualified investors as defined in the Prospectus Directive), as permitted under the Prospectus Directive, subject to obtaining the prior consent of the relevant Dealer or Dealers nominated by the issuer for any such offer; or natural or legal persons (other than qualified investors as defined below) subject to obtaining the prior consent of the underwriter for any such offer; or
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• in any other circumstances that do not require the publication by us of a prospectus pursuant to Article 3 of the Prospectus Directive.
Each purchaser of units described in this prospectus located within a relevant member state will be deemed to have represented, acknowledged and agreed that it is a “qualified investor” within the meaning of Article 2(1)(e) of the Prospectus Directive.
For the purpose of this provision, the expression an “offer to the public” in any relevant member state means the communication in any form and by any means of sufficient information on the terms of the offer and the units to be offered so as to enable an investor to decide to purchase or subscribe for the units, as the expression may be varied in that member state by any measure implementing the Prospectus Directive in that member state, and the expression “Prospectus Directive” means Directive 2003/71/EC (and amendments thereto, including the PD 2010 Amending Directive to the extent implemented by the relevant member state) and includes any relevant implementing measure in each relevant member state, and the expression 2010 PD Amending Directive means Directive 2010/73/EU.
We have not authorized and do not authorize the making of any offer of securities through any financial intermediary on their behalf, other than offers made by the underwriters with a view to the final placement of the units as contemplated in this prospectus. Accordingly, no purchaser of the units, other than the underwriters, is authorized to make any further offer of the units on behalf of us or the underwriters.
Notice to Prospective Investors in Switzerland
The shares may not be publicly offered in Switzerland and will not be listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange (“SIX”) or on any other stock exchange or regulated trading facility in Switzerland. This document has been prepared without regard to the disclosure standards for issuance prospectuses under art. 652a or art. 1156 of the Swiss Code of Obligations or the disclosure standards for listing prospectuses under art. 27 ff. of the SIX Listing Rules or the listing rules of any other stock exchange or regulated trading facility in Switzerland. Neither this document nor any other offering or marketing material relating to the shares or the offering may be publicly distributed or otherwise made publicly available in Switzerland.
Neither this document nor any other offering or marketing material relating to the offering, the Company or the shares have been or will be filed with or approved by any Swiss regulatory authority. In particular, this document will not be filed with, and the offer of shares will not be supervised by, the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority FINMA (FINMA), and the offer of shares has not been and will not be authorized under the Swiss Federal Act on Collective Investment Schemes (“CISA”). The investor protection afforded to acquirers of interests in collective investment schemes under the CISA does not extend to acquirers of shares.
Notice to Prospective Investors in the United Kingdom
This prospectus is only being distributed to, and is only directed at, persons in the United Kingdom that are qualified investors within the meaning of Article 2(1)(e) of the Prospectus Directive that are also (i) investment professionals falling within Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005 (the “Order”) or (ii) high net worth entities, and other persons to whom it may lawfully be communicated, falling within Article 49(2)(a) to (d) of the Order (all such persons together being referred to as a “relevant person”). The units are only available to, and any invitation, offer or agreement to purchase or otherwise acquire such units will be engaged in only with, relevant persons. This prospectus and its contents are confidential and should not be distributed, published or reproduced (in whole or in part) or disclosed by recipients to any other persons in the United Kingdom. Any person in the United Kingdom that is not a relevant person should not act or rely on this document or any of its contents.
Notice to Prospective Investors in France
Neither this prospectus nor any other offering material relating to the units described in this prospectus has been submitted to the clearance procedures of the Autorité des Marchés Financiers or by the competent authority of another member state of the European Economic Area and notified to the Autorité des Marchés Financiers. The units have
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not been offered or sold and will not be offered or sold, directly or indirectly, to the public in France. Neither this prospectus nor any other offering material relating to the units has been or will be:
• released, issued, distributed or caused to be released, issued or distributed to the public in France; or
• used in connection with any offer for subscription or sale of the units to the public in France.
Such offers, sales and distributions will be made in France only:
• to qualified investors (investisseurs qualifiés) and/or to a restricted circle of investors (cercle restreint d’investisseurs), in each case investing for their own account, all as defined in, and in accordance with, Article L.411-2, D.411-1, D.411-2, D.734-1, D.744-1, D.754-1 and D.764-1 of the French Code monétaire et financier;
• to investment services providers authorized to engage in portfolio management on behalf of third parties; or
• in a transaction that, in accordance with article L.411-2-II-1°-or-2°-or 3° of the French Code monétaire et financier and article 211-2 of the General Regulations (Règlement Général) of the Autorité des Marchés Financiers, does not constitute a public offer (appel public à l’épargne).
The units may be resold directly or indirectly, only in compliance with Articles L.411-1, L.411-2, L.412-1 and L.621-8 through L.621-8-3 of the French Code monétaire et financier.
Notice to Prospective Investors in Hong Kong
The units may not be offered or sold in Hong Kong by means of any document other than (i) in circumstances which do not constitute an offer to the public within the meaning of the Companies Ordinance (Cap.32, Laws of Hong Kong), (ii) to “professional investors” within the meaning of the Securities and Futures Ordinance (Cap. 571, Laws of Hong Kong) and any rules made thereunder, or (iii) in other circumstances which do not result in the document being a “prospectus” within the meaning of the Companies Ordinance (Cap.32, Laws of Hong Kong) and no advertisement, invitation or document relating to the units may be issued or may be in the possession of any person for the purpose of issue (in each case whether in Hong Kong or elsewhere), which is directed at, or the contents of which are likely to be accessed or read by, the public in Hong Kong (except if permitted to do so under the laws of Hong Kong) other than with respect to units which are or are intended to be disposed of only to persons outside Hong Kong or only to “professional investors” within the meaning of the Securities and Futures Ordinance (Cap. 571, Laws of Hong Kong) and any rules made thereunder.
Notice to Prospective Investors in Japan
The units have not been and will not be registered under the Financial Instruments and Exchange Law of Japan (Law No. 25 of 1948, as amended) and, accordingly, will not be offered or sold, directly or indirectly, in Japan, or for the benefit of any Japanese Person or to others for re-offering or resale, directly or indirectly, in Japan or to any Japanese Person, except in compliance with all applicable laws, regulations and ministerial guidelines promulgated by relevant Japanese governmental or regulatory authorities in effect at the relevant time. For the purposes of this paragraph, “Japanese Person” shall mean any person resident in Japan, including any corporation or other entity organized under the laws of Japan.
Notice to Prospective Investors in Singapore
This prospectus has not been registered as a prospectus with the Monetary Authority of Singapore. Accordingly, this prospectus and any other document or material in connection with the offer or sale, or invitation for subscription or purchase, of the units may not be circulated or distributed, nor may the units be offered or sold, or be made the subject of an invitation for subscription or purchase, whether directly or indirectly, to persons in Singapore other than (i) to an institutional investor under Section 274 of the Securities and Futures Act, Chapter 289 of Singapore (the “SFA”), (ii) to a relevant person pursuant to Section 275(1), or any person pursuant to Section 275(1A), and in accordance with the conditions specified in Section 275 of the SFA or (iii) otherwise pursuant to, and in accordance with the conditions of, any other applicable provision of the SFA, in each case subject to compliance with conditions set forth in the SFA.
