UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 10-Q
☒ QUARTERLY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For the quarterly period ended September 30, 2022
OR
☐ TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For the transition period from __________ to __________
COVA ACQUISITION CORP.
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)
| Cayman Islands | 001-40012 | 98-1572360 | ||
(State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation) | (Commission File Number) | (IRS Employer Identification No.) |
1700 Montgomery Street, Suite 240
San Francisco, California 94111
(Address of Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code)
(415) 800-2289
(Registrant’s Telephone Number, Including Area Code)
(Former Name, Former Address and Former Fiscal Year, if Changed Since Last Report)
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
| Title of each class | Trading Symbol(s) | Name of each exchange on which registered | ||
| Units, each consisting of one Class A Ordinary Share, $0.0001 par value, and one-half of one redeemable warrant | COVAU | The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC | ||
| Class A Ordinary Shares included as part of the units | COVA | The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC | ||
| Redeemable warrants included as part of the units, each whole warrant exercisable for one Class A Ordinary Share at an exercise price of $11.50 | COVAW | The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC |
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes ☐ No ☒
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§ 232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files). Yes ☒ No ☐
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 | ☒ | Smaller reporting company | ☒ |
| Emerging growth company | ☒ |
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act). Yes ☒ No ☐
As of November 10, 2022, 30,000,000 Class A ordinary shares, par value $0.0001 per share, and 7,500,000 Class B ordinary shares, par value $0.0001 per share, were issued and outstanding.
COVA ACQUISITION CORP.
Form 10-Q
For the Quarter Ended September 30, 2022
Table of Contents
i
PART I. FINANCIAL INFORMATION
Item 1. Financial Statements.
COVA ACQUISITION CORP.
CONDENSED BALANCE SHEETS
September 30, 2022 | December 31, 2021 | |||||||
| (Unaudited) | ||||||||
| Assets: | ||||||||
| Current Assets | ||||||||
| Cash | $ | 2,444 | $ | 7,181 | ||||
| Prepaid expenses and other current assets | 280,229 | 788,561 | ||||||
| Total current assets | 282,673 | 795,742 | ||||||
| Prepaid expenses – non-current portion | — | 75,616 | ||||||
| Investments held in Trust Account | 301,933,145 | 300,053,996 | ||||||
| Total Assets | $ | 302,215,818 | $ | 300,925,354 | ||||
| Liabilities, Class A Ordinary Shares Subject to Possible Redemption, and Shareholders’ Deficit | ||||||||
| Current Liabilities | ||||||||
| Accounts payable and accrued expenses | $ | 3,577,636 | $ | 507,310 | ||||
| Working capital loan - related party | 953,502 | — | ||||||
| Due to related party | — | 17,384 | ||||||
| Total current liabilities | 4,531,138 | 524,694 | ||||||
| Deferred underwriting fee | 10,500,000 | 10,500,000 | ||||||
| Warrant liabilities | 755,196 | 11,747,850 | ||||||
| Total Liabilities | 15,786,334 | 22,772,544 | ||||||
| Commitments and Contingencies (See Note 5) | ||||||||
| Class A Ordinary Shares Subject to Possible Redemption | ||||||||
| Class A ordinary shares subject to possible redemption, $0.0001 par value, 30,000,000 shares issued and outstanding, at redemption value of $10.06 and $10.00 at September 30, 2022 and December 31, 2021, respectively | 301,933,145 | 300,000,000 | ||||||
| Shareholders’ Deficit | ||||||||
| Preference shares, $0.0001 par value; 5,000,000 shares authorized; none issued and outstanding | — | — | ||||||
| Class A ordinary shares, $0.0001 par value; 500,000,000 shares authorized; no shares issued and outstanding (excluding 30,000,000 shares subject to possible redemption) at September 30, 2022 and December 31, 2021 | — | — | ||||||
| Class B ordinary shares, $0.0001 par value; 50,000,000 shares authorized; 7,500,000 shares issued and outstanding at September 30, 2022 and December 31, 2021 | 750 | 750 | ||||||
| Additional paid-in capital | — | — | ||||||
| Accumulated deficit | (15,504,411 | ) | (21,847,940 | ) | ||||
| Total Shareholders’ Deficit | (15,503,661 | ) | (21,847,190 | ) | ||||
| Total Liabilities, Class A Ordinary Shares Subject to Possible Redemption, and Shareholders’ Deficit | $ | 302,215,818 | $ | 300,925,354 | ||||
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these unaudited condensed financial statements.
1
COVA ACQUISITION CORP.
UNAUDITED CONDENSED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
| For The Three Months Ended September 30, | For The Nine Months Ended September 30, | |||||||||||||||
| 2022 | 2021 | 2022 | 2021 | |||||||||||||
| General and administrative expenses | $ | 713,283 | $ | 302,768 | $ | 4,595,129 | $ | 820,249 | ||||||||
| Loss from Operations | (713,283 | ) | (302,768 | ) | (4,595,129 | ) | (820,249 | ) | ||||||||
| Other income (expense): | ||||||||||||||||
| Interest income on investments held in Trust Account | 1,319,522 | 21,218 | 1,879,149 | 24,271 | ||||||||||||
| Offering costs allocated to warrants | — | — | — | (989,589 | ) | |||||||||||
| Change in fair value of warrant liabilities | 1,643,537 | 7,403,869 | 10,992,654 | 12,239,865 | ||||||||||||
| Total other income, net | 2,963,059 | 7,425,087 | 12,871,803 | 11,274,547 | ||||||||||||
| Net income | $ | 2,249,776 | $ | 7,122,319 | $ | 8,276,674 | $ | 10,454,298 | ||||||||
| Weighted average shares outstanding of Class A ordinary shares subject to possible redemption | 30,000,000 | 30,000,000 | 30,000,000 | 25,714,286 | ||||||||||||
| Basic and diluted net income per share, Class A ordinary shares subject to possible redemption | $ | 0.06 | $ | 0.19 | $ | 0.22 | $ | 0.32 | ||||||||
| Weighted average shares outstanding of Class B ordinary shares | 7,500,000 | 7,500,000 | 7,500,000 | 7,360,714 | ||||||||||||
| Basic and diluted net income per share, Class B ordinary shares | $ | 0.06 | $ | 0.19 | $ | 0.22 | $ | 0.32 | ||||||||
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these unaudited condensed financial statements.
2
COVA ACQUISITION CORP.
UNAUDITED CONDENSED STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY (DEFICIT)
FOR THE THREE AND NINE MONTHS ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 2022
| Class A | Class B | Additional | Total | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ordinary shares | Ordinary shares | Paid-in | Accumulated | Shareholders’ | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Shares | Amount | Shares | Amount | Capital | Deficit | Deficit | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Balance as of December 31, 2021 | — | $ | — | 7,500,000 | $ | 750 | $ | — | $ | (21,847,940 | ) | $ | (21,847,190 | ) | ||||||||||||||
| Net income | — | — | — | — | — | 6,854,954 | 6,854,954 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Balance as of March 31, 2022 (unaudited) | — | — | 7,500,000 | 750 | — | (14,992,986 | ) | (14,992,236 | ) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Accretion of carrying value to redemption value | — | — | — | — | — | (613,622 | ) | (613,622 | ) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Net loss | — | — | — | — | — | (828,056 | ) | (828,056 | ) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Balance as of June 30, 2022 (unaudited) | — | — | 7,500,000 | 750 | — | (16,434,664 | ) | (16,433,914 | ) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Accretion of carrying value to redemption value | — | — | — | — | — | (1,319,523 | ) | (1,319,523 | ) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Net income | — | — | — | — | — | 2,249,776 | 2,249,776 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Balance as of September 30, 2022 (unaudited) | — | $ | — | 7,500,000 | $ | 750 | $ | — | $ | (15,504,411 | ) | $ | (15,503,661 | ) | ||||||||||||||
FOR THE THREE AND NINE MONTHS ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 2021
| Class A | Class B | Additional | Total Shareholders’ | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ordinary shares | Ordinary shares | Paid-in | Accumulated | Equity | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Shares | Amount | Shares | Amount | Capital | Deficit | (Deficit) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Balance as of December 31, 2020 | — | $ | — | 7,503,750 | $ | 750 | $ | 24,250 | $ | (8,927 | ) | $ | 16,073 | |||||||||||||||
| Forfeiture due to partial exercise of overallotment | — | — | (3,750 | ) | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Net loss | — | — | — | — | — | (3,266,877 | ) | (3,266,877 | ) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Accretion for Class A ordinary shares to redemption amount | — | — | — | — | (24,250 | ) | (33,446,408 | ) | (33,470,658 | ) | ||||||||||||||||||
| Balance as of March 31, 2021 (unaudited) | — | — | 7,500,000 | 750 | — | (36,722,212 | ) | (36,721,462 | ) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Net income | — | — | — | — | — | 6,598,856 | 6,598,856 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Balance as of June 30, 2021 (unaudited) | — | — | 7,500,000 | 750 | — | (30,123,356 | ) | (30,122,606 | ) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Net income | — | — | — | — | — | 7,122,319 | 7,122,319 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Balance as of September 30, 2021 (unaudited) | — | $ | — | 7,500,000 | $ | 750 | $ | — | $ | (23,001,037 | ) | $ | (23,000,287 | ) | ||||||||||||||
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these unaudited condensed financial statements.
3
COVA ACQUISITION CORP.
UNAUDITED CONDENSED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
| For The Nine Months Ended September 30, | ||||||||
| 2022 | 2021 | |||||||
| Cash flows from operating activities: | ||||||||
| Net income | $ | 8,276,674 | $ | 10,454,298 | ||||
| Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash used in operating activities: | ||||||||
| Interest earned on investments held in Trust Account | (1,879,149 | ) | (24,271 | ) | ||||
| Offering costs allocated to warrants | — | 989,589 | ||||||
| Change in fair value of warrant liabilities | (10,992,654 | ) | (12,239,865 | ) | ||||
| Changes in operating assets and liabilities: | ||||||||
| Prepaid expenses and other assets | 583,948 | (1,065,796 | ) | |||||
| Accounts payable and accrued expenses | 3,070,326 | 22,025 | ||||||
| Due to related party | (17,384 | ) | — | |||||
| Net cash used in operating activities | (958,239 | ) | (1,864,020 | ) | ||||
| Cash Flows from Investing Activities: | ||||||||
| Cash deposited into Trust Account | — | (300,000,000 | ) | |||||
| Net cash used in investing activities | — | (300,000,000 | ) | |||||
| Cash Flows from Financing Activities: | ||||||||
| Proceeds from sale of Units, net of underwriter’s discount | — | 294,000,000 | ||||||
| Proceeds from issuance of Private Placement Warrants | — | 8,872,000 | ||||||
| Proceeds from promissory note – related party | — | 57,546 | ||||||
| Proceeds from working capital loan – related party | 953,502 | — | ||||||
| Payment of promissory note – related party | — | (83,046 | ) | |||||
| Payment of offering costs | — | (668,674 | ) | |||||
| Net cash provided by financing activities | 953,502 | 302,177,826 | ||||||
| Net change in cash | (4,737 | ) | 313,806 | |||||
| Cash, beginning of period | 7,181 | — | ||||||
| Cash, end of the period | $ | 2,444 | $ | 313,806 | ||||
| Supplemental disclosure of noncash investing and financing activities: | ||||||||
| Deferred underwriters’ discount payable charged to additional paid-in capital | $ | — | $ | 10,500,000 | ||||
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these unaudited condensed financial statements.
