UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
FORM 10-Q
☒ QUARTERLY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For the quarterly period ended March 31, 2024
or
☐ 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: 001-41246
Chenghe Acquisition I Co.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Cayman Islands | 98-1605340 |
(State or other jurisdiction | (IRS Employer |
|
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38 Beach Road #29-11 South Beach Tower Singapore | 189767 |
(Address of principal executive offices) | (Zip Code) |
|
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(+65) 9851 8611 (Registrant’s telephone number, including area code) LatAmGrowth SPAC (Former name or former address, if changed since last report) Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act: |
Title of each class |
| Trading Symbol(s) |
| Name of each exchange on which registered |
Units, each consisting of one Class A ordinary share, $0.0001 par value, and one-half of one redeemable warrant | | LATGU | | The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC |
Class A ordinary shares | | LATG | | The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC |
Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant: (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the Registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.
YES ☒ NO ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the Registrant was required to submit such files). YES ☒ NO ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definition of “large accelerated filer”, “accelerated filer”, and “smaller reporting 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 May 15, 2024, there were 5,000,000 Class A ordinary shares, $0.0001 par value, and 2,191,873 Class B ordinary shares, $0.0001 par value, issued and outstanding.
CHENGHE ACQUISITION I CO.
Form 10-Q for the Quarter Ended March 31, 2024
Table of Contents
PART I. FINANCIAL INFORMATION
Item 1. | Financial Statements |
CHENGHE ACQUISITION I CO.
CONDENSED BALANCE SHEETS
| | | | | | |
| | March 31, | | December 31, | ||
|
| 2024 |
| 2023 | ||
| | (Unaudited) | | | | |
Assets |
| | |
| |
|
Current Assets |
| |
|
| |
|
Cash | | $ | — | | $ | — |
Prepaid expenses | |
| 79,907 | |
| 3,640 |
Total Current Assets | |
| 79,907 | |
| 3,640 |
Cash held in Trust Account | |
| 44,321,958 | |
| 43,605,597 |
Total Assets | | $ | 44,401,865 | | $ | 43,609,237 |
| |
| | |
| |
Liabilities, Redeemable Ordinary Shares and Shareholders’ Deficit | | | | | | |
Current Liabilities | |
|
| |
|
|
Accounts payable and accrued expenses | | $ | 1,991,379 | | $ | 1,716,466 |
Promissory Note - Related Party | | | 850,689 | | | 404,170 |
Transaction costs payable | | | 236,512 | | | — |
Total Current Liabilities | |
| 3,078,580 | |
| 2,120,636 |
Warrant liabilities | |
| 720,000 | |
| 144,000 |
Total Liabilities | |
| 3,798,580 | |
| 2,264,636 |
| |
| | |
| |
Commitments and Contingencies (Note 6) | | | | | | |
| |
| | |
| |
Class A ordinary shares subject to possible redemption, 3,941,873 shares at redemption value of $11.24 and $11.06 at March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, respectively | |
| 44,321,958 | |
| 43,605,597 |
| |
| | |
| |
Shareholders’ Deficit | |
| | |
| |
Preference shares, $0.0001 par value; 1,000,000 shares authorized; none issued and outstanding | |
| — | |
| — |
Class A ordinary shares, $0.0001 par value; 200,000,000 shares authorized; 1,058,127 issued and outstanding (excluding 3,941,873 shares subject to possible redemption) at March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023 | |
| 106 | |
| 106 |
Class B ordinary shares, $0.0001 par value; 20,000,000 shares authorized; 2,191,873 shares issued and outstanding at March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023 | |
| 219 | |
| 219 |
Additional paid-in capital | |
| 1,243,893 | |
| 1,960,254 |
Accumulated deficit | |
| (4,962,891) | |
| (4,221,575) |
Total Shareholders’ Deficit | | | (3,718,673) | | | (2,260,996) |
Total Liabilities, Redeemable Ordinary Shares and Shareholders’ Deficit | | $ | 44,401,865 | | $ | 43,609,237 |
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these unaudited condensed financial statements.
1
CHENGHE ACQUISITION I CO.
UNAUDITED CONDENSED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
| | | | | | |
| | For the Three Months Ended March 31, | ||||
|
| 2024 |
| 2023 | ||
Formation and operating costs | | $ | 645,165 | | $ | 361,445 |
Loss from operations | |
| (645,165) | |
| (361,445) |
Other (loss) income: | |
|
| |
| |
(Loss) Gain on change in fair value of warrants | |
| (576,000) | |
| 720,000 |
Trust interest income | |
| 479,849 | |
| 1,427,334 |
Total other (loss) income | | | (96,151) | | | 2,147,334 |
| | | | | | |
Net (loss) income | | $ | (741,316) | | $ | 1,785,889 |
| | | | | | |
Basic and diluted weighted average shares outstanding of Class A ordinary shares subject to possible redemption | |
| 3,941,873 | | | 13,000,000 |
Basic and diluted net (loss) income per share, Class A ordinary shares subject to possible redemption | | $ | (0.10) | | $ | 0.11 |
Basic and diluted weighted average shares outstanding of non-redeemable Class A and Class B ordinary shares | |
| 3,250,000 | | | 3,250,000 |
Basic and diluted net (loss) income per share, non-redeemable Class A and Class B ordinary shares | | $ | (0.10) | | $ | 0.11 |
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these unaudited condensed financial statements.
2
CHENGHE ACQUISITION I CO.
UNAUDITED CONDENSED STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN SHAREHOLDERS’ DEFICIT
FOR THE THREE MONTHS ENDED MARCH 31, 2024
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Total | |
| | Class A Ordinary Shares | | Class B Ordinary Shares | | Additional | | Accumulated | | Shareholder’s | |||||||||
|
| Shares |
| Amount |
| Shares |
| Amount |
| Paid-in Capital |
| Deficit |
| Deficit | |||||
Balance – December 31, 2023 |
| 1,058,127 | | $ | 106 | | 2,191,873 | | $ | 219 | | $ | 1,960,254 | | $ | (4,221,575) | | $ | (2,260,996) |
Remeasurement of Class A ordinary shares to redemption amount |
| — | |
| — | | — | | | — | |
| (716,361) | |
| — | |
| (716,361) |
Net loss |
| — | |
| — | | — | | | — | |
| — | |
| (741,316) | |
| (741,316) |
Balance as of March 31, 2024 (unaudited) | | 1,058,127 | | $ | 106 | | 2,191,873 | | $ | 219 | | $ | 1,243,893 | | $ | (4,962,891) | | $ | (3,718,673) |
FOR THE THREE MONTHS ENDED MARCH 31, 2023
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | Total | |
| | Class B | | Additional | | Accumulated | | Shareholders’ | ||||||
|
| Shares |
| Amount |
| Paid-In Capital |
| Deficit |
| Deficit | ||||
Balance as of December 31, 2022 | | 3,250,000 | | $ | 325 | | $ | — | | $ | (5,491,702) | | $ | (5,491,377) |
Remeasurement of Class A ordinary shares to redemption amount |
| — | |
| — | |
| — | |
| (1,427,334) | |
| (1,427,334) |
Net income |
| — | |
| — | |
| — | |
| 1,785,889 | |
| 1,785,889 |
Balance as of March 31, 2023 (unaudited) | | 3,250,000 | | | 325 | | | — | | | (5,133,147) | | | (5,132,822) |
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these unaudited condensed financial statements.
3
CHENGHE ACQUISITION I CO.
UNAUDITED CONDENSED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
| | | | | | |
| | For the Three Months Ended March 31, | ||||
|
| 2024 |
| 2023 | ||
Cash flows from operating activities: | | | | | | |
Net (loss) income | | $ | (741,316) | | $ | 1,785,889 |
Adjustments to reconcile net (loss) income to net cash used in operating activities: | |
| | |
| |
Interest earned on cash and marketable securities held in Trust Account | | | (479,849) | | | (1,427,334) |
Unrealized loss (gain) on change in fair value of warrants | |
| 576,000 | |
| (720,000) |
Changes in operating assets and liabilities: | |
| | |
| |
Prepaid expenses | |
| (76,267) | |
| 82,976 |
Accounts payable and accrued expenses | |
| 274,913 | |
| 110,186 |
Due to related party | | | — | | | (319) |
Net cash used in operating activities | |
| (446,519) | |
| (168,602) |
| |
| | | | |
Cash flows from investing Activities: | |
| | |
| |
Principal deposited in Trust Account | | | (236,512) | | | — |
Net cash used in investing activities | |
| (236,512) | |
| — |
| | | | | | |
Cash flows from financing Activities: | | | | | | |
Proceeds from the issuance of promissory note to related party | |
| 446,519 | |
| — |
Extension deposits paid by target | |
| 236,512 | |
| — |
Net cash provided by financing activities | | | 683,031 | | | — |
| |
| | |
| |
Net change in cash | |
| — | |
| (168,602) |
Cash, beginning of the period | | | — | | | 1,103,214 |
Cash, end of the period | | $ | — | | $ | 934,612 |
| |
| | |
| |
Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information: | | | | | | |
Remeasurement of Class A ordinary shares to redemption amount | | $ | 716,361 | | $ | 1,427,334 |
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these unaudited condensed financial statements.
4
CHENGHE ACQUISITION I CO.
NOTES TO CONDENSED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
NOTE 1—ORGANIZATION AND BUSINESS OPERATION
Chenghe Acquisition I Co. (f/k/a LatAmGrowth SPAC) (the “Company”) was incorporated as a Cayman Islands exempted company on May 20, 2021. On October 25, 2023, shareholder of the Company approved to change the name of the Company from LatAmGrowth SPAC to Chenghe Acquisition I Co. as a result of the Sponsor Sale (see details of such Sponsor Sale below). The Company was incorporated for the purpose of effecting a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, share purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses or entities (the “Business Combination”).
As of March 31, 2024, the Company had not commenced any operations. All activity for the period from May 20, 2021 (inception) through March 31, 2024 relates to the Company’s formation, its initial public offering (the “IPO”), the search for a Business Combination target and the negotiation of a Business Combination. The Company will not generate any operating revenues until after the completion of its initial Business Combination, at the earliest. The Company will generate non-operating income in the form of interest income on cash and cash equivalents from the proceeds derived from the IPO. The Company has selected December 31 as its fiscal year end.