95
Where the units are subscribed or purchased under Section 275 of the SFA by a relevant person that is:
• a corporation (which is not an accredited investor (as defined in Section 14A of the SFA)) the sole business of which is to hold investments and the entire share capital of which is owned by one or more individuals, each of whom is an accredited investor, or
• a trust (where the trustee is not an accredited investor) whose sole purpose is to hold investments and each beneficiary of the trust is an individual who is an accredited investor, shares, debentures and units of shares and debentures of that corporation or the beneficiaries’ rights and interest (howsoever described) in that trust shall not be transferred within six months after that corporation or that trust has acquired the shares pursuant to an offer made under Section 275 of the SFA except:
• to an institutional investor (for corporations, under Section 274 of the SFA) or to a relevant person defined in Section 275(2) of the SFA, or to any person pursuant to an offer that is made on terms that such shares, debentures and units of shares and debentures of that corporation or such rights and interest in that trust are acquired at a consideration of not less than S$200,000 (or its equivalent in a foreign currency) for each transaction, whether such amount is to be paid for in cash or by exchange of securities or other assets, and further for corporations, in accordance with the conditions specified in Section 275 of the SFA;
• where no consideration is or will be given for the transfer; or
• where the transfer is by operation of law.
96
Graubard Miller, New York, New York, is acting as our U.S. counsel in connection with the registration of our securities under the Securities Act, and as such, will pass upon the validity of the securities offered in this offering. Graubard Miller represents EarlyBirdCapital, Inc. in matters unrelated to this offering. Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, is acting as our Canadian counsel in connection with the portion of this offering being undertaken in Canada. Loeb & Loeb LLP, New York, New York, is acting as counsel to the underwriters.
The financial statements of Merida Merger Corp. I at August7, 2019 and for the period from June20, 2019 (inception) through August7, 2019 included in this Prospectus have been audited by Marcum LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, as set forth in their report, thereon (which contains an explanatory paragraph relating to substantial doubt about the ability of Merida Merger Corp. I to continue as a going concern as described in Note 1 to the financial statements), appearing elsewhere in this prospectus, and are included in reliance on such report given upon such firm as experts in auditing and accounting.
WHERE YOU CAN FIND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
We have filed with the SEC a registration statement on Form S-1 under the Securities Act with respect to the securities we are offering by this prospectus. This prospectus does not contain all of the information included in the registration statement. For further information about us and our securities, you should refer to the registration statement and the exhibits and schedules filed with the registration statement. Whenever we make reference in this prospectus to any of our contracts, agreements or other documents, the references are materially complete but may not include a description of all aspects of such contracts, agreements or other documents, and you should refer to the exhibits attached to the registration statement for copies of the actual contract, agreement or other document.
Upon completion of this offering, we will be subject to the information requirements of the Exchange Act and will file annual, quarterly and current event reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. You can read our SEC filings, including the registration statement, over the Internet at the SEC’s website atwww.sec.gov.
97
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F-3 | ||
F-4 | ||
F-5 | ||
F-6 | ||
F-7 |
F-1
REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
To the Shareholders and the Board of Directors of
Merida Merger Corp. I
Opinion on the Financial Statements
We have audited the accompanying balance sheet of Merida Merger Corp. I (the “Company”) as of August7, 2019 and the related statements of operations, changes in stockholders’ equity and cash flows for the period from June20, 2019 (inception) through August7, 2019 and the related notes (collectively referred to as the “financial statements”). In our opinion, the financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company as of August7, 2019 and the results of its operations and its cash flows for the period from June20, 2019 (inception) through August7, 2019, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.
Explanatory Paragraph — Going Concern
The accompanying financial statements have been prepared assuming that the Company will continue as a going concern. As discussed in Note 1 to the financial statements, its business plan is dependent on the completion of a financing and the Company’s cash and working capital as of August7, 2019 are not sufficient to complete its planned activities. These conditions raise substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern. Management’s plans in regard to these matters are also described in Note 1 and 3. The financial statements do not include any adjustments that might result from the outcome of this uncertainty.
Basis for Opinion
These financial statements are the responsibility of the Company’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company’s financial statements based on our audit. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (“PCAOB”) and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.
We conducted our audit in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud. The Company is not required to have, nor were we engaged to perform, an audit of its internal control over financial reporting. As part of our audit we are required to obtain an understanding of internal control over financial reporting but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. Accordingly, we express no such opinion.
Our audit included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. Our audit also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statements. We believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion.
/s/ Marcum LLP
Marcum LLP
We have served as the Company’s auditor since 2019.
New York, NY
August21, 2019
F-2
MERIDA MERGER CORP. I
BALANCE SHEET
AUGUST7, 2019
ASSETS |
|
| ||
Current asset – Other receivable | $ | 10 |
| |
Deferred offering costs |
| 33,400 |
| |
Total Assets | $ | 33,410 |
| |
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY |
|
| ||
Current liabilities: |
|
| ||
Accrued offering costs | $ | 7,500 |
| |
Promissory note – related party |
| 339 |
| |
Total Current Liabilities |
| 7,839 |
| |
Commitments |
|
| ||
Stockholders’ Equity |
|
| ||
Preferred stock, $0.0001 par value; 1,000,000 shares authorized; none issued or outstanding |
| — |
| |
Common stock, $0.0001 par value; 50,000,000 shares authorized; 2,975,000 shares issued and outstanding(1) |
| 298 |
| |
Additional paid-in capital |
| 25,612 |
| |
Accumulated deficit |
| (339 | ) | |
Total Stockholders’ Equity |
| 25,571 |
| |
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY | $ | 33,410 |
|
____________
(1) Includes up to 375,000shares subject to forfeiture if the over-allotment option is not exercised in full or in part by the underwriters (see Note 7).
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.
F-3
MERIDA MERGER CORP. I
STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS
FOR THE PERIOD FROM JUNE 20, 2019 (INCEPTION) THROUGH AUGUST 7, 2019
Formation and operating costs | $ | 339 |
| |
Net Loss | $ | (339 | ) | |
Weighted average shares outstanding, basic and diluted(1) |
| 2,500,000 |
| |
|
| |||
Basic and diluted net loss per common share | $ | (0.00 | ) |
____________
(1) Excludes an aggregate of up to 375,000shares subject to forfeiture if the over-allotment option is not exercised in full or in part by the underwriters (see Note 7).
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.