4
COVA ACQUISITION CORP.
NOTES TO UNAUDITED CONDENSED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
SEPTEMBER 30, 2022
Note 1 — Organization and Business Operations
COVA Acquisition Corp. (the “Company” or “COVA”) is a blank check company incorporated as a Cayman Islands exempted company on December 11, 2020. The Company was incorporated for the purpose of effecting a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, share purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses that the Company has not yet identified (“Business Combination”).
As of September 30, 2022, the Company had not commenced any operations. All activity for the period from December 11, 2020 (inception) through September 30, 2022 relates to the Company’s formation and the Initial Public Offering (the “IPO”) described below. The Company will not generate any operating revenues until after the completion of its initial Business Combination, at the earliest. The Company generates non-operating income in the form of interest income from the proceeds derived from the IPO.
The registration statement for the Company’s IPO was declared effective by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on February 4, 2021 (the “Effective Date”). On February 9, 2021, the Company consummated the IPO of 30,000,000 units (the “Units” and, with respect to the shares of Class A ordinary shares included in the Units sold, the “Public Shares”), including the issuance of 3,900,000 Units as a result of the underwriters’ partial exercise of their over-allotment option. Each Unit consists of one share of Class A ordinary shares, $0.0001 par value, and one-half of one redeemable warrant, with each whole warrant entitling its holder to purchase one share of Class A ordinary shares at a price of $11.50 per share. The Units were sold at an offering price of $10.00 per Unit, generating gross proceeds of $300,000,000 (see Note 3).
Simultaneously with the closing of the IPO, the Company consummated the private placement (“Private Placement”) with the Sponsor of an aggregate of 8,872,000 warrants (“Private Placement Warrants”) to purchase Class A ordinary shares, each at a price of $1.00 per Private Placement Warrant, generating total proceeds of $8,872,000 (see Note 3).
Transaction costs amounted to $17,210,247, consisting of $6,000,000 of underwriting discount, $10,500,000 of deferred underwriters’ fee and $710,247 of other offering costs.
Following the closing of the IPO on February 9, 2021, an amount of $300,000,000 ($10.00 per Unit) from the net proceeds of the sale of the Units in the IPO and the sale of the Private Placement was placed in a trust account (“Trust Account”) which will be invested in U.S. government securities, within the meaning set forth in Section 2(a)(16) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”), with a maturity of 185 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, until the earlier of (a) the completion of the Company’s initial Business Combination, (b) the redemption of any public shares properly submitted in connection with a shareholder vote to amend the Company’s certificate of incorporation, or (c) the redemption of the Company’s public shares if the Company is unable to complete the initial Business Combination within 24 months from February 9, 2021 (the “Combination Period”), the closing of the IPO.
The Company’s management has broad discretion with respect to the specific application of the net proceeds of the IPO and the sale of the Private Placement 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 with one or more operating businesses or assets that together have an aggregate fair market value equal to at least 80% of the net assets held in the Trust Account (net of amounts disbursed to management for working capital purposes, if permitted, and excluding the amount of any deferred underwriting commissions) at the time of the Company’s signing a definitive agreement in connection with its initial Business Combination. However, 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 an interest in the target business or assets sufficient for it not to be required to register as an investment company under the Investment Company Act.
5
The Company will provide its holders of the outstanding Public Shares (the “public shareholders”) with the opportunity to redeem all or a portion of their Public Shares upon the completion of a Business Combination either (i) in connection with a shareholder meeting called to approve the Business Combination or (ii) by means of a tender offer. The decision as to whether the Company will seek shareholder approval of a Business Combination or conduct a tender offer will be made by the Company. The public shareholders 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). There will be no redemption rights upon the completion of a Business Combination with respect to the Company’s warrants.
The Company will only proceed with a Business Combination if the Company has net tangible assets of at least $5,000,001 either prior to or upon such consummation of a Business Combination and, if the Company seeks shareholder approval, a majority of the shares voted are voted in favor of the Business Combination. If a shareholder vote is not required by applicable law or stock exchange rules and the Company does not decide to hold a shareholder vote for business or other reasons, the Company will, pursuant to its Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (the “Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation”), conduct the redemptions pursuant to the tender offer rules of the SEC and file tender offer documents with the SEC prior to completing a Business Combination.
If, however, shareholder approval of the transaction is required by applicable law or stock exchange rules, or the Company decides to obtain shareholder approval for business or other reasons, the Company will offer to redeem shares in conjunction with a proxy solicitation pursuant to the proxy rules and not pursuant to the tender offer rules. If the Company seeks shareholder approval in connection with a Business Combination, the Sponsor has agreed to vote its Founder Shares (as defined in Note 4), and any Public Shares purchased during or after the IPO in favor of approving a Business Combination. In addition, the Initial Shareholders have agreed to waive their redemption rights with respect to their Founder Shares and Public Shares in connection with the completion of a Business Combination. In addition, the Company has agreed not to enter into a definitive agreement regarding an initial Business Combination without the prior consent of the Sponsor.
Notwithstanding the above, if the Company seeks shareholder approval of a Business Combination and it does not conduct redemptions pursuant to the tender offer rules, the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation provides that a public shareholder, together with any affiliate of such shareholder or any other person with whom such shareholder is acting in concert or as a “group” (as defined under Section 13 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”)), will be restricted from redeeming its shares with respect to more than an aggregate of 15% or more of the Public Shares, without the prior consent of the Company. The Sponsor has agreed (a) to waive its redemption rights with respect to its Founder Shares and Public Shares held by it in connection with the completion of a Business Combination and (b) not to propose an amendment to the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (i) to modify the substance or timing of the Company’s obligation to allow redemption in connection with the Company’s initial Business Combination or to redeem 100% of its Public Shares if the Company does not complete a Business Combination or (ii) with respect to any other provision relating to shareholders’ rights (including redemption rights) or pre-initial business combination activity, unless the Company provides the public shareholders with the opportunity to redeem their Public Shares in conjunction with any such amendment.
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. The Sponsor has agreed to waive its liquidation rights with respect to the Founder Shares if the Company fails to complete a Business Combination within the Combination Period. However, if the Sponsor acquires Public Shares in or after the IPO, such Public Shares will be entitled to liquidating distributions from the Trust Account if the Company fails to complete a Business Combination within the Combination Period.
In order to protect the amounts held in the Trust Account, 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 the lesser of (1) $10.00 per Public Share and (2) the actual amount per Public Share held in the Trust Account as of the date of the liquidation of the Trust Account due to reductions in the value of the trust assets, less taxes payable, provided that such liability will not apply to claims by a third party or prospective target business who executed a waiver of any and all rights to the monies held in the Trust Account nor will it apply to any claims under the Company’s indemnity of the underwriters of the IPO 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, the Sponsor will not be responsible to the extent of any liability for such third-party claims. The Company will seek to reduce the possibility that the Sponsor 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 and 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.
6
Merger Agreement
On May 26, 2022, the Company, ECARX Holdings Inc., a Cayman Islands exempted company (“ECARX”), Ecarx Temp Limited, a Cayman Islands exempted company and wholly owned subsidiary of ECARX (“Merger Sub 1”), and Ecarx&Co Limited, a Cayman Islands exempted company and wholly owned subsidiary of ECARX ( “Merger Sub 2”) entered into the Agreement and Plan of Merger (the “Merger Agreement”) pursuant to which, among other things, (a) Merger Sub 1 will merge with and into the Company (the “First Merger”), with the Company surviving the First Merger as a wholly owned subsidiary of ECARX (such company, as the surviving entity of the First Merger, “Surviving Entity 1”), and (b) immediately following the First Merger and as part of the same overall transaction as the First Merger, Surviving Entity 1 will merge with and into Merger Sub 2 (the “Second Merger,” and together with the First Merger, the “Mergers”), with Merger Sub 2 surviving the Second Merger as a wholly owned subsidiary of ECARX (such company, as the surviving entity of the Second Merger, “Surviving Entity 2”) (the transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement, including the Mergers, collectively, the “Proposed Business Combination”). Capitalized terms in this summary of the Merger Agreement not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings ascribed to them in the Merger Agreement. Completion of the Proposed Business Combination is subject to the satisfaction of the conditions stated in the Merger Agreement, as set forth in more detail below.
Liquidity, Capital Resources and Going Concern
At September 30, 2022, the Company had cash of $2,444 held outside of the Trust Account, and a working capital deficit of $4,248,465. The Company intends to use the funds held outside the Trust Account primarily to identify and evaluate target businesses, perform business due diligence on prospective target businesses, travel to and from the offices, plants or similar locations of prospective target businesses or their representatives or owners, review corporate documents and material agreements of prospective target businesses, and structure, negotiate, and complete a Business Combination.
In order to fund working capital deficiencies or finance transaction costs in connection with an initial Business Combination, the Company’s sponsor, officers, directors, or their affiliates may, but are not obligated to, loan the Company funds as may be required. If the Company completes its initial Business Combination, the Company would repay such loaned amounts. In the event that the initial Business Combination does not close, the Company may use a portion of the working capital held outside the Trust Account to repay such loaned amounts, but no proceeds from its Trust Account would be used for such repayment. Up to $1,000,000 of such loans may be convertible into private placement 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.
Prior to the completion of the initial Business Combination, the Company does not expect to seek loans from parties other than the Sponsor or an affiliate of the Sponsor as the Company does not believe third parties will be willing to loan such funds and provide a waiver against any and all rights to seek access to funds in the Trust Account. Management believes that the Company will have sufficient working capital or borrowing capacity to meet its needs through the earlier of a Business Combination or for the next 12 months. However, if the Company’s estimates of the costs of undertaking in-depth due diligence and negotiating a Business Combination is less than the actual amount necessary to do so, the Company may have insufficient funds available to operate its business prior to the initial Business Combination. If the Company is unable to complete its initial Business Combination because the Company does not have sufficient funds available to it, the Company will be forced to cease operations and liquidate the Trust Account.
The Company will have until February 9, 2023 to complete a Business Combination or it would be required to cease all operations and liquidate. The liquidity concerns and the date for mandatory liquidation and dissolution raise substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern until the earlier of the consummation of a Business Combination or one year from the issuance date of the unaudited condensed financial statements. The Company believes it has access to the funds from the Sponsor it needs to continue until it completes a Business Combination and plans on completing a Business Combination prior to the mandatory liquidation date. These unaudited condensed financial statements do not include any adjustments relating to the recovery of the recorded assets or the classification of the liabilities that might be necessary should the Company be unable to continue as a going concern.