The registration statement for the Company’s IPO was declared effective on January 24, 2022. On January 27, 2022, the Company consummated the IPO of 13,000,000 units, (the “Units” and, with respect to the Class A ordinary shares included in the Units being offered, the “Public Shares”), at $10.00 per Unit, generating gross proceeds of $130,000,000, which is discussed in Note 3. Each Unit consists of one Public Share and one-half of one redeemable warrant (the “Public Warrant”). On September 8, 2023, BofA Securities, Inc. (“BofA”) delivered a letter to the Company to waive its entitlement to the payment of $2,275,000 deferred underwriting fee to be paid under the terms of the underwriting agreement (the “Underwriting Agreement”) dated January 24, 2022 entered into in connection with the IPO by and among the Company, BofA and Banco BTG Pactual S.A. (“BTG Pactual”). On September 19, 2023, BTG Pactual delivered a letter to the Company to waive its entitlement to the payment of $2,275,000 deferring underwriting fee with respect to the Business Combination.
Simultaneously with the closing of the IPO, the Company consummated the sale of 7,900,000 warrants (the “Private Placement Warrants”), at a price of $1.00 per Private Placement Warrant in a private placement to LatAmGrowth Sponsor LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “Old Sponsor”), generating gross proceeds of $7,900,000, which is discussed in Note 4.
Transaction costs amounted to $7,647,620 consisting of $2,600,000 of underwriting discount, $4,550,000 of deferred underwriting discount, and $497,620 of other offering costs. In addition, $2,494,203 of cash was held outside of the Trust Account (as defined below) and was available for working capital purposes at the consummation of the IPO.
The Company must complete one or more Business Combinations having an aggregate fair market value of at least 80% of the value of the assets held in the Trust Account (as defined below) (excluding the deferred underwriting commissions and taxes payable on the interest earned on the Trust Account) at the time of the Company’s signing a definitive agreement in connection with the initial Business Combination. However, the Company will only complete such Business Combination if the post transaction company owns or acquires 50% or more of the outstanding voting securities of the target or otherwise acquires a controlling interest in the target sufficient for it not to be required to register as an investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”). There is no assurance that the Company will be able to complete a Business Combination successfully.
5
Following the closing of the IPO on January 27, 2022, an amount of $132,600,000 ($10.20 per Unit) from the net proceeds of the sale of the public units in the IPO and the sale of the Private Placement Warrants was placed in a Trust Account (“Trust Account”) and was invested only in U.S. government treasury obligations with a maturity of 185 days or less or in money market funds meeting certain conditions under Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act that invest only in direct U.S. government treasury obligations. Except with respect to interest earned on the funds held in the Trust Account that may be released to the Company to pay its taxes, if any, the proceeds from the IPO and the sale of the Private Placement Warrants will not be released from the Trust Account until the earliest of (i) the completion of the initial Business Combination, (ii) the redemption of the public shares if the Company has not completed its initial Business Combination within the time frame to consummate the business combination period (the “Combination Period”) as defined in its amended and restated memorandum and articles of association (as amended from time to time, the “MAA”) or during any extended time that the Company has to consummate a Business Combination as a result of a shareholder vote to amend its MAA or (iii) the redemption of the public shares properly submitted in connection with a shareholder vote to amend the Company’s MAA to (A) modify the substance or timing of the Company’s obligation to allow redemption in connection with the initial Business Combination or to redeem 100% of the public shares if the Company has not consummated an initial Business Combination within the Combination Period or (B) with respect to any other material provisions relating to shareholders’ rights or pre-initial Business Combination activity. The proceeds deposited in the Trust Account could become subject to the claims of the Company’s creditors, if any, which could have priority over the claims of the public shareholders.
The Company will provide its public shareholders with the opportunity to redeem all or a portion of their public shares upon the completion of the initial Business Combination either (i) in connection with a general meeting called to approve the initial Business Combination or (ii) without a shareholder vote by means of a tender offer. The decision as to whether the Company will seek shareholder approval of a proposed initial Business Combination or conduct a tender offer will be made by the Company, solely in its discretion, and will be based on a variety of factors such as the timing of the transaction and whether the terms of the transaction would require the Company to seek shareholder approval under applicable law or stock exchange listing requirements.
The shareholders will be entitled to redeem their shares at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the Trust Account calculated as of two business days prior to the consummation of the initial Business Combination, including interest earned on the funds held in the Trust Account and not previously released to the Company to pay its taxes, divided by the number of then outstanding public shares, subject to the limitations and on conditions described in the Company’s IPO Prospectus. The amount in the Trust Account is $11.24 per public share as of March 31, 2024.
Ordinary shares subject to redemption are recorded at redemption value and classified as temporary equity following the completion of the IPO, in accordance with Financial Accounting Standards Board’s (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) Topic 480 “Distinguishing Liabilities from Equity” (“ASC 480”).
On April 13, 2023, the Company convened an extraordinary general meeting (the “First Extraordinary General Meeting”) virtually. At the First Extraordinary General Meeting, the shareholders approved (1) the proposal to amend the Company’s MAA to extend the date (the “Termination Date”) by which the Company must (i) consummate its Business Combination, (ii) cease its operations except for the purpose of winding up if it fails to consummate a Business Combination, and (iii) redeem all of the Company’s Public Shares from April 27, 2023 to November 27, 2023 (the “First Extension Amendment” and such proposal, the “First Extension Amendment Proposal”); (2) the proposal to amend the Investment Management Trust Agreement, dated January 24, 2022 (the “Trust Agreement”), by and between the Company and Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, to allow the Company to extend, on a month to month basis, the date on which the Trustee must liquidate the Trust Account established by the Company in connection with the IPO if the Company has not completed its initial Business Combination, from April 27, 2023 to up to November 27, 2023 by depositing into the Trust Account the lesser of $150,000 or $0.0375 per Public Share that remains outstanding and is not redeemed in connection with the First Extension Amendment Proposal per calendar month commencing on April 27, 2023 (the “First Trust Amendment”); (3) the proposal to amend the Company’s MAA to provide for the right of a holder of the Company’s Class B ordinary shares (par value $0.0001, the “Class B ordinary shares” or “founder shares”) to convert into Class A ordinary shares on a one-for-one basis prior to the closing of a Business Combination at the election of the holder (the “Founder Share Amendment Proposal”); and (4) the proposal to amend the Company’s MAA to remove the limitation that the Company shall not redeem Public Shares to the extent that such redemption would cause the Company’s net tangible assets to be less than $5,000,001 . The approval of the First Extension Amendment Proposal gives the Company an additional 7 months to consummate its Business Combination under the Combination Period.
Additionally, at the First Extraordinary General Meeting, holders of Public Shares were afforded the opportunity to require the Company to redeem their Public Shares for their pro rata share of the Trust Account. 7,399,517 of the 13,000,000 Public Shares were redeemed at a redemption price of approximately $10.47 per share for an aggregate redemption amount of approximately $77.5 million, leaving
6
5,600,483 Public Shares remaining outstanding. Following this redemption, the balance in the Trust Account was approximately $58.6 million.
On April 13, 2023, the Company issued a non-interest bearing non-convertible unsecured promissory note to the Old Sponsor for a principal amount of up to $1,050,000 to fund the contributions to the Company’s Trust Account in connection with the First Extension Amendment and the First Trust Amendment (“April 2023 Note”). On each of April 27, 2023, May 30, 2023 and June 28, 2023, the Company deposited $150,000, for an aggregated of $450,000 into the Trust Account, of which, $300,000 was raised from the April 2023 Note. The April 2023 Note was terminated on October 4, 2023 and all amounts outstanding under the April 2023 Note, amounted to $300,000, are forgiven without any further liability of the Company or the Old Sponsor. The amounts forgiven are booked as a capital transaction at October 4, 2023.
On June 15, 2023, the Company received a written notice from the Listing Qualifications Department (the “Staff”) of the Nasdaq Stock Market LLC (“NASDAQ”) indicating that since the Company’s aggregate market value of its outstanding warrants was less than $1,000,000, the Company was no longer in compliance with the Nasdaq Global Market continued listing criteria set forth in the Nasdaq Listing Rule 5452(b)(C) (the “Rule”), which requires the Company to maintain an aggregate market value of its outstanding warrants of at least $1,000,000 (the “Notice”). The Company has been given 45 calendar days from the date of the Notice to submit a plan to regain compliance with the Rule. The Company did not submit such plan. On August 16, 2023, the Staff notified the Company that NASDAQ determined to commence proceedings to delist the Company’s Public Warrants, each whole warrant exercisable to purchase one Class A ordinary share at a price of $11.50 per share, and listed to trade on NASDAQ under the symbol “LATGW”, from NASDAQ and that trading in the Public Warrants would be suspended at the opening of business on August 25, 2023, due to the Company’s failure to maintain a minimum of $1,000,000 in aggregate market value of its outstanding warrants for continued listing under NASDAQ Listing Rule 5452(b)(C). The Company did not appeal the Staff’s delisting determination. As a result, a Form 25-NSE was filed by NASDAQ on September 8, 2023 with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) to remove the Company’s Public Warrants from listing and registration on NASDAQ.
The Company’s current Sponsor is Chenghe Investment I Limited, an exempted company incorporated with limited liability under the laws of Cayman Islands (the “New Sponsor” and “Sponsor” means each of the Old Sponsor and the New Sponsor, unless the context indicates otherwise). On September 29, 2023, the Company, the Old Sponsor and the New Sponsor entered into a securities purchase agreement (the “SPA”), and on October 6, 2023, the Old Sponsor and the New Sponsor consummated the transactions contemplated by the SPA (the “Sponsor Sale”) pursuant to which the New Sponsor acquired an aggregate of (i) 2,650,000 Class B ordinary shares, par value $0.0001 per share of the Company and (ii) 7,900,000 Private Placement Warrants held by the Old Sponsor for an aggregate purchase price of $1.00 plus New Sponsor’s agreement to deposit into the Trust Account (a) on the closing of the Sponsor Sale, $450,000 for due and payable extension contribution payments which was provided to the Company in the form of a promissory note from the New Sponsor incurred prior to the date of the SPA and (b) on any other applicable due date, other extension payments that may become due after the Sponsor Sale, and in accordance with the terms of the Trust Agreement. Prior to the Sponsor Sale closing, the Old Sponsor and the Company shall take all actions necessary to ensure that the Company has fully satisfied, discharged and/or paid all of the Company’s Liabilities (as defined in the SPA) incurred on or prior to the closing date of the Sponsor Sale. Following the completion of the Sponsor Sale, the Old Sponsor owns 600,000 Class B ordinary shares and no Private Placement Warrants. The Old Sponsor, the New Sponsor and the Company further agreed that after the completion of the Sponsor Sale, to the extent that the New Sponsor transfers any Class B ordinary shares (the “Committed Shares”) for the purpose of securing further extension of the period of time that the Company can consummate its initial Business Combination (“Further Extension”), or reducing the number of holder of Class A ordinary shares electing to exercise its redemption rights in connection with any Further Extension, if the number of Class B ordinary shares so transferred by the New Sponsor is less than 1,000,000 Class B ordinary shares, the New Sponsor shall transfer to the Old Sponsor, at the closing of the Business Combination, a number of additional Class B ordinary shares equal to the product of (i) 1,000,000 minus the number of Committed Shares and (ii) 0.5, rounded down to the nearest whole number (the “Earnout Shares”), provided that the number of Earnout Shares shall not exceed 250,000 Class B ordinary shares in the aggregate; provided further that, if the New Sponsor uses only cash or other arrangements (excluding the use of Class B ordinary shares) to secure the Further Extension, the amount of the Earnout Shares shall be 100,000 Class B ordinary shares. For the avoidance of doubt, if the New Sponsor uses a combination of cash or other arrangements and Class B ordinary shares to secure the Further Extension, the Old Sponsor shall be entitled to receive Earnout Shares based on the number of Class B ordinary shares transferred, in accordance with the formula described above.