F-4
MERIDA MERGER CORP. I
STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY
FOR THE PERIOD FROM JUNE 20, 2019 (INCEPTION) THROUGH AUGUST 7, 2019
| Additional | Accumulated | Total Stockholders’ | |||||||||||||
Shares | Amount | |||||||||||||||
Balance – June 20, 2019 (inception) | — | $ | — | $ | — | $ | — |
| $ | — |
| |||||
Issuance of common stock to Sponsor(1) | 2,875,000 |
| 288 |
| 24,712 |
| — |
|
| 25,000 |
| |||||
Issuance of Representative Shares | 100,000 |
| 10 |
| 900 |
| — |
|
| 910 |
| |||||
Net loss | — |
| — |
| — |
| (339 | ) |
| (339 | ) | |||||
Balance – August 7, 2019 | 2,975,000 | $ | 298 | $ | 25,612 | $ | (339 | ) | $ | 25,571 |
| |||||
____________
(1) Includes 375,000shares subject to forfeiture if the over-allotment option is not exercised in full or in part by the underwriters (see Note 7).
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.
F-5
MERIDA MERGER CORP. I
STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS
FOR THE PERIOD FROM JUNE 20, 2019 (INCEPTION) THROUGH AUGUST 7, 2019
Cash Flows from Operating Activities: |
|
| ||
Net loss | $ | (339 | ) | |
Net cash used in operating activities |
| (339 | ) | |
Cash Flows from Financing Activities: |
|
| ||
Proceeds from promissory note – related party |
| 339 |
| |
Net cash provided by financing activities |
| 339 |
| |
Net Change in Cash |
| — |
| |
Cash – Beginning |
| — |
| |
Cash – Ending | $ | — |
| |
Non-cash investing and financing activities: |
|
| ||
Issuance of Representative Shares | $ | 910 |
| |
Deferred offering costs included in accrued offering costs | $ | 7,500 |
| |
Deferred offering costs paid directly by Sponsor from proceeds from issuance of common stock to Sponsor | $ | 25,000 |
|
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.
F-6
MERIDA MERGER CORP. I
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
Note 1 — Description of Organization and Business Operations
Merida Merger Corp. I (the “Company”) was incorporated in Delaware on June20, 2019. The Company was formed for the purpose of entering into a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, recapitalization, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses or entities (the “Business Combination”).
Although the Company is not limited to a particular industry or sector for purposes of consummating a Business Combination, the Company intends to focus its search on companies in the cannabis industry. The Company is an early stage and emerging growth company and, as such, the Company is subject to all of the risks associated with early stage and emerging growth companies.
As of August7, 2019, the Company had not commenced any operations. All activity for the period from June20, 2019 (inception) through August7, 2019 relates to the Company’s formation and the proposed initial public offering (“Proposed Public Offering”), which is described below. The Company will not generate any operating revenues until after the completion of a Business Combination, at the earliest. The Company will generate non-operating income in the form of interest income from the proceeds derived from the Proposed Public Offering. The Company has selected December 31 as its fiscal year end.
The Company’s ability to commence operations is contingent upon obtaining adequate financial resources through a Proposed Public Offering of 10,000,000 units (the “Units” and, with respect to the shares of common stock included in the Units being offered, the “Public Shares”) at $10.00 per Unit (or 11,500,000 units if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full), which is discussed in Note3, and the sale of 3,350,000 warrants (or 3,650,000 warrants if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full (the “Private Warrants”) at a price of $1.00 per Private Warrant in a private placement to Merida Capital Partners III LP (the “Sponsor”), and certain of the Company’s officers, directors, advisors and their respective affiliates (collectively with the Sponsor, the “Merida Purchasers”) and EarlyBirdCapital, Inc. (“EarlyBirdCapital”) that will close simultaneously with the Proposed Public Offering.
The Company’s management has broad discretion with respect to the specific application of the net proceeds of the Proposed Public Offering and the sale of the Private Warrants, although substantially all of the net proceeds are intended to be applied generally toward consummating a Business Combination. There is no assurance that the Company will be able to complete a Business Combination successfully. The Company must complete a Business Combination having an aggregate fair market value of at least 80% of the assets held in the Trust Account (as defined below) (excluding taxes payable on income earned on the Trust Account) at the time of the agreement to enter into an initial Business Combination. The Company will only complete a Business Combination if the post-transaction company owns or acquires 50% or more of the outstanding voting securities of the target or otherwise acquires a controlling interest in the target sufficient for it not to be required to register as an investment company under the Investment Company Act 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”). Upon the closing of the Proposed Public Offering, management has agreed that an amount equal to at least $10.00 per Unit sold in the Proposed Public Offering, including the proceeds from the sale of the Private Warrants, will be held in a trust account (“Trust Account”), located in the United States and invested only in U.S. government securities, within the meaning set forth in Section 2(a)(16) of the Investment Company Act, with a maturity of 180 days or less or in any open-ended investment company that holds itself out as a money market fund selected by the Company meeting the conditions of Rule 2a-7 of the Investment Company Act, as determined by the Company, until the earlier of: (i) the completion of a Business Combination and (ii) the distribution of the Trust Account, as described below.
The Company will provide its holders of the outstanding Public Shares (the “public stockholders”) with the opportunity to redeem all or a portion of their Public Shares upon the completion of a Business Combination in connection with a stockholder meeting called to approve the Business Combination. The public stockholders will be entitled to redeem their Public Shares for a pro rata portion of the amount then in the Trust Account (initially anticipated to be $10.00 per Public Share, plus any pro rata interest earned on the funds held in the Trust Account and not previously released to the Company to pay its tax obligations and up to $250,000 per 12-month period for working capital needs). There will be no redemption rights upon the completion of a Business Combination with respect to the Company’s warrants. The Public Shares subject to redemption will be recorded at redemption value and classified as temporary equity upon the completion of the Proposed Offering in accordance with the Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) Topic 480 “Distinguishing Liabilities from Equity.” The Company will proceed with a Business Combination if the Company has
F-7
MERIDA MERGER CORP. I
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
Note 1 — Description of Organization and Business Operations(cont.)
net tangible assets of at least $5,000,001 upon such consummation of a Business Combination and a majority of the shares voted are voted in favor of the Business Combination. The Company will, pursuant to its Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (the “Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation”), offer to redeem shares in conjunction with a proxy solicitation pursuant to the proxy rules. The Company’s Sponsor and EarlyBirdCapital have agreed to vote their Founder Shares (as defined in Note 5) and any Public Shares purchased during or after the Proposed Public Offering in favor of approving a Business Combination and not to convert any shares in connection with a stockholder vote to approve a Business Combination. Additionally, each public stockholder may elect to redeem their Public Shares irrespective of whether they vote for or against the proposed transaction or don’t vote at all.
The Sponsor has agreed (a) to waive its redemption rights with respect to the Founder Shares and any Public Shares held by it in connection with the completion of a Business Combination, (b) to waive its rights to liquidating distributions from the Trust Account with respect to the Founder Shares if the Company fails to consummate a Business Combination, and (c) not to propose an amendment to the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation that would affect a public stockholders’ ability to convert their shares in connection with a Business Combination or affect the substance or timing of the Company’s obligation to redeem 100% of its Public Shares if the Company does not complete a Business Combination, unless the Company provides the public stockholders with the opportunity to redeem their Public Shares in conjunction with any such amendment.
