UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 10-Q
(MARK ONE)
☒ QUARTERLY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For the quarter ended September 30, 2023
☐ TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For the transition period from to
Commission file number: 001-40223
GOLDEN ARROW MERGER CORP.
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)
Delaware | 86-1256660 | |
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization) | (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.) |
10 E. 53rd Street, 13th Floor
New York, NY 10022
(Address of principal executive offices)
(212) 430-2214
(Issuer’s telephone number)
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 share of Class A Common Stock and one-third of one redeemable Warrant | GAMCU | The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC | ||
Class A Common Stock, par value $0.0001 per share | GAMC | The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC | ||
Warrants, each whole warrant exercisable for one share of Class A Common Stock at an exercise price of $11.50 | GAMCW | The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC |
Check whether the issuer (1) filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act during the past 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 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 14, 2023, there were 9,147,981 shares of Class A common stock, $0.0001 par value and 140,000 shares of Class B common stock, $0.0001 par value, issued and outstanding.
GOLDEN ARROW MERGER CORP.
FORM 10-Q FOR THE QUARTER ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 2023
TABLE OF CONTENTS
i
PART I - FINANCIAL INFORMATION
Item 1. Interim Financial Statements.
GOLDEN ARROW MERGER CORP.
CONSOLIDATED CONDENSED BALANCE SHEETS
September 30, | December 31, | |||||||
2023 | 2022 | |||||||
(Unaudited) | ||||||||
ASSETS | ||||||||
Current Assets | ||||||||
Cash | $ | 80,462 | $ | 348,749 | ||||
Prepaid expenses | 87,344 | 72,297 | ||||||
Total Current Assets | 167,806 | 421,046 | ||||||
Investments held in Trust Account | 22,275,986 | 290,646,467 | ||||||
Total Assets | $ | 22,443,792 | $ | 291,067,513 | ||||
LIABILITIES, CLASS A COMMON STOCK SUBJECT TO POSSIBLE REDEMPTION, AND STOCKHOLDERS’ DEFICIT | ||||||||
Current Liabilities | ||||||||
Accounts payable and accrued expenses | $ | 1,026,855 | $ | 249,489 | ||||
Promissory note – related party | 126,030 | — | ||||||
Convertible notes - related party | 1,300,000 | 88,850 | ||||||
Income taxes payable | 396,408 | 248,647 | ||||||
Total Current Liabilities | 2,849,293 | 586,986 | ||||||
Deferred underwriting fee payable | 10,062,500 | 10,062,500 | ||||||
Warrant liabilities | 583,333 | 145,833 | ||||||
Total Liabilities | 13,495,126 | 10,795,319 | ||||||
Commitments and Contingencies | ||||||||
Class A common stock subject to possible redemption, $0.0001 par value, 200,000,000 shares authorized, 2,100,481 and 28,750,000 shares at a redemption value of $10.60 per share at September 30, 2023 and $10.10 per share at December 31, 2022, respectively | 22,264,717 | 290,357,770 | ||||||
Stockholders’ Deficit | ||||||||
Preferred stock, $0.0001 par value; 1,000,000 shares authorized; none issued or outstanding at September 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022 | — | — | ||||||
Class A common stock, $0.0001 par value; 200,000,000 shares authorized; 7,047,500 and no shares issued or outstanding (excluding 2,100,481 and 28,750,000 shares subject to possible redemption) at September 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022, respectively | 705 | — | ||||||
Class B common stock, $0.0001 par value; 20,000,000 shares authorized; 140,000 shares and 7,187,500 shares issued and outstanding at September 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022, respectively | 14 | 719 | ||||||
Additional paid-in capital | — | — | ||||||
Accumulated deficit | (13,316,770 | ) | (10,086,295 | ) | ||||
Total Stockholders’ Deficit | (13,316,051 | ) | (10,085,576 | ) | ||||
TOTAL LIABILITIES, CLASS A COMMON STOCK SUBJECT TO POSSIBLE REDEMPTION, AND STOCKHOLDERS’ DEFICIT | $ | 22,443,792 | $ | 291,067,513 |
The accompanying notes are an integral part of the unaudited consolidated condensed financial statements.
1
GOLDEN ARROW MERGER CORP.
CONSOLIDATED CONDENSED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
(UNAUDITED)
For the Three Months Ended September 30, | For the Nine Months Ended September 30, | |||||||||||||||
2023 | 2022 | 2023 | 2022 | |||||||||||||
Formation and operational costs | $ | 914,406 | $ | 411,972 | $ | 1,697,700 | $ | 914,884 | ||||||||
Loss from operations | (914,406 | ) | (411,972 | ) | (1,697,700 | ) | (914,884 | ) | ||||||||
Other income: | ||||||||||||||||
Change in fair value of warrant liabilities | (145,833 | ) | 237,941 | (437,500 | ) | 6,412,286 | ||||||||||
Change in fair value of convertible notes | — | 477,730 | — | 681,130 | ||||||||||||
Interest income – bank | 2,489 | — | 6,981 | — | ||||||||||||
Interest earned on investments held in Trust Account | 210,282 | 1,440,695 | 2,981,638 | 1,578,062 | ||||||||||||
Total other income (expense), net | 66,938 | 2,156,366 | 2,551,119 | 8,671,478 | ||||||||||||
(Loss) income before provision for income taxes | (847,468 | ) | 1,744,394 | 853,419 | 7,756,594 | |||||||||||
Provision for income taxes | (34,182 | ) | (261,453 | ) | (596,110 | ) | (261,453 | ) | ||||||||
Net (loss) income | $ | (881,650 | ) | $ | 1,482,941 | $ | 257,309 | $ | 7,495,141 | |||||||
Basic and diluted weighted average shares outstanding, Class A common stock redeemable shares | 2,100,481 | 28,750,000 | 2,100,481 | 28,750,000 | ||||||||||||
Basic and diluted net (loss) income per share, Class A common stock redeemable shares | $ | (0.09 | ) | $ | 0.04 | $ | 0.02 | $ | 0.21 | |||||||
Basic and diluted weighted average shares outstanding, Class A common stock non-redeemable shares | 7,047,500 | 28,750,000 | 6,303,233 | 28,750,000 | ||||||||||||
Basic and diluted net (loss) income per share, Class A common stock non-redeemable shares | $ | (0.09 | ) | $ | 0.04 | $ | 0.02 | $ | 0.21 | |||||||
Diluted weighted average shares outstanding, Class B common stock | 140,000 | 7,187,500 | 1,975,557 | 7,187,500 | ||||||||||||
Basic and diluted net (loss) income per share, Class B common stock | $ | (0.09 | ) | $ | 0.04 | $ | 0.02 | $ | 0.21 |
The accompanying notes are an integral part of the unaudited consolidated condensed financial statements.
2
GOLDEN ARROW MERGER CORP.
CONSOLIDATED CONDENSED STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN STOCKHOLDERS’ DEFICIT
(UNAUDITED)
FOR THE THREE AND NINE MONTHS ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 2023
Class A Common Stock | Class B Common Stock | Additional Paid-in | Accumulated | Total Stockholders’ | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Shares | Amount | Shares | Amount | Capital | Deficit | Deficit | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Balance — January 1, 2023 | — | $ | — | 7,187,500 | $ | 719 | $ | — | $ | (10,086,295 | ) | $ | (10,085,576 | ) | ||||||||||||||
Accretion for Class A common stock subject to redemption amount | — | — | — | — | — | (1,994,334 | ) | (1,994,334 | ) | |||||||||||||||||||
Adjustment related to convertible promissory note | — | — | — | — | — | (811,150 | ) | (811,150 | ) | |||||||||||||||||||
Class B common stock converted to class A common stock | 7,047,500 | 705 | (7,047,500 | ) | (705 | ) | — | — | — | |||||||||||||||||||
Net income | — | — | — | — | — | 891,866 | 891,866 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Balance – March 31, 2023 (unaudited) | 7,047,500 | 705 | 140,000 | 14 | — | (11,999,913 | ) | (11,999,194 | ) | |||||||||||||||||||
Accretion for Class A common stock subject to redemption amount | — | — | — | — | — | (367,155 | ) | (367,155 | ) | |||||||||||||||||||
Net income | — | — | — | — | — | 247,093 | 247,093 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Balance – June 30, 2023 (unaudited) | 7,047,500 | 705 | 140,000 | 14 | — | (12,119,975 | ) | (12,119,256 | ) | |||||||||||||||||||
Accretion for Class A common stock subject to redemption amount | — | — | — | — | — | (315,145 | ) | (315,145 | ) | |||||||||||||||||||
Net loss | — | — | — | — | — | (881,650 | ) | (881,650 | ) | |||||||||||||||||||
Balance – September 30, 2023 (unaudited) | 7,047,500 | $ | 705 | 140,000 | $ | 14 | $ | — | $ | (13,316,770 | ) | $ | (13,316,051 | ) |
FOR THE THREE AND NINE MONTHS ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 2022
Class A Common Stock | Class B Common Stock | Additional Paid-in | Accumulated | Total Stockholders’ | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Shares | Amount | Shares | Amount | Capital | Deficit | Deficit | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Balance — January 1, 2022 | — | $ | — | 7,187,500 | $ | 719 | $ | — | $ | (17,075,236 | ) | $ | (17,074,517 | ) | ||||||||||||||
Net income | — | — | — | — | — | 3,666,959 | 3,666,959 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Balance – March 31, 2022 (unaudited) | — | $ | — | 7,187,500 | $ | 719 | $ | — | $ | (13,408,277 | ) | $ | (13,407,558 | ) | ||||||||||||||
Net income | — | — | — | — | — | 2,345,241 | 2,345,241 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Balance – June 30, 2022 (unaudited) | — | $ | — | 7,187,500 | $ | 719 | $ | — | $ | (11,063,036 | ) | $ | (11,062,317 | ) | ||||||||||||||
Accretion for Class A common stock subject to redemption amount | — | — | — | — | — | (983,612 | ) | (983,612 | ) | |||||||||||||||||||
Net income | — | — | — | — | — | 1,482,941 | 1,482,941 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Balance – September 30, 2022 (unaudited) | — | $ | — | 7,187,500 | $ | 719 | $ | — | $ | (10,563,707 | ) | $ | (10,562,988 | ) |
The accompanying notes are an integral part of the unaudited consolidated condensed financial statements.
3
GOLDEN ARROW MERGER CORP.
CONSOLIDATED CONDENSED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
(UNAUDITED)
For the Nine Months Ended September 30, | ||||||||
2023 | 2022 | |||||||
Cash Flows from Operating Activities: | ||||||||
Net income | $ | 257,309 | $ | 7,495,141 | ||||
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash used in operating activities: | ||||||||
Change in fair value of convertible notes | — | (681,130 | ) | |||||
Change in fair value of warrant liabilities | 437,500 | (6,412,286 | ) | |||||
Interest earned on investments held in Trust Account | (2,981,638 | ) | (1,578,062 | ) | ||||
Changes in operating assets and liabilities: | ||||||||
Prepaid expenses | (15,047 | ) | 190,899 | |||||
Accounts payable and accrued expenses | 777,365 | (187,083 | ) | |||||
Income taxes payable | 147,761 | 261,453 | ||||||
Net cash used in operating activities | (1,376,750 | ) | (911,068 | ) | ||||
Cash Flows from Investing Activities: | ||||||||
Investment of cash into Trust Account | (441,105 | ) | — | |||||
Cash withdrawn from Trust Account to pay franchise and income taxes | 1,023,538 | — | ||||||
Cash withdrawn from Trust Account in connection with redemption | 270,769,687 | — | ||||||
Net cash provided by investing activities | 271,352,120 | — | ||||||
Cash Flows from Financing Activities: | ||||||||
Proceeds from promissory note - related party | 126,030 | — | ||||||
Proceeds from convertible promissory note - related party | 400,000 | 900,000 | ||||||
Redemption of common stock | (270,769,687 | ) | — | |||||
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities | (270,243,657 | ) | 900,000 | |||||
Net Change in Cash | (268,287 | ) | (11,068 | ) | ||||
Cash – Beginning of period | 348,749 | 366,612 | ||||||
Cash – End of period | $ | 80,462 | $ | 355,544 | ||||
Supplementary cash flow information: | ||||||||
Cash paid for income taxes | $ | 448,349 | — |
The accompanying notes are an integral part of the unaudited consolidated condensed financial statements.