The Company analyzed the SPA entered into during September 2023 under SAB Topic 5, Miscellaneous Accounting, section T, Accounting for Expenses or Liabilities Paid by Principal Stockholder(s) and concluded that the SPA provides the Company with a benefit in the form of the right to receive additional extension contributions from the New Sponsor. The right to receive the additional extension contributions required the New Sponsor, who is a principal shareholder, to provide or cause to provide consideration in the
7
form of a transfer of Class B ordinary shares of the Company. The estimated fair value of the earnout provision at the closing of the Sponsor Sale on October 6, 2023 is nominal to zero. As a result, the Company determined that an expense in the full amount of the fair value of the Class B ordinary shares transferred should be recorded. During October 2023, the Company recorded an expense under SAB Topic 5T of $2,851,750 with a corresponding increase to additional paid-in capital, based on a Monte Carlo Model simulation valuation of the Class B ordinary shares.
In connection with the Sponsor Sale, previous management of the Company, Gerard Cremoux, former chief executive officer, chief financial officer and director, and Gerardo Mendoza, former chief investment officer, and former directors of the Company Michael McGuiness, Eduardo Cortina, Carole Philippe, Miguel Olea, Zain Manekia and Hector Martinez resigned from their respective position as a director (and/or officer, as the case may be), effective upon the closing of the Sponsor Sale. On October 6, 2023, Shibin Wang, Ning Ma, Kwan Sun and James Zhang were appointed as directors of the Company, and Zhiyang Zhou was appointed as chief executive officer and chief financial officer of the Company.
On October 25, 2023, the Company held an extraordinary general meeting (the “Second Extraordinary General Meeting”) at which the shareholders approved (1) the proposal to amend the MAA to extend (the “Second Extension”) the Termination Date from October 27, 2023 to January 27, 2024 for a deposit of the lesser of (a) $240,000 in the aggregate and (b) $0.06 for each of the Class A ordinary share not elected to be redeemed immediately after the Second Extraordinary General Meeting; and to allow the Company, without the need for any further approval of the Company’s shareholders, by resolutions of the board of directors of the Company, to further extend the Termination Date for up to 9 times, each time by one month, from January 27, 2024 up to October 27, 2024, for the deposit of the lesser of (a) $80,000 and (b) $0.02 for each of the Class A ordinary share not elected to be redeemed immediately after the Second Extraordinary General Meeting (the “Second Extension Amendment” and such proposal, the “Second Extension Amendment Proposal”; the deposits in relation to the extension, collectively, the “Extension Contributions”); (2) the proposal to amend the Trust Agreement to reflect the Second Extension, and to allow the Company to maintain any remaining amount in its Trust Account in an interest bearing demand deposit account at a bank; and (3) the proposal to change the Company’s name from LatAmGrowth SPAC to Chenghe Acquisition I Co.
In connection with the vote to approve the Second Extension Amendment Proposal, the holders of 1,658,610 Class A ordinary shares elected to redeem their shares for cash at a redemption price of approximately $10.94 per share, for an aggregate redemption amount of approximately $18.1 million, leaving approximately $43.0 million in the Trust Account.
On October 25, 2023, the Company issued a non-interest bearing non-convertible unsecured promissory note (the “October 2023 Note”) to the New Sponsor, for a principal amount of up to $1,960,000. As of March 31, 2024, the total outstanding under the October 2023 Note was $850,689. Including the $428,000 cash transferred from the Company’s bank account controlled by the Old Sponsor to the account controlled by the New Sponsor (as mentioned above), the New Sponsor paid $1,278,689 in total, on behalf of the Company, for extension and working capital purposes, of which $610,000 was used for extension deposits and $668,689 was used for working capital purposes. As of the date hereof, additional $88,375 has been drawn from the October 2023 Note for working capital purposes.
On each of October 30, 2023 and November 29, 2023, the Company deposited $80,000 as Extension Contributions into the Trust Account to extend the Termination Date to December 27, 2023. On January 3, 2024, $76,512 was deposited as Extension Contribution into the Trust Account by FST (as defined below) pursuant to the Business Combination Agreement (as defined below), whereunder FST agreed to bear all of the fees and costs relating to the extension of the Company’s Termination Date not exceeding $80,000 per month. On each of February 2, 2024, March 4, 2024, April 2, 2024 and May 3, 2024, $78,837 was deposited as Extension Contribution into the Trust Account by FST pursuant to the Business Combination Agreement, extending the Termination Date to May 27, 2024. The Extension Contributions loaned by the Sponsor will be forgiven if the Company is unable to consummate a Business Combination except to the extent of any funds held outside of the Trust Account. If the Business Combination Agreement is terminated by FST due to the Company’s shareholders’ failure to approve the FST Business Combination (as defined below) or the Company’s material breach of its obligations as described in the Business Combination Agreement, the Company shall pay and reimburse FST the Extension Contribution(s) FST has deposited in the Trust Account with funds held outside of the Trust Account.
On November 6, 2023, pursuant to the Trust Agreement (as amended on October 25, 2023), the Company instructed Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company to hold all funds in the Trust Account uninvested in an interest-bearing bank deposit account.
On October 2, 2023, the Old Sponsor entered into the EBC Letter Agreement, under which, the Old Sponsor agreed to (i) transfer, at no consideration, to EBC 25,000 Class B ordinary shares of the Company held by the Old Sponsor at the closing of the Business Combination. If the Old Sponsor is required to forfeit Class B ordinary shares to the Company that it’s retaining pursuant to the SPA so
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that the total number of Class B ordinary shares becomes less than 500,000, EBC will forfeit a pro rata number of Class B ordinary shares with the Old Sponsor’s reduction below 500,000 such that the Class B ordinary shares held by EBC will then represent 5% of the total Class B ordinary shares held by the Old Sponsor and EBC; (ii) transfer to EBC an aggregate of 26.7% of any consideration it receives as a result of certain “tail” arrangement it has with a third party as a result of a proposed transaction; and (iii) pay to EBC an aggregate of $5,000 to reimburse EBC for expenses incurred by it for the services rendered to the Company and the Old Sponsor.
The 25,000 Class B ordinary shares that the Old Sponsor agreed to transfer to EBC (subject to forfeiture) were valued at $1.09 per share or an aggregate of $27,336 as at October 2, 2023, based on a Monte Carlo Model simulation valuation of the Class B ordinary shares. The amount will be recorded as Compensation Expense at the close of a Business Combination. The estimated fair value of the forfeiture provision on October 2, 2023, the date of the EBC Letter Agreement, was immaterial.
On October 2, 2023, in connection with the Sponsor Sale, EBC issued the EBC Waiver Letter to the Company, pursuant to which, the EBC BCMA is terminated. Under the EBC Waiver Letter, the Company agreed that such Class B ordinary shares to be transferred by the Old Sponsor to EBC under the EBC Letter Agreement will have the same registration rights as the other Class B ordinary shares held by the Old Sponsor.
On October 4, 2023, all amounts outstanding under the April 2023 Note were forgiven without any further liability of the Company or the Old Sponsor. The amounts forgiven are booked as a capital transaction at October 4, 2023.
On November 8, 2023, the New Sponsor notified the Company that it elected to convert 1,058,127 Class B ordinary shares held by itself to the same number of Class A ordinary shares, pursuant to the Founder Share Amendment Proposal. On November 16, 2023, 1,058,127 Class B ordinary shares held by the New Sponsor were converted into the same number of Class A ordinary shares. As of March 31, 2024, there were 5,000,000 Class A ordinary shares (3,941,873 shares are subject to possible redemption) and 2,191,873 Class B ordinary shares of the Company, issued and outstanding.
On November 8, 2023, the Company and Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company entered into the Amendment No.3 to the Investment Management Trust Agreement, pursuant to which, all references to “LatAmGrowth SPAC” in the Trust Agreement, including the exhibits thereto, are amended to “Chenghe Acquisition I Co.”.
On January 31, 2024, the Company signed an engagement letter with Revere Securities, LLC, pursuant to which, the Company has engaged Revere Securities, LLC to act as its financial advisor (a) in connection with the FST Business Combination and (b) on any private investment in the Company consisting of equity, debt, and/or equity-linked securities in connection with the FST Business Combination.
On each of February 2, 2024, March 4, 2024, April 2, 2024 and May 3, 2024, $78,837 was deposited as Extension Contribution into the Trust Account by FST pursuant to the Business Combination Agreement, extending the Termination Date to May 27, 2024.
If the Company has not consummated the 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 (less taxes payable and 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 shareholders’ rights as shareholders (including the right to receive further liquidation distributions, if any) and (iii) as promptly as reasonably possible following such redemption, subject to the approval of the Company’s remaining shareholders and the Company’s board of directors, liquidate and dissolve, subject, in each case, to the Company’s obligations under Cayman Islands law to provide for claims of creditors and in all cases subject to the other requirements of applicable law.
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The Sponsor and each member of the management team have agreed to (i) waive their redemption rights with respect to their founder shares and public shares in connection with the completion of the initial Business Combination; (ii) waive their redemption rights with respect to their founder shares and public shares in connection with a shareholder vote to approve an amendment to the Company’s MAA (A) to modify the substance or timing of the Company’s obligation to allow redemption in connection with the initial Business Combination or to redeem 100% of the public shares if the Company has not consummated an initial Business Combination within the Combination Period or (B) with respect to any other material provisions relating to shareholders’ rights or pre-initial Business Combination activity; (iii) waive their rights to liquidating distributions from the Trust Account with respect to their founder shares if the Company fails to complete the initial Business Combination within the Combination Period, although they will be entitled to liquidating distributions from the Trust Account with respect to any public shares they hold if the Company fails to complete its initial Business Combination within the prescribed time frame; and (iv) vote any founder shares held by them and any public shares purchased during or after the IPO (including in open market and privately-negotiated transactions) in favor of the initial Business Combination.