The Company will have until 24months from the closing of the Proposed Public Offering to complete a Business Combination (the “Combination Period”). If the Company is unable to complete a Business Combination within the Combination Period, the Company will (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, redeem 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 the Company, 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 liquidating distributions, if any), subject to applicable law, and (iii) as promptly as reasonably possible following such redemption, subject to the approval of the Company’s remaining stockholders and the Company’s board of directors, dissolve and liquidate, subject in each case to the Company’s obligations under Delaware law to provide for claims of creditors and the requirements of other applicable law. There will be no redemption rights or liquidating distributions with respect to the Company’s warrants, which will expire worthless if the Company fails to complete a Business Combination within the Combination Period.
In order to protect the amounts held in the Trust Account, Merida Manager III LLC, the general partner of the Sponsor, has agreed to be liable to the Company if and to the extent any claims by a third party for services rendered or products sold to the Company, or a prospective target business with which the Company has discussed entering into a transaction agreement, reduce the amount of funds in the Trust Account to below $10.00 per Public Share, except as to any claims by a third party who executed a valid and enforceable agreement with the Company waiving any right, title, interest or claim of any kind they may have in or to any monies held in the Trust Account and except as to any claims under the Company’s indemnity of the underwriters of Proposed Public Offering against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). Moreover, in the event that an executed waiver is deemed to be unenforceable against a third party, Merida Manager III LLC will not be responsible to the extent of any liability for such third-party claims. The Company will seek to reduce the possibility that Merida Manager III LLC will have to indemnify the Trust Account due to claims of creditors by endeavoring to have all vendors, service providers (except the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm), prospective target businesses or other entities with which the Company does business, execute agreements with the Company waiving any right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to monies held in the Trust Account.
F-8
MERIDA MERGER CORP. I
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
Note 1 — Description of Organization and Business Operations(cont.)
Going Concern Consideration
At August7, 2019, the Company had no cash and working capital deficit of $7,829. The Company has incurred and expects to continue to incur significant costs in pursuit of its financing and acquisition plans. These conditions raise substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern within one year after the date that the financial statements are issued. Management plans to address this uncertainty through a Proposed Public Offering as discussed in Note 3. There is no assurance that the Company’s plans to raise capital or to consummate a Business Combination will be successful within the Combination Period. The financial statements do not include any adjustments that might result from the outcome of this uncertainty.
Note 2 — Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
Basis of Presentation
The accompanying financial statements are presented in in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”) and pursuant to the rules and regulations of the SEC.
Emerging Growth Company
The Company is an “emerging growth company,” as defined in Section 2(a) of the Securities Act, as modified by the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012 (the “JOBS Act”), and it may take advantage of certain exemptions from various reporting requirements that are applicable to other public companies that are not emerging growth companies including, but not limited to, not being required to comply with the independent registered public accounting firm attestation requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation in its periodic reports and proxy statements, and exemptions from the requirements of holding a nonbinding advisory vote on executive compensation and stockholder approval of any golden parachute payments not previously approved.
Further, Section 102(b)(1) of the JOBS Act exempts emerging growth companies from being required to comply with new or revised financial accounting standards until private companies (that is, those that have not had a Securities Act registration statement declared effective or do not have a class of securities registered under the Exchange Act) are required to comply with the new or revised financial accounting standards. The JOBS Act provides that a company can elect to opt out of the extended transition period and comply with the requirements that apply to non-emerging growth companies but any such election to opt out is irrevocable. The Company has elected not to opt out of such extended transition period which means that when a standard is issued or revised and it has different application dates for public or private companies, the Company, as an emerging growth company, can adopt the new or revised standard at the time private companies adopt the new or revised standard. This may make comparison of the Company’s financial statements with another public company which is neither an emerging growth company nor an emerging growth company which has opted out of using the extended transition period difficult or impossible because of the potential differences in accounting standards used.
Use of Estimates
The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires the Company’s management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period.
Making estimates requires management to exercise significant judgment. It is at least reasonably possible that the estimate of the effect of a condition, situation or set of circumstances that existed at the date of the financial statements, which management considered in formulating its estimate, could change in the near term due to one or more future confirming events. Accordingly, the actual results could differ significantly from those estimates.
F-9
MERIDA MERGER CORP. I
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
Note 2 — Summary of Significant Accounting Policies(cont.)
Cash and cash equivalents
The Company considers all short-term investments with an original maturity of three months or less when purchased to be cash equivalents. The Company did not have any cash equivalents as of August7, 2019.
Deferred Offering Costs
Deferred offering costs consist of legal, accounting, underwriting fees and other costs incurred through the balance sheet date that are directly related to the Proposed Public Offering and that will be charged to stockholder’s equity upon the completion of the Proposed Public Offering. Should the Proposed Public Offering prove to be unsuccessful, these deferred costs, as well as additional expenses to be incurred, will be charged to operations.
Income Taxes
The Company follows the asset and liability method of accounting for income taxes under ASC 740, “Income Taxes.” Deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the estimated future tax consequences attributable to differences between the financial statements carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities and their respective tax bases. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using enacted tax rates expected to apply to taxable income in the years in which those temporary differences are expected to be recovered or settled. The effect on deferred tax assets and liabilities of a change in tax rates is recognized in income in the period that included the enactment date. Valuation allowances are established, when necessary, to reduce deferred tax assets to the amount expected to be realized.
ASC 740 prescribes a recognition threshold and a measurement attribute for the financial statement recognition and measurement of tax positions taken or expected to be taken in a tax return. For those benefits to be recognized, a tax position must be more likely than not to be sustained upon examination by taxing authorities. The Company recognizes accrued interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits as income tax expense. There were no unrecognized tax benefits and no amounts accrued for interest and penalties as of August7, 2019. The Company is currently not aware of any issues under review that could result in significant payments, accruals or material deviation from its position. The Company is subject to income tax examinations by major taxing authorities since inception.
The provision for income taxes was deemed to be immaterial for the period from June20, 2019 (inception) through August7, 2019.
Net Loss Per Common Share
Net loss per share is computed by dividing net loss by the weighted average number of shares of common stock outstanding during the period, excluding shares of common stock subject to forfeiture by the Sponsors. Weighted average shares were reduced for the effect of an aggregate of 375,000shares of common stock that are subject to forfeiture if the over-allotment option is not exercised by the underwriters (see Note 7). At August7, 2019, the Company did not have any dilutive securities and other contracts that could, potentially, be exercised or converted into shares of common stock and then share in the earnings of the Company. As a result, diluted loss per share is the same as basic loss per share for the period presented.
Concentration of Credit Risk
Financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to concentrations of credit risk consist of a cash account in a financial institution, which, at times, may exceed the Federal Depository Insurance Coverage of $250,000. At August7, 2019, the Company has not experienced losses on this account and management believes the Company is not exposed to significant risks on such account.