Risks and Uncertainties
Management is currently evaluating the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and has concluded that while it is reasonably possible that the virus could have a negative effect on the Company’s financial position, results of its operations and/or search for a target company, the specific impact is not readily determinable as of the date of these unaudited condensed financial statements. These unaudited condensed financial statements do not include any adjustments that might result from the outcome of this uncertainty.
In February 2022, the Russian Federation and Belarus commenced a military action with the country of Ukraine. As a result of this action, various nations, including the United States, have instituted economic sanctions against the Russian Federation and Belarus. Further, the impact of this action and related sanctions on the world economy is not determinable as of the date of these unaudited condensed financial statements, and the specific impact on the Company’s financial condition, results of operations, and cash flows is also not determinable as of the date of these unaudited condensed financial statements.
7
Note 2 — Significant Accounting Policies
Basis of Presentation
The accompanying unaudited condensed financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”) for interim financial information and in accordance with the instructions to Form 10-Q and Article 8 of Regulation S-X of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). Certain information or footnote disclosures normally included in financial statements prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP have been condensed or omitted, pursuant to the rules and regulations of the SEC for interim financial reporting. Accordingly, they do not include all the information and footnotes necessary for a complete presentation of financial position, results of operations, or cash flows. In the opinion of management, the accompanying unaudited condensed financial statements include all adjustments, consisting of a normal recurring nature, which are necessary for a fair presentation of the financial position, operating results and cash flows for the period presented.
The accompanying unaudited condensed financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited financial statements and notes thereto included in the Annual Report on Form 10-K filed by the Company with the SEC on March 24, 2022, and the unaudited condensed financial statements for the nine months ended September 30, 2021 included in the Form 10-Q filed with by the Company with the SEC on December 10, 2021. The interim results for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2022 are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the year ending December 31, 2022, or for future periods.
Emerging Growth Company Status
The Company is an “emerging growth company,” as defined in 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 auditor 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 shareholder 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 an emerging growth 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 an 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 the comparison of the Company’s unaudited condensed financial statements with another public company that is neither an emerging growth company nor an emerging growth company that 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 these unaudited condensed financial statements in conformity with U.S. 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 these unaudited condensed financial statements.
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 these unaudited condensed 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.
One of the more significant accounting estimates included in these unaudited condensed financial statements is the determination of the fair value of the warrant liability. Such estimates may be subject to change as more current information becomes available and accordingly the actual results could differ significantly from those estimates.
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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. As of September 30, 2022 and December 31, 2021, the Company had $2,444 and $7,181 in cash held in its operating account, respectively, and did not have any cash equivalents.
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 Deposit Insurance Corporation coverage limit of $250,000. At September 30, 2022 and December 31, 2021, the Company has not experienced losses on this account and management believes the Company is not exposed to significant risks on such account.
Investments Held in Trust Account
At September 30, 2022 and December 31, 2021, the investments held in the Trust Account were held in U.S. Treasury Bills with a maturity of 185 days or less. During the three and nine months ended September 30, 2022 and 2021, the Company did not withdraw any of the interest income from the Trust Account to pay its tax obligations.
The Company classifies its United States Treasury securities as held-to-maturity in accordance with the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) Topic 320, “Investments - Debt and Equity Securities.” Held-to-maturity securities are those securities which the Company has the ability and intent to hold until maturity. Held-to-maturity treasury securities are recorded at amortized cost and adjusted for the amortization or accretion of premiums or discounts.
A decline in the market value of held-to-maturity securities below cost that is deemed to be other than temporary, results in an impairment that reduces the carrying costs to such securities’ fair value. The impairment is charged to earnings and a new cost basis for the security is established. To determine whether an impairment is other than temporary, the Company considers whether it has the ability and intent to hold the investment until a market price recovery and considers whether evidence indicating the cost of the investment is recoverable outweighs evidence to the contrary. Evidence considered in this assessment includes the reasons for the impairment, the severity and the duration of the impairment, changes in value subsequent to year-end, forecasted performance of the investee, and the general market condition in the geographic area or industry in which the investee operates.
Premiums and discounts are amortized or accreted over the life of the related held-to-maturity security as an adjustment to yield using the effective-interest method. Such amortization and accretion are included in the “interest income” line item in the statements of operations. Interest income is recognized when earned.
Derivative Warrant Liabilities
The Company evaluated the Public Warrants and Private Placement Warrants (collectively, “Warrants”, which are discussed in Note 3, Note 6 and Note 8) in accordance with ASC 815-40, “Derivatives and Hedging — Contracts in Entity’s Own Equity”, and concluded that a provision in the Warrant Agreement related to certain tender or exchange offers precludes the Warrants from being accounted for as components of equity. As the Warrants meet the definition of a derivative as contemplated in ASC 815, the Warrants are recorded as derivative liabilities on the balance sheets and measured at fair value at inception (on the date of the IPO) and at each reporting date in accordance with ASC 820, “Fair Value Measurement”, with changes in fair value recognized in the statements of operations in the period of change.
Offering Costs Associated with the Initial Public Offering
The Company complies with the requirements of the ASC 340-10-S99-1. Offering costs consisted of legal, accounting, underwriting fees and other costs incurred through the Initial Public Offering that were directly related to the Initial Public Offering. Offering costs are allocated to the separable financial instruments issued in the Initial Public Offering based on a relative fair value basis, compared to total proceeds received. Offering costs associated with warrant liabilities are expensed as incurred, presented as non-operating expenses in the statements of operations. Offering costs associated with the Class A ordinary shares in the amount of $710,247 was charged to temporary equity upon the completion of the IPO.
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Class A Ordinary Shares Subject to Possible Redemption
The Company accounts for its Class A ordinary shares subject to possible redemption in accordance with the guidance in ASC Topic 480, “Distinguishing Liabilities from Equity.” Class A ordinary shares subject to mandatory redemption (if any) are classified as a liability instrument and are measured at fair value. Conditionally redeemable Class A ordinary shares (including Class A ordinary shares that feature redemption rights that are either within the control of the holder or subject to possible redemption upon the occurrence of uncertain events not solely within the Company’s control) are classified as temporary equity. At all other times, Class A ordinary shares are classified as shareholders’ deficit. The Company’s Class A ordinary shares feature certain redemption rights that are considered to be outside of the Company’s control and subject to the occurrence of uncertain future events. Accordingly, all of the Company’s 30,000,000 Class A ordinary shares subject to possible redemption are presented at redemption value as temporary equity, outside of the shareholders’ deficit section of the Company’s condensed balance sheets.
The Company recognizes changes in redemption value immediately as they occur and adjusted the carrying value of redeemable ordinary shares to equal the redemption value at the end of each reporting period.
At September 30, 2022 and December 31, 2021, the Class A ordinary shares reflected in the condensed balance sheets are reconciled in the following table:
| Gross Proceeds | $ | 300,000,000 | ||
| Less: Proceeds allocated to Public Warrants | (17,250,000 | ) | ||
| Less: Issuance costs related to Class A ordinary shares | (16,220,658 | ) | ||
| Plus: Accretion of carrying value to redemption value | 33,470,658 | |||
| Class A ordinary shares subject to possible redemption, December 31, 2021 | 300,000,000 | |||
| Plus: Accretion of carrying value to redemption value | 1,933,145 | |||
| Class A ordinary shares subject to possible redemption, September 30, 2022 | $ | 301,933,145 |
Income Taxes
ASC Topic 740 prescribes a recognition threshold and a measurement attribute for these financial statements’ 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’s management determined that the Cayman Islands is the Company’s only major tax jurisdiction. The Company recognizes accrued interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits as income tax expense. 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 deferred tax assets were deemed to be de minimis as of September 30, 2022 and December 31, 2021.
There is currently no taxation imposed on income by the Government of the Cayman Islands. In accordance with Cayman federal income tax regulations, income taxes are not levied on the Company. Consequently, income taxes are not reflected in the Company’s unaudited condensed financial statements. The Company’s management does not expect that the total amount of unrecognized tax benefits will materially change over the next twelve months. The provision for income taxes was deemed to be de minimis for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2022 and 2021.
Net Income Per Ordinary Share
The Company complies with accounting and disclosure requirements of FASB ASC Topic 260, “Earnings Per Shares.” The Company has two classes of ordinary shares, which are referred to as Class A ordinary shares and Class B ordinary shares. Income and losses are shared pro rata between the two classes of ordinary shares. Net income per ordinary share is computed by dividing the pro rata net income between the Class A ordinary shares and the Class B ordinary shares by the weighted average number of ordinary shares outstanding for each of the periods. The calculation of diluted income per ordinary share does not consider the effect of the warrants issued in connection with the IPO since the exercise of the warrants are contingent upon the occurrence of future events and the inclusion of such warrants would be anti-dilutive. The warrants are exercisable for 23,872,000 shares of Class A ordinary shares in the aggregate.
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Reconciliation of Net Income per Ordinary Share
The following tables present a reconciliation of the numerator and denominator used to compute basic and diluted net income per ordinary share for each class of ordinary shares:
| For the three months ended September 30, | For the nine months ended September 30, | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2022 | 2021 | 2022 | 2021 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Class A | Class B | Class A | Class B | Class A | Class B | Class A | Class B | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Basic and diluted net income per ordinary share: | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Numerator: | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Allocation of net income | $ | 1,799,821 | $ | 449,955 | $ | 5,697,855 | $ | 1,424,464 | $ | 6,621,339 | $ | 1,655,335 | $ | 8,127,734 | $ | 2,326,564 | ||||||||||||||||
| Denominator: | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weighted-average shares outstanding | 30,000,000 | 7,500,000 | 30,000,000 | 7,500,000 | 30,000,000 | 7,500,000 | 25,714,286 | 7,360,714 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Basic and diluted net income per ordinary share | $ | 0.06 | $ | 0.06 | $ | 0.19 | $ | 0.19 | $ | 0.22 | $ | 0.22 | $ | 0.32 | $ | 0.32 | ||||||||||||||||
Fair Value of Financial Instruments
The Company follows the guidance in ASC 820, “Fair Value Measurement,” for its financial assets and liabilities that are re-measured and reported at fair value at each reporting period, and non-financial assets and liabilities that are re-measured and reported at fair value at least annually.