The Sponsor has agreed that it will 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 entered into a written letter of intent, confidentiality or other similar agreement or Business Combination agreement, reduce the amount of funds in the Trust Account to below the lesser of (i) $10.20 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 $10.20 per 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 the monies held in the Trust Account (whether or not such waiver is enforceable) nor will it apply to any claims under the Company’s indemnity of the underwriters of the IPO against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act. However, the Company has not asked the Sponsor to reserve for such indemnification obligations, nor have the Company independently verified whether the Sponsor has sufficient funds to satisfy its indemnity obligations and the Company believes that the Sponsor’s only assets are securities of the Company. Therefore, the Company cannot provide assurance that the Sponsor would be able to satisfy those obligations. As a result, if any such claims were successfully made against the Trust Account, the funds available for the initial Business Combination and redemptions could be reduced to less than $10.20 per public share. In such event, the Company may not be able to complete the initial Business Combination, and you would receive such lesser amount per share in connection with any redemption of your public shares. None of the Company’s officers or directors will indemnify the Company for claims by third parties including, without limitation, claims by vendors and prospective target businesses.
Business Combination Agreement and Ancillary Agreements
Business Combination Agreement
On December 22, 2023, the Company entered into a business combination agreement (the “Business Combination Agreement”) with FST Corp., a Cayman Islands exempted company limited by shares (“CayCo”), FST Merger Ltd., a Cayman Islands exempted company limited by shares and a direct wholly owned subsidiary of CayCo, (“Merger Sub”) and Femco Steel Technology Co., Ltd., a company limited by shares incorporated and in existence under the laws of Taiwan with uniform commercial number of 04465819 (“FST” and together with CayCo and Merger Sub, the “FST Parties”), pursuant to which, among other transactions, on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth therein, Merger Sub will merge with and into the Company with the Company being the surviving company and as a direct, wholly owned subsidiary of CayCo (the “Merger”), and the Company will change its name to “FST Ltd.” (the “FST Business Combination”). Under the Business Combination Agreement, FST agreed to bear all of the fees and costs relating to the extension of the Company’s Termination Date not exceeding $80,000 per month. The Extension Contributions loaned to the Company will be forgiven if the Company is unable to consummate a Business Combination except to the extent of any funds held outside of the Trust Account. If the Business Combination Agreement is terminated by FST due to the Company’s shareholders’ failure to approve the FST Business Combination or the Company’s material breach of its obligations as described in the Business Combination Agreement, the Company shall pay and reimburse FST the Extension Contribution(s) FST has deposited in the Trust Account with funds held outside of the Trust Account.
Pursuant to the Business Combination Agreement, at the time when the Merger becomes effective, (i) each outstanding Unit of the Company will be automatically separated (“Unit Separation”) and the holder thereof will be deemed to hold one Class A ordinary share and one-half of one Public Warrant of the Company; (ii) each then issued and outstanding Class B ordinary share of the Company will be automatically converted into one Class A ordinary share of the Company (the “SPAC Class B Conversion”) and each Class B ordinary share of the Company will no longer be issued and outstanding and will automatically be cancelled and cease to exist; (iii) each Class A ordinary share of the Company (which for the avoidance of doubt, includes the Class A ordinary shares (A) issued in connection with the SPAC Class B Conversion; and (B) held as a result of Unit Separation) will convert into the right to receive one ordinary share
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of CayCo; and (iv) each warrant of the Company that is outstanding and unexercised will automatically convert into the right to receive a warrant of CayCo, which shall be on the same terms and conditions as the applicable warrant of the Company.
Under the Business Combination Agreement, the obligations of the parties (or, in some cases, some of the parties) to consummate the FST Business Combination are subject to the satisfaction or waiver of certain customary closing conditions of the respective parties, including, among others, (i) the accuracy of representations and warranties to various standards, from no material qualifier to a material adverse effect qualifier, (ii) material compliance with pre-closing covenants, (iii) no material adverse effect for FST, (iv) FST’s Company Acquisition Percentage (as defined in the Business Combination Agreement) reaching at least 90%, (v) the consummation of the FST Restructuring (as defined in the Business Combination Agreement), (vi) the delivery of customary closing certificates, (vii) the receipt of Taiwan DIR Approval and such approval being effective, (viii) the absence of a legal prohibition on consummating the transactions, (ix) approval by the SPAC’s and the Company’s shareholders, (x) approval of a listing application on the applicable stock exchange for newly issued shares, and (xi) SPAC having at least US$5,000,001 of net tangible assets remaining after redemption.
The Business Combination Agreement contemplates the execution of various additional agreements and instruments, on or before the closing of the FST Business Combination, including, among others, the following:
Sponsor Support Agreement
Concurrently with the extension of the Business Combination Agreement, the Company, the New Sponsor, the Old Sponsor and FST entered into a sponsor support agreement (the “Sponsor Support Agreement”), pursuant to which each Sponsor has agreed to, among other things, vote in favor of the transaction contemplated under the Business Combination Agreement, from the date when FST received the Taiwan DIR Approval (as defined therein) until the closing of the FST Business Combination or, if earlier, until termination of the Business Combination Agreement.
Company Shareholder Support Agreement
Concurrently with the execution of the Business Combination Agreement, the Company, FST, CayCo, certain shareholders of FST listed thereto and certain shareholders of CayCo listed thereto entered into a company shareholder support agreement (the “Company Support Agreement”), pursuant to which each signatory shareholders of FST and CayCo has agreed to, among other things, vote to the transactions contemplated under the Business Combination Agreement, and to not transfer any Subject Shares (as defined therein) until termination of the Company Support Agreement.
Lock-up Agreement
At the closing of the FST Business Combination, CayCo, the New Sponsor, certain shareholder of FST (the “Company Holders”) listed thereto and certain person listed thereto (the “Sponsor Key Holders”, and together with the Company Holders, the “Holders”) will enter into a lock-up agreement (the “Lock-up Agreement”), pursuant to which, each Holder agrees to not to transfer any Lock-Up Shares (as defined therein) for a period of six (6) months after the closing date of the FST Business Combination, with certain exceptions and carveouts.
Investor Rights Agreement
At the closing of the FST Business Combination, CayCo, the Company, FST and other parties listed thereto will enter into an investor rights agreement (the “Investor Rights Agreement”). Pursuant to the Investor Rights Agreement, (i) CayCo will agree to undertake certain resale shelf registration obligations in accordance with the Securities Act and certain holders have been granted customary demand and piggyback registration rights, and (ii) each party to the Investor Rights Agreement agrees to cause (x) the board of CayCo to be comprised of five (5) directors (subject to increase by unanimous resolutions of the board from time to time), (y) one (1) of such directors should be nominated by the New Sponsor and (z) as long as the Sponsor Parties (as defined therein) beneficially own any ordinary shares of CayCo, CayCo shall take all necessary actions to cause the individuals nominated by the New Sponsor for election as directors to be elected as directors.
Liquidity, Capital Resources and Going Concern
As of March 31, 2024, the Company had no cash on hand and working capital deficit of $2,998,673. On October 6, 2023, the Company transferred cash balance of $428,000 from its bank account controlled by the Old Sponsor to an account controlled by the New Sponsor,
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as the new bank account of the Company under the control of the New Sponsor has not been set up yet. In January 2024, the Company set up a new bank account under control of the New Sponsor, as of the date hereof, no cash was deposited in the new bank account.
The Company’s liquidity needs prior to the IPO had been satisfied through a payment from the Old Sponsor of $25,000 (see Note 5) for the founder shares to cover certain offering costs and the loan under an unsecured promissory note from the Old Sponsor of $142,350, which was paid in full on January 27, 2022 (see Note 5). After the consummation of the IPO, cash of $2,494,203 in excess of the funds deposited in the Trust Account and/or used to fund offering expenses was released to the Company for general working capital purposes.
The Company did not have any cash on hand as of March 31, 2024. Until consummation of its initial Business Combination, the Company will use the funds raised from the New Sponsor as mentioned below for paying existing accounts payable, identifying and evaluating prospective initial Business Combination candidates, performing due diligence on prospective target businesses, paying for travel expenditures, selecting the target business to merge with or acquire, and structuring, negotiating and consummating the Business Combination.
The Company can raise additional capital through Working Capital Loans (as defined below) from the Sponsor, an affiliate of the Sponsor, certain of the Company’s officers and directors, or through loans from third parties. 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 its business plan, and reducing overhead expenses. The Company cannot provide assurance that new financing will be available to it on commercially acceptable terms, if at all.
On April 13, 2023, the Company issued the April 2023 Note as described above. The April 2023 Note was terminated on October 4, 2023 and the withdrawal of $300,000 under the April 2023 Note was forgiven without any further liability of the Company or the Old Sponsor.
On October 25, 2023, the Company issued the October 2023 Note. As of March 31, 2024, the total outstanding under the October 2023 Note was $850,689. Including the $428,000 cash transferred from the Company’s bank account controlled by the Old Sponsor to the account controlled by the New Sponsor (as mentioned above), the New Sponsor paid $1,278,689 in total, on behalf of the Company, for extension and working capital purposes, of which $610,000 was used for extension deposits and $668,689 was used for working capital purposes. As of the date hereof, additional $88,375 has been drawn from the October 2023 Note for working capital purposes.
If a Business Combination is not consummated by the required date and the Company is unable to obtain the funding to further extend the Termination Date, there will be a mandatory liquidation and subsequent dissolution.
In connection with the Company’s assessment of going concern considerations in accordance with Financial Accounting Standard Board’s Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2014-15, “Disclosures of Uncertainties about an Entity’s Ability to Continue as a Going Concern,” the Company has until May 27, 2024 (or October 27, 2024 subject to additional extension deposits of $78,837 each month) to consummate the initial Business Combination. The Company intends to complete the initial Business Combination before the mandatory liquidation date. However, there can be no assurance that the Company will be able to consummate any business combination by May 27, 2024 (or October 27, 2024 subject to additional extension deposits of $78,837 each month). Management has determined that the mandatory liquidation, should a business combination not occur, and potential subsequent dissolution, raises substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern. The financial statements do not include any adjustments that might result from the outcome of this uncertainty. The accompanying financial statements have been prepared in conformity with GAAP, which contemplate continuation of the Company as a going concern.