F-10
MERIDA MERGER CORP. I
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
Note 2 — Summary of Significant Accounting Policies(cont.)
Fair Value of Financial Instruments
The fair value of the Company’s assets and liabilities, which qualify as financial instruments under ASC 820, “Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures,” approximates the carrying amounts represented in the accompanying balance sheet, primarily due to their short-term nature.
Recent Accounting Pronouncements
Management does not believe that any recently issued, but not yet effective, accounting pronouncements, if currently adopted, would have a material effect on the Company’s financial statements.
Note 3 — Public Offering
Pursuant to the Proposed Public Offering, the Company intends to offer for sale 10,000,000 Units (or up to 11,500,000 Units if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full) at a price of $10.00 per Unit. Each Unit consists of one share of common stock and one-half of one warrant (“Public Warrant”). Each whole Public Warrant entitles the holder to purchase one share of common stock at a price of $11.50 per share, subject to adjustment (see Note 7).
Note 4 — Private Placement
The Merida Purchasers and EarlyBirdCapital have agreed to purchase an aggregate of 3,350,000 Private Warrants (or 3,650,000 Private Warrants if the over-allotment option is exercised in full) at a price of $1.00 per Private Warrant for an aggregate purchase price of $3,350,000, or $3,650,000 if the over-allotment option is exercised in full, in a private placement that will occur simultaneously with the closing of the Proposed Public Offering. The Merida Purchasers have agreed to purchase 2,850,000 Private Warrants (or 3,105,224 Private Warrants if the over-allotment option is exercised in full) and EarlyBirdCapital has agreed to purchase 500,000 Private Warrants (or 544,776 Private Warrants if the over-allotment option is exercised in full). Each whole Private Warrant is exercisable to purchase one share of common stock at an exercise price of $11.50 per share. The proceeds from the Private Warrants will be added to the proceeds from the Proposed Public Offering to be held in the Trust Account. If the Company does not complete a Business Combination within the Combination Period, the proceeds from the sale of the Private Warrants will be used to fund the redemption of the Public Shares (subject to the requirements of applicable law), and the Private Warrants and all underlying securities will expire worthless.
Note 5 — Related Party Transactions
Founder Shares
In August 2019, the Sponsor purchased 2,875,000shares (the “Founder Shares”) of the Company’s common stock for an aggregate price of $25,000. The Founder Shares include an aggregate of up to 375,000shares subject to forfeiture by the Sponsor to the extent that the underwriters’ over-allotment is not exercised in full or in part, so that the Sponsor will collectively own 20% of the Company’s issued and outstanding shares after the Proposed Public Offering (assuming the Sponsor does not purchase any Public Shares in the Proposed Public Offering and excluding the 100,000shares of common stock issued to EarlyBirdCapital and its designees (the “Representative Shares”) described in Note 7.
The Sponsor has agreed, subject to certain limited exceptions, not to transfer, assign or sell any of the Founder Shares until, with respect to 50% of the Founder Shares, the earlier of one year after the consummation of a Business Combination and the date on which the closing price of the common stock equals or exceeds $12.50 per share (as adjusted for stock splits, stock dividends, reorganizations, recapitalizations and the like) for any 20 trading days within a 30-trading day period commencing after a Business Combination and, with respect to the remaining 50% of the Founder Shares, until the one year after the consummation of a Business Combination, or earlier, in either case, if, subsequent to a Business Combination, the Company completes a liquidation, merger, stock exchange or other similar transaction which results in all of the Company’s stockholders having the right to exchange their shares of common stock for cash, securities or other property.
F-11
MERIDA MERGER CORP. I
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
Note 5 — Related Party Transactions(cont.)
Promissory Note — Related Party
On August6, 2019, the Company issued an unsecured promissory note to the Sponsor (the “Promissory Note”), pursuant to which the Company may borrow up to an aggregate principal amount of $150,000, of which $339 was outstanding under the Promissory Note as of August7, 2019. The Promissory Note is non-interest bearing and payable on the earlier of (i) June30, 2020, (ii) the consummation of the Proposed Public Offering or (iii) the date on which the Company determines not to proceed with the Proposed Public Offering.
Related Party Loans
In addition, in order to finance transaction costs in connection with a Business Combination, the Insiders, or certain of the Company’s officers and directors or their affiliates may, but are not obligated to, loan the Company funds as may be required (“Working Capital Loans”). If the Company completes a Business Combination, the Company would repay the Working Capital Loans out of the proceeds of the Trust Account released to the Company. Otherwise, the Working Capital Loans would be repaid only out of funds held outside the Trust Account. In the event that a Business Combination does not close, the Company may use a portion of proceeds held outside the Trust Account to repay the Working Capital Loans but no proceeds held in the Trust Account would be used to repay the Working Capital Loans. Except for the foregoing, the terms of such Working Capital Loans, if any, have not been determined and no written agreements exist with respect to such loans. The Working Capital Loans would either be repaid upon consummation of a Business Combination, without interest, or, at the lender’s discretion, up to $1,500,000 of such Working Capital Loans may be converted into warrants of the post Business Combination entity at a price of $1.00 per warrant. The warrants would be identical to the Private Warrants.
Administrative Support Agreement
The Company has agreed, commencing on the effective date of the Proposed Public Offering through the earlier of the Company’s consummation of a Business Combination and its liquidation, to pay Merida Manager III LLC a total of $10,000 per month for office space, utilities and secretarial and administrative support.
Note 6 — Commitments
Registration Rights
The holders of the Founder Shares, Representative Shares, Private Warrants, and any warrants that may be issued in payment of Working Capital Loans (and all underlying securities) will be entitled to registration rights pursuant to a registration rights agreement to be signed prior to or on the effective date of the Proposed Public Offering. The holders of the majority of these securities are entitled to make up to two demands that the Company register such securities. The holders of the majority of the Founder Shares can elect to exercise these registration rights at any time commencing three months prior to the date on which the Founder Shares are to be released from escrow. The holders of a majority of the Representative Shares, Private Warrants or warrants issued in payment of Working Capital Loans made to the Company (or underlying securities) can elect to exercise these registration rights at any time commencing after the Company consummates a Business Combination. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, EarlyBirdCapital may only make a demand on one occasion and only during the five-year period beginning on the effective date of the Proposed Public Offering. In addition, the holders have certain “piggy-back” registration rights with respect to registration statements filed subsequent to the consummation of a Business Combination; provided, however, that EarlyBirdCapital may participate in a “piggy-back” registration only during the seven-year period beginning on the effective date of the Proposed Public Offering. The Company will bear the expenses incurred in connection with the filing of any such registration statements.
F-12
MERIDA MERGER CORP. I
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
Note 6 — Commitments(cont.)
Underwriting Agreement
The Company will grant the underwriters a 45-day option from the date of this prospectus to purchase up to 1,500,000 additional Units to cover over-allotments, if any, at the Proposed Public Offering price less the underwriting discounts and commissions.
The underwriters will be entitled to a cash underwriting discount of $0.20 per Unit, or $2,000,000 in the aggregate (or $2,300,000 in the aggregate if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full), payable upon the closing of the Proposed Public Offering.