The fair value of the Company’s financial assets and liabilities reflects management’s estimate of amounts that the Company would have received in connection with the sale of the assets or paid in connection with the transfer of the liabilities in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. In connection with measuring the fair value of its assets and liabilities, the Company seeks to maximize the use of observable inputs (market data obtained from independent sources) and to minimize the use of unobservable inputs (internal assumptions about how market participants would price assets and liabilities). The following fair value hierarchy is used to classify assets and liabilities based on the observable inputs and unobservable inputs used in order to value the assets and liabilities:
| Level 1 — | Valuations based on unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities that the Company has the ability to access. Valuation adjustments and block discounts are not being applied. Since valuations are based on quoted prices that are readily and regularly available in an active market, valuation of these securities does not entail a significant degree of judgment. | |
| Level 2 — | Valuations based on (i) quoted prices in active markets for similar assets and liabilities, (ii) quoted prices in markets that are not active for identical or similar assets, (iii) inputs other than quoted prices for the assets or liabilities, or (iv) inputs that are derived principally from or corroborated by market through correlation or other means. | |
| Level 3 — | Valuations based on inputs that are unobservable and significant to the overall fair value measurement. |
See Note 8 for additional information on liabilities measured at fair value.
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Recent Accounting Pronouncements
In June 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2016-13, Financial Instruments-Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments, which requires entities to measure all expected credit losses for financial assets held at the reporting date based on historical experience, current conditions, and reasonable and supportable forecasts. ASU 2016-13 also requires additional disclosures regarding significant estimates and judgments used in estimating credit losses, as well as the credit quality and underwriting standards of an entity’s portfolio. The Company expects to adopt the provisions of this guidance on January 1, 2023. The adoption is not expected to have a material impact on the Company’s condensed financial statements.
Management does not believe that any other recently issued, but not yet effective, accounting pronouncements, if currently adopted, would have a material effect on the Company’s unaudited condensed financial statements.
Note 3 — Initial Public Offering
Public Units
On February 9, 2021, the Company sold 30,000,000 Units, at a purchase price of $10.00 per Unit, including the issuance of 3,900,000 Units as a result of the underwriters’ partial exercise of their over-allotment option. Each Unit consists of one share of Class A ordinary share, and one-half of one redeemable warrant (each, a “Public Warrant”).
Private Placement
Simultaneously with the closing of the IPO, the Sponsor purchased an aggregate of 8,872,000 Private Placement Warrants at a price of $1.00 per Private Placement Warrant, for an aggregate purchase price of $8,872,000, in a private placement. A portion of the proceeds from the private placement was added to the proceeds from the IPO held in the Trust Account.
Note 4 — Related Party Transactions
Founder Shares
On December 15, 2020, the Sponsor paid $25,000 to cover certain offering costs of the Company in consideration of 5,750,000 shares of the Company’s Class B ordinary shares (the “Founder Shares”). In January 2021, the Company declared a share dividend satisfied by way of issuance of 0.25 share for each Class B ordinary share in issue, resulting in the Sponsor holding an aggregate of 7,187,500 Founder Shares. In February 2021, the Company declared a share dividend satisfied by way of issuance of 0.044 share for each Class B ordinary share in issue, resulting in 7,503,750 Class B ordinary shares outstanding. The Founder Shares included an aggregate of up to 978,750 shares subject to forfeiture by the Sponsor to the extent that the underwriters’ over-allotment option was not exercised in full. On February 9, 2021, the underwriters partially exercised their over-allotment option, therefore 975,000 Founder Shares were no longer subject to forfeiture, and 3,750 Founder Shares were subject to forfeiture. On February 11, 2021, the underwriter informed the Company that they would not exercise the full over-allotment and therefore the remaining 3,750 shares were forfeited.
Promissory Note — Related Party
The Sponsor had agreed to loan the Company an aggregate of up to $300,000 under the promissory note (the “Note”) to be used for the payment of costs related to the IPO. The promissory note was non-interest bearing, unsecured and was due on the earlier of September 30, 2022 or the closing of the IPO.
The Company had borrowed $83,046 under the promissory note, and the Note was paid in full at the closing of the IPO on February 9, 2021. As of September 30, 2022 and December 31, 2021, there was no balance and borrowing is no longer available under the promissory note.
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Working Capital Loans
The holders of the Founder Shares, Private Placement Warrants and any warrants that may be issued upon conversion of working capital loans (and any Class A ordinary shares issuable upon the exercise of the Private Placement Warrants and warrants that may be issued upon conversion of working capital loans) will be entitled to registration rights pursuant to a registration and shareholder rights agreement to be signed prior to or on the effective date of the IPO. The holders of these securities are entitled to make up to three demands, excluding short form demands, that the Company registers such securities. In addition, the holders have certain “piggy-back” registration rights with respect to registration statements filed subsequent to the Company’s completion of the initial Business Combination. However, the registration and shareholder rights agreement provide that the Company will not permit any registration statement filed under the Securities Act to become effective until termination of the applicable lock-up periods with respect to such securities. The Company will bear the expenses incurred in connection with the filing of any such registration statements. In addition, if the sponsor, its affiliates or a member of our management team makes any working capital loans, it may convert up to $1,000,000 of such loans into up to an additional 1,000,000 private placement warrants, at the price of $1.00 per warrant.
On May 26, 2022, the Company issued a working capital promissory note (the “Note”) in the amount of up to $2,000,000 to the Sponsor. The Note bears no interest and is repayable in full upon the earlier to occur of (i) the consummation of the Company’s initial business combination and (ii) the winding up of the Company. The Note also provides that up to $1,000,000 of the Note may be converted into a number of warrants, at a price of $1.00 per warrant, at the option of the Sponsor and at any time prior to payment in full of the outstanding principal amount of the Note. Such warrants would be identical to the private placement warrants issued to the Sponsor at the Company’s initial public offering. As of September 30, 2022, and December 31, 2021, there were $953,502 and $0 outstanding under the working capital loans, respectively.
Administrative Support Agreement
Commencing on the date the Company’s securities are first listed on the Nasdaq and through the earlier of the consummation of the initial Business Combination and the Company’s liquidation, the Company will reimburse an affiliate of the Sponsor for office space, secretarial and administrative services provided to the Company in the amount of $10,000 per month. For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2022, the Company incurred $30,000 and $90,000, respectively, of administrative support expense, respectively. For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021, the Company incurred $45,006 and $102,149, respectively, of administrative support expense.
Due to Related Party
As of September 30, 2022, and December 31, 2021, the Company will reimburse an affiliate of the sponsor for expenses paid on its behalf in the amount of $0 and $17,384 respectively. The expenses include payment of professional fees, filing fees, and other operating expenses. As of September 30, 2022, the expenses paid by the management were recorded as a drawdown of the working capital loan.
Note 5 — Commitments and Contingencies
Registration Rights
The holders of the Founder Shares, Private Placement Warrants and any warrants that may be issued upon conversion of working capital loans (and any Class A ordinary shares issuable upon the exercise of the Private Placement Warrants and warrants that may be issued upon conversion of working capital loans) were entitled to registration rights pursuant to a registration and shareholder rights agreement to be signed prior to or on the effective date of the IPO. The holders of these securities are entitled to make up to three demands, excluding short form demands, that the Company registers such securities. In addition, the holders have certain “piggy-back” registration rights with respect to registration statements filed subsequent to the Company’s completion of the initial Business Combination. However, the registration and shareholder rights agreement provide that the Company will not permit any registration statement filed under the Securities Act to become effective until termination of the applicable lock-up periods with respect to such securities. The company will bear the expenses incurred in connection with the filing of any such registration statements.
Underwriting Agreement
The underwriter had a 45-day option from the date of the IPO to purchase up to an aggregate of 3,915,000 additional Units at the public offering price less the underwriting commissions to cover over-allotments, if any. On February 9, 2021, the underwriters partially exercised the over-allotment option purchasing an additional 3,900,000 Units.
On February 9, 2021, the underwriters were paid a cash underwriting fee of 2% of the gross proceeds of the IPO, totaling $6,000,000. In addition, $0.35 per unit, or approximately $10,500,000 in the aggregate, will be payable to the underwriters for deferred underwriting commissions. The deferred fee will become payable to the underwriters from the amounts held in the Trust Account solely in the event that the Company completes a Business Combination, subject to the terms of the underwriting agreement.
Merger Agreement
As described above, on May 26, 2022, the Company entered into the Merger Agreement. Additional details are provided below.
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Business Combination
Pursuant to the Merger Agreement, immediately prior to the First Effective Time on the Closing Date, (i) the Seventh Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association of ECARX (the “Amended Company Articles”) shall be adopted and become effective; (ii) each of the preferred shares of ECARX that is issued and outstanding immediately prior to such time shall be re-designated and re-classified into one ordinary share of ECARX (the “Preferred Share Conversion”); (iii) immediately after the Preferred Share Conversion, (x) issued and outstanding ordinary shares of ECARX (other than the Co-Founder Shares (as defined in the Merger Agreement)) and certain authorized but unissued ordinary share of ECARX shall each be re-designated into one Class A ordinary shares of ECARX, par value of US$0.000005 per share (“ECARX Class A Ordinary Shares”), where each ECARX Class A Ordinary Share shall entitle its holder to one (1) vote on all matters subject to vote at general meetings of ECARX, (y) issued and outstanding Co-Founder Shares and certain authorized but unissued ordinary shares shall each be re-designated as one Class B ordinary shares of ECARX, par value of US$0.000005 per share (“ECARX Class B Ordinary Shares” and collectively with ECARX Class A Ordinary Shares, “ECARX Ordinary Shares”), where each ECARX Class B Ordinary Share shall entitle its holder to ten (10) votes on all matters subject to vote at general meetings of ECARX, and (z) certain authorized but unissued ordinary shares of ECARX shall each be re-designated as shares of par value of US$0.000005 each of such class or classes (however designated) as the board of directors of ECARX may determine in accordance with the Amended Company Articles (actions set forth in clause (iii) are referred to as the “Re-designation”); and (iv) each authorized issued and unissued ECARX Ordinary Share immediately prior to the First Effective Time shall be recapitalized by way of a repurchase in exchange for issuance of such number of ECARX Ordinary Shares equal to the Recapitalization Factor (as defined below) as described further in the Merger Agreement. Actions set forth in clauses (i) through (iv) above are collectively referred to as the “Capital Restructuring.” The “Recapitalization Factor” is a number determined by dividing the Price per Share by $10.00. “Price per Share” is defined in the Merger Agreement as the amount equal to $3,400,000,000 divided by such amount equal to (a) the aggregate number of ECARX shares (i) that are issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Re-designation and (ii) that are issuable upon the exercise of all ECARX options and other equity securities of ECARX that are issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Re-designation (whether or not then vested or exercisable, as applicable), minus (b) the ECARX shares held by ECARX or any of its subsidiaries (if applicable) as treasury shares.