4
GOLDEN ARROW MERGER CORP.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED CONDENSED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
SEPTEMBER 30, 2023
(Unaudited)
NOTE 1. DESCRIPTION OF ORGANIZATION AND BUSINESS OPERATIONS
Golden Arrow Merger Corp. (the “Company”) is a blank check company incorporated in Delaware on December 31, 2020. The Company was formed for the purpose of effecting a merger, capital stock exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses (the “Business Combination”).
The Company is not limited to a particular industry or sector for purposes of consummating a Business Combination. The Company is an early stage and emerging growth company and, as such, the Company is subject to all of the risks associated with early stage and emerging growth companies.
As of September 30, 2023, the Company had not commenced any operations. All activity through September 30, 2023 relates to the Company’s formation and the initial public offering (“Initial Public Offering”), which is described below, and subsequent to the Initial Public Offering, identifying a target company for a Business Combination. The Company will not generate any operating revenues until after the completion of a Business Combination, at the earliest. The Company generates non-operating income in the form of interest income from the proceeds derived from the Initial Public Offering.
The registration statement for the Company’s Initial Public Offering was declared effective on March 16, 2021. On March 19, 2021, the Company consummated the Initial Public Offering of 25,000,000 units (the “Units” and, with respect to the Class A common stock included in the Units sold, the “Public Shares”), at $10.00 per Unit, generating gross proceeds of $250,000,000 which is described in Note 3. On May 6, 2021, the Company sold 3,750,000 additional Units (the “Additional Units”) at $10.00 per Additional Unit, generating additional gross proceeds of $37,500,000, which is also described in Note 3. The Additional Units were identical to the Units sold pursuant to the Initial Public Offering.
Simultaneously with the closing of the Initial Public Offering, the Company consummated the sale of 4,500,000 warrants (the “Private Placement Warrants”) at a price of $1.50 per Private Placement Warrant in a private placement to Golden Arrow Sponsor, LLC (the “Sponsor”), generating gross proceeds of $6,750,000, which is described in Note 4.
Transaction costs amounted to $16,309,469, consisting of $5,750,000 in cash underwriting fees, $10,062,500 of deferred underwriting fees and $496,969 of other offering costs.
Following the closing of the Initial Public Offering on March 19, 2021, an amount of $250,000,000 ($10.00 per Unit) from the net proceeds of the sale of the Units in the Initial Public Offering and the sale of the Private Placement Warrants was placed in a trust account (the “Trust Account”), located in the United States and will be invested only 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 any open-ended investment company that holds itself out as a money market fund selected by the Company meeting the conditions of Rule 2a-7 of the Investment Company Act, as determined by the Company, until the earlier of (i) the completion of a Business Combination and (ii) the distribution of the funds held in the Trust Account, as described below.
The Company’s management has broad discretion with respect to the specific application of the net proceeds of the Initial Public Offering and the sale of 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 one or more initial Business Combinations with one or more operating businesses or assets with a fair market value equal to at least 80% of the net assets held in the Trust Account (excluding any deferred underwriting fees and taxes payable on the interest earned on the Trust Account). The Company will only complete a Business Combination if the post-transaction company owns or acquires 50% or more of the outstanding voting securities of the target or otherwise acquires a controlling interest in the target business sufficient for it not to be required to register as an investment company under the Investment Company Act.
The Company will provide the holders of the outstanding Public Shares (the “Public Stockholders”) with the opportunity to redeem all or a portion of their Public Shares upon the completion of a Business Combination either (i) in connection with a stockholder meeting called to approve the Business Combination or (ii) by means of a tender offer. The decision as to whether the Company will seek stockholder approval of a Business Combination or conduct a tender offer will be made by the Company. The Public Stockholders will be entitled to redeem their Public Shares for a pro rata portion of the amount then in the Trust Account (initially $10.00 per Public Share, plus any pro rata interest then in the Trust Account, net of taxes payable). There will be no redemption rights upon the completion of a Business Combination with respect to the Company’s warrants.
5
GOLDEN ARROW MERGER CORP.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED CONDENSED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
SEPTEMBER 30, 2023
(Unaudited)
The Company will only proceed with a Business Combination if when the Company seeks stockholder approval, a majority of the shares voted are voted in favor of the Business Combination. If a stockholder vote is not required by applicable law or stock exchange listing requirements and the Company does not decide to hold a stockholder vote for business or other reasons, the Company will, pursuant to its Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (the “Certificate of Incorporation”), conduct the redemptions pursuant to the tender offer rules of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) and file tender offer documents with the SEC prior to completing a Business Combination. If, however, stockholder approval of the transaction is required by applicable law or stock exchange listing requirements, or the Company decides to obtain stockholder 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 stockholder approval in connection with a Business Combination, the Sponsor has agreed to vote its Founder Shares (as defined in Note 5) and any Public Shares purchased during or after the Initial Public Offering in favor of approving a Business Combination. Additionally, each Public Stockholder may elect to redeem their Public Shares without voting, and if they do vote, irrespective of whether they vote for or against the proposed transaction.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Company seeks stockholder approval of a Business Combination and it does not conduct redemptions pursuant to the tender offer rules, the Certificate of Incorporation will provide that a Public Stockholder, together with any affiliate of such stockholder or any other person with whom such stockholder 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% of the Public Shares, without the prior consent of the Company.
The Sponsor has agreed (a) to waive its redemption rights with respect to the 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 Certificate of Incorporation (i) to modify the substance or timing of the Company’s obligation to allow redemptions in connection with a Business Combination or to redeem 100% of its Public Shares if the Company does not complete a Business Combination within the Combination Period (as defined below) or (ii) with respect to any other provision relating to stockholders’ rights or pre-business combination activity, unless the Company provides the Public Stockholders with the opportunity to redeem their Public Shares in conjunction with any such amendment.
The Company will have until December 19, 2023 (the “Extended Date”) to complete a Business Combination, unless the Extension is approved by the Company’s stockholders (the “Combination Period”). If the Company has not completed a Business Combination within the Combination Period, the Company will (i) cease all operations except for the purpose of winding up, (ii) as promptly as reasonably possible but not more than ten business days thereafter, redeem the Public Shares, at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the Trust Account, including interest earned on the funds held in the Trust Account and not previously released to pay taxes (less up to $100,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses), divided by the number of then outstanding Public Shares, which redemption will completely extinguish Public Stockholders’ rights as stockholders (including the right to receive further liquidating distributions, if any), and (iii) as promptly as reasonably possible following such redemption, subject to the approval of the Company’s remaining stockholders and the Company’s board of directors, dissolve and liquidate, subject in each case to the Company’s obligations under Delaware law to provide for claims of creditors and the requirements of other applicable law. There will be no redemption rights or liquidating distributions with respect to the Company’s warrants, which will expire worthless if the Company fails to complete a Business Combination within the Combination Period.
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 Initial Public Offering, 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. The underwriters have agreed to waive their rights to their deferred underwriting commission (see Note 6) held in the Trust Account in the event the Company does not complete a Business Combination within the Combination Period and, in such event, such amounts will be included with the other funds held in the Trust Account that will be available to fund the redemption of the Public Shares. In the event of such distribution, it is possible that the per share value of the assets remaining available for distribution will be less than the Initial Public Offering price per Unit ($10.00).
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 (i) $10.00 per Public Share and (ii) the actual amount per Public Share held in the Trust Account as of the date of the liquidation of the Trust Account, if less than $10.00 per Public Share due to reductions in the value of the trust assets, less taxes payable, provided that such liability will not apply to any claims by a third party or prospective target business who executed a waiver of any and all rights to monies held in the Trust Account nor will it apply to any claims under the Company’s indemnity of the underwriters of the Initial Public Offering against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). Moreover, in the event that an executed waiver is deemed to be unenforceable against a third party, 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 for 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
GOLDEN ARROW MERGER CORP.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED CONDENSED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
SEPTEMBER 30, 2023
(Unaudited)
Going Concern
As of September 30, 2023, the Company had cash of $80,462 and working capital deficit of $2,681,487. 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.
As of September 30, 2023, the Company withdrew an aggregate of $272 million from the Trust Account to be used for redemption payments in connection with the Extension, Delaware franchise tax, and income tax obligations.
The Company has incurred and expects to continue to incur significant costs in pursuit of its acquisition plans. The Company will need to raise additional capital through loans or additional investments from its Sponsor, stockholders, officers, directors, or third parties. The Company’s officers, directors and Sponsor may, but are not obligated to, loan the Company funds, from time to time or at any time, in whatever amount they deem reasonable in their sole discretion, to meet the Company’s working capital needs. Accordingly, the Company may not be able to obtain additional financing. If the Company is unable to raise additional capital, it may be required to take additional measures to conserve liquidity, which could include, but not necessarily be limited to, curtailing operations, suspending the pursuit of a potential transaction, and reducing overhead expenses. The Company cannot provide any assurance that new financing will be available to it on commercially acceptable terms, if at all. If the Company is unable to complete the Business Combination because it does not have sufficient funds available, the Company will be forced to cease operations and liquidate the Trust Account. These conditions raise substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern one year from the date that these consolidated condensed financial statements are issued.
In connection with the Company’s assessment of going concern considerations in accordance with the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2014-15, “Disclosures of Uncertainties about an Entity’s Ability to Continue as a Going Concern,” management has determined that if the Company is unable to raise additional funds to alleviate liquidity needs as well as complete a Business Combination by the Extended Date, then the Company will cease all operations except for the purpose of liquidating. The possible liquidity issues as the Company continues to incur costs and the date for mandatory liquidation and subsequent dissolution raise substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern. Management plans to consummate a business combination prior to the Extended Date. No adjustments have been made to the carrying amounts of assets or liabilities should the Company be required to liquidate after December 19, 2023.
Extension
On March 15, 2023, the Company’s stockholders approved an amendment to its amended and restated certificate of incorporation (as amended, the “charter”) (the “Charter Amendment”). The Charter Amendment extended the date by which the Company has to consummate a business combination for an additional nine months, from March 19, 2023 (the “Termination Date”) to up to December 19, 2023 by electing to extend the date to consummate an initial business combination on a monthly basis for up to nine times by an additional one month each time after the Termination Date, until December 19, 2023 or a total of up to nine months after the Termination Date, or such earlier date as determined by the Company’s board of directors, unless the closing of the initial business combination shall have occurred, which is referred to as the “Extension,” and such later date, the “Extended Date”, provided that the Sponsor (or its affiliates or permitted designees) will deposit into the trust account an amount determined by multiplying $0.03 by the number of public shares then outstanding, up to a maximum of $105,000 for each such one-month extension unless the closing of the Company’s initial business combination shall have occurred, in exchange for a non-interest bearing, unsecured promissory note payable upon consummation of a business combination.
In connection with the votes to approve the Extension, the holders of 26,649,519 shares of Class A common stock properly exercised their right to redeem their shares for cash at a redemption price of approximately $10.16 per share, for an aggregate redemption amount of $270,769,687, leaving $21,467,825 in the Trust Account.
On March 16, 2023, the Sponsor voluntarily converted the 7,047,500 shares of Class B common stock it held into 7,047,500 shares of Class A common stock in accordance with the Company’s charter (the “Conversion”). Following the implementation of the Extension and the Conversion, the Company had 9,147,981 shares of Class A common stock outstanding and 140,000 shares of Class B common stock outstanding. As of the date of this Annual Report, the founder shares held by the initial stockholders represent approximately 77.4% of the outstanding shares of common stock.
7
GOLDEN ARROW MERGER CORP.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED CONDENSED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
SEPTEMBER 30, 2023
(Unaudited)
NOTE 2. SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES
Basis of Presentation
The accompanying unaudited consolidated condensed financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”) for interim financial information and in accordance with the instructions to Form 10-Q and Article 8 of Regulation S-X of the SEC. Certain information or footnote disclosures normally included in financial statements prepared in accordance with 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 consolidated 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 periods presented.