Business Combination Marketing Agreement
The Company has engaged EarlyBirdCapital as an advisor in connection with a Business Combination to assist the Company in holding meetings with its stockholders to discuss the potential Business Combination and the target business’ attributes, introduce the Company to potential investors that are interested in purchasing the Company’s securities in connection with a Business Combination, assist the Company in obtaining stockholder approval for the Business Combination and assist the Company with its press releases and public filings in connection with the Business Combination. The Company will pay EarlyBirdCapital a cash fee for such services upon the consummation of a Business Combination in an amount equal to 3.5% of the gross proceeds of Proposed Public Offering (exclusive of any applicable finders’ fees which might become payable); provided that up to 30% of the fee may be allocated at the Company’s sole discretion to other FINRA members that assist the Company in identifying and consummating a Business Combination.
Note 7 — Stockholders’ Equity
Preferred Stock — The Company is authorized to issue 1,000,000shares of preferred stock with a par value of $0.0001 per share with such designation, rights and preferences as may be determined from time to time by the Company’s board of directors. At August7, 2019, there were no shares of preferred stock issued or outstanding.
Common Stock — The Company is authorized to issue 50,000,000shares of common stock with a par value of $0.0001 per share. At August7, 2019, there were 2,875,000shares of common stock issued and outstanding, of which an aggregate of up to 375,000shares are subject to forfeiture to the extent that the underwriters’ over-allotment option is not exercised in full or in part, so that the Sponsor will collectively own 20% of the Company’s issued and outstanding common stock after the Proposed Public Offering (assuming the Sponsor does not purchase any Public Shares in the Proposed Public Offering and excluding the Representative Shares).
Warrants — Public Warrants may only be exercised for a whole number of shares. No fractional shares will be issued upon exercise of the Public Warrants. The Public Warrants will become exercisable on the later of (a) 30 days after the completion of a Business Combination or (b) 12months from the closing of the Proposed Public Offering. No warrants will be exercisable for cash unless the Company has an effective and current registration statement covering the shares of common stock issuable upon exercise of the warrants and a current prospectus relating to such shares of common stock. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if a registration statement covering the shares of common stock issuable upon exercise of the public warrants is not effective within a specified period following the consummation of a Business Combination, warrant holders may, until such time as there is an effective registration statement and during any period when the Company shall have failed to maintain an effective registration statement, exercise warrants on a cashless basis pursuant to the exemption provided by Section 3(a)(9) of the Securities Act, provided that such exemption is available. If that exemption, or another exemption, is not available, holders will not be able to exercise their warrants on a cashless basis. The Public Warrants will expire five years after the completion of a Business Combination or earlier upon redemption or liquidation.
F-13
MERIDA MERGER CORP. I
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
Note 7 — Stockholders’ Equity(cont.)
Once the warrants become exercisable, the Company may redeem the Public Warrants:
• in whole and not in part;
• at a price of $0.01 per warrant;
• upon not less than 30 days’ prior written notice of redemption;
• if, and only if, the reported last sale price of the Company’s common stock equals or exceeds $18.00 per share for any 20 trading days within a 30-trading day period commencing after the warrants become exercisable and ending on the third business day prior to the notice of redemption to the warrant holders; and
• If, and only if, there is a current registration statement in effect with respect to the shares of common stock underlying the warrants.
If the Company calls the Public Warrants for redemption, management will have the option to require all holders that wish to exercise the Public Warrants to do so on a “cashless basis,” as described in the warrant agreement.
The Private Warrants will be identical to the Public Warrants underlying the Units being sold in the Proposed Public Offering, except that the Private Warrants and the shares of common stock issuable upon the exercise of the Private Warrants will not be transferable, assignable or salable until after the completion of a Business Combination, subject to certain limited exceptions. Additionally, the Private Warrants will be exercisable for cash or on a cashless basis, at the holder’s option, and be non-redeemable so long as they are held by the initial purchasers or their permitted transferees. If the Private Warrants are held by someone other than the initial purchasers or their permitted transferees, the Private Warrants will be redeemable by the Company and exercisable by such holders on the same basis as the Public Warrants.
The exercise price and number of shares of common stock issuable upon exercise of the warrants may be adjusted in certain circumstances including in the event of a stock dividend, or recapitalization, reorganization, merger or consolidation. However, the warrants will not be adjusted for issuance of common stock at a price below its exercise price. Additionally, in no event will the Company be required to net cash settle the warrants. If the Company is unable to complete a Business Combination within the Combination Period and the Company liquidates the funds held in the Trust Account, holders of warrants will not receive any of such funds with respect to their warrants, nor will they receive any distribution from the Company’s assets held outside of the Trust Account with the respect to such warrants. Accordingly, the warrants may expire worthless.
In addition, if (x) the Company issues additional shares of common stock or equity-linked securities for capital raising purposes in connection with the closing of an initial Business Combination at an issue price or effective issue price of less than $9.20 per share of common stock (with such issue price or effective issue price to be determined in good faith by the Company’s board of directors, and in the case of any such issuance to the Sponsor, initial stockholders or their affiliates, without taking into account any Founder’s Shares held by them prior to such issuance), (y) the aggregate gross proceeds from such issuances represent more than 60% of the total equity proceeds, and interest thereon, available for the funding of an initial Business Combination on the date of the consummation of an initial Business Combination (net of redemptions), and (z) the volume weighted average trading price of the common stock during the 20 trading day period starting on the trading day prior to the day on which the Company consummated an initial Business Combination (such price, the “Market Value”) is below $9.20 per share, the exercise price of the warrants will be adjusted (to the nearest cent) to be equal to 115% of the greater of (i) the Market Value or (ii) the price at which the Company issues the additional shares of common stock or equity-linked securities.
Representative Shares
In August 2019, the Company issued to EarlyBirdCapital and its designees the 100,000 Representative Shares. The Company accounted for the Representative Shares as an offering cost of the Proposed Public Offering, with a corresponding credit to stockholder’s equity. The Company estimated the fair value of Representative Shares to be
F-14
MERIDA MERGER CORP. I
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
Note 7 — Stockholders’ Equity(cont.)
$910 based upon the price of the Founder Shares issued to the Sponsor. The holders of the Representative Shares have agreed not to transfer, assign or sell any such shares until the completion of a Business Combination. In addition, the holders have agreed (i) to waive their redemption rights with respect to such shares in connection with the completion of a Business Combination and (ii) to waive their rights to liquidating distributions from the Trust Account with respect to such shares if the Company fails to complete a Business Combination within the Combination Period.