Risks and Uncertainties
The Company is currently evaluating the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and has concluded that while it is reasonably possible that the virus could have a negative effect on the Company’s financial position, results of its operations and/or consummating a business combination, the specific impact is not readily determinable as of the date of these financial statements.
Management is currently evaluating the impact of the Israel-Hamas conflict and the Russia-Ukraine war and has concluded that while it is reasonably possible that the war could have a negative effect on the Company’s financial position, results of its operations and/or search for a target company, the specific impact is not readily determinable as of the date of these unaudited condensed financial statements. The unaudited condensed financial statements do not include any adjustments that might result from the outcome of this uncertainty.
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NOTE 2—SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES AND BASIS OF PRESENTATION
Basis of Presentation
The accompanying unaudited condensed financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“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 unaudited condensed 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 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 condensed financial statements should be read in conjunction with the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023 as filed by the Company with the SEC on April 12, 2024. The interim results for the three months ended March 31, 2024 are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the year ending December 31, 2024 or for any future interim periods.
Emerging Growth Company Status
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 auditor attestation requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation in its periodic reports and proxy statements, and exemptions from the requirements of holding a nonbinding advisory vote on executive compensation and shareholder approval of any golden parachute payments not previously approved.
Further, Section 102(b)(1) of the JOBS Act exempts emerging growth companies from being required to comply with new or revised financial accounting standards until private companies (that is, those that have not had a Securities Act registration statement declared effective or do not have a class of securities registered under the Exchange Act) are required to comply with the new or revised financial accounting standards. The JOBS Act provides that 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 condensed financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires 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 condensed financial statements and the reported amounts of 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 condensed financial statements, which management considered in formulating its estimate, could change in the near term due to one or more future confirming events. One of the more significant accounting estimates included in these condensed financial statements is the determination of the fair value of the warrant liabilities. Such estimates may be subject to change as more current information becomes available and accordingly, the actual results could differ significantly from those estimates.
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Concentration of Credit Risk
Financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to concentrations of credit risk consist of a cash account in a financial institution, which, at times, may exceed the Federal Depository Insurance Coverage of $250,000. The Company has not experienced losses on this account.
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 March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023. The Company held no cash as of March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, respectively.
Cash Held in Trust Account
At March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, the Company held $44,321,958 and $43,605,597, respectively, in the Trust Account. On November 6, 2023, pursuant to the Trust Agreement (as amended on October 25, 2023), the Company instructed Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company to hold all funds in the Trust Account uninvested in an interest - bearing bank deposit account. As of March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, all funds in the Trust Account are held in cash.
Warrant Liabilities
The Company assessed its warrants under ASC 480-25, “Distinguishing liabilities from equity” and ASC 815-40 “Derivatives and Hedging—Contracts in Entity’s Own Equity”. The Company accounts for the Public Warrants and Private Placement Warrants (collectively, the “Warrants”) as derivative liabilities. A provision in the Warrant Agreement related to certain tender or exchange offers precludes the Warrants from being accounted for as components of equity. As the Warrants meet the definition of a derivative as contemplated in ASC 815 “Derivatives and Hedging” (“ASC 815”), the Company accounts for Warrants for the Company’s ordinary shares that are not indexed to its own stock as derivative liabilities at fair value on the balance sheets and measured at fair value at inception (on the date of the IPO) and at each reporting date in accordance with ASC 820, with changes in fair value recognized in the statements of operations in the period of change.
Fair Value of Financial Instruments
The fair value of the Company’s assets and liabilities, which qualify as financial instruments under FASB ASC 820, “Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures,” approximates the carrying amounts represented in the balance sheets, primarily due to its short-term nature.
Fair value is defined as the price that would be received for sale of an asset or paid for transfer of a liability, in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. GAAP establishes a three-tier fair value hierarchy, which prioritizes the inputs used in measuring fair value. The hierarchy gives the highest priority to unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities (Level 1 measurements) and the lowest priority to unobservable inputs (Level 3 measurements). The Company’s financial instruments are classified as either Level 1, Level 2 or Level 3. These tiers include:
● | Level 1, defined as observable inputs such as quoted prices (unadjusted) for identical instruments in active markets; |
● | Level 2, defined as inputs other than quoted prices in active markets that are either directly or indirectly observable such as quoted prices for similar instruments in active markets or quoted prices for identical or similar instruments in markets that are not active; and |
● | Level 3, defined as unobservable inputs in which little or no market data exists, therefore requiring an entity to develop its own assumptions, such as valuations derived from valuation techniques in which one or more significant inputs or significant value drivers are unobservable. |
In some cases, the inputs used to measure fair value might fall within different levels of the fair value hierarchy. In such cases, the level in the fair value hierarchy within which the investment is categorized in its entirety is determined based on the lowest level input that is significant to the investment. Assessing the significance of a particular input to the valuation of an investment in its entirety requires
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judgement and considers factors specific to the investment. The categorization of an investment within the hierarchy is based on the pricing transparency of the investment and does not necessarily correspond to the perceived risk of that investment.
See Note 8 for additional information on assets and liabilities measured at fair value.
Derivative Financial Instruments and Warrant and Over-allotment Liability
The Company does not use derivative instruments to hedge exposures to cash flow, market, or foreign currency risks. The Company evaluates all of its financial instruments, including issued stock purchase warrants, to determine if such instruments are derivatives or contain features that qualify as embedded derivatives, pursuant to ASC 815-15. The classification of derivative instruments, including whether such instruments should be recorded as liabilities or as equity and measurement of fair value is re-assessed at the end of each reporting period. In accordance with ASC 825-10 “Financial Instruments”, offering costs attributable to the issuance of the derivative warrant liabilities and overallotment option have been allocated based on their relative fair value of total proceeds and are recognized in the statements of operations as incurred. Derivative warrant liabilities are classified as non-current liabilities as their liquidation is not reasonably expected to require the use of current assets or the creation of current liabilities.
The Company accounts for warrants and over-allotment as either equity-classified or liability-classified instruments based on an assessment of the warrant and over-allotment option’s specific terms and applicable authoritative guidance in Financial Accounting Standards Board Accounting Standards Codification 480, Distinguishing Liabilities from Equity and ASC 815, Derivatives and Hedging. The assessment considers whether the warrants and over-allotment option are freestanding financial instruments pursuant to ASC 480, meet the definition of a liability pursuant to ASC 480, and whether the warrants and over-allotment option meet all of the requirements for equity classification under ASC 815, including whether the warrants and over-allotment option are indexed to the Company’s own ordinary shares, among other conditions for equity classification. This assessment is conducted at the time of warrant and over-allotment option issuance and as of each subsequent quarterly period end date while the warrants and over-allotment option are outstanding.
For warrants and over-allotment option that meet all of the criteria for equity classification, they are recorded as a component of additional paid-in capital at the time of issuance. For warrants and over-allotment that do not meet all the criteria for equity classification, they are required to be recorded as a liability at their initial fair value on the date of issuance, and each balance sheet date thereafter. Changes in the estimated fair value of the warrants and over-allotment option are recognized as a non-cash gain or loss on the statements of operations.
The Company accounted for the Public Warrants (see Note 3), Private Placement Warrants (see Note 4) and over-allotment option (Note 6) in accordance with the guidance contained in ASC 815-40. The Warrants and over-allotment are not considered indexed to the Company’s own ordinary shares, and as such, they do not meet the criteria for equity treatment and are recorded as liabilities.
Income Taxes
The Company accounts for income taxes under FASB ASC 740, “Income Taxes” (“ASC 740”). ASC 740 requires the recognition of deferred tax assets and liabilities for both the expected impact of differences between the financial statement and tax basis of assets and liabilities and for the expected future tax benefit to be derived from tax loss and tax credit carry forwards. 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.
FASB ASC 740 prescribes a recognition threshold and a measurement attribute for the financial statement recognition and measurement of tax positions taken or expected to be taken in a tax return. For those benefits to be recognized, a tax position must be more likely than not to be sustained upon examination by taxing authorities. There were no unrecognized tax benefits as of March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023. The Company’s management determined that the Cayman Islands is the Company’s only major tax jurisdiction. The Company recognizes accrued interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits as income tax expense. As of March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, there were no unrecognized tax benefits and no amounts were accrued for the payment of interest and penalties. The Company is currently not aware of any issues under review that could result in significant payments, accruals or material deviation from its position.
There is currently no taxation imposed on income by the Government of the Cayman Islands. In accordance with Cayman income tax regulations, income taxes are not levied on the Company. Consequently, income taxes are not reflected in the Company’s financial statements.
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Net (Loss) Income Per Share
The Company complies with accounting and disclosure requirements of FASB ASC Topic 260, “Earnings Per Share.” The Company has two classes of ordinary shares, which are referred to as Class A and Class B. Income and losses are shared pro rata between the two classes of shares. Net (loss) income per ordinary share is calculated by dividing the net (loss) income by the weighted average number of ordinary shares outstanding for the respective period. The Company did not consider the effect of the warrants issued in connection with the IPO and the private placement in the calculation of diluted (loss) income per ordinary share because their exercise is contingent upon future events. As a result, diluted net (loss) income per ordinary share is the same as basic net (loss) income per ordinary share. Remeasurement associated with the redeemable Class A ordinary shares is excluded from (loss) income per ordinary share as the redemption value approximates fair value.
At March 31, 2024 and 2023, we did not have any dilutive securities and other contracts that could, potentially, be exercised or converted into ordinary shares and then share in our earnings. As a result, diluted income per share is the same as basic income per share for the period presented.