In addition, pursuant to the Merger Agreement, at the First Effective Time: (i) each of the Company’s units (“Units”) (each consisting of one of the Company’s Public Share (as defined below) and half of one of the Company’s public warrant (the “Public Warrants”)) issued and outstanding immediately prior to the First Effective Time shall be automatically separated and the holder thereof shall be deemed to hold one Public Share and one-half of one Public Warrant; provided, that, no fractional Public Warrants shall be issued in connection with such separation such that if a holder of such Units would be entitled to receive a fractional Public Warrant upon such separation, the number of Public Warrants to be issued to such holder upon such separation will be rounded down to the nearest whole number of Public Warrants and no cash will be paid in lieu of such fractional Public Warrants; (ii) immediately following the separation of each Unit, each Class A ordinary share, par value $0.0001 per share, of the Company (“Public Shares”) and each Class B ordinary share, par value $0.0001 per share, of the Company (“Founder Shares” collectively with Public Shares, “COVA Shares”) (excluding Public Shares that are held by the Company’s shareholders that validly exercise their redemption rights, COVA Shares that are held by the Company’s shareholders that exercise and perfect their relevant dissenters’ rights and the Company’s treasury shares) issued and outstanding immediately prior to the First Effective Time shall be cancelled and cease to exist and each holder thereof shall be entitled to receive one newly issued ECARX Class A Ordinary Share; and (iii) each whole warrant of the Company’s outstanding immediately prior to the First Effective Time shall cease to be a warrant with respect to Public Shares and be assumed by ECARX and converted into a warrant to purchase one ECARX Class A Ordinary Share (“ECARX Warrants”), subject to substantially the same terms and conditions prior to the First Effective Time.
Pursuant to the Merger Agreement, (i) each ordinary share, par value US$0.000005 per share, of Merger Sub 1 that is issued and outstanding immediately prior to the First Effective Time shall continue existing and constitute the only issued and outstanding share capital of Surviving Entity 1, (ii) each ordinary share of Surviving Entity 1 that is issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Second Effective Time will be automatically cancelled and cease to exist without any payment therefor, and (iii) each ordinary share, par value US$0.000005 per share, of Merger Sub 2 issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Second Effective Time shall remain outstanding and continue existing and constitute the only issued and outstanding share capital of Surviving Entity 2 and shall not be affected by the Second Merger.
Covenants
The Merger Agreement includes customary covenants of the parties with respect to operation of their respective businesses prior to consummation of the Proposed Business Combination and efforts to satisfy conditions to the consummation of the Proposed Business Combination. The Merger Agreement also contains additional covenants of the parties, including, among others, (i) a covenant providing for COVA and ECARX to cooperate in the preparation of the Registration Statement on Form F-4 required to be prepared and filed with the SEC in connection with the Mergers, (ii) covenants requiring COVA to establish a record date for, duly call and give notice of, convene and hold an extraordinary general meeting of the COVA shareholders as promptly as practicable following the date that the Registration Statement is declared effective by the SEC under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), (iii) covenants requiring ECARX to establish a record date for, duly call and give notice of, convene and hold an extraordinary general meeting of the ECARX shareholders as promptly as practicable following the date that the Registration Statement is declared effective by the SEC under the Securities Act, and (iv) covenants prohibiting COVA and ECARX from, among other things, soliciting or negotiating with third parties regarding alternative transactions and agreeing to certain related restrictions and ceasing discussions regarding alternative transactions.
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Conditions to the Consummation of the Transaction
Consummation of the transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement is subject to customary closing conditions, including approval of the Proposed Business Combination by the shareholders of COVA and ECARX. The Merger Agreement also contains other conditions, including, among others: (i) the accuracy of representations and warranties to various standards, from no materiality qualifier to a material adverse effect qualifier, (ii) the bringdown to Closing of a representation that no material adverse effect has occurred (both for COVA and ECARX); (iii) material compliance with pre-closing covenants, (iv) the delivery of customary closing certificates, (v) the absence of a legal prohibition on consummating the Transactions, (vi) ECARX’s listing application with Nasdaq being approved, (vii) COVA having at least $5,000,001 of net tangible assets remaining after taking into account redemptions by COVA shareholders; and (viii) (a) all amounts in the trust account established for the purpose of holding the net proceeds of COVA’s initial public offering as of immediately prior to the Closing, plus (b) cash proceeds that will be funded prior to, concurrently with, or immediately after, the Closing to the Company in connection with the purchase of equity securities of the Company by investors on or prior to the Closing Date pursuant to a subscription or similar agreement executed by such investors and the Company after the date hereof, plus (c) proceeds in the form of cash or securities that have been funded or issued or will be funded or issued prior to, concurrently with, or immediately after, the Closing to the Company in connection with the Permitted Financing, minus (d) the aggregate amount payable to COVA shareholders exercising their redemption rights, in the aggregate equaling no less than $100,000,000.
Termination
The Merger Agreement may be terminated under customary and limited circumstances prior to the closing of the Proposed Business Combination, including, but not limited to: (i) by mutual written consent of COVA and ECARX, (ii) by either COVA or ECARX if the Proposed Business Combination is not consummated on or prior to the 300th day after the date of the Merger Agreement, (iii) by either COVA or ECARX if there is a final and non-appealable order issued by a Governmental Authority prohibiting the Proposed Business Combination, (iv) by ECARX if the board of directors of COVA (“COVA Board”) shall have failed to include a statement to the effect that COVA Board has unanimously recommended that COVA’s shareholders vote in favor of the Transaction Proposals at the duly convened meeting of COVA’s shareholders (such statement, the “COVA Board Recommendation”) in the proxy statement distributed to COVA’s shareholders or shall have withheld, withdrawn, qualified, amended or modified, or publicly proposed or resolved to withhold, withdraw, qualify, amend or modify, the COVA Board Recommendation, (v) by COVA if there is any breach of any representation, warranty, covenant or agreement on the part of ECARX set forth in the Merger Agreement, such that the conditions to COVA’s obligations to consummate the Transactions would not be satisfied at the Closing, and such breach cannot be or has not been cured within 60 days following receipt by ECARX of notice from COVA of such breach; provided that COVA shall not have the right to terminate the Merger Agreement pursuant to this paragraph if it is then in material breach of any of its representations, warranties, covenants or agreements set forth in the Merger Agreement, (vi) by ECARX if there is any breach of any representation, warranty, covenant or agreement on the part of COVA set forth in the Merger Agreement, such that the conditions to ECARX’s obligation to consummate the Transactions would not be satisfied at the closing, and such breach cannot be or has not been cured within 60 days following receipt by COVA of notice from ECARX of such breach; provided that ECARX shall not have the right to terminate the Merger Agreement pursuant to this paragraph if it is then in material breach of any of its representations, warranties, covenants or agreements set forth in the Merger Agreement, (vii) by COVA if the Proposed Business Combination and other related proposals are not approved by ECARX’s shareholders at the duly convened meeting of ECARX shareholders, and (viii) by ECARX if the Proposed Business Combination and other related proposals are not approved by COVA’s shareholders at the duly convened meeting of COVA’s shareholders.
Other Agreements
Strategic Investment Agreements
Concurrently with the execution of the Merger Agreement, ECARX entered into a strategic investment agreement with Luminar Technologies, Inc. (“Luminar”), pursuant to which Luminar agreed to subscribe for and purchase ECARX Class A Ordinary Shares at $10.00 per share for an aggregate investment amount of $15,000,000, payable in a certain number of shares of Class A common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, of Luminar or, at Luminar’s election, in cash. Concurrently with the execution of the Merger Agreement, ECARX entered into a strategic investment agreement with Geely Investment Holding Ltd. (“Geely”), pursuant to which Geely agreed to subscribe for and purchase ECARX Class A Ordinary Shares at $10.00 per share for an aggregate purchase price of $20,000,000 (together with the strategic investment by Luminar, the “Strategic Investments”). Pursuant the Strategic Investment Agreements, the obligations of the parties to consummate the Strategic Investments are subject to the satisfaction or waiver of certain customary closing conditions of the respective parties, including, among others, (i) all conditions precedent under the Merger Agreement having been satisfied or waived (other than those to be satisfied at the closing of the Proposed Business Combination) and the Proposed Business Combination having been consummated, (ii) the accuracy of representations and warranties in all material respects and (iii) material compliance with covenants.
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Sponsor Support Agreement
Concurrently with the execution of the Merger Agreement, the Company, the Sponsor and ECARX entered into the Sponsor Support Agreement and Deed, pursuant to which Sponsor has agreed, among other things and subject to the terms and conditions set forth therein: (a) in connection with the Closing, to surrender to COVA such number of Founder Shares equal to the quotient obtained by dividing the aggregate amount payable with respect to all redeeming COVA Shares by $10.00, without consideration therefor, in the event that the amounts in the Trust Account immediately prior to the Closing (after deducting the SPAC Shareholder Redemption Amount) is less than $210 million, provided that the number of Founder Shares so surrendered shall not exceed 30% of the aggregate number of Founder Shares held by Sponsor as of immediately prior to the consummation of the Mergers (b) to vote in favor of the transactions contemplated in the Merger Agreement and the other Transaction Proposals, (c) to waive the anti-dilution rights it held in respect of the Founder Shares under the Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association of COVA, (d) to appear at the extraordinary general meeting for purposes of constituting a quorum, (e) to vote against any proposals that would materially impede the transactions contemplated in the Merger Agreement and the other Transaction Proposals, (f) not to redeem any COVA Shares held by Sponsor, (g) not to amend that certain letter agreement between COVA, Sponsor and certain other parties thereto, dated as of February 4, 2021, (h) not to transfer any COVA Shares held by Sponsor, subject to certain exceptions, (i) to unconditionally and irrevocably waive the dissenters’ rights pursuant to the Cayman Act in respect to all COVA Shares held by Sponsor with respect to the First Merger, to the extent applicable, and (j) for a period after the Closing specified therein, not to transfer ECARX Ordinary Shares, ECARX Warrants, and ECARX Class A Ordinary Shares received upon the exercise of any ECARX Warrants, if any, subject to certain exceptions.
ECARX Shareholder Support Agreement
Concurrently with the execution of the Merger Agreement, COVA, ECARX and certain of the shareholders of ECARX entered into the ECARX Shareholder Support Agreement and Deed, pursuant to which certain shareholders holding sufficient number, type and classes of the issued and outstanding ECARX Shares to approve the transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement have agreed, among other things: (a) to vote in favor of the transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement, (b) to appear at the ECARX shareholders’ meeting in person or by proxy for purposes of counting towards a quorum, (c) to vote against any proposals that would or would be reasonably likely to in any material respect impede the transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement, (d) not to transfer any ECARX shares held by such shareholder, subject to certain exceptions, and (e) for a period after the Closing specified therein, not to transfer certain ECARX shares held by such shareholder, if any, subject to certain exceptions.
Registration Rights Agreement
The Merger Agreement contemplates that, at the Closing, ECARX, COVA, Sponsor and certain shareholders of ECARX will enter into a registration rights agreement, to be effective as of the Closing, pursuant to which, among other things, ECARX will agree to undertake certain resale shelf registration obligations in accordance with the Securities Act and Sponsor and certain shareholders of ECARX will be granted customary demand and piggyback registration rights.
Assignment, Assumption and Amendment Agreement
At the Closing, COVA, ECARX and Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company (“Continental”) will enter into the Assignment, Assumption and Amendment Agreement pursuant to which, among other things, COVA will assign all of its rights, interests and obligations in its existing warrant agreement with Continental (the “Warrant Agreement”) to ECARX, and the Warrant Agreement will be amended to change all references to COVA to ECARX and so that each warrant will represent the right to receive one whole ECARX Class A Ordinary Share.