The Representative Shares have been deemed compensation by FINRA and are therefore subject to a lock-up for a period of 180 days immediately following the effective date of the registration statement related to the Proposed Public Offering pursuant to Rule 5110(g)(1) of FINRA’s NASD Conduct Rules. Pursuant to FINRA Rule 5110(g)(1), these securities will not be the subject of any hedging, short sale, derivative, put or call transaction that would result in the economic disposition of the securities by any person for a period of 180 days immediately following the effective date of the registration statements related to the Proposed Public Offering, nor may they be sold, transferred, assigned, pledged or hypothecated for a period of 180 days immediately following the effective date of the registration statements related to the Proposed Public Offering except to any underwriter and selected dealer participating in the Proposed Public Offering and their bona fide officers or partners.
Note 8 — Subsequent Events
The Company evaluated subsequent events and transactions that occurred after the balance sheet date up to August21, 2019, the date that the financial statements were available to be issued. Based upon this review, the Company did not identify any subsequent events that would have required adjustment or disclosure in the financial statements.
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10,000,000 Units
Merida Merger Corp. I
____________________________
PROSPECTUS
[•]
____________________________
Sole Book-Running Manager
EarlyBirdCapital, Inc.
Until[•], 2019 (25 days after the date of this prospectus), all dealers that buy, sell or trade our common stock, whether or not participating in this offering, may be required to deliver a prospectus. This is in addition to the dealers’ obligation to deliver a prospectus when acting as underwriters and with respect to their unsold allotments or subscriptions.
PART II
INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS
ITEM 13. OTHER EXPENSES OF ISSUANCE AND DISTRIBUTION.
The estimated expenses payable by us in connection with the offering described in this registration statement (other than the underwriting discount and commissions) will be as follows:
SEC expenses | $ | 15,000 | |
FINRA expenses |
| 17,750 | |
Accounting fees and expenses |
| 40,000 | |
Printing and engraving expenses |
| 40,000 | |
Legal fees and expenses |
| 380,000 | |
Stock exchange listing and filing fees |
| 185,000 | |
Miscellaneous |
| 72,250 | |
Total | $ | 750,000 |
ITEM 14. INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS.
Our certificate of incorporation provides that all directors, officers, employees and agents of the registrant shall be entitled to be indemnified by us to the fullest extent permitted by Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law.
Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law concerning indemnification of officers, directors, employees and agents is set forth below.
“Section 145. Indemnification of officers, directors, employees and agents; insurance.
(a) A corporation shall have power to indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (other than an action by or in the right of the corporation) by reason of the fact that the person is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, against expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by the person in connection with such action, suit or proceeding if the person acted in good faith and in a manner the person reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe the person’s conduct was unlawful. The termination of any action, suit or proceeding by judgment, order, settlement, conviction, or upon a plea of nolo contendere or its equivalent, shall not, of itself, create a presumption that the person did not act in good faith and in a manner which the person reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had reasonable cause to believe that the person’s conduct was unlawful.
(b) A corporation shall have power to indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action or suit by or in the right of the corporation to procure a judgment in its favor by reason of the fact that the person is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise against expenses (including attorneys’ fees) actually and reasonably incurred by the person in connection with the defense or settlement of such action or suit if the person acted in good faith and in a manner the person reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation and except that no indemnification shall be made in respect of any claim, issue or matter as to which such person shall have been adjudged to be liable to the corporation unless and only to the extent that the Court of Chancery or the court in which such action or suit was brought shall determine upon application that, despite the adjudication of liability but in view of all the circumstances of the case, such person is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for such expenses which the Court of Chancery or such other court shall deem proper.
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(c) To the extent that a present or former director or officer of a corporation has been successful on the merits or otherwise in defense of any action, suit or proceeding referred to in subsections (a) and (b) of this section, or in defense of any claim, issue or matter therein, such person shall be indemnified against expenses (including attorneys’ fees) actually and reasonably incurred by such person in connection therewith.
(d) Any indemnification under subsections (a) and (b) of this section (unless ordered by a court) shall be made by the corporation only as authorized in the specific case upon a determination that indemnification of the present or former director, officer, employee or agent is proper in the circumstances because the person has met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in subsections (a) and (b) of this section. Such determination shall be made, with respect to a person who is a director or officer at the time of such determination, (1) by a majority vote of the directors who are not parties to such action, suit or proceeding, even though less than a quorum, or (2) by a committee of such directors designated by majority vote of such directors, even though less than a quorum, or (3) if there are no such directors, or if such directors so direct, by independent legal counsel in a written opinion, or (4) by the stockholders.
(e) Expenses (including attorneys’ fees) incurred by an officer or director in defending any civil, criminal, administrative or investigative action, suit or proceeding may be paid by the corporation in advance of the final disposition of such action, suit or proceeding upon receipt of an undertaking by or on behalf of such director or officer to repay such amount if it shall ultimately be determined that such person is not entitled to be indemnified by the corporation as authorized in this section. Such expenses (including attorneys’ fees) incurred by former directors and officers or other employees and agents may be so paid upon such terms and conditions, if any, as the corporation deems appropriate.
(f) The indemnification and advancement of expenses provided by, or granted pursuant to, the other subsections of this section shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which those seeking indemnification or advancement of expenses may be entitled under any bylaw, agreement, vote of stockholders or disinterested directors or otherwise, both as to action in such person’s official capacity and as to action in another capacity while holding such office.
(g) A corporation shall have power to purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of any person who is or was director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise against any liability asserted against such person and incurred by such person in any such capacity, or arising out of such person’s status as such, whether or not the corporation would have the power to indemnify such person against such liability under this section.
(h) For purposes of this section, references to “the corporation” shall include, in addition to the resulting corporation, any constituent corporation (including any constituent of a constituent) absorbed in a consolidation or merger which, if its separate existence had continued, would have had power and authority to indemnify its directors, officers, and employees or agents, so that any person who is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of such constituent corporation, or is or was serving at the request of such constituent corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, shall stand in the same position under this section with respect to the resulting or surviving corporation as such person would have with respect to such constituent corporation if its separate existence had continued.
(i) For purposes of this section, references to “other enterprises” shall include employee benefit plans; references to “fines” shall include any excise taxes assessed on a person with respect to any employee benefit plan; and references to “serving at the request of the corporation” shall include any service as a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation which imposes duties on, or involves services by, such director, officer, employee or agent with respect to an employee benefit plan, its participants or beneficiaries; and a person who acted in good faith and in a manner such person reasonably believed to be in the interest of the participants and beneficiaries of an employee benefit plan shall be deemed to have acted in a manner “not opposed to the best interests of the corporation” as referred to in this section.
(j) The indemnification and advancement of expenses provided by, or granted pursuant to, this section shall, unless otherwise provided when authorized or ratified, continue as to a person who has ceased to be a director, officer, employee or agent and shall inure to the benefit of the heirs, executors and administrators of such a person.
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(k) The Court of Chancery is hereby vested with exclusive jurisdiction to hear and determine all actions for advancement of expenses or indemnification brought under this section or under any bylaw, agreement, vote of stockholders or disinterested directors, or otherwise. The Court of Chancery may summarily determine a corporation’s obligation to advance expenses (including attorneys’ fees).”
Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to our directors, officers, and controlling persons pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, we have been advised that, in the opinion of the SEC, such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person in a successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, we will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to the court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.