The table below presents a reconciliation of the numerator and denominator used to compute basic and diluted net (loss) income per share for each class of ordinary shares:
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | For the Three Months Ended March 31, 2024 | | For the Three Months Ended March 31, 2023 | ||||||||
| | Redeemable | | Non-redeemable Class A | | Redeemable | | Non-redeemable Class A | ||||
|
| Class A |
| and Class B |
| Class A |
| and Class B | ||||
Basic and diluted net (loss) income per share: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Numerator: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Allocation of net (loss) income | | $ | (406,316) | | $ | (335,000) | | $ | 1,428,711 | | $ | 357,178 |
Denominator: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Weighted average shares outstanding | | | 3,941,873 | | | 3,250,000 | | | 13,000,000 | | | 3,250,000 |
Basic and diluted net (loss) income per share | | $ | (0.10) | | $ | (0.10) |
| $ | 0.11 | | $ | 0.11 |
Offering Costs associated with the IPO
The Company complies with the requirements of ASC 340-10-S99-1, SEC Staff Accounting bulletin Topic 5A – “Expenses of Offering”, and SEC Staff Accounting bulletin Topic 5T – “Accounting for Expenses or Liabilities Paid by Principal Stockholder(s)”. Offering costs consist principally of professional and registration fees incurred through the balance sheet date that are related to the IPO. Offering costs directly attributable to the issuance of an equity contract to be classified in temporary equity are recorded as a reduction of equity. Offering costs for equity contracts that are classified as assets and liabilities are expensed immediately. The Company incurred offering costs amounting to $7,647,620 as a result of the IPO (consisting of $2,600,000 of underwriting fees, $4,550,000 of deferred underwriting fees, and $497,620 of other offering costs). The Company recorded $7,312,390 of offering costs as a reduction of temporary equity in connection with the Class A ordinary shares included in the Units. The Company immediately expensed $335,230 of offering costs in connection with the Public Warrants, Private Placement Warrants and over-allotment option that were classified as liabilities.
Class A Shares Subject to Possible Redemption
The Company accounts for its Class A ordinary shares subject to possible redemption in accordance with the guidance in ASC 480. Ordinary shares subject to mandatory redemption are classified as a liability instrument and are measured at fair value. Conditionally redeemable ordinary shares (including ordinary shares that feature redemption rights that are either within the control of the holder or subject to redemption upon the occurrence of uncertain events not solely within the Company’s control) are classified as temporary equity. At all other times, ordinary shares are classified as shareholders’ deficit. The Company’s Class A ordinary shares feature certain redemption rights that are considered to be outside of the Company’s control and subject to occurrence of uncertain future events. Accordingly, Class A ordinary shares subject to possible redemption is presented as temporary equity, outside of the shareholders’ deficit section of the Company’s balance sheets.
At March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, Class A ordinary shares subject to possible redemption are presented at redemption value as temporary equity, outside of the shareholders’ deficit section of the Company’s balance sheets. On April 13, 2023, in connection with
16
First Extension Amendment Proposal, holders of 7,399,517 shares of Class A ordinary shares exercised the right to redeem such shares for a payment of approximately $77.5 million or approximately $10.47 per share. On October 25, 2023, in connection with the Second Extension Amendment Proposal, holders of the holders of 1,658,610 Class A ordinary shares elected to redeem their shares for cash at a redemption price of approximately $10.94 per share, for an aggregate redemption amount of approximately $18.1 million, leaving approximately $43.0 million in the Trust Account.
As of March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, the amount of Class A ordinary shares reflected on the balance sheets are reconciled in the following table:
| | | |
Class A ordinary shares subject to possible redemption as of December 31, 2022 |
| | 134,512,063 |
Less: | | | |
Partial Redemption | |
| (95,617,197) |
Plus: | |
| |
Remeasurement of Class A ordinary shares subject to possible redemption | |
| 4,710,731 |
Class A ordinary shares subject to possible redemption as of December 31, 2023 | | $ | 43,605,597 |
Plus: | |
| |
Remeasurement of Class A ordinary shares subject to possible redemption | |
| 716,361 |
Class A ordinary shares subject to possible redemption as of March 31, 2024 | | $ | 44,321,958 |
Recent Accounting Pronouncements
In December 2023, the FASB issued ASU 2023 - 09, Income Taxes (Topic 740): Improvements to Income Tax Disclosures (ASU 2023 - 09), which requires disclosure of incremental income tax information within the rate reconciliation and expanded disclosures of income taxes paid, among other disclosure requirements. ASU 2023 - 09 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2024. Early adoption is permitted. The Company’s management does not believe the adoption of ASU 2023 - 09 will have a material impact on its condensed financial statements and disclosures.
The Company’s management does not believe that any recently issued, but not yet effective, accounting standards, if currently adopted, would have a material effect on the accompanying unaudited condensed financial statements.
NOTE 3—INITIAL PUBLIC OFFERING
On January 27, 2022, the Company consummated its IPO of 13,000,000 Units at $10.00 per Unit, generating gross proceeds of $130,000,000. Each Unit consists of one Class A ordinary share and one-half of one redeemable warrant. Each whole Public Warrant entitles the holder to purchase one Class A ordinary share at an exercise price of $11.50 per whole share. The Public Warrants will become exercisable 30 days after the completion of the initial Business Combination and expire five years after the completion of the initial Business Combination or earlier upon redemption or liquidation.
NOTE 4—PRIVATE PLACEMENT
Simultaneously with the closing of the IPO, the Sponsor purchased an aggregate of 7,900,000 warrants at a price of $1.00 per warrant, for an aggregate purchase price of $7,900,000.
The Private Placement Warrants are identical to the warrants sold in the IPO except that the Private Placement Warrants, so long as they are held by the Sponsor or its permitted transferees, (i) will not be redeemable by the Company, (ii) may not (including the Class A ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of these Private Placement Warrants), subject to certain limited exceptions, be transferred, assigned or sold by the holders until 30 days after the completion of the Company’s initial Business Combination, (iii) may be exercised by the holders on a cashless basis and (iv) will be entitled to registration rights.
If the Private Placement Warrants are held by holders other than the Sponsor or its permitted transferees, the Private Placement Warrants will be redeemable by the Company in all redemption scenarios and exercisable by the holders on the same basis as the warrants included in the units being sold in the IPO.
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NOTE 5—RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS
Founder Shares
On June 2, 2021, the Old Sponsor paid $25,000, or approximately $0.007 per share, to cover certain offering costs in consideration for 3,737,500 Class B ordinary shares, par value $0.0001. Up to 487,500 founder shares were subject to forfeiture by the Old Sponsor depending on the extent to which the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised. In March 2022, the Old Sponsor effected a surrender of the 487,500 founder shares to the Company for no consideration upon expiration of the over-allotment option. Pursuant to the Sponsor Sale as described above, the New Sponsor acquired 2,650,000 Class B ordinary shares, and on November 16, 2023, 1,058,127 Class B ordinary shares held by the New Sponsor were converted into the same number of Class A ordinary shares. As of March 31, 2024, there were 2,191,873 Class B ordinary shares of the Company, issued and outstanding.
The holders of the Company’s founder shares have agreed not to transfer, assign or sell any of their founder shares and any Class A ordinary shares issuable upon conversion thereof until the earlier to occur of: (i) one year after the completion of the initial Business Combination or (ii) the date on which the Company completes a liquidation, merger, share exchange or other similar transaction after the initial Business Combination that results in all of the shareholders having the right to exchange their Class A ordinary shares for cash, securities or other property. Any permitted transferees will be subject to the same restrictions and other agreements of the holders of the Class B ordinary shares with respect to any founder shares (Lock-up). Notwithstanding the foregoing, if (1) the closing price of the Class A ordinary shares equals or exceeds $12.00 per share (as adjusted for share sub-divisions, share capitalizations, reorganizations, recapitalizations and the like) for any 20 trading days within any 30-trading day period commencing at least 150 days after the initial Business Combination or (2) the Company consummates a transaction after the initial Business Combination which results in the shareholders having the right to exchange their shares for cash, securities or other property, the founder shares will be released from the lock-up.
The sale or allocation of the founders shares to the Company’s director nominees and affiliates of its Sponsor group, as described above, is within the scope of FASB ASC Topic 718, “Compensation-Stock Compensation” (“ASC 718”). Under ASC 718, stock-based compensation associated with equity-classified awards is measured at fair value upon the grant date. The fair value of the 22,000 shares transferred to the Company’s consultants on April 1, 2022 was $101,640 or $4.62 per share. The founder shares were effectively sold subject to a performance condition (i.e., the occurrence of a Business Combination). Compensation expense related to the founder shares is recognized only when the performance condition is probable of occurrence under the applicable accounting literature in this circumstance. Stock-based compensation would be recognized at the date a Business Combination is considered probable in an amount equal to the number of founders shares times the grant date fair value per share (unless subsequently modified) less the amount initially received for the purchase of the founder shares. As of March 31, 2024, the Company determined that a Business Combination is not considered probable, and, therefore, no stock-based compensation expense has been recognized.
Promissory Note—Related Party
On June 2, 2021, the Old Sponsor agreed to loan the Company up to $300,000 to be used for a portion of the expenses of the IPO. These loans were non-interest bearing, unsecured and are due at the earlier of June 15, 2022 or the closing of the IPO. At the IPO date, the Company paid $142,350 to the Old Sponsor in full repayment of the promissory note. As of March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, the Company had no outstanding balance under the promissory note, respectively.
On April 13, 2023, the Company issued a non-interest bearing non-convertible unsecured promissory note to the Old Sponsor for a principal amount of up to $1,050,000 to fund the contributions to the Company’s Trust Account in connection with the First Extension Amendment and the First Trust Amendment. On each of April 27, 2023 and May 30, 2023, the Old Sponsor deposited $150,000 into the Trust Account, for an aggregated of $300,000. The April 2023 Note was terminated on October 4, 2023 and all amounts outstanding under the April 2023 Note are forgiven without any further liability of the Company or the Old Sponsor. The amounts forgiven are booked as a capital transaction at October 4, 2023.
On October 25, 2023, the Company issued the October 2023 Note to the New Sponsor for a principal amount of up to $1,960,000 to fund the Extension Contributions in connection with the Second Extension Amendment and working capital. As of March 31, 2024, the total outstanding under the October 2023 Note was $850,689. Including the $428,000 cash transferred from the Company’s bank account controlled by the Old Sponsor to the account controlled by the New Sponsor (as mentioned above), the New Sponsor paid $1,278,689 in total, on behalf of the Company, for extension and working capital purposes, of which $610,000 was used for extension deposits and
18
$668,689 was used for working capital purposes. As of the date hereof, additional $88,375 has been drawn from the October 2023 Note for working capital purposes.
Working Capital Loans
In order to finance transaction costs in connection with an intended initial Business Combination, the Sponsor or an affiliate of the Sponsor or certain of the Company’s officers and directors may, but are not obligated to, loan the Company funds as may be required (“Working Capital Loans”). If the Company completes its initial Business Combination, the Company would repay the Working Capital Loans. In the event that the initial Business Combination does not close, the Company may use a portion of the working capital held outside the Trust Account to repay the Working Capital Loans but no proceeds from the Trust Account would be used to repay the Working Capital Loans. Up to $1,500,000 of the Working Capital Loans may be convertible into warrants of the post Business Combination entity at a price of $1.00 per warrant at the option of the lender. The terms of such warrants would be identical to those of the Private Placement Warrants. As of March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, the Company had no borrowings under the Working Capital Loans.