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Note 6 — Warrant Liabilities
Public Warrants
Each whole warrant entitles the holder to purchase one share of the Company’s Class A ordinary shares at a price of $11.50 per share. The warrants will become exercisable on the later of (a) 30 days after the completion of a Business Combination or (b) 12 months from the closing of the IPO; provided in each case that the Company has an effective registration statement under the Securities Act covering the Class A ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants and a current prospectus relating to them is available (or the Company permits holders to exercise their warrants on a cashless basis and such cashless exercise is exempt from registration under the Securities Act). The Company has agreed that as soon as practicable, but in no event later than 15 business days after the closing of the initial Business Combination, the Company will use commercially reasonable efforts to file with the SEC a registration statement covering the Class A ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants. The Company will use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause the same to become effective within 60 business days after the closing of the initial Business Combination and to maintain the effectiveness of such registration statement, and a current prospectus relating to those Class A ordinary shares until the warrants expire or are redeemed, as specified in the warrant agreement; provided that if the Company’s Class A ordinary shares are at the time of any exercise of a warrant not listed on a national securities exchange such that they satisfy the definition of a “covered security” under Section 18(b)(1) of the Securities Act, the Company may, at its option, require holders of public warrants who exercise their warrants to do so on a “cashless basis” in accordance with Section 3(a)(9) of the Securities Act and, in the event the Company so elects, the Company will not be required to file or maintain in effect a registration statement, but the Company will use its commercially reasonably efforts to register or qualify the shares under applicable blue sky laws to the extent an exemption is not available. If a registration statement covering the Class A ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants is not effective by the 60th day after the closing of the initial Business Combination, warrant holders may, until such time as there is an effective registration statement and during any period when the Company will have failed to maintain an effective registration statement, exercise warrants on a “cashless basis” in accordance with Section 3(a)(9) of the Securities Act or another exemption, but the Company will use its commercially reasonably efforts to register or qualify the shares under applicable blue sky laws to the extent an exemption is not available.
The warrants will expire five years after the completion of a Business Combination or earlier upon redemption or liquidation.
The exercise price and number of shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants may be adjusted in certain circumstances including in the event of a share dividend or recapitalization, reorganization, merger or consolidation. In addition, if (x) the Company issues additional Class A ordinary shares or equity-linked securities for capital raising purposes in connection with the closing of the initial Business Combination at an issue price or effective issue price of less than $9.20 per Class A ordinary share (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 Company’s sponsors or their affiliates, without taking into account any Founder Shares held by the Company’s Sponsors or such affiliates, as applicable, prior to such issuance (the “Newly Issued Price”), (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 the initial Business Combination on the date of the consummation of the initial Business Combination (net of redemptions), and (z) the volume weighted average trading price of the Company’s Class A ordinary shares during the 20 trading day period starting on the trading day prior to the day on which the Company consummates its initial Business Combination (such price, the “Market Value”) is below $9.20 per share, then the exercise price of the warrants will be adjusted (to the nearest cent) to be equal to 115% of the higher of the Market Value and the Newly Issued Price, the $18.00 per share redemption trigger price described below under “Redemption of warrants when the price per Class A ordinary share equals or exceeds $18.00” will be adjusted (to the nearest cent) to be equal to 180% of the higher of the Market Value and the Newly Issued Price.
Redemption of warrants when the price per Class A ordinary share equals or exceeds $18.00:
Once the warrants become exercisable, the Company may call the outstanding warrants for redemption (except as described herein with respect to the Private Placement Warrants):
| ● | in whole and not in part; |
| ● | at a price of $0.01 per warrant; |
| ● | upon a minimum of 30 days’ prior written notice of redemption to each warrant holder; and |
| ● | if, and only if, the last reported sale price (the “closing price”) of Class A ordinary shares equals or exceeds $18.00 per share (as adjusted) for any 20 trading days within a 30-trading day period ending on the third trading day prior to the date on which the Company sends the notice of redemption to the warrant holders. |
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. Additionally, in no event will the Company be required to net cash settle any Warrants. If the Company is unable to complete the initial 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.
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Private Warrants
The Private Placement Warrants are identical to those of the warrants being sold as part of the units in the IPO. The Private Placement Warrants (including the Class A ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the Private Placement Warrants) will not be transferable, assignable or salable until 30 days after the completion of the initial Business Combination and they will not be redeemable by the Company so long as they are held by the Sponsor or its permitted transferees.
Note 7 — Shareholders’ Deficit
Preference shares — The Company is authorized to issue a total of 5,000,000 preference shares at par value of $0.0001 each. At September 30, 2022 and December 31, 2021, there were no shares of preference shares issued and outstanding.
Class A Ordinary shares — The Company is authorized to issue a total of 500,000,000 Class A ordinary shares at par value of $0.0001 each. At September 30, 2022 and December 31, 2021, there were no shares issued and outstanding, excluding 30,000,000 shares subject to possible redemption.
Class B Ordinary shares — The Company is authorized to issue a total of 50,000,000 Class B ordinary shares at par value of $0.0001 each. At September 30, 2022 and December 31, 2021, there were 7,500,000 shares issued and outstanding.
Ordinary shareholders of record are entitled to one vote for each share held on all matters to be voted on by shareholders. Except as described below, holders of Class A ordinary shares and holders of Class B ordinary shares will vote together as a single class on all matters submitted to a vote of the shareholders except as required by law. The Class B ordinary shares will automatically convert into Class A ordinary shares (which such Class A ordinary shares delivered upon conversion will not have redemption rights or be entitled to liquidating distributions from the Trust Account if the Company does not consummate an initial business combination) at the time of the initial Business Combination or earlier at the option of the holders thereof at a ratio such that the number of Class A ordinary shares issuable upon conversion of all Founder Shares will equal, in the aggregate, on an as-converted basis, 20% of the sum of (i) the total number of ordinary shares issued and outstanding upon completion of the IPO, plus (ii) the total number of Class A ordinary shares issued or deemed issued or issuable upon conversion or exercise of any equity-linked securities or rights issued or deemed issued, by the Company in connection with or in relation to the consummation of the initial Business Combination, excluding any Class A ordinary shares or equity-linked securities exercisable for or convertible into Class A ordinary shares issued, deemed issued, or to be issued, to any seller in the initial Business Combination and any Private Placement Warrants issued to the Sponsor, its affiliates or any member of the Company’s management team upon conversion of working capital loans. In no event will the Class B ordinary shares convert into Class A ordinary shares at a rate of less than one to one.
Note 8 — Fair Value Measurements
The following tables present information about the Company’s liabilities that are measured at fair value on a recurring basis at September 30, 2022 and December 31, 2021, and indicate the fair value hierarchy of the valuation inputs the Company utilized to determine such fair value:
| September 30, | Quoted Prices In Active Markets | Significant Other Observable Inputs | Significant Other Unobservable Inputs | |||||||||||||
| 2022 | (Level 1) | (Level 2) | (Level 3) | |||||||||||||
| Assets: | ||||||||||||||||
| U.S. government securities and sweep funds in Trust account | $ | 301,933,145 | $ | 301,933,145 | $ | — | $ | — | ||||||||
| Liabilities: | ||||||||||||||||
| Public Warrants Liabilities | $ | 450,000 | $ | 450,000 | $ | — | $ | — | ||||||||
| Private Placement Warrants Liabilities | 305,196 | — | — | 305,196 | ||||||||||||
| $ | 755,196 | $ | 450,000 | $ | — | $ | 305,196 | |||||||||
| December 31, | Quoted Prices in Active Markets | Significant Other Observable Inputs | Significant Other Unobservable Inputs | |||||||||||||
| 2021 | (Level 1) | (Level 2) | (Level 3) | |||||||||||||
| Assets: | ||||||||||||||||
| U.S. government securities and sweep funds in Trust account | $ | 300,053,996 | $ | 300,053,996 | $ | — | $ | — | ||||||||
| Liabilities: | ||||||||||||||||
| Public Warrants Liabilities | $ | 7,350,000 | $ | 7,350,000 | $ | — | $ | — | ||||||||
| Private Placement Warrants Liabilities | 4,397,850 | — | — | 4,397,850 | ||||||||||||
| $ | 11,747,850 | $ | 7,350,000 | $ | — | $ | 4,397,850 | |||||||||
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The Warrants are accounted for as liabilities in accordance with ASC 815-40 and are presented within warrant liabilities on the condensed balance sheets. The warrant liabilities are measured at fair value at inception and on a recurring basis, with changes in fair value presented within change in fair value of warrant liabilities in the unaudited condensed statements of operations.
The Company established the initial fair value of the Public Warrants on February 9, 2021, the date of the Company’s IPO, using a Monte Carlo simulation model, and as of September 30, 2022 and December 31, 2021 by using the associated trading price of the Public Warrants. The Company established the fair value of the Private Placement Warrants on February 9, 2021 and on September 30, 2022 and December 31, 2021 by using a modified Monte Carlo simulation model. The Public and Private Warrants were classified as Level 3 at the initial measurement date due to the use of unobservable inputs. The Public Warrants were subsequently classified as Level 1 as the subsequent valuation was based upon the trading price of the Public Warrants. For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2022 and 2021, there were no transfer between Levels 1, 2 or 3.
The key inputs into the Monte Carlo simulation as of September 30, 2022 and December 31, 2021 were as follows:
| September 30, 2022 | December 31, 2021 | |||||||
| Inputs | ||||||||
| Risk-free interest rate | 4.12 | % | 1.09 | % | ||||
| Expected term to merger | 0.25 | 0.60 | ||||||
| Expected volatility | 0.54 | % | 12.40 | % | ||||
| Notional exercise price | $ | 1.00 | $ | 1.00 | ||||
The following table provides a reconciliation of changes in fair value of the beginning and ending balances for the Company’s assets and liabilities classified as Level 3:
| Warrant | ||||
| Liabilities | ||||
| Fair Value at January 1, 2021 | $ | — | ||
| Initial classification of Public and Private Warrant liability at February 9, 2021 | 27,807,680 | |||
| Change in Fair Value | 354,880 | |||
| Public Warrants reclassified to Level 1 | (17,250,000 | ) | ||
| Fair Value at March 31, 2021 | 10,912,560 | |||
| Change in Fair Value | (2,976,556 | ) | ||
| Fair Value at June 30, 2021 | 7,936,004 | |||
| Change in Fair Value | (2,753,869 | ) | ||
| Fair Value at September 30, 2021 | 5,182,135 | |||
| Change in Fair Value | (784,285 | ) | ||
| Fair Value at December 31, 2021 | 4,397,850 | |||
| Change in Fair Value | (2,796,454 | ) | ||
| Fair Value at March 31, 2022 | 1,601,396 | |||
| Change in Fair Value | (702,663 | ) | ||
| Fair Value at June 30, 2022 | 898,733 | |||
| Change in Fair Value | (593,537 | ) | ||
| Fair Value at September 30, 2022 | $ | 305,196 | ||
The carrying value, excluding gross unrealized holding loss and fair value of held-to-maturity securities at September 30, 2022 and December 31, 2021, is as follows:
| Carrying Value as of September 30, 2022 | Gross Unrealized Gains | Gross Unrealized Losses | Fair Value as of September 30, 2022 | |||||||||||||
| U.S. Treasury Securities | $ | 301,932,919 | $ | 5,893 | $ | — | $ | 301,938,812 | ||||||||
| $ | 301,932,919 | $ | 5,893 | $ | — | $ | 301,938,812 | |||||||||
| Carrying Value as of December 31, 2021 | Gross Unrealized Gains | Gross Unrealized Losses | Fair Value as of December 31, 2021 | |||||||||||||
| U.S. Treasury Securities | $ | 300,053,216 | $ | 4,157 | $ | — | $ | 300,057,373 | ||||||||
| $ | 300,053,216 | $ | 4,157 | $ | — | $ | 300,057,373 | |||||||||
Note 9 — Subsequent Events
The Company evaluated subsequent events and transactions that occurred after the condensed balance sheet date up to the date that these unaudited condensed financial statements were issued. Based upon this review, the Company did not identify any subsequent events that would have required adjustment or disclosure in these unaudited condensed financial statements.