The accompanying unaudited consolidated condensed financial statements should be read in conjunction with the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K as filed with the SEC on March 31, 2023. The interim results for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2023 are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the year ending December 31, 2023 or for any future periods.
Emerging Growth Company
The Company is an “emerging growth company,” as defined in Section 2(a) of the Securities Act, as modified by the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012 (the “JOBS Act”), and it may take advantage of certain exemptions from various reporting requirements that are applicable to other public companies that are not emerging growth companies including, but not limited to, not being required to comply with the independent registered public accounting firm attestation requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation in its periodic reports and proxy statements, and exemptions from the requirements of holding a nonbinding advisory vote on executive compensation and stockholder approval of any golden parachute payments not previously approved.
Further, Section 102(b)(1) of the JOBS Act exempts emerging growth companies from being required to comply with new or revised financial accounting standards until private companies (that is, those that have not had a Securities Act registration statement declared effective or do not have a class of securities registered under the Exchange Act) are required to comply with the new or revised financial accounting standards. The JOBS Act provides that a company can elect to opt out of the extended transition period and comply with the requirements that apply to non-emerging growth companies but any such election to opt out is irrevocable. The Company has elected not to opt out of such extended transition period which means that when a standard is issued or revised and it has different application dates for public or private companies, the Company, as an emerging growth company, can adopt the new or revised standard at the time private companies adopt the new or revised standard. This may make comparison of the Company’s financial statements with another public company which is neither an emerging growth company nor an emerging growth company which has opted out of using the extended transition period difficult or impossible because of the potential differences in accounting standards used.
Use of Estimates
The preparation of the unaudited consolidated condensed financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires the Company’s management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the unaudited consolidated condensed financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period.
Making estimates requires management to exercise significant judgment. It is at least reasonably possible that the estimate of the effect of a condition, situation or set of circumstances that existed at the date of the unaudited consolidated 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.
Cash and Cash Equivalents
The Company considers all short-term investments with an original maturity of three months or less when purchased to be cash equivalents. The Company did not have any cash equivalents as of September 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022.
Investments Held in Trust Account
At September 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022, all of the assets held in the Trust Account were held in money market funds which are invested primarily in U.S. Treasury securities.
8
GOLDEN ARROW MERGER CORP.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED CONDENSED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
SEPTEMBER 30, 2023
(Unaudited)
Class A Common Stock Subject to Possible Redemption
The Company accounts for its Class A common stock subject to possible redemption in accordance with the guidance in Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) Topic 480, “Distinguishing Liabilities from Equity.” Shares of Class A common stock subject to mandatory redemption are classified as a liability instrument and are measured at fair value. Conditionally redeemable Class A common stock (including Class A common stock that features redemption rights that are either within the control of the holder or subject to redemption upon the occurrence of uncertain events not solely within the Company’s control) is classified as temporary equity. At all other times, Class A common stock is classified as stockholders’ equity. The Company’s Class A common stock features certain redemption rights that are considered to be outside of the Company’s control and subject to occurrence of uncertain future events. Accordingly, at September 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022, the 2,100,481 and 28,750,000 shares of Class A common stock subject to possible redemption are presented as temporary equity, outside of the stockholders’ deficit section of the Company’s consolidated condensed balance sheets, respectively.
The Company recognizes changes in redemption value immediately as they occur and adjusts the carrying value of redeemable common stock to equal the redemption value at the end of each reporting period.
At September 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022, the Class A common stock reflected in the consolidated condensed balance sheets is reconciled in the following table:
Gross proceeds | $ | 287,500,000 | ||
Less: | ||||
Proceeds allocated to Public Warrants | (9,195,833 | ) | ||
Class A common stock issuance costs | (15,827,645 | ) | ||
Plus: | ||||
Accretion of carrying value to redemption value | 27,881,248 | |||
Class A common stock subject to possible redemption, December 31, 2022 | 290,357,770 | |||
Less: | ||||
Redemption | (270,769,687 | ) | ||
Plus: | ||||
Accretion of carrying value to redemption value | 2,676,634 | |||
Class A common stock subject to possible redemption, September 30, 2023 (unaudited) | $ | 22,264,717 |
Offering Costs
Offering costs consist of underwriting, legal, accounting and other expenses incurred through the Initial Public Offering that are directly related to the Initial Public Offering. Offering costs associated with the Class A common stock issued were initially charged to temporary equity and then accreted to common stock subject to redemption upon the completion of the Initial Public Offering. Offering costs amounting to $15,827,645 were charged against their carrying value upon the completion of the Initial Public Offering, and $481,824 of the offering costs was related to the warrant liabilities and charged to the unaudited consolidated condensed statements of operations.
9
GOLDEN ARROW MERGER CORP.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED CONDENSED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
SEPTEMBER 30, 2023
(Unaudited)
Warrant Liabilities
The Company accounts for the warrants in accordance with the guidance contained in ASC 815-40-15 under which the warrants do not meet the criteria for equity treatment and must be recorded as liabilities. Accordingly, the Company classifies the warrants as liabilities at their fair value and adjust the warrants to fair value at each reporting period. This liability is subject to re-measurement at each balance sheet date until exercised, and any change in fair value is recognized in the unaudited consolidated condensed statements of operations. The Private Placement Warrants and the public warrants (the “Public Warrants”) for periods where no observable traded price was available are valued using a lattice model, specifically a binomial lattice model incorporating the Cox-Ross-Rubenstein methodology. For periods subsequent to the detachment of the Public Warrants from the Units, the Public Warrant quoted market price was used as the fair value as of each relevant date.
Income Taxes
The Company accounts for income taxes under ASC 740, “Income Taxes.” ASC 740 requires the recognition of deferred tax assets and liabilities for both the expected impact of differences between the unaudited consolidated condensed financial statements and tax basis of assets and liabilities and for the expected future tax benefit to be derived from tax loss and tax credit carryforwards. ASC 740 additionally requires a valuation allowance to be established when it is more likely than not that all or a portion of deferred tax assets will not be realized. As of September 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022, the Company’s deferred tax asset had a full valuation allowance recorded against it. The Company’s effective tax rate was (4.03)% and 18.14% for the three months ended September 30, 2023 and 2022, respectively, 69.85% and 3.51% for the nine months ended September 30, 2023 and 2022, respectively. The effective tax rate differs from the statutory tax rate of 21% for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2023 and 2022, due to changes in fair value in warrant liability, changes in fair value in the convertible promissory note, and the valuation allowance on the deferred tax assets.
ASC 740 also clarifies the accounting for uncertainty in income taxes recognized in an enterprise’s financial statements and prescribes a recognition threshold and measurement process for financial statement recognition and measurement of a tax position 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. ASC 740 also provides guidance on derecognition, classification, interest and penalties, accounting in interim period, disclosure and transition.
The Company recognizes accrued interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits as income tax expense. There were no unrecognized tax benefits and no amounts accrued for interest and penalties as of September 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022. The Company is currently not aware of any issues under review that could result in significant payments, accruals or material deviation from its position.
The Company has identified the United States as its only “major” tax jurisdiction. The Company has been subject to income taxation by major taxing authorities since inception. These examinations may include questioning the timing and amount of deductions, the nexus of income among various tax jurisdictions and compliance with federal and state tax laws. The Company’s management does not expect that the total amount of unrecognized tax benefits will materially change over the next twelve months.
Net (Loss) Income per Common Share
The Company complies with accounting and disclosure requirements of FASB ASC Topic 260, “Earnings Per Share”. Net (loss) income per common share is computed by dividing net (loss) income by the weighted average number of common stock outstanding for the period. The Company has two classes of shares which are referred to as Class A common stock and Class B Common stock. (Loss) income is shared pro rata between the two classes of shares. This presentation assumes a business combination as the most likely outcome. Accretion associated with the redeemable shares of Class A common stock is excluded from earnings per share as the redemption value approximates fair value.
The calculation of diluted (loss) income per common share does not consider the effect of the warrants issued in connection with the (i) Initial Public Offering, and (ii) the private placement since the exercise of the warrants is contingent upon the occurrence of future events. The warrants are exercisable to purchase 14,583,333 Class A common stock in the aggregate. As of September 30, 2023 and 2022, the Company had dilutive securities that are Public Warrants and Private Placement Warrants that could, potentially, be exercised or converted into common stock and then share in the earnings of the Company. The warrants are not exercisable until 30 days after the completion of a Business Combination. As a result, diluted net (loss) income per common share is the same as basic net (loss) income per common share for the periods presented.
10
GOLDEN ARROW MERGER CORP.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED CONDENSED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
SEPTEMBER 30, 2023
(Unaudited)
The following table reflects the calculation of basic and diluted net (loss) income per common share (in dollars, except per share amounts):
For the Three Months Ended September 30, | For the Nine Months Ended September 30, | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2023 | 2022 | 2023 | 2022 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Class A | Class A | Class A | Class A | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Redeemable | Non-Redeemable | Class B | Class A | Class B | Redeemable | Non-Redeemable | Class B | Class A | Class B | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Basic and diluted net (loss) income per common share | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Numerator: | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Allocation of net (loss) income, | $ | (199,386 | ) | $ | (668,975 | ) | $ | (13,289 | ) | $ | 1,186,353 | $ | 296,588 | $ | 52,072 | $ | 156,261 | $ | 48,975 | $ | 5,996,113 | $ | 1,499,028 | |||||||||||||||||
Denominator: | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Basic and diluted weighted average shares outstanding | 2,100,481 | 7,047,500 | 140,000 | 28,750,000 | 7,187,500 | 2,100,481 | 6,303,233 | 1,975,557 | 28,750,000 | 7,187,500 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Basic and diluted net (loss) income per common share | $ | (0.09 | ) | $ | (0.09 | ) | $ | (0.09 | ) | $ | 0.04 | $ | 0.04 | $ | 0.02 | $ | 0.02 | $ | 0.02 | $ | 0.21 | $ | 0.21 |
Concentration of Credit Risk
The Company has significant cash balances at financial institutions which throughout the year regularly exceed the federally insured limit of $250,000. Any loss incurred or a lack of access to such funds could have a significant adverse impact on the Company's financial condition, results of operations, and cash flows.
Fair Value of Financial Instruments
The fair value of the Company’s assets and liabilities, which qualify as financial instruments under ASC Topic 820, “Fair Value Measurement,” approximates the carrying amounts represented in the accompanying consolidated condensed balance sheets, primarily due to their short-term nature, other than derivative warrant liabilities (see Note 9).
Recent Accounting Standards
In August 2020, the FASB issued ASU 2020-06, “Debt—Debt with Conversion and Other Options (Subtopic 470-20) and Derivatives and Hedging—Contracts in Entity’s Own Equity (Subtopic 815-40): Accounting for Convertible Instruments and Contracts in an Entity’s Own Equity” (“ASU 2020-06”), which simplifies accounting for convertible instruments by removing major separation models required under current GAAP. ASU 2020-06 removes certain settlement conditions that are required for equity contracts to qualify for the derivative scope exception, and it also simplifies the diluted earnings per share calculation in certain areas. ASU 2020-06 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2023, including interim periods within those fiscal years, with early adoption permitted. The impact of the adoption of ASU 2020-06 is being assessed by the Company, however no significant impact on the unaudited consolidated condensed financial statements is anticipated.
In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-13 – Financial Instruments – Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments (“ASU 2016-13”). This update requires financial assets measured at amortized cost basis to be presented at the net amount expected to be collected. The measurement of expected credit losses is based on relevant information about past events, including historical experience, current conditions, and reasonable and supportable forecasts that affect the collectibility of the reported amount. Since June 2016, the FASB issued clarifying updates to the new standard including changing the effective date for smaller reporting companies. The guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2022, and interim periods within those fiscal years, with early adoption permitted. The Company adopted ASU 2016-13 on January 1, 2023. The adoption of ASU 2016-13 did not have a material impact on its unaudited consolidated condensed financial statements.