Paragraph B of Article Eighth of our certificate of incorporation provides:
“The Corporation, to the full extent permitted by Section 145 of the GCL, as amended from time to time, shall indemnify all persons whom it may indemnify pursuant thereto. Expenses (including attorneys’ fees) incurred by an officer or director in defending any civil, criminal, administrative, or investigative action, suit or proceeding for which such officer or director may be entitled to indemnification hereunder shall be paid by the Corporation in advance of the final disposition of such action, suit or proceeding upon receipt of an undertaking by or on behalf of such director or officer to repay such amount if it shall ultimately be determined that he is not entitled to be indemnified by the Corporation as authorized hereby.”
Pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement filed as Exhibit 1.1 to this Registration Statement, we have agreed to indemnify the Underwriter and the Underwriter has agreed to indemnify us against certain civil liabilities that may be incurred in connection with this offering, including certain liabilities under the Securities Act.
We will enter into indemnification agreements with each of our officers and directors a form of which is to be filed as an exhibit to this Registration Statement. These agreements will require us to indemnify these individuals to the fullest extent permitted under Delaware law against liabilities that may arise by reason of their service to us, and to advance expenses incurred as a result of any proceeding against them as to which they could be indemnified.
ITEM 15. RECENT SALES OF UNREGISTERED SECURITIES.
(a) During the past three years, we sold the following shares of common stock without registration under the Securities Act:
Shareholders | Number of Shares | |
Merida Capital Partners III LP | 2,875,000 |
Such shares were issued in August 2019 in connection with our organization pursuant to the exemption from registration contained in Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act as the shares were sold to accredited investors. The shares issued were sold for an aggregate offering price of $25,000 at an average purchase price of approximately $0.009 per share. In October 2019, Merida Capital Partners III LP transferred the foregoing shares to Merida Holdings, LLC.
We also issued 100,000shares to EarlyBirdCapital, Inc. and its designees in August 2019 pursuant to the exemption from registration contained in Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act as the shares were issued to accredited investors. The shares issued were issued with a value of $0.0001 per share.
The Merida Purchasers and EarlyBirdCapital, Inc. have also committed that they and/or their designees will purchase 3,350,000 warrants at $1.00 per warrant (for an aggregate of $3,350,000), or 3,650,000 warrants at $1.00 per warrant (for an aggregate of $3,650,000) if the underwriter’s option to purchase additional units is exercised in full. This purchase will take place on a private placement basis simultaneously with the consummation of the initial public offering. These issuances will be made pursuant to the exemption from registration contained in Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act.
No underwriting discounts or commissions were paid with respect to such sales.
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ITEM 16. EXHIBITS AND FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES.
(a) The following exhibits are filed as part of this Registration Statement:
Exhibit No. | Description | |
1.1 | Form of Underwriting Agreement.* | |
1.2 | Form of Business Combination Marketing Agreement.* | |
3.1 | ||
3.2 | Form of Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation.* | |
3.3 | ||
4.1 | Specimen Unit Certificate.* | |
4.2 | Specimen Common Stock Certificate.* | |
4.3 | Specimen Warrant Certificate.* | |
4.4 | Form of Warrant Agreement between Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company and the Registrant.* | |
5.1 | Opinion of Graubard Miller.* | |
10.1 | Form of Letter Agreement from each of the Registrant’s sponsor, initial stockholders, officers and directors.* | |
10.2 | Form of Investment Management Trust Agreement between Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company and the Registrant.* | |
10.3 | ||
10.4 | Form of Registration Rights Agreement.* | |
10.5.1 | Form of Subscription agreement for private warrants by sponsor and others.* | |
10.5.2 | Form of Subscription agreement for private warrants by EarlyBirdCapital, Inc.* | |
10.6 | Form of Stock Escrow Agreement.* | |
10.7 | Form of Administrative Services Agreement.* | |
10.8 | Form of indemnification agreement.* | |
14 | Code of Ethics.* | |
23.1 | ||
23.2 | Consent of Graubard Miller (included in Exhibit 5.1).* | |
24 | Power of Attorney (included on signature page of this Registration Statement). | |
99.1 | Audit committee charter.* | |
99.2 | Compensation committee charter.* | |
99.3 | Nominating committee charter.* |
____________
* To be filed by amendment.
ITEM 17. UNDERTAKINGS.
(a) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:
(1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement:
i. To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933;
ii. To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than 20 percent change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in the effective registration statement;
iii. To include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or any material change to such information in the registration statement.
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(2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.
(3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering.
(4) That for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933 in a primary offering of securities of the undersigned registrant pursuant to this registration statement, regardless of the underwriting method used to sell the securities to the purchaser, if the securities are offered or sold to such purchaser by means of any of the following communications, the undersigned registrant will be a seller to the purchaser and will be considered to offer or sell such securities to such purchaser:
(i) Any preliminary prospectus or prospectus of the undersigned registrant relating to the offering required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424;
(ii) Any free writing prospectus relating to the offering prepared by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant or used or referred to by the undersigned registrant;
(iii) The portion of any other free writing prospectus relating to the offering containing material information about the undersigned registrant or its securities provided by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant; and
(iv) Any other communication that is an offer in the offering made by the undersigned registrant to the purchaser.
(b) The undersigned hereby undertakes to provide to the underwriter at the closing specified in the underwriting agreements, certificates in such denominations and registered in such names as required by the underwriter to permit prompt delivery to each purchaser.
(c) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.
(d) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that:
(1) For purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, the information omitted from the form of prospectus filed as part of this registration statement in reliance upon Rule 430A and contained in a form of prospectus filed by the registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(1) or (4) or 497(h) under the Securities Act shall be deemed to be part of this registration statement as of the time it was declared effective.
(2) For the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each post-effective amendment that contains a form of prospectus shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initialbona fideoffering thereof.
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SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the registrant has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in New York, New York, on the 8th day of October, 2019.
MERIDA MERGER CORP. I | ||||
By: | /s/ Peter Lee | |||
Name: | Peter Lee | |||
Title: | President and Chief Financial Officer | |||
KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears below constitutes and appoints Peter Lee his true and lawful attorney-in-fact, with full power of substitution and resubstitution for him and in his name, place and stead, in any and all capacities to sign any and all amendments including pre- and post-effective amendments to this registration statement, any subsequent registration statement for the same offering which may be filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and pre- or post-effective amendments thereto, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorney-in-fact or his substitute, each acting alone, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue thereof.
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.
Name | Position | Date | ||
/s/ Peter Lee | President, Chief Financial Officer | October8, 2019 | ||
Peter Lee | (Principal Executive Officer and Principal Financial | |||
/s/ Mitchell Baruchowitz | Non-Executive Chairman of the Board | October8, 2019 | ||
Mitchell Baruchowitz | ||||
/s/ Jeffrey Monat | Director | October8, 2019 | ||
Jeffrey Monat | ||||
/s/ Andres Nannetti | Director | October8, 2019 | ||
AndresNannetti |
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