NOTE 6—COMMITMENTS & CONTINGENCIES
Registration and Shareholder Rights
The holders of the (i) founder shares, (ii) Private Placement Warrants, which were issued in a private placement simultaneously with the closing of the IPO and the Class A ordinary shares underlying such Private Placement Warrants and (iii) warrants that may be issued upon conversion of Working Capital Loans have registration rights to require the Company to use its best efforts to register a sale of any of its securities held by them pursuant to a registration rights agreement dated January 24, 2022. The holders of these securities are entitled to make up to three demands, excluding short form demands, that the Company registers such securities. In addition, the holders have certain “piggy-back” registration rights with respect to registration statements filed subsequent to the Company’s completion of the initial Business Combination. The Company will bear the expenses incurred in connection with the filing of any such registration statements.
Legal Fee Arrangement
Pursuant to the SPA, in respect of the legal expenses of Shearman & Sterling LLP (“Shearman”), the Company’s legal counsel prior to the Sponsor Sale, owed by the Company, the Company will pay Shearman in connection with the closing of the initial Business Combination of the Company together with the payment of other transaction expenses and fees pursuant to the funds flow for such Business Combination, an amount equal to $350,000 in immediately available funds to such account as may be provided by Shearman in advance in writing. In addition, the Old Sponsor shall reserve 15,000 Class B ordinary shares in respect of its obligation to Shearman and, promptly following the first date that such shares can be sold, the Old Sponsor will sell those shares and send the proceeds in immediately available funds to such account as may be provided by Shearman in advance in writing. In the event of liquidation of the Company prior to the completion of its initial Business Combination, the Company will pay Shearman $250,000 on or prior to such liquidation date in immediately available funds to such account as may be provided by Shearman in advance in writing. The Old Sponsor represents, warrants and agrees that the foregoing description of the payment of legal expenses constitute full and final settlement of such fees, and there is no other Liability (as defined in the SPA) of the Company in respect of the legal expenses of Shearman other than as so described. The Old Sponsor, the New Sponsor and the Company agree that Shearman shall be an express third party beneficiary of the terms of the legal fee arrangement under the SPA.
Underwriting Agreement
The Company granted the underwriters of the IPO a 45-day option from the date of the IPO to purchase up to an additional 1,950,000 Units to cover over-allotments, which expired unexercised on March 10, 2022.
The underwriters received a cash underwriting discount of two percent (2%) of the gross proceeds of the IPO, or $2,600,000. Additionally, the underwriters will be entitled to a deferred underwriting discount of 3.5% of the gross proceeds of the IPO, or $4,550,000, upon the completion of the Company’s initial Business Combination.
On September 8, 2023, BofA delivered a letter to the Company to waive its entitlement to the payment of $2,275,000 deferred underwriting fee to be paid under the terms of the Underwriting Agreement. On September 19, 2023, BTG Pactual delivered a letter to
19
the Company to waive its entitlement to the payment of $2,275,000 deferring underwriting fee with respect to the Business Combination. As a result, the Company recorded a reduction of the deferred underwriting payable of $4,550,000, with $186,550 to other income and $4,363,450 to accumulated deficit.
Forward Purchase Agreement
An affiliate of the Old Sponsor (the “Sponsor Affiliate”) entered into a forward purchase agreement with the Company in connection with the IPO that provides for the purchase by the Sponsor Affiliate of an aggregate of up to 4,000,000 Units for an aggregate purchase price of up to $40,000,000, in a private placement that will close simultaneously with the closing of the Company’s initial Business Combination. The proceeds from the sale of these forward purchase units, together with the amounts available to the Company from the Trust Account (after giving effect to any redemptions of Public Shares) and any other equity or debt financing obtained by the Company in connection with the Business Combination, will be used to satisfy the cash requirements of the Business Combination, including funding the purchase price and paying expenses and retaining specified amounts to be used by the post-business combination company for working capital or other purposes. To the extent that the amounts available from the Trust Account and other financing are sufficient for such cash requirements, the Sponsor Affiliate may purchase less than 4,000,000 forward purchase units. In addition, the Sponsor Affiliate’s commitment under the forward purchase agreement will be subject to the Sponsor Affiliate’s completing the raising of a new fund, approval of its investment committee as well as customary closing conditions under the forward purchase agreement.
The forward purchase shares are identical to the Class A ordinary shares included in the Units sold in the IPO, except that pursuant to the forward purchase agreement, they are not transferable, assignable or salable until 30 days after the completion of our initial Business Combination, subject to limited exceptions. The forward purchase warrants have the same terms as the private placement warrants.
Business Combination Marketing Agreement
On February 9, 2023, the Company entered into a business combination marketing agreement (the “EBC BCMA”) with EarlyBirdCapital, Inc. (“EBC”) for EBC’s assistance in connection with a potential Business Combination with a cash fee equal to $2,000,000 contingent upon closing of the Business Combination. If a proposed Business Combination is not consummated for any reason, no fee is due unless the Company receives a termination payment established in the definitive written agreement with the target company in the Business Combination, in which case, EBC will be entitled to 1/3 of the termination payment up to a maximum of $1,000,000. As prescribed by the BCMA, in the Company’s own discretion, it may engage EBC as non-exclusive placement agent for the Company, on a “best efforts” basis, in connection with a private placement of shares of common stock and/or convertible debt or preferred stock, the structuring of a collateralized equity transaction, or the arrangement of an equity line of credit of the Company in connection with the Business Combination, for a placement agent’s fee of (for equity and equity equivalents) 3.5% and (for debt and convertible securities) 2.0% of the capital raised by investors contracts by EBC, payable at the closing of the Business Combination.
On October 2, 2023, the Old Sponsor entered into a letter agreement with EBC (the “EBC Letter Agreement”), under which, the Old Sponsor agreed to (i) transfer, at no consideration, to EBC 25,000 Class B ordinary shares of the Company held by the Old Sponsor at the closing of the Business Combination. If the Old Sponsor is required to forfeit Class B ordinary shares to the Company that it’s retaining pursuant to the SPA so that the total number of Class B ordinary shares becomes less than 500,000, EBC will forfeit a pro rata number of Class B ordinary shares with the Old Sponsor’s reduction below 500,000 such that the Class B ordinary shares held by EBC will then represent 5% of the total Class B ordinary shares held by the Old Sponsor and EBC; (ii) transfer to EBC an aggregate of 26.7% of any consideration it receives as a result of certain “tail” arrangement it has with a third party as a result of a proposed transaction; and (iii) pay to EBC an aggregate of $5,000 to reimburse EBC for expenses incurred by it for the services rendered to the Company and the Old Sponsor.
The 25,000 Class B ordinary shares that the Old Sponsor agreed to transfer to EBC (subject to forfeiture) were valued at $1.09 per share or an aggregate of $27,336 as at October 2, 2023, based on a Monte Carlo Model simulation valuation of the Class B ordinary shares. The amount will be recorded as Compensation Expense at the close of a Business Combination. The estimated fair value of the forfeiture provision on October 2, 2023, the date of the EBC Letter Agreement, was immaterial.
On October 2, 2023, in connection with the Sponsor Sale (see Note 1), EBC issued a waiver letter (“EBC Waiver Letter”) to the Company, pursuant to which, the EBC BCMA is terminated. Under the EBC Waiver Letter, the Company agreed that such Class B ordinary shares to be transferred by the Old Sponsor to EBC under the EBC Letter Agreement will have the same registration rights as the other Class B ordinary shares held by the Old Sponsor.
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NOTE 7—SHAREHOLDERS’ DEFICIT
Preference shares—The Company is authorized to issue 1,000,000 preference shares with a par value of $0.0001 and with such designations, voting and other rights and preferences as may be determined from time to time by the Company’s board of directors. At March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, there were no shares of preference shares issued or outstanding.
Class A ordinary shares—The Company is authorized to issue 200,000,000 Class A ordinary shares with a par value of $0.0001 per share. At March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, 1,058,127 shares of Class A ordinary shares issued or outstanding (excluding 3,941,873 shares subject to possible redemption).
Class B ordinary shares—The Company is authorized to issue 20,000,000 Class B ordinary shares with a par value of $0.0001 per share. Holders are entitled to one vote for each share of Class B ordinary shares. At March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, there were 2,191,873 Class B ordinary shares issued and outstanding.
Holders of Class A ordinary shares and holders of Class B ordinary shares will vote together as a single class on all matters submitted to a vote of the shareholders except as required by law or the MAA. Unless specified in the Company’s MAA, or as required by applicable provisions of the Companies Act or applicable stock exchange rules, the affirmative vote of a majority of the Company’s ordinary shares that are voted is required to approve any such matter voted on by its shareholders.
The Class B ordinary shares will automatically convert into Class A ordinary shares concurrently with or immediately following the consummation of the initial Business Combination on a one-for-one basis, subject to adjustment for share sub-divisions, share capitalizations, reorganizations, recapitalizations and the like, and subject to further adjustment as provided herein. In the case that additional Class A ordinary shares or equity-linked securities are issued or deemed issued in connection with the initial Business Combination, the number of Class A ordinary shares issuable upon conversion of all founder shares will equal, in the aggregate, 20% of the total number of Class A ordinary shares outstanding after such conversion (after giving effect to any redemptions of Class A ordinary shares by public shareholders), including the total number of Class A ordinary shares issued, or deemed issued or issuable upon conversion or exercise of any equity-linked securities or rights issued or deemed issued, by the Company in connection with or in relation to the consummation of the initial Business Combination, excluding any Class A ordinary shares or equity-linked securities exercisable for or convertible into Class A ordinary shares issued, or to be issued, to any seller in the initial Business Combination and any Private Placement Warrants issued to the Sponsor, officers or directors upon conversion of Working Capital Loans; provided that such conversion of founder shares will never occur on a less than one-for-one basis.
On April 13, 2023, at the First Extraordinary General Meeting, the shareholders approved, among others, the proposal to amend the Company’s MAA to provide for the right of a holder of the Company’s Class B ordinary shares to convert into Class A ordinary shares on a one-for-one basis prior to the closing of a Business Combination at the election of the holder.
On November 8, 2023, the New Sponsor notified the Company that it elected to convert 1,058,127 Class B ordinary shares held by itself to the same number of Class A ordinary shares, pursuant to the Founder Share Amendment Proposal. On November 16, 2023, 1,058,127 Class B ordinary shares held by the New Sponsor were converted into the same number of Class A ordinary shares. As of March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, there were 5,000,000 Class A ordinary shares (3,941,873 shares are subject to possible redemption) and 2,191,873 Class B ordinary shares of the Company, issued and outstanding.