11
GOLDEN ARROW MERGER CORP.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED CONDENSED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
SEPTEMBER 30, 2023
(Unaudited)
Management does not believe that any recently issued, but not yet effective, accounting standards, if currently adopted, would have a material effect on the Company’s unaudited consolidated condensed financial statements.
NOTE 3. PUBLIC OFFERING
Pursuant to the Initial Public Offering, the Company sold 25,000,000 Units, at a price of $10.00 per Unit. Each Unit consists of one share of Class A common stock and one-third of one redeemable warrant (“Public Warrant”). Each whole Public Warrant entitles the holder to purchase one share of Class A common stock at a price of $11.50 per share, subject to adjustment (see Note 9). On May 6, 2021, the Company sold 3,750,000 Additional Units at $10.00 per Additional Unit. The Additional Units were identical to the Units sold pursuant to the Initial Public Offering.
NOTE 4. PRIVATE PLACEMENT
Simultaneously with the closing of the Initial Public Offering, the Sponsor purchased an aggregate of 4,500,000 Private Placement Warrants, at a price of $1.50 per warrant, or $6,750,000 in the aggregate. On May 6, 2021, simultaneously with the sale of the Additional Units, the Company consummated the sale of an additional 500,000 Private Placement Warrants, at a price of $1.50 per Private Placement Warrant, or $750,000 in the aggregate, if the over-allotment option is exercised in full or in part by the underwriters. Each Private Placement Warrant is exercisable to purchase one share of Class A common stock at an exercise price of $11.50 per share, subject to adjustment (see Note 9). A portion of the proceeds from the Private Placement Warrants were added to the proceeds from the Initial Public Offering held in the Trust Account. If the Company does not complete a Business Combination within the Combination Period, the proceeds from the sale of the Private Placement Warrants held in the Trust Account will be used to fund the redemption of the Public Shares (subject to the requirements of applicable law), and the Private Placement Warrants will expire worthless.
NOTE 5. RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS
Founder Shares
In January 2021, the Sponsor paid $25,000 to cover certain of the Company’s offering costs in consideration for the issuance of 7,187,500 shares of the Company’s Class B common stock (the “Founder Shares”). The Founder Shares included an aggregate of up to 937,500 shares subject to forfeiture to the extent that the underwriters’ over-allotment was not exercised in full or in part, so that the number of Founder Shares would equal, on an as-converted basis, approximately 20% of the Company’s issued and outstanding common stock after the Initial Public Offering. As a result of the underwriters’ full exercise of their over-allotment option on May 6, 2021, no shares remain subject to forfeiture.
The Sponsor has agreed, subject to limited exceptions, not to transfer, assign or sell any of the Founder Shares until the earlier to occur of (A) one year after the completion of a Business Combination and (B) subsequent to a Business Combination, (x) if the last reported sale price of the Class A common stock equals or exceeds $12.00 per share (as adjusted for stock splits, stock capitalizations, reorganizations, recapitalizations and the like) for any 20 trading days within any 30-trading day period commencing at least 150 days after a Business Combination, or (y) the date on which the Company completes a liquidation, merger, capital stock exchange or other similar transaction that results in all of the Public Stockholders having the right to exchange their shares of common stock for cash, securities or other property.
Promissory Note — Related Party
On January 8, 2021, the Company issued a non-interest bearing, unsecured promissory note to the Sponsor (the “Promissory Note”), pursuant to which the Company could borrow up to an aggregate principal amount of $200,000. As of September 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022, there were $126,030 and $0, respectively, outstanding under the Promissory Note, respectively, which were originally due on March 19, 2021. On March 18, 2022, the Company amended and restated the Promissory Note to extend the due date of amounts outstanding under the promissory note to the earlier of December 31, 2022 and the date of consummation of a Business Combination.
Working Capital Loans
In addition, in order to finance transaction costs in connection with a Business Combination, the Sponsor, an affiliate of the Sponsor, or certain of the Company’s officers and directors or their affiliates may, but are not obligated to, loan the Company funds as may be required (“Working Capital Loans”). If the Company completes a Business Combination, the Company would repay the Working Capital Loans out of the proceeds of the Trust Account released to the Company. Otherwise, the Working Capital Loans would be repaid only out of funds held outside the Trust Account. In the event that a Business Combination does not close, the Company may use a portion of proceeds held outside the Trust Account to repay the Working Capital Loans, but no proceeds held in the Trust Account would be used to repay the Working Capital Loans. The Working Capital Loans would either be repaid upon consummation of a Business Combination, without interest, or, at the lender’s discretion, up to $1,500,000 of such Working Capital Loans may be convertible into warrants of the post Business Combination entity. The warrants would be identical to the Private Placement Warrants.
On February 25, 2022, the Company issued a promissory note to the Sponsor pursuant to which it may borrow up to an aggregate principal amount of $500,000. The promissory note is non-interest bearing and payable upon the consummation of a Business Combination. At the Sponsor’s discretion, the promissory note may be converted into warrants of the post-Business Combination entity at a price of $1.50 per warrant. The warrants would be identical to the Private Placement Warrants. On August 26, 2022, the Company issued a second promissory note to the Sponsor pursuant to which it may borrow up to an aggregate principal amount of $400,000. The promissory note is non-interest bearing and payable upon the consummation of a Business Combination. At the Sponsor’s discretion, the promissory note may be converted into warrants of the post-Business Combination entity at a price of $1.50 per warrant. The warrants would be identical to the Private Placement Warrants. On March 8, 2023, the Company issued a third promissory note to which it may borrow up to an aggregate principal amount of $750,000. The promissory note is non-interest bearing and payable upon the consummation of a Business Combination. At the Sponsor’s discretion, the promissory note may be converted into warrants of the post-Business Combination entity at a price of $1.50 per warrant, provided that the aggregate of such warrants, together with any warrants issued upon conversions pursuant to the promissory notes dated February 25, 2022 and August 26, 2022, do not exceed 1,000,000 warrants. The warrants would be identical to the Private Placement Warrants.
12
GOLDEN ARROW MERGER CORP.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED CONDENSED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
SEPTEMBER 30, 2023
(Unaudited)
As of September 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022, there was an aggregate of $1,300,000 and $88,850 outstanding under the three promissory notes (together, the “Convertible Promissory Notes”), respectively. The Convertible Promissory Notes were valued at par value.
NOTE 6. COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
Risks and Uncertainties
Management continues to evaluate 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 consolidated condensed financial statements. The unaudited consolidated 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 consolidated condensed financial statements. 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 consolidated condensed financial statements.
Inflation Reduction Act of 2022
On August 16, 2022, the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (the “IR Act”) was signed into federal law. The IR Act provides for, among other things, a new U.S. federal 1% excise tax on certain repurchases of stock by publicly traded U.S. domestic corporations and certain U.S. domestic subsidiaries of publicly traded foreign corporations occurring on or after January 1, 2023. The excise tax is imposed on the repurchasing corporation itself, not its shareholders from which shares are repurchased. The amount of the excise tax is generally 1% of the fair market value of the shares repurchased at the time of the repurchase. However, for purposes of calculating the excise tax, repurchasing corporations are permitted to net the fair market value of certain new stock issuances against the fair market value of stock repurchases during the same taxable year. In addition, certain exceptions apply to the excise tax. The U.S. Department of the Treasury (the “Treasury”) has been given authority to provide regulations and other guidance to carry out and prevent the abuse or avoidance of the excise tax.
Any redemption or other repurchase that occurs after December 31, 2022, in connection with a Business Combination, extension vote or otherwise, may be subject to the excise tax. Whether and to what extent the Company would be subject to the excise tax in connection with a Business Combination, extension vote or otherwise would depend on a number of factors, including (i) the fair market value of the redemptions and repurchases in connection with the Business Combination, extension or otherwise, (ii) the structure of a Business Combination, (iii) the nature and amount of any “PIPE” or other equity issuances in connection with a Business Combination (or otherwise issued not in connection with a Business Combination but issued within the same taxable year of a Business Combination) and (iv) the content of regulations and other guidance from the Treasury. In addition, because the excise tax would be payable by the Company and not by the redeeming holder, the mechanics of any required payment of the excise tax have not been determined. The foregoing could cause a reduction in the cash available on hand to complete a Business Combination and in the Company’s ability to complete a Business Combination.
Registration Rights
Pursuant to a registration rights agreement entered into on March 16, 2021, the holders of the Founder Shares, Private Placement Warrants and warrants that may be issued upon conversion of Working Capital Loans (and any Class A common stock issuable upon the exercise of the Private Placement Warrants and warrants that may be issued upon conversion of Working Capital Loans and upon conversion of the Founder Shares) have registration rights to require the Company to register a sale of any of the securities held by them. The holders of these securities are entitled to make up to three demands, excluding short form demands, that the Company register such securities. In addition, the holders have certain “piggy-back” registration rights with respect to registration statements filed subsequent to the completion of a Business Combination. The registration rights agreement does not contain liquidated damages or other cash settlement provisions resulting from delays in registering the securities. The Company will bear the expenses incurred in connection with the filing of any such registration statements.
Underwriting Agreement
The underwriters are entitled to a deferred fee of $0.35 per Unit, or $10,062,500 in the aggregate. 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.
13
GOLDEN ARROW MERGER CORP.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED CONDENSED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
SEPTEMBER 30, 2023
(Unaudited)
Side Letter Agreements
Pursuant to side letter agreements entered into with each of Propoenent LLC and Siddhartha Mukherjee, as compensation for the introduction of the Company to a target company, not previously known to the Company and with which the Company ultimately consummates its initial Business Combination, the Sponsor will either issue a membership interest in the Sponsor representing an economic interest in 100,000 of the Founder Shares or transfer 100,000 of the Founders Shares. As of September 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022, this compensation was deemed to not have been earned.
Consulting Agreement
On June 20, 2022, the Company entered into an agreement with Jones International Group for consulting services related to a search for a target business. For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2023, the Company incurred $20,500 in these consulting fees. On February 20, 2023, the Company terminated this agreement.
NOTE 7. STOCKHOLDERS’ DEFICIT
Preferred Stock — The Company is authorized to issue 1,000,000 shares of preferred stock with a par value of $0.0001 per share with such designation, rights and preferences as may be determined from time to time by the Company’s board of directors. At September 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022, there were no shares of preferred stock issued or outstanding.
Class A Common Stock — The Company is authorized to issue 200,000,000 shares of Class A common stock with a par value of $0.0001 per share. Holders of Class A common stock are entitled to one vote for each share. At September 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022, there were 2,100,481 shares and 28,750,000 shares of Class A common stock issued and outstanding and all of which are subject to possible redemption and presented as temporary equity, respectively.
Class B Common Stock — The Company is authorized to issue 20,000,000 shares of Class B common stock with a par value of $0.0001 per share. Holders of Class B common stock are entitled to one vote for each share. At September 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022, there were 140,000 shares and 7,187,500 shares of common stock issued and outstanding, respectively.
Holders of Class A common stock and holders of Class B common stock will vote together as a single class on all matters submitted to a vote of stockholders except as otherwise required by law.
The shares of Class B common stock will automatically convert into shares of Class A common stock at the time of a Business Combination, or earlier at the option of the holder, on a one-for-one basis, subject to adjustment. In the case that additional shares of Class A common stock, or equity-linked securities, are issued or deemed issued in excess of the amounts issued in the Proposed Public Offering and related to the closing of a Business Combination, the ratio at which shares of Class B common stock shall convert into shares of Class A common stock will be adjusted (unless the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of Class B common stock agree to waive such anti-dilution adjustment with respect to any such issuance or deemed issuance) so that the number of shares of Class A common stock issuable upon conversion of all shares of Class B common stock will equal, in the aggregate, on an as-converted basis, 20% of the total number of all shares of common stock outstanding upon completion of the Proposed Public Offering plus all shares of Class A common stock and equity-linked securities issued or deemed issued in connection with a Business Combination (net of the number of shares of Class A common stock redeemed in connection with a Business Combination), excluding any shares or equity-linked securities issued, or to be issued, to any seller in a Business Combination.