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Item 2. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.
References to the “Company,” “COVA Acquisition Corp.,” “COVA,” “our,” “us” or “we” refer to COVA Acquisition Corp. The following discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations should be read in conjunction with the unaudited interim condensed financial statements and the notes thereto contained elsewhere in this report. Certain information contained in the discussion and analysis set forth below includes forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties.
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q (this “Quarterly Report”) includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”). We have based these forward-looking statements on our current expectations and projections about future events. These forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and assumptions about us that may cause our actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terminology such as “may,” “should,” “could,” “would,” “expect,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “continue,” or the negative of such terms or other similar expressions. Factors that might cause or contribute to such a discrepancy include, but are not limited to, those described in our other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”).
Overview
We are a blank check company incorporated on December 11, 2020 as a Cayman Islands exempted company and incorporated for the purpose of effecting a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, share purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses (the “Business Combination”). Although we are not limited to a particular industry or sector for purposes of consummating a Business Combination, we intend to focus our search for a target in the high growth technology and tech-enabled businesses in Southeast Asia in the consumer internet, ecommerce, and software industries. We are an emerging growth company and, as such, we are subject to all of the risks associated with emerging growth companies.
We have neither engaged in any operations nor generated any revenues to date. Our entire activity since inception has been to prepare for our initial public offering, which was consummated on February 9, 2021 and, after the Initial Public Offering, identifying a target company for a Business Combination.
The issuance of additional shares in connection with a business combination to the owners of the target or other investors:
| ● | may significantly dilute the equity interest of investors in the initial public offering, which dilution would increase if the anti-dilution provisions in the Class B ordinary shares resulted in the issuance of Class A ordinary shares on a greater than one-to-one basis upon conversion of the Class B ordinary shares; |
| ● | may subordinate the rights of holders of Class A ordinary shares if preference shares are issued with rights senior to those afforded our Class A ordinary shares; |
| ● | could cause a change in control if a substantial number of our Class A ordinary shares 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; |
| ● | may have the effect of delaying or preventing a change of control of us by diluting the share ownership or voting rights of a person seeking to obtain control of us; and |
| ● | may adversely affect prevailing market prices for our Class A ordinary shares and/or warrants. Similarly, if we issue debt securities or otherwise incur significant debt to bank or other lenders or the owners of a target, it could result in: |
| ○ | default and foreclosure on our assets if our operating revenues after an initial 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; |
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| ○ | 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; and |
| ○ | our inability to pay dividends on our Class A ordinary shares. |
We expect to continue to incur significant costs in the pursuit of our initial Business Combination. We cannot assure you that our plans to complete a Business Combination will be successful.
Liquidity, Capital Resources, and Going Concern
On February 9, 2021, we consummated the initial public offering of 30,000,000 units (“Units”), which includes the partial exercise by the underwriters of their over-allotment option in the amount of 3,900,000 Units, at a price of $10.00 per Unit, generating aggregate gross proceeds of $300,000,000. Each Unit consists of one Class A ordinary share, $0.0001 par value per share and one-half of one redeemable warrant for a total of 15,000,000 warrants (the “Public Warrants”). Simultaneously with the closing of the initial public offering, we consummated a private placement of 8,872,000 warrants (the “Private Warrants”) to COVA Acquisition Sponsor LLC (the “Sponsor”) at a price of $1.00 per Private Warrant, generating total proceeds of $8,872,000.
Following the initial public offering and the sale of the Private Warrants, a total of $300,000,000 was placed in a trust account (the “Trust Account”). We incurred $17,210,247 in offering costs, consisting of $6,000,000 of underwriting discount, $10,500,000 of deferred underwriting discount, and $710,247 of other offering costs.
At September 30, 2022, we had cash and marketable securities held in the Trust Account of $301,933,145. We intend to use substantially all of the funds held in the Trust Account, including any amounts representing interest earned on the Trust Account (excluding deferred underwriting commissions and less taxes payable) to complete our initial Business Combination. We may withdraw interest from the Trust Account to pay our taxes. To the extent that our equity or debt is used, in whole or in part, as consideration to complete our initial Business Combination, the remaining proceeds held in the Trust Account will be used as working capital to finance the operations of the target business or businesses, make other acquisitions and pursue our growth strategies. The dissolution expense of ($100,000) is not included in the redemption value of the shares subject to redemption since it is only taken into account in the event of the Company’s liquidation.
At September 30, 2022, we had cash of $2,444 held outside of the Trust Account, and a working capital deficit of $4,248,465. We intend to use the funds held outside the Trust Account primarily to identify and evaluate target businesses, perform business due diligence on prospective target businesses, travel to and from the offices, plants or similar locations of prospective target businesses or their representatives or owners, review corporate documents and material agreements of prospective target businesses, and structure, negotiate, and complete a Business Combination.
In order to fund working capital deficiencies or finance transaction costs in connection with an initial Business Combination, our sponsor, officers, directors, or their affiliates may, but are not obligated to, loan us funds as may be required. If we complete our 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 $1,000,000 of such loans may be convertible into private placement 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. To date, there have been no such loans.
On May 26, 2022, the Company issued a promissory note (the “Note”) in the amount of up to $2,000,000 to the Sponsor. The Note bears no interest and is repayable in full upon the earlier to occur of (i) the consummation of the Company’s initial business combination and (ii) the winding up of the Company. The Note also provides that up to $1,000,000 of the Note may be converted into a number of warrants, at a price of $1.00 per warrant, at the option of the Sponsor and at any time prior to payment in full of the outstanding principal amount of the Note. Such warrants would be identical to the private placement warrants issued to the Sponsor at the Company’s initial public offering. As of September 30, 2022 and December 31, 2021, there were $953,502 and $0 outstanding under the working capital loans, respectively.
Prior to the completion of the initial Business Combination, we do not expect to seek loans from parties other than the Sponsor or an affiliate of the Sponsor as we do not believe third parties will be willing to loan such funds and provide a waiver against any and all rights to seek access to funds in the Trust Account. Management believes that we will have sufficient working capital or borrowing capacity to meet our needs through the earlier of a Business Combination or for the next 12 months. If we are unable to complete our initial Business Combination because we do not have sufficient funds available to us, we will be forced to cease operations and liquidate the Trust Account.
The Company will have until February 9, 2023 to complete a Business Combination or it would be required to cease all operations and liquidate. The liquidity concerns and the date for mandatory liquidation and dissolution raise substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern until the earlier of the consummation of a Business Combination or one year from the issuance date of these unaudited condensed financial statements. The Company believes it has access to the funds from the Sponsor it needs to continue until it completes a Business Combination and plans on completing a Business Combination prior to the mandatory liquidation date. These unaudited condensed financial statements do not include any adjustments relating to the recovery of the recorded assets or the classification of the liabilities that might be necessary should the Company be unable to continue as a going concern.
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Results of Operations
We have neither engaged in any operations nor generated any revenues to date. Our only activities since inception through September 30, 2022 were organizational activities, those necessary to prepare for the initial public offering, described above, and, subsequent to the initial public offering, identifying a target company for a Business Combination. We do not expect to generate any operating revenues until after the completion of our Business Combination. We generate non-operating income in the form of interest income on marketable securities held after the initial public offering. We are incurring expenses as a result of being a public company (for legal, financial reporting, accounting, and auditing compliance), as well as for due diligence expenses in connection with completing a Business Combination.
For the three months ended September 30, 2022, we had net income of $2,249,776, which consisted of gain from change in fair value on warrant liability of $1,643,537 and interest income on investments held in Trust Account of $1,319,522, offset by operating costs of $713,283.
For the nine months ended September 30, 2022, we had net income of $8,276,674, which consisted of a gain from change in fair value on warrant liability of $10,992,654 and interest income on investments held in Trust Account of $1,879,149, offset by operating costs of $4,595,129.
For the three months ended September 30, 2021, we had net income of $7,122,319, which consisted of a gain from change in fair value on warrant liability of $7,403,869 and interest income on investments held in Trust Account of $21,218, offset by operating costs of $302,768.
For the nine months ended September 30, 2021, we had net income of $10,454,298, which consisted of a gain from change in fair value on warrant liability of $12,239,865 and interest income on investments held in Trust Account of $24,271, offset by offering costs allocated to warrant liability of $989,589, and operating costs of $820,249.
Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates
The preparation of unaudited condensed financial statements and related disclosures in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of these unaudited condensed financial statements, and income and expenses during the periods reported. Actual results could materially differ from those estimates. We have identified the following critical accounting policies:
Ordinary Shares Subject to Possible Redemption
We account for our ordinary shares subject to possible redemption in accordance with the guidance in Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) Topic 480 “Distinguishing Liabilities from Equity.” Ordinary shares subject to mandatory redemption is classified as a liability instrument and is measured at fair value. Conditionally redeemable ordinary shares (including ordinary shares that feature redemption rights that are either within the control of the holder or subject to possible redemption upon the occurrence of uncertain events not solely within our control) is classified as temporary equity. At all other times, ordinary shares are classified as shareholders’ deficit. Our ordinary shares feature certain redemption rights that are considered to be outside of our control and subject to occurrence of uncertain future events. Accordingly, ordinary shares subject to possible redemption is presented as temporary equity, outside of the shareholders’ deficit section of our condensed balance sheets.
Offering Costs Associated with the Initial Public Offering
We complied with the requirements of the ASC 340-10-S99-1 and SEC Staff Accounting Bulletin (“SAB”) Topic 5A - “Expenses of Offering”. Offering costs consist principally of professional and registration fees incurred through the balance sheet date that are related to our initial public offering. We allocate the offering costs between its ordinary shares and Public Warrants using relative fair value method, with the offering costs allocated to the Public Warrants expensed immediately. Offering costs associated with the Class A ordinary shares have been charged to temporary equity.