NOTE 8. WARRANTS
Warrants — As of September 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022, there were 9,583,333 Public Warrants outstanding. Public Warrants may only be exercised for a whole number of shares. No fractional warrants will be issued upon separation of the Units and only whole warrants will trade. The Public Warrants will become exercisable on the later of (a) 30 days after the completion of a Business Combination and (b) 12 months from the closing of the Initial Public Offering. The Public Warrants will expire five years after the completion of a Business Combination or earlier upon redemption or liquidation.
The Company will not be obligated to deliver any shares of Class A common stock pursuant to the exercise of a warrant and will have no obligation to settle such warrant exercise unless a registration statement under the Securities Act covering the issuance of the shares of Class A common stock issuable upon exercise of the warrants is then effective and a current prospectus relating to those shares of Class A common stock is available, subject to the Company satisfying its obligations with respect to registration. No warrant will be exercisable for cash or on a cashless basis, and the Company will not be obligated to issue any shares to holders seeking to exercise their warrants, unless the issuance of the shares upon such exercise is registered or qualified under the securities laws of the state of the exercising holder, or an exemption from registration is available.
14
GOLDEN ARROW MERGER CORP.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED CONDENSED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
SEPTEMBER 30, 2023
(Unaudited)
The Company has agreed that as soon as practicable, but in no event later than 20 business days after the closing of a Business Combination, the Company will use its commercially reasonable efforts to file with the SEC, and within 60 business days following a Business Combination to have declared effective, a registration statement covering the issuance of the shares of Class A common stock issuable upon exercise of the warrants and to maintain a current prospectus relating to those shares of Class A common stock until the warrants expire or are redeemed. Notwithstanding the above, if the Class A common stock is at the time of any exercise of a warrant not listed on a national securities exchange such that it satisfies 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 will use its commercially reasonable efforts to register or qualify the shares under applicable blue sky laws to the extent an exemption is not available.
Redemption of warrants when the price per share of Class A common stock equals or exceeds $18.00. Once the warrants become exercisable, the Company may redeem the outstanding warrants (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, or 30 day redemption period, to each warrant holder; and |
● | if, and only if, the last reported sale price of the Class A common stock equals or exceeds $18.00 per share (as adjusted for stock splits, stock capitalizations, reorganizations, recapitalizations and the like) 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 and when the warrants become redeemable by the Company, the Company may exercise its redemption right even if it is unable to register or qualify the underlying securities for sale under all applicable state securities laws.
Redemption of warrants when the price per share of Class A common stock equals or exceeds $10.00. Commencing ninety days after the warrants become exercisable, the Company may redeem the outstanding warrants:
● | in whole and not in part; |
● | at a price of $0.10 per warrant provided that holders will be able to exercise their warrants on a cashless basis prior to redemption and receive that number of shares of Class A common stock based on the redemption date and the fair market value of the Class A common stock; |
● | upon a minimum of 30 days’ prior written notice of redemption; |
● | if, and only if, the last reported sale price of the Class A common stock equals or exceeds $10.00 per share (as adjusted for stock splits, stock dividends, reorganizations, recapitalizations and the like) on the trading day prior to the date on which the Company sends the notice of redemption to the warrant holders; |
● | if, and only if, the Private Placement Warrants are also concurrently called for redemption on the same terms as the outstanding Public Warrants, as described above; and |
● | if, and only if, there is an effective registration statement covering the issuance of the shares of Class A common stock issuable upon exercise of the warrants and a current prospectus relating thereto available throughout the 30-day period after written notice of redemption is given. |
15
GOLDEN ARROW MERGER CORP.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED CONDENSED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
SEPTEMBER 30, 2023
(Unaudited)
If the Company calls the Public Warrants for redemption, as described above, its management will have the option to require any holder that wishes to exercise the Public Warrants to do so on a “cashless basis,” as described in the warrant agreement. The exercise price and number of Class A common stock issuable upon exercise of the Public Warrants may be adjusted in certain circumstances including in the event of a share dividend, extraordinary dividend or recapitalization, reorganization, merger or consolidation. However, except as described below, the Public Warrants will not be adjusted for issuances of common stock at a price below its exercise price. Additionally, in no event will the Company be required to net cash settle the Public Warrants. If the Company is unable to complete a Business Combination within the Combination Period and the Company liquidates the funds held in the Trust Account, holders of Public Warrants will not receive any of such funds with respect to their Public Warrants, nor will they receive any distribution from the Company’s assets held outside of the Trust Account with respect to such Public Warrants. Accordingly, the Public Warrants may expire worthless.
In addition, if (x) the Company issues additional shares of Class A common stock or equity-linked securities for capital raising purposes in connection with the closing of its Business Combination at an issue price or effective issue price of less than $9.20 per share of Class A common stock (with such issue price or effective issue price to be determined in good faith by the Company’s board of directors and, in the case of any such issuance to the Sponsor or its affiliates, without taking into account any Founder Shares held by the Sponsor 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 Company’s Business Combination on the date of the completion of such Business Combination (net of redemptions), and (z) the volume weighted average trading price of the Company’s common stock during the 20 trading day period starting on the trading day after the day on which the Company consummates its Business Combination (such price, the “Market Value”) is below $9.20 per share, the exercise price of the warrants will be adjusted (to the nearest cent) to be equal to 115% of the higher of the Market Value and the Newly Issued Price and the $10.00 and $18.00 per share redemption trigger price described above will be adjusted (to the nearest cent) to be equal to 100% and 180% of the higher of the Market Value and the Newly Issued Price, respectively.
As of September 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022, there were 5,000,000 Private Placement Warrants outstanding. The Private Placement Warrants are identical to the Public Warrants underlying the Units sold in the Initial Public Offering, except that the Private Placement Warrants and the Class A common stock issuable upon the exercise of the Private Placement Warrants will not be transferable, assignable or saleable until 30 days after the completion of a Business Combination, subject to certain limited exceptions. Additionally, the Private Placement Warrants will be exercisable on a cashless basis and be non-redeemable, except as described above, so long as they are held by the initial purchasers or its permitted transferees. If the Private Placement Warrants are held by someone other than the initial purchasers or its permitted transferees, the Private Placement Warrants will be redeemable by the Company and exercisable by such holders on the same basis as the Public Warrants.
NOTE 9. FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS
The Company follows the guidance in ASC 820 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: | Quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities. An active market for an asset or liability is a market in which transactions for the asset or liability occur with sufficient frequency and volume to provide pricing information on an ongoing basis. |
Level 2: | Observable inputs other than Level 1 inputs. Examples of Level 2 inputs include quoted prices in active markets for similar assets or liabilities and quoted prices for identical assets or liabilities in markets that are not active. |
Level 3: | Unobservable inputs based on assessment of the assumptions that market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability. |
16
GOLDEN ARROW MERGER CORP.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED CONDENSED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
SEPTEMBER 30, 2023
(Unaudited)
At September 30, 2023, assets held in the Trust Account were comprised of $22,275,986 in money market funds which are primarily invested in U.S. Treasury securities. During the nine months ended September 30, 2023, the Company withdrew an aggregate of $271,793,225 from the Trust Account be used for redemption payments in connection with the Extension, Delaware franchise tax, and income tax obligations.
At December 31, 2022, assets held in the Trust Account were comprised of $290,646,467 in money market funds which are primarily invested in U.S. Treasury securities. During the year ended December 31, 2022, the Company withdrew $871,000 in interest income from the Trust Account.
The Company uses inputs such as actual trade data, benchmark yields, quoted market prices from dealers or brokers, and other similar sources to determine the fair value of its money market investments held in the Trust Account.
The following table presents information about the Company’s assets and liabilities that are measured at fair value on a recurring basis at September 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022 and indicates the fair value hierarchy of the valuation inputs the Company utilized to determine such fair value:
Description | Level | September 30, 2023 | December 31, 2022 | |||||||||
Assets: | ||||||||||||
Investments held in Trust Account | 1 | $ | 22,275,986 | $ | 290,646,467 | |||||||
Liabilities: | ||||||||||||
Warrant Liabilities – Public Warrants | 2 | $ | 383,333 | $ | 95,833 | |||||||
Warrant Liabilities – Private Placement Warrants | 3 | $ | 200,000 | $ | 50,000 | |||||||
Convertible promissory notes – related party (Note 2) | 3 | $ | n/a | $ | 88,850 |
Warrant Liabilities
The Warrants were accounted for as liabilities in accordance with ASC 815-40 and are presented within warrant liabilities on the Company’s accompanying consolidated 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 consolidated condensed statements of operations. For the Public Warrants, the Company initially utilized a binomial lattice model consistent with the Private Warrants discussed below. The subsequent measurements of the Public Warrants after the detachment of the Public Warrants from the Units are classified as Level 1 due to the use of an observable market quote in an active market.
For the Private Placement Warrants, the Company utilizes a lattice model, specifically a binomial lattice model incorporating the Cox-Ross-Rubenstein methodology, to value the warrants at each reporting period, with changes in fair value recognized in the unaudited consolidated condensed statements of operations. The estimated fair value of the warrant liability is determined using Level 3 inputs. Inherent in a binomial options pricing model are assumptions related to expected share-price volatility, expected life, risk-free interest rate and dividend yield. The Company estimates the volatility of its shares of common stock based on historical volatility that matches the expected remaining life of the warrants. The risk-free interest rate is based on the U.S. Treasury zero-coupon yield curve on the grant date for a maturity similar to the expected remaining life of the warrants. The expected life of the warrants is assumed to be equivalent to their remaining contractual term. The dividend rate is based on the historical rate, which the Company anticipates remaining at zero.
The key inputs for the binomial lattice model as of September 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022 were as follows:
Input | As of September 30, 2023 | As of December 31, 2022 | ||||||
Stock price | $ | 10.55 | $ | 10.02 | ||||
Strike price | $ | 11.50 | $ | 11.50 | ||||
Effective expiration date | September 17, 2024 | September 17, 2023 | ||||||
Volatility | Immaterial | 7.0 | % | |||||
Risk-free rate | 5.47 | % | 4.69 | % | ||||
Dividend yield | 0.0 | % | 0.0 | % |
17
GOLDEN ARROW MERGER CORP.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED CONDENSED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
SEPTEMBER 30, 2023
(Unaudited)
The following tables present the changes in the fair value of warrant liabilities classified as Level 3 in the fair value hierarchy as of September 30, 2023 and 2022:
Private Placement | ||||
Fair value as of January 1, 2023 | $ | 50,000 | ||
Change in valuation inputs or other assumptions | 200,000 | |||
Fair value as of March 31, 2023 | 250,000 | |||
Change in valuation inputs or other assumptions | (100,000 | ) | ||
Fair value as of June 30, 2023 | 150,000 | |||
Change in valuation inputs or other assumptions | 50,000 | |||
Fair value as of September 30, 2023 | $ | 200,000 |
Private Placement | ||||
Fair value as of January 1, 2022 | $ | 2,497,500 | ||
Change in valuation inputs or other assumptions | (1,300,208 | ) | ||
Fair value as of March 31, 2022 | 1,197,292 | |||
Change in valuation inputs or other assumptions | (816,710 | ) | ||
Fair value as of June 30, 2022 | 380,582 | |||
Change in valuation inputs or other assumptions | (81,580 | ) | ||
Fair value as of September 30, 2022 | $ | 299,002 |
Transfers to/from Levels 1, 2 and 3 are recognized at the end of the reporting period in which a change in valuation technique or methodology occurs. There were no transfers in or out of Level 3 from other levels in the fair value hierarchy that occurred during the three and nine months ended September 30, 2023 and 2022. The Public Warrants were transferred from Level 1 to Level 2 at December 31, 2022 due to the lack of trading activity.
Convertible Promissory Notes – Related Party
The fair value of the option to convert the convertible promissory notes into Private Warrants was valued by utilizing a discounted cash flow method to value the debt component and a Black-Scholes model to value the debt conversion option to derive the fair value of the convertible notes.
The estimated fair value of the convertible promissory notes was based on the following significant inputs:
Input | As of December 31, 2022 | |||
Stock price | $ | 10.02 | ||
Strike price | $ | 11.50 | ||
Expiration date of warrants | September 17, 2023 | |||
Volatility | 7.0 | % | ||
Risk-free rate | 4.69 | % | ||
Dividend yield | 0.0 | % |
The following tables present the changes in the fair value of the Level 3 convertible promissory notes:
Fair value as of January 1, 2023 | $ | 88,850 | ||
Restatement of Convertible Promissory Note (Note 2) | (88,850 | ) | ||
Fair value as of March 31, 2023 | $ | — |
Fair value as of January 1, 2022 | $ | — | ||
Proceeds received through Convertible Promissory Note | 500,000 | |||
Change in fair value | (132,300 | ) | ||
Fair value as of March 31, 2022 | 367,700 | |||
Change in fair value | (71,100 | ) | ||
Fair value as of June 30, 2022 | 296,600 | |||
Proceeds received through Convertible Promissory Note | 400,000 | |||
Change in fair value | (477,730 | ) | ||
Fair value as of September 30, 2022 | $ | 218,870 |
There were no transfers in or out of Level 3 from other levels in the fair value hierarchy during the three and nine months ended September 30, 2023 and 2022 for the convertible promissory notes.
18
GOLDEN ARROW MERGER CORP.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED CONDENSED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
SEPTEMBER 30, 2023
(Unaudited)
NOTE 10. SUBSEQUENT EVENTS
The Company evaluated subsequent events and transactions that occurred after the consolidated condensed balance sheet date up to the date that the unaudited consolidated condensed financial statements were issued. Based upon this review, the Company did not identify any subsequent events, other than below, that would have required adjustment or disclosure in the unaudited consolidated condensed financial statements.
Proposed Business Combination
On October 4, 2023, the Company entered into a business combination agreement (the “Business Combination Agreement”) with Beam Merger Sub, Inc., incorporated on September 19, 2023, a Delaware corporation and a direct, wholly owned subsidiary of the Company (“Merger Sub”) and Bolt Threads, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Bolt Threads”).
Pursuant to the Business Combination Agreement, the parties will consummate a business combination transaction pursuant to which Merger Sub will merge with and into Bolt Threads, with Bolt Threads surviving the merger as a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company (the “Merger” and, together with the other transactions contemplated by the Business Combination Agreement, the “Business Combination” and the closing of the Business Combination, the “Closing”). In connection with the Closing, the Company will be renamed “Bolt Projects Holdings, Inc.” and is referred to herein as “New GAMC” as of the time following such change of name.
The proposed Business Combination is expected to be consummated after receipt of the required approvals by the stockholders of the Company and Bolt Threads and the satisfaction or waiver of certain other customary conditions.
The aggregate equity consideration to be paid to Bolt Threads’ stockholders and optionholders in the Business Combination will be equal to the quotient of (i) $250,000,000 (the “Equity Value”) divided by (ii) $10.00.
The Business Combination Agreement provides that, in connection with the Closing, New GAMC, certain stockholders of Bolt Threads, the Sponsor and certain stockholders of the Company will enter into an amended and restated registration rights and lock-up agreement (the “Registration Rights and Lock-up Agreement”), pursuant to which New GAMC will agree to register for resale certain shares of common stock of New GAMC (“New GAMC common stock”) and other equity securities that are held by the parties thereto from time to time.
Concurrently with the execution of the Business Combination Agreement, certain investors (the “PIPE Investors”), including the Sponsor, entered into subscription agreements (the “PIPE Subscription Agreements”) pursuant to which the PIPE Investors have committed to purchase in a private placement up to 2,734,433 shares of Class A Common Stock (the “PIPE Shares”) at a purchase price of $10.00 per share and an aggregate purchase price of up to $27,344,330 (the “PIPE Investment”). The purchase of the PIPE Shares is conditioned upon, among other things, the consummation of the Business Combination and will be consummated immediately prior to or substantially concurrently with the Closing. The shares of Class A Common Stock to be issued pursuant to the PIPE Subscription Agreements have not been registered under the Securities Act, and will be issued in reliance on the availability of an exemption from such registration.
Pursuant to the PIPE Subscription Agreement executed by the Sponsor, the Sponsor has agreed to purchase 800,000 shares of Class A common stock at a purchase price of $10.00 per share for an aggregate purchase price of $8,000,000. However, the number of subscribed shares to be purchased thereunder by the Sponsor will be reduced by the number of shares of Class A common stock that have not been elected for redemption as of the expiration of the redemption period related to the Closing and that are held by certain individuals mutually agreed upon by the Company and Bolt Threads at any time from the date of the execution of the agreement up to immediately prior to the expiration of such redemption period.
In connection with the execution of the Business Combination Agreement, the Company entered into a sponsor support agreement (the “Sponsor Support Agreement”) with the Sponsor and Bolt Threads. Pursuant to the Sponsor Support Agreement, the Sponsor has, among other things, agreed to vote all of its shares of the Company’s capital stock in favor of the approval of the Transactions. In addition, the Sponsor has agreed that 1,437,500 shares of New GAMC common stock issued in connection with the IPO (the “Sponsor Shares”) will be unvested and subject to forfeiture as of the Closing and will only vest if, during the five year period following the Closing, (i) the volume weighted average price of New GAMC common stock equals or exceeds $12.50 (as adjusted for stock splits, stock dividends, reorganizations, recapitalizations and the like) for any twenty trading days within a period of thirty consecutive trading days or (ii) there is a change of control of the Company. Any Sponsor Shares that remain unvested after the fifth anniversary of the Closing will be forfeited. The Sponsor Support Agreement will terminate upon the earliest of (i) the effective time of the Merger, (ii) the termination of the Business Combination Agreement if the Closing does not occur, and (iii) the written agreement of the parties terminating the Sponsor Support Agreement.
In connection with the execution of the Business Combination Agreement, the Company entered into a support agreement (the “Stockholder Support Agreement”) with Bolt Threads and certain stockholders of Bolt Threads pursuant to which such stockholders have, among other things, agreed to vote to adopt and approve, upon the registration statement on Form S-4 being declared effective, the Business Combination Agreement and all other documents and transactions contemplated thereby and to subject their shares to certain transfer restrictions. The Stockholder Support Agreement will terminate upon the earliest of (i) the effective time of the Merger, (ii) the termination of the Business Combination Agreement if the Closing does not occur, and (iii) the written agreement of the parties terminating the Stockholder Support Agreement.
Proposed Second Extension
On November 2, 2023, the Company filed a Preliminary Proxy Statement on Schedule 14A relating to a special meeting of stockholders that is anticipated to be held in December 2023 to approve an amendment to the Company’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation, as amended (the “Charter Amendment”) which would, if implemented, allow the Company to extend the date by which it has to consummate a Business Combination (the “Proposed Second Extension”) for an additional nine months, from December 19, 2023 to September 19, 2024, or such earlier date as determined by the Board (such later date, the “Extended Date”, and such proposal, the “Charter Amendment Proposal”).
19
Item 2. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
References in this quarterly report on Form 10-Q, (the “Quarterly Report”) to “we,” “us” or the “Company” refer to Golden Arrow Merger Corp. References to our “management” or our “management team” refer to our officers and directors, and references to the “Sponsor” refer to Golden Arrow Sponsor, LLC. The following discussion and analysis of the Company’s financial condition and results of operations should be read in conjunction with the financial statements and the notes thereto contained elsewhere in this Quarterly Report. Certain information contained in the discussion and analysis set forth below includes forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties.
Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
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”) that are not historical facts and involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expected and projected. All statements, other than statements of historical fact included in this Quarterly Report including, without limitation, statements in this “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” regarding the Company’s financial position, business strategy and the plans and objectives of management for future operations, are forward-looking statements. Words such as “expect,” “believe,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “estimate,” “seek” and variations and similar words and expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements relate to future events or future performance, but reflect management’s current beliefs, based on information currently available. A number of factors could cause actual events, performance or results to differ materially from the events, performance and results discussed in the forward-looking statements. For information identifying important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements, please refer to the Risk Factors section of this Quarterly Report, the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K (the “Form 10-K”) filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on March 31, 2023. The Company’s securities filings can be accessed on the EDGAR section of the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. Except as expressly required by applicable securities law, the Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
Overview
We are a blank check company formed under the laws of the State of Delaware on December 31, 2020 for the purpose of effecting a merger, capital stock exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses, which we refer to as our initial business combination. We intend to effectuate our initial business combination using cash from the proceeds of the Initial Public Offering (defined below) and the sale of the Private Placement Warrants (defined below), our capital stock, debt or a combination of cash, stock and debt.
We expect to continue to incur significant costs in the pursuit of our acquisition plans. We cannot assure you that our plans to complete an initial business combination will be successful.
Proposed Business Combination
On October 4, 2023, the Company entered into a Business Combination Agreement (the “Business Combination Agreement”) with Beam Merger Sub, Inc., a Delaware corporation and a direct, wholly owned subsidiary of the Company (“Merger Sub") and Bolt Threads, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Bolt Threads”).
Pursuant to the Business Combination Agreement, the parties will consummate a business combination transaction pursuant to which Merger Sub will merge with and into Bolt Threads, with Bolt Threads surviving the merger as a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company (the “Merger” and, together with the other transactions contemplated by the Business Combination Agreement, the “Business Combination” and the closing of the Business Combination, the “Closing”). In connection with the Closing, the Company will be renamed “Bolt Projects Holdings, Inc.,” and is referred to in this Quarterly Report as “New GAMC” as of the time following such change of name.
The Business Combination is expected to be consummated after receipt of the required approvals by the stockholders of the Company and Bolt Threads and the satisfaction or waiver of certain other customary conditions.
The aggregate equity consideration to be paid to Bolt Threads’ stockholders and optionholders in the Business Combination will be equal to the quotient of (i) $250,000,000 (the “Equity Value”) divided by (ii) $10.00.
The Business Combination Agreement provides that, in connection with the Closing, New GAMC, certain stockholders of Bolt Threads, our Sponsor and certain of our stockholders will enter into an amended and restated registration rights and lock-up agreement (the “Registration Rights and Lock-up Agreement”), pursuant to which New GAMC will agree to register for resale certain shares of common stock of New GAMC (the “New GAMC common stock”) and other equity securities that are held by the parties thereto from time to time.
Concurrently with the execution of the Business Combination Agreement, certain investors (the “PIPE Investors”), including the Sponsor, entered into subscription agreements (the “PIPE Subscription Agreements”) pursuant to which the PIPE Investors have committed to purchase in a private placement up to 2,734,433 shares of Class A common stock (the “PIPE Shares”) at a purchase price of $10.00 per share and an aggregate purchase price of up to $27,344,330 (the “PIPE Investment”). The purchase of the PIPE Shares is conditioned upon, among other things, the consummation of the Business Combination and will be consummated immediately prior to or substantially concurrently with the Closing.
20
Pursuant to the PIPE Subscription Agreement executed by the Sponsor, the Sponsor has agreed to purchase 800,000 shares of Class A common stock at a purchase price of $10.00 per share for an aggregate purchase price of $8,000,000. However, the number of subscribed shares to be purchased thereunder by the Sponsor will be reduced by the number of shares of Class A common stock that have not been elected for redemption as of the expiration of the redemption period related to the Closing and that are held by certain individuals mutually agreed upon by the Company and Bolt Threads at any time from the date of the execution of the agreement up to immediately prior to the expiration of such redemption period.
In connection with the execution of the Business Combination Agreement, we entered into a sponsor support agreement (the “Sponsor Support Agreement”) with the Sponsor and Bolt Threads. Pursuant to the Sponsor Support Agreement, the Sponsor has, among other things, agreed to vote all of its shares of capital stock in favor of the approval of the Transactions. In addition, the Sponsor has agreed that 1,437,500 shares of New GAMC common stock issued in connection with the IPO (the “Sponsor Shares”) will be unvested and subject to forfeiture as of the Closing and will only vest if, during the five year period following the Closing, (i) the volume weighted average price of New GAMC common stock equals or exceeds $12.50 (as adjusted for stock splits, stock dividends, reorganizations, recapitalizations and the like) for any twenty trading days within a period of thirty consecutive trading days or (ii) there is a change of control of GAMC. Any Sponsor Shares that remain unvested after the fifth anniversary of the Closing will be forfeited. The Sponsor Support Agreement will terminate upon the earliest of (i) the effective time of the Merger, (ii) the termination of the Business Combination Agreement if the Closing does not occur, and (iii) the written agreement of the parties terminating the Sponsor Support Agreement.