Net Income Per Ordinary Share
Net (loss) income per ordinary share is computed by dividing net (loss) income by the weighted average number of ordinary shares outstanding for each of the periods. The calculation of diluted (loss) income per ordinary share does not consider the effect of the warrants issued in connection with the (i) initial public offering, (ii) exercise of the overallotment option and (iii) the private placement to our Sponsor since the exercise of the warrants are contingent upon the occurrence of future events and the inclusion of such warrants would be anti-dilutive. The Public Warrants and the Private Warrants are exercisable to purchase a total of 23,872,000 Class A ordinary shares.
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Warrant Liabilities
We evaluated the Public Warrants and Private Warrants (collectively, “Warrants”, which are discussed in Note 2 and Note 3 in accordance with ASC 815-40, “Derivatives and Hedging — Contracts in Entity’s Own Equity”, and concluded that a provision in the Warrant Agreement related to certain tender or exchange offers precludes the Warrants from being accounted for as components of equity. As the Warrants meet the definition of a derivative as contemplated in ASC 815, the Warrants are recorded as derivative liabilities on the Balance Sheets and measured at fair value at inception (on the date of the initial public offering) and at each reporting date in accordance with ASC 820, “Fair Value Measurement,” with changes in fair value recognized in the Statements of Operations in the period of change.
Recent Accounting Pronouncements
In June 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2016-13, Financial Instruments-Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments, which requires entities to measure all expected credit losses for financial assets held at the reporting date based on historical experience, current conditions, and reasonable and supportable forecasts. ASU 2016-13 also requires additional disclosures regarding significant estimates and judgments used in estimating credit losses, as well as the credit quality and underwriting standards of an entity’s portfolio. The Company expects to adopt the provisions of this guidance on January 1, 2023. The adoption is not expected to have a material impact on the Company’s condensed financial statements.
Management does not believe that any other recently issued, but not yet effective, accounting pronouncements, if currently adopted, would have a material effect on our unaudited condensed financial statements.
Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements
As of September 30, 2022 and December 31, 2021, we did not have any off-balance sheet arrangements.
Commitments and Contractual Obligations
We do not have any long-term debt, capital lease obligations, operating lease obligations or long-term liabilities as of September 30, 2022 and December 2021.
The underwriters are entitled to a deferred fee of $0.35 per Unit, or $10,500,000, in aggregate. The underwriters’ deferred commissions will be paid to the underwriters from the funds held in the Trust Account upon and concurrently with the completion of our initial business combination. The deferred underwriting fees will be waived by the underwriters solely in the event that we do not complete a business combination, subject to the terms of the underwriting agreement.
JOBS Act
The Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012 (the “JOBS Act”) contains provisions that, among other things, relax certain reporting requirements for qualifying public companies. We qualify as an “emerging growth company” and under the JOBS Act are allowed to comply with new or revised accounting pronouncements based on the effective date for private (not publicly traded) companies. We are electing to delay the adoption of new or revised accounting standards, and as a result, we may not comply with new or revised accounting standards on the relevant dates on which adoption of such standards is required for non-emerging growth companies. As a result, these unaudited condensed financial statements may not be comparable to companies that comply with new or revised accounting pronouncements as of public company effective dates.
Additionally, we are in the process of evaluating the benefits of relying on the other reduced reporting requirements provided by the JOBS Act. Subject to certain conditions set forth in the JOBS Act, if, as an “emerging growth company,” we choose to rely on such exemptions we may not be required to, among other things, (i) provide an independent registered public accounting firm’s attestation report on our system of internal controls over financial reporting pursuant to Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, (ii) provide all of the compensation disclosure that may be required of non-emerging growth public companies under the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, (iii) comply with any requirement that may be adopted by the PCAOB regarding mandatory audit firm rotation or a supplement to the report of the independent registered public accounting firm providing additional information about the audit and the financial statements (auditor discussion and analysis) and (iv) disclose certain executive compensation related items such as the correlation between executive compensation and performance and comparisons of the Chief Executive Officer’s compensation to median employee compensation. These exemptions will apply for a period of five years following the completion of our initial public offering or until we are no longer an “emerging growth company,” whichever is earlier.
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Item 3. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk.
We are a smaller reporting company as defined in Item 10 of Regulation S-K and are not required to provide the information otherwise required by this item.
Item 4. Controls and Procedures.
Disclosure controls and procedures are controls and other procedures that are designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed in our reports filed or submitted under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the SEC’s rules and forms. Disclosure controls and procedures include, without limitation, controls and procedures designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed in company reports filed or submitted under the Exchange Act is accumulated and communicated to management, including our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure.
Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures
Disclosure controls and procedures are designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by us in our Exchange Act reports (as defined under Section 13 of the Exchange Act), is recorded, processed, summarized, and reported within the time periods specified in the SEC’s rules and forms, and that such information is accumulated and communicated to our management, including our principal executive officers and principal financial officer or persons performing similar functions, as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure.
Management has identified a material weakness in internal controls related to the accounting for complex financial instruments. While we have processes to identify and appropriately apply applicable accounting requirements, we plan to continue to enhance our system of evaluating and implementing the accounting standards that apply to our financial statements, including through enhanced analyses by our personnel and third- party professionals with whom we consult regarding complex accounting applications. The elements of our remediation plan can only be accomplished over time, and we can offer no assurance that these initiatives will ultimately have the intended effects.
Changes in Internal Control Over Financial Reporting
There was no change in our internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the fiscal quarter ended September 30, 2022 covered by this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.
Remediation of a Material weakness in Internal Control over Financial Reporting
We recognize the importance of the control environment as it sets the overall tone for the Company and is the foundation for all other components of internal control. Consequently, we designed and implemented remediation measures to address the material weakness previously identified and enhance our internal control over financial reporting. In light of the material weakness, we enhanced our processes to identify and appropriately apply applicable accounting requirements to better evaluate and understand the nuances of the complex accounting standards that apply to our financial statements, including providing enhanced access to accounting literature, research materials and documents and increased communication among our personnel and third-party professionals with whom we consult regarding complex accounting applications. The foregoing actions, which we believe will remediate the material weakness in internal control over financial reporting, were completed as of the date of September 30, 2022.
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PART II - OTHER INFORMATION
Item 1. Legal Proceedings.
None.
Item 1A. Risk Factors.
As of the date of this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, there have been no material changes to the risk factors disclosed in in our Annual Report for the year ended December 31, 2021 filed with the SEC on March 24, 2022, as updated by our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2022 filed with the SEC on May 26, 2022. Any of these factors could result in a significant or material adverse effect on our results of operations or financial condition. Additional risk factors not presently known to us or that we currently deem immaterial may also impair our business or results of operations. We may disclose changes to such risk factors or disclose additional risk factors from time to time in our future filings with the SEC, including those which will be filed with a Registration Statement on Form S-4 in connection with the Proposed Business Combination.
Item 2. Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds.
Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities
In December 2020, our Sponsor purchased 5,750,000 Founder Shares for $25,000, or approximately $0.004 per share. The Founder Shares will automatically convert into Class A ordinary shares at the time of the initial business combination. In January and February 2021, we declared two share dividends, resulting in our Sponsor holding an aggregate of 7,503,750 founder shares (up to 978,750 shares of which were subject to forfeiture to the extent the underwriters of our initial public offering did not exercise their over-allotment option). The Founder Shares were issued in connection with our organization pursuant to an exemption from registration contained in Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act. On February 9, 2021, the underwriters exercised their over-allotment option in part, and 3,750 Founder Shares were forfeited.
Simultaneously with the consummation of our Initial Public Offering, our Sponsor purchased from us an aggregate of 8,872,000 Private Placement Warrants (for a purchase price of approximately $8.9 million). Each Private Placement Warrant entitles the holder thereof to purchase one Class A ordinary share at an exercise price of $11.50 per share. The sale of the Private Placement Warrants was made pursuant to an exemption from registration contained in Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act.
Use of Proceeds
On the IPO Closing Date, we consummated our Initial Public Offering of 30,000,000 Units, including 3,900,000 Units that were issued pursuant to the underwriters’ partial exercise of their over-allotment option. The Units were sold at a price of $10.00 per Unit, generating gross proceeds to us of approximately $300.0 million.
On February 9, 2021, simultaneously with the consummation of our Initial Public Offering, we completed the private sale of 8,872,000 Private Placement Warrants at a purchase price of $1.00 per warrant to our Sponsor, generating gross proceeds to us of approximately $8.9 million.
Cantor Fitzgerald & Co. and Odeon Capital Group LLC served as underwriters for our Initial Public Offering. The securities sold in our Initial Public Offering were registered under the Securities Act pursuant to a registration statement on Form S-1 (File Nos. 333-252273and 333-252768) (the “Registration Statement”). The SEC declared the Registration Statement effective on February 4, 2021.
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From December 11, 2020 (inception) through the IPO Closing Date, we incurred approximately $17.2 million for costs and expenses related to our Initial Public Offering. In connection with the closing of our Initial Public Offering, we paid a total of approximately $6.0 million in underwriting discounts and commissions. In addition, the underwriters agreed to defer approximately $10.5 million in underwriting discounts and commissions, which amount will be payable upon consummation of the initial business combination. Prior to the closing of our Initial Public Offering, our Sponsor advanced us $83,046 to be used for a portion of the expenses of our Initial Public Offering. On February 9, 2021, a total of $83,046 was repaid to our Sponsor out of the proceeds from our Initial Public Offering that were allocated for the payment of offering expenses other than underwriting discounts and commissions. There has been no material change in the planned use of proceeds from our Initial Public Offering as described in our final prospectus filed with the SEC on February 8, 2021.
After deducting the underwriting discounts and commissions (excluding the deferred portion of approximately $10.5 million, which amount will be payable upon consummation of the initial business combination) and offering expenses, the total net proceeds from our Initial Public Offering and the sale of the Private Placement Warrants were approximately $302.1 million, of which approximately $300.0 million (or $10.00 per Unit sold in our Initial Public Offering) was placed in the Trust Account.
Item 3. Defaults Upon Senior Securities.
Not applicable.
Item 4. Mine Safety Disclosures.
Not applicable.
Item 5. Other Information.
None.
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Item 6. Exhibits.
| * | These certifications are furnished to the SEC pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and are deemed not filed for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, nor shall they be deemed incorporated by reference in any filing under the Securities Act of 1933, except as shall be expressly set forth by specific reference in such filing. |
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SIGNATURE
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.
| Dated: November 10, 2022 | COVA ACQUISITION CORP. | |
| By: | /s/ Jun Hong Heng | |
| Name: | Jun Hong Heng | |
| Title: | Chief Executive Officer | |
| (Authorized Officer and Principal Financial Officer) | ||
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