In connection with the execution of the Business Combination Agreement, we entered into a support agreement (the “Stockholder Support Agreement”) with Bolt Threads and certain stockholders of Bolt Threads pursuant to which such stockholders have, among other things, agreed to vote to adopt and approve, upon the registration statement on Form S-4 being declared effective, the Business Combination Agreement and all other documents and transactions contemplated thereby and to subject their shares to certain transfer restrictions. The Stockholder Support Agreement will terminate upon the earliest of (i) the effective time of the Merger, (ii) the termination of the Business Combination Agreement if the Closing does not occur, and (iii) the written agreement of the parties terminating the Stockholder Support Agreement.
First Extension
On March 15, 2023, our stockholders approved an amendment to our amended and restated certificate of incorporation (as amended, the “charter”) (the “Charter Amendment”). The Charter Amendment extended the date by which we have to consummate a business combination for an additional nine months, from March 19, 2023 (the “Termination Date”) to up to December 19, 2023 by electing to extend the date to consummate an initial business combination on a monthly basis for up to nine times by an additional one month each time after the Termination Date, until December 19, 2023 or a total of up to nine months after the Termination Date, or such earlier date as determined by our board of directors, unless the closing of the initial business combination shall have occurred, which is referred to as the “First Extension,” and such later date, the “Extended Date”, provided that the Sponsor (or its affiliates or permitted designees) will deposit into the Trust Account (defined below) an amount determined by multiplying $0.03 by the number of public shares then outstanding, up to a maximum of $105,000 (each, an “Extension Payment”) for each such one-month extension unless the closing of our initial business combination shall have occurred, in exchange for a non-interest bearing, unsecured promissory note payable upon consummation of a business combination.
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In connection with the votes to approve the First Extension, the holders of 26,649,519 shares of Class A common stock properly exercised their right to redeem their shares for cash at a redemption price of approximately $10.16 per share, for an aggregate redemption amount of $270,769,687, leaving $21,467,825 in the Trust Account.
On March 16, 2023, our Sponsor voluntarily converted the 7,047,500 shares of Class B common stock it held into 7,047,500 shares of Class A common stock in accordance with the charter (the “Conversion”). Following the implementation of the First Extension and the Conversion, we had 9,147,981 shares of Class A common stock outstanding and 140,000 shares of Class B common stock outstanding.
Proposed Second Extension
On November 2, 2023, we filed a Preliminary Proxy Statement on Schedule 14A (the “Proxy Statement”) relating to a special meeting of stockholders that is anticipated to be held in December 2023 to approve an amendment to the Company’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation, as amended (the “Charter Amendment”) which would, if implemented, allow us to extend the date by which we have to consummate a Business Combination (the “Proposed Second Extension”) for an additional nine months, from December 19, 2023 to September 19, 2024, or such earlier date as determined by the Board (such later date, the “Extended Date”, and such proposal, the “Charter Amendment Proposal”).
Results of Operations
We have neither engaged in any operations nor generated any revenues to date. Our only activities from December 31, 2020 (inception) through September 30, 2023 were organizational activities, those necessary to prepare for the Initial Public Offering, described below, 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 in the Trust Account (defined below). We incur expenses as a result of being a public company (for legal, financial reporting, accounting and auditing compliance), as well as for due diligence expenses.
For the three months ended September 30, 2023, we had a net loss of $881,650, which consisted of interest earned on marketable securities held in the Trust Account of $210,282, and interest income bank in $2,489, offset by the change in fair value of warrant liability of $145,833, formation and operational costs of $914,406 and provision for income taxes of $34,182.
For the nine months ended September 30, 2023, we had a net income of $257,309, which consisted of interest earned on marketable securities held in the Trust Account of $2,981,638 and interest income bank in $6,981, offset by the change in fair value of warrant liability of $437,500, formation and operational costs of $1,697,700 and provision for income taxes of $596,110.
For the three months ended September 30, 2022, we had a net income of $1,482,941, which consisted of the change in fair value of warrant liability of $237,941, change in fair value of convertible notes of $477,730, interest earned on marketable securities held in the Trust Account of $1,440,695, offset by formation and operational costs of $411,972 and provision for income taxes of $261,453.
For the nine months ended September 30, 2022, we had a net income of $7,495,141, which consisted of the change in fair value of warrant liability of $6,412,286, change in fair value of convertible notes of $681,130, interest earned on marketable securities held in the Trust Account of $1,578,062, offset by formation and operational costs of $914,884 and provision for income taxes of $261,453.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
On March 19, 2021, we consummated the initial public offering of 25,000,000 units at $10.00 per unit (the “Initial Public Offering”), generating gross proceeds of $250,000,000. Simultaneously with the closing of the Initial Public Offering, we consummated the sale of 4,500,000 private placement warrants at a price of $1.50 per private placement warrant (the “Private Placement Warrants”) in a private placement to the Sponsor generating gross proceeds of $6,750,000.
Following the Initial Public Offering and the sale of the Private Placement Warrants, a total of $250,000,000 was placed in the Trust Account. We incurred $14,246,969 in Initial Public Offering related costs, including $5,000,000 of underwriting fees, $8,750,000 of deferred underwriting fees and $496,969 of other offering costs.
On May 6, 2021, in connection with the underwriters’ exercise of their over-allotment option in full, we consummated the sale of an additional 3,750,000 Units at a price of $10.00 per Unit, generating total gross proceeds of $37,500,000. In addition, we also consummated the sale of an additional 500,000 Private Placement Warrants at $1.50 per Private Placement Warrant, generating gross proceeds of $750,000. A total of $37,500,000 of the net proceeds from the sale of the additional Units and Private Placement Warrants was placed in the Trust Account, bringing the aggregate proceeds held in the Trust Account to $287,500,000.
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In connection with the votes to approve the First Extension, the holders of 26,649,519 shares of Class A common stock properly exercised their right to redeem their shares for cash at a redemption price of approximately $10.16 per share, for an aggregate redemption amount of approximately $270,869,315, leaving approximately $21,349,572 in the Trust Account. Upon implementation of the First Extension, the remaining trust funds were deposited in an interest-bearing demand deposit account at a bank.
For the nine months ended September 30, 2023, cash used in operating activities was $1,376,750. Net income of $257,309 was affected by change in fair value of warrant liability of $437,500, interest earned on marketable securities held in the Trust Account of $2,981,638. Changes in operating assets and liabilities provided $910,079 of cash for operating activities.
For the nine months ended September 30, 2022, cash used in operating activities was $911,068. Net income of $7,495,141 was affected by change in fair value of warrant liability of $6,412,286, change in fair value of convertible notes of $681,130, interest earned on marketable securities held in the Trust Account of $1,578,062. Changes in operating assets and liabilities used $265,269 of cash for operating activities.
As of September 30, 2023, we held investments in the Trust Account in the amount of $22,275,986. Interest income on the balance in the Trust Account may be used by us to pay taxes. Through September 30, 2023, we withdrew $271,793,225 from the Trust Account for the redemption payment and to be used towards tax payments. On October 3, 2022, we withdrew $360,000 of interest earned from the Trust Account to be used towards Delaware franchise tax obligations.
We intend to use substantially all of the funds held in the Trust Account, including any amounts representing interest earned on the Trust Account (less income taxes payable), to complete our Business Combination. To the extent that our capital stock or debt is used, in whole or in part, as consideration to complete our 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.
As of September 30, 2023, we had cash of $80,462. 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 a business combination, the Sponsor, or certain of our officers and directors or their affiliates may, but are not obligated to, loan us funds as may be required. If we complete a Business Combination, we would repay such loaned amounts. In the event that a Business Combination does not close, we may use a portion of the working capital held outside the Trust Account to repay such loaned amounts but no proceeds from our Trust Account would be used for such repayment. Up to $1,500,000 of such loans may be convertible into warrants, at the option of the lender. The warrants would be identical to the Private Placement Warrants.
On February 25, 2022 and August 26, 2022, we issued two promissory notes to our sponsor (the “2022 Convertible Promissory Notes”) pursuant to which we may borrow up to an aggregate principal amount of $500,000 and $400,000, respectively. The 2022 Convertible Promissory Notes are non-interest bearing and payable upon consummation of our initial business combination. At our sponsor’s discretion, the 2022 Convertible Promissory Notes may be converted into warrants of the post-business combination entity at a price of $1.50 per warrant. The warrants would be identical to the private placement warrants.
On March 8, 2023, we issued a third convertible promissory note to our sponsor (the “2023 Convertible Promissory Note” and, together with the 2022 Convertible Promissory Notes, the “Convertible Promissory Notes”) pursuant to which we may borrow up to an aggregate principal amount of $750,000. The 2023 Convertible Promissory Note is non-interest bearing and payable upon the consummation of a business combination. At the sponsor’s discretion, the 2023 Convertible Promissory Note may be converted into warrants of the post-business combination entity at a price of $1.50 per warrant, provided that the aggregate of such warrants together with any warrants issued upon conversions pursuant to the 2022 Convertible Promissory Notes do not exceed 1,000,000 warrants. The warrants would be identical to the private placement warrants. As of September 30, 2023, $200,000 has been borrowed against this note.
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As of September 30, 2023, there was an aggregate $1,300,000 balance outstanding under the three Convertible Promissory Notes. The Convertible Promissory Notes were valued at par value.
In connection with the Extension Payments, on March 17, 2023, we issued an unsecured promissory note to our Sponsor in the aggregate amount of $567,130 (the “Extension Note”). Since March 17, 2023, we have deposited an aggregate of $504,120 of Extension Payments into the Trust Account and intends to continue to extend the Termination Date up to December 19, 2023. The Extension Note bears no interest and the principal balance is payable on the date of the consummation our initial business combination. The Extension Note is not convertible into private placement warrants and the principal balance may be prepaid at any time.
On January 8, 2021, we issued a non-interest bearing, unsecured promissory note to the Sponsor, pursuant to which we may borrow up to an aggregate principal amount of $200,000, which was originally due on March 19, 2021. On March 18, 2022, we amended and restated the promissory note to extend the due date of amounts outstanding under the promissory note to the earlier of December 31, 2022 and the date of consummation of our initial business combination. As of September 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022, there were no amounts outstanding under the promissory note, respectively.
If our estimate of the costs of identifying a target business, undertaking in-depth due diligence and negotiating a business combination are less than the actual amount necessary to do so, we may have insufficient funds available to operate our business prior to our Business Combination. Moreover, we may need to obtain additional financing either to complete our Business Combination or because we become obligated to redeem a significant number of our public shares upon consummation of our Business Combination, in which case we may issue additional securities or incur debt in connection with such Business Combination.
Going Concern
As a result of the First Extension, we have up to an additional nine months, from March 19, 2023 to up to December 19, 2023 to consummate a business combination, provided that the Sponsor (or its affiliates or permitted designees) will deposit into the Trust Account the Extension Payment in exchange for a non-interest bearing, unsecured promissory note payable upon consummation of a business combination. It is uncertain that we will be able to consummate a Business Combination by the Extended Date. If we are unable to raise additional funds to alleviate liquidity needs as well as complete a Business Combination by this date, there will be a mandatory liquidation and subsequent dissolution. Management has determined that the possible liquidity condition as we continue to incur costs and the mandatory liquidation, should a business combination not occur, and potential subsequent dissolution raises substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern. Management plans to consummate a business combination prior to the mandatory liquidation date. No adjustments have been made to the carrying amounts of assets or liabilities should we be required to liquidate after December 19, 2023.
Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements
We have no obligations, assets or liabilities, which would be considered off-balance sheet arrangements as of September 30, 2023. We do not participate in transactions that create relationships with unconsolidated entities or financial partnerships, often referred to as variable interest entities, which would have been established for the purpose of facilitating off-balance sheet arrangements. We have not entered into any off-balance sheet financing arrangements, established any special purpose entities, guaranteed any debt or commitments of other entities, or purchased any non-financial assets.
Contractual Obligations
We do not have any long-term debt, capital lease obligations, operating lease obligations or long-term liabilities.
The underwriters are entitled to a deferred fee of $0.35 per unit, or $10,062,500 in the aggregate. The deferred fee will become payable to the underwriters from the amounts held in the Trust Account solely in the event that we complete a business combination, subject to the terms of the underwriting agreement.
We entered into an agreement with Jones International Group for consulting services related to a search for a target business. For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2023, we incurred $20,500 of consulting fees. On February 20, 2023, the Company terminated this agreement.
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Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates
The preparation of unaudited consolidated 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 the 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:
Warrant Liabilities
We account for the warrants in accordance with the guidance contained in ASC 815-40-15 under which the warrants do not meet the criteria for equity treatment and must be recorded as liabilities. Accordingly, we classify the warrants as liabilities at their fair value and adjust the warrants to fair value at each reporting period. This liability is subject to re-measurement at each balance sheet date until exercised, and any change in fair value is recognized in our statements of operations. The Private Placement Warrants and the warrants included as part of the units in the Initial Public Offering (the “Public Warrants” and together with the Private Placement Warrants, the “warrants”) for periods where no observable traded price was available are valued using a lattice model, specifically a binomial lattice model incorporating the Cox-Ross-Rubenstein methodology. For periods subsequent to the detachment of the Public Warrants from the Units, the Public Warrant quoted market price was used as the fair value as of each relevant date.
Common Stock Subject to Possible Redemption
We account for our common stock subject to possible conversion in accordance with the guidance in Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) Topic 480 “Distinguishing Liabilities from Equity.” Common stock subject to mandatory redemption is classified as a liability instrument and measured at fair value. Conditionally redeemable common stock (including common stock that features redemption rights that are either within the control of the holder or subject to redemption upon the occurrence of uncertain events not solely within our control) is classified as temporary equity. At all other times, common stock is classified as stockholders’ equity. Our common stock features certain redemption rights that are considered to be outside of our control and subject to occurrence of uncertain future events. Accordingly, common stock subject to possible redemption is presented at redemption value as temporary equity, outside of the stockholders’ deficit section of our consolidated condensed balance sheets.
Net (Loss) Income Per Common Share
Net (loss) income per common share is computed by dividing net income by the weighted average number of common stock outstanding for the period. We have two classes of shares which are referred to as Class A common stock and Class B Common stock. Income is shared pro rata between the two classes of shares. Net (loss) income per common share is calculated by dividing the net (loss) income by the weighted average shares of common stock outstanding for the respective period. Accretion associated with the redeemable shares of Class A common stock is excluded from earnings per share as the redemption value approximates fair value.
Recent Accounting Standards
In August 2020, the FASB issued ASU No. 2020-06, “Debt—Debt with Conversion and Other Options (Subtopic 470-20) and Derivatives and Hedging—Contracts in Entity’s Own Equity (Subtopic 815-40): Accounting for Convertible Instruments and Contracts in an Entity’s Own Equity” (“ASU 2020-06”), which simplifies accounting for convertible instruments by removing major separation models required under current GAAP. ASU 2020-06 removes certain settlement conditions that are required for equity contracts to qualify for the derivative scope exception, and it also simplifies the diluted earnings per share calculation in certain areas. ASU 2020-06 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2023, including interim periods within those fiscal years, with early adoption permitted. The impact of the adoption of ASU 2020-06 is being assessed by the company, however no significant impact on the financial statements is anticipated.
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In June 2016, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2016-13 – Financial Instruments – Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments (“ASU 2016-13”). This update requires financial assets measured at amortized cost basis to be presented at the net amount expected to be collected. The measurement of expected credit losses is based on relevant information about past events, including historical experience, current conditions, and reasonable and supportable forecasts that affect the collectability of the reported amount. Since June 2016, the FASB issued clarifying updates to the new standard including changing the effective date for smaller reporting companies. The guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2022, and interim periods within those fiscal years, with early adoption permitted. The Company adopted ASU 2016-13 on January 1, 2023. The adoption of ASU 2016-13 did not have a material impact on its financial statements.
Management does not believe that any recently issued, but not yet effective, accounting standards, if currently adopted, would have a material effect on our consolidated condensed financial statements.
Item 3. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk
Not required for smaller reporting companies.
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 our reports filed or submitted under the Exchange Act is accumulated and communicated to our management, including our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer or persons performing similar functions, as appropriate, to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure.
Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures
Under the supervision and with the participation of our management, including our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, we conducted an evaluation of the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures as of September 30, 2023, as such term is defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) under the Exchange Act. Based on this evaluation, our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures were not effective, due solely to the material weakness in our internal control over financial reporting related to the company’s accounting for complex financial instruments. In light of this material weakness, we performed additional analysis as deemed necessary to ensure that our financial statements were prepared in accordance with GAAP. Notwithstanding the material weakness, management has concluded that the financial statements included elsewhere in this Quarterly Report present fairly, in all material respects, our financial position, results of operations and cash flows in conformity with GAAP.
Management has implemented remediation steps to improve our internal control over financial reporting. Specifically, we expanded and improved our review process for complex securities and related accounting standards. We have improved this process by enhancing access to accounting literature, identification of third-party professionals with whom to consult regarding complex accounting applications and consideration of additional staff with the requisite experience and training to supplement existing accounting professionals. 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 were no changes in our internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the most recent fiscal quarter of the fiscal year covered by this Quarterly Report that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.
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PART II - OTHER INFORMATION
Item 1. Legal Proceedings
None.
Item 1A. Risk Factors
Factors that could cause our actual results to differ materially from those in this Quarterly Report include the risk factors described in our Form 10-K. 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. As of the date of this Quarterly Report, there have been no material changes to the risk factors disclosed in our Form 10-K other than those described below.
We cannot assure you that the Proposed Second Extension will enable us to complete a business combination.
Approving the Proposed Second Extension involves a number of risks. Even if the Proposed Second Extension is approved, we cannot assure you that a business combination will be consummated prior to the Extended Date. Our ability to consummate any business combination is dependent on a variety of factors, many of which are beyond our control. If the Proposed Second Extension is approved, we expect to seek stockholder approval of a business combination. We are required to offer stockholders the opportunity to redeem shares in connection with the Charter Amendment, and we will be required to offer stockholders redemption rights again in connection with any stockholder vote to approve a business combination. Even if the Proposed Second Extension or a business combination are approved by our stockholders, it is possible that redemptions will leave us with insufficient cash to consummate a business combination on commercially acceptable terms, or at all. The fact that we will have separate redemption periods in connection with the Proposed Second Extension and a business combination vote could exacerbate these risks. Other than in connection with a redemption offer or liquidation, our stockholders may be unable to recover their investment except through sales of our shares on the open market. The price of our shares may be volatile, and there can be no assurance that stockholders will be able to dispose of our shares at favorable prices, or at all.
The Proposed Second Extension contemplated by the Charter Amendment Proposal contravenes Nasdaq rules and, as a result, may lead Nasdaq to suspend trading in our securities or lead our securities to be delisted from Nasdaq.
Our Class A common stock, units and warrants are listed on Nasdaq. Nasdaq IM-5101-2 requires that a special purpose acquisition company complete one or more business combinations within 36 months of the effectiveness of its registration statement for its initial public offering, which, in the case of the Company, would be March 19, 2024 (the “Nasdaq Deadline���). The Charter Amendment, if approved and implemented, would extend the Company’s termination date beyond the Nasdaq Deadline. As a result, the Charter Amendment contemplated by the Charter Amendment proposal does not comply with Nasdaq rules. There is a risk that trading in the Company’s securities may be suspended and the Company may be subject to delisting by Nasdaq if the Charter Amendment proposal is approved and the Proposed Second Extension implemented, and the Company does not complete one or more business combinations by the Nasdaq Deadline. We cannot assure you that Nasdaq will not delist the Company in such event, or that we will be able to obtain a hearing with Nasdaq’s Hearings Panel to appeal the delisting determination, or that our securities will not be suspended pending the Hearing Panel’s decision.
In addition, we are subject to compliance with Nasdaq’s continued listing requirements in order to maintain the listing of our securities on Nasdaq. Such continued listing requirements for our common stock include, among other things, the requirement to maintain at least 300 public holders and at least 500,000 publicly held shares. Pursuant to the terms of our charter, in the event the Charter Amendment Proposal is approved and the charter is amended, public stockholders may elect to redeem their public shares and, as a result, we may not be in compliance with Nasdaq’s continued listing requirements.
If Nasdaq delists any of our securities from trading on its exchange and we are not able to list such securities on another national securities exchange, we expect such securities could be quoted on an over-the-counter market. If this were to occur, we could face significant material adverse consequences, including:
● | our ability to complete an initial Business Combination with a target company contemplating a Nasdaq listing, including the Proposed Business Combination; | |
● | a limited availability of market quotations for our securities; | |
● | reduced liquidity for our securities; | |
● | a determination that our Class A common stock is a “penny stock” which will require brokers trading in our Class A common stock to adhere to more stringent rules and possibly result in a reduced level of trading activity in the secondary trading market for our securities; | |
● | a limited amount of news and analyst coverage; and | |
● | a decreased ability to issue additional securities or obtain additional financing in the future. |
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The National Securities Markets Improvement Act of 1996, which is a federal statute, prevents or preempts the states from regulating the sale of certain securities, which are referred to as “covered securities.” Our Class A common stock, units and warrants qualify as covered securities under such statute. Although the states are preempted from regulating the sale of covered securities, the federal statute does allow the states to investigate companies if there is a suspicion of fraud, and, if there is a finding of fraudulent activity, then the states can regulate or bar the sale of covered securities in a particular case. While we are not aware of a state having used these powers to prohibit or restrict the sale of securities issued by special purpose acquisition companies, certain state securities regulators view blank check companies unfavorably and might use these powers, or threaten to use these powers, to hinder the sale of securities of blank check companies in their states. Further, if we were no longer listed on Nasdaq, our securities would not qualify as covered securities under such statute and we would be subject to regulation in each state in which we offer our securities.
Item 2. Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds.
On March 19, 2021, we consummated our Initial Public Offering of 28,750,000 Units and on May 6, 2021, we consummated the sale of an additional 3,750,000 Units as a result of the exercise in full of the underwriters’ over-allotment option, in each case at an offering price of $10.00 per Unit, generating total gross proceeds of $287,500,000. The securities sold in our Initial Public Offering were registered under the Securities Act on registration statement on Form S-1 (No. 333-253465). The registration statement became effective on March 16, 2021.
Item 3. Defaults Upon Senior Securities
None.
Item 4. Mine Safety Disclosures
None.
Item 5. Other Information
None.
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Item 6. Exhibits
The following exhibits are filed as part of, or incorporated by reference into, this Form 10-Q.
No. | Description of Exhibit | |
31.1* | Certification of Principal Executive Officer and Principal Financial Officer Pursuant to Securities Exchange Act Rules 13a-14(a), as adopted Pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. | |
32.1** | Certification of Principal Executive Officer and Principal Financial Officer Pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted Pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. | |
101.INS* | Inline XBRL Instance Document. | |
101.SCH* | Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Schema Document. | |
101.CAL* | Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Calculation Linkbase Document. | |
101.DEF* | Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Definition Linkbase Document. | |
101.LAB* | Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Label Linkbase Document. | |
101.PRE* | Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Presentation Linkbase Document. | |
104* | Cover Page Interactive Data File (formatted as Inline XBRL and contained in Exhibit 101). |
* | Filed herewith. |
** | Furnished herewith. |
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PART III
SIGNATURE
In accordance with the requirements of the Exchange Act, the registrant caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.
GOLDEN ARROW MERGER CORP. | ||
Date: November 14, 2023 | By: | /s/ Timothy Babich |
Name: | Timothy Babich | |
Title: | Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer | |
(Principal Executive Officer, Principal Financial Officer and Principal Accounting Officer) |
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