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NOTE 8—FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS
The following table presents information about the Company’s liabilities that are measured at fair value on March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023 and indicates the Level 3 fair value hierarchy of the valuation inputs the Company utilized to determine such fair value.
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
|
| | |
| Quoted |
| Significant |
| Significant | |||
| | | | | Prices in | | Other | | Other | |||
| | | | | Active | | Observable | | Unobservable | |||
| | March 31, | | Markets | | Inputs | | Inputs | ||||
| | 2024 | | (Level 1) | | (Level 2) | | (Level 3) | ||||
Liabilities: |
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
Warrant liabilities – Public Warrants | | $ | 325,000 | | $ | 325,000 | | $ | — | | $ | — |
Warrant liabilities – Private Placement Warrants | |
| 395,000 | |
| — | |
| — | |
| 395,000 |
| | $ | 720,000 | | $ | 325,000 | | $ | — | | $ | 395,000 |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
|
| | |
| Quoted |
| Significant |
| Significant | |||
| | | | | Prices in | | Other | | Other | |||
| | | | | Active | | Observable | | Unobservable | |||
| | December 31, | | Markets | | Inputs | | Inputs | ||||
| | 2023 | | (Level 1) | | (Level 2) | | (Level 3) | ||||
Liabilities: |
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
Warrant liabilities – Public Warrants | | $ | 65,000 | | $ | 65,000 | | $ | — | | $ | — |
Warrant liabilities – Private Placement Warrants | |
| 79,000 | |
| — | |
| — | |
| 79,000 |
| | $ | 144,000 | | $ | 65,000 | | $ | — | | $ | 79,000 |
The Public Warrants and the Private Placement Warrants are accounted for as liabilities in accordance with ASC 815-40 and are presented within liabilities on the balance sheets. The warrant liabilities were measured at fair value at inception and remeasured on a recurring basis, with changes in fair value presented within change in fair value of warrant liabilities in the statements of operations.
The overallotment option was accounted for as a liability in accordance with ASC 815-40 and was presented within liabilities on the balance sheets from January 27, 2022 up to its expiration on March 10, 2022. The overallotment liability was measured at fair value at inception. The expiration of the overallotment resulted in a gain of $390,000 which is presented within gain on expiration of overallotment option in the statements of operations.
The Company used a Binomial Option Pricing Model to value the Private Placement Warrants and a Black-Scholes model to value the overallotment option at the initial measurement date. The Company allocated the proceeds received from (i) the sale of Units (which is inclusive of one share of Class A ordinary shares and one-half of one Public Warrant), first to the warrants and overallotment option based on their fair values as determined at initial measurement, with the remaining proceeds allocated to Class A ordinary shares subject to possible redemption (temporary equity) based on their fair values at the initial measurement date. The Public Warrants, the Private Placement Warrants and overallotment option were classified within Level 3 of the fair value hierarchy at the initial measurement dates due to the use of unobservable inputs. Inherent in pricing models are assumptions related to expected share-price volatility, expected life and risk-free interest rate. The Company estimates the volatility of its ordinary shares 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.
At March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, the Company used the quoted price on Over-the-Counter Market (the “OTC”) to establish the fair value of the Public Warrants.
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The Private Placement Warrants were transferred to a Level 2 from a Level 3 during the year ended December 31, 2022, due to the use of an observable market quote for a similar asset in an active market. The Private Placement Warrants changed from Level 2 at March 31, 2023 to Level 3 at December 31, 2023 as a result of the lack of an observable market quote of the Public Warrants on that day. At March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023 a Monte Carlo simulation methodology was used in estimating the fair value of the Private Placement Warrants. The key inputs for Monte Carlo simulation for the Private Placement Warrants as of March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023 were as follows:
| | | | | | | |
Input |
| March 31, 2024 |
| December 31, 2023 |
| ||
Public Warrant Price | | $ | 0.05 | | $ | 0.01 |
|
Risk-free interest rate |
| | 4.93 | % | | 4.64 | % |
Expected term (years) |
| | 1.22 |
| | 1.26 | |
Expected volatility |
| | de minimis |
| | de minimis | |
Stock price | | $ | 11.23 | | $ | 11.03 | |
Exercise price | | $ | 11.50 | | $ | 11.50 | |
NOTE 9—SUBSEQUENT EVENTS
The Company evaluated subsequent events and transactions that occurred after the condensed balance sheet date up to the date that the unaudited condensed financial statements were issued. Based on this review, other than described below, the Company did not identify any subsequent events that would have required adjustment or disclosure in the unaudited condensed financial statements.
On May 3, 2024, $78,837 was deposited as Extension Contribution into the Trust Account by FST pursuant to the Business Combination Agreement, extending the Termination Date to May 27, 2024.
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Item 2. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.
References in this quarterly report to “we,” “us,” “Company” or “our company” are to Chenghe Acquisition I Co. (formerly LatAmGrowth SPAC), a Cayman Islands exempted company. References to “management” or our “management team” are to our officers and directors. Capitalized but not otherwise defined terms have the meaning as ascribed to such terms in the notes to the accompanying financial statements.
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This quarterly report includes “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of 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 under “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” regarding our financial position, business strategy and the plans and objectives of management for future operations, are forward-looking statements. When used in this quarterly report, words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “seek” and similar expressions, are intended to, identify forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs of management, as well as assumptions made by, and information currently available to, our management. Actual results could differ materially from those contemplated by the forward- looking statements as a result of certain factors detailed in our filings with the SEC. All subsequent written or oral forward-looking statements attributable to us or persons acting on our behalf are qualified in their entirety by this paragraph.
The following discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations should be read in conjunction with the unaudited condensed 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.
Overview
We, Chenghe Acquisition I Co. (f/k/a LatAmGrowth SPAC) are a blank check company incorporated on May 20, 2021 as a Cayman Islands exempted company and incorporated for the purpose of effecting a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, share purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses. On October 25, 2023, our shareholders approved to change our name to Chenghe Acquisition I Co., as a result of the Sponsor Sale. We intend to effectuate our initial business combination using cash from the proceeds of our IPO and the private placement of the private placement warrants and forward purchase units, the proceeds of the sale of our shares in connection with our initial business combination (pursuant to forward purchase agreements or backstop agreements we may enter into), shares issued to the owners of the target, debt issued to bank or other lenders or the owners of the target, or a combination of the foregoing.
The issuance of additional shares in connection with a business combination to the owners of the target or other investors:
● | may significantly dilute the equity interest of investors in our IPO, which dilution would increase if the anti-dilution provisions in the Class B ordinary shares resulted in the issuance of Class A ordinary shares on a greater than one-to-one basis upon conversion of the Class B ordinary shares; |
● | may subordinate the rights of holders of Class A ordinary shares if preference shares are issued with rights senior to those afforded our Class A ordinary shares; |
● | could cause a change in control if a substantial number of our Class A ordinary shares are issued, which could result in the resignation or removal of our present officers and directors; |
● | may have the effect of delaying or preventing a change of control of us by diluting the share ownership or voting rights of a person seeking to obtain control of us; and |
● | may adversely affect prevailing market prices for our Class A ordinary shares. |
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Similarly, if we issue debt securities or otherwise incur significant debt to bank or other lenders or the owners of a target, it could result in:
● | default and foreclosure on our assets if our operating revenues after an initial business combination are insufficient to repay our debt obligations; |
● | acceleration of our obligations to repay the indebtedness even if we make all principal and interest payments when due if we breach certain covenants that require the maintenance of certain financial ratios or reserves without a waiver or renegotiation of that covenant; |
● | our immediate payment of all principal and accrued interest, if any, if the debt security is payable on demand; |
● | our inability to obtain necessary additional financing if the debt security contains covenants restricting our ability to obtain such financing while the debt security is outstanding; |
● | our inability to pay dividends on our Class A ordinary shares; |
● | using a substantial portion of our cash flow to pay principal and interest on our debt, which will reduce the funds available for dividends on our Class A ordinary shares, expenses, capital expenditures, acquisitions and other general corporate purposes; |
● | limitations on our flexibility in planning for and reacting to changes in our business and in the industry in which we operate; |
● | increased vulnerability to adverse changes in general economic, industry and competitive conditions and adverse changes in government regulation; and |
● | limitations on our ability to borrow additional amounts for expenses, capital expenditures, acquisitions, debt service requirements, execution of our strategy and other purposes and other disadvantages compared to our competitors who have less debt. |
As indicated in the accompanying unaudited condensed financial statements, at March 31, 2024, we had no cash and had working capital deficit of $2,998,673. Transaction costs related to our IPO amounted to $7,647,620 consisting of $2,600,000 of underwriting discount, $4,550,000 of deferred underwriting discount, and $497,620 of other offering costs. In addition, $2,494,203 of cash was held outside of the trust account and was available for working capital purposes at the consummation of the IPO. Further, we expect to incur significant costs in the pursuit of our initial business combination. We cannot assure you that our plans to raise capital or to complete our initial business combination will be successful.
Proposed Business Combination with Femco Steel Technology Co., Ltd.
As discussed in more details in “Note 1 – Organization and Business Operation” to the unaudited condensed financial statements contained elsewhere in this report, on December 22, 2023, the Company entered into the Business Combination Agreement with the FST Parties, pursuant to which, among other transactions, on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth therein, Merger Sub will merge with and into the Company with the Company being the surviving company and as a direct, wholly owned subsidiary of CayCo, and the Company will change its name to “FST Ltd.”. Under the Business Combination Agreement, FST agreed to bear all of the fees and costs relating to the extension of the Company’s Termination Date not exceeding $80,000 per month. The Extension Contributions loaned to the Company will be forgiven if the Company is unable to consummate a business combination except to the extent of any funds held outside of the trust account. If the Business Combination Agreement is terminated by FST due to the Company’s shareholders’ failure to approve the FST Business Combination or the Company’s material breach of its obligations as described in the Business Combination Agreement, the Company shall pay and reimburse FST the Extension Contribution(s) FST has deposited in the trust account with funds held outside of the trust account.
Under the Business Combination Agreement, the obligations of the parties (or, in some cases, some of the parties) to consummate the FST Business Combination are subject to the satisfaction or waiver of certain customary closing conditions of the respective parties, including, among others, (i) the accuracy of representations and warranties to various standards, from no material qualifier to a material adverse effect qualifier, (ii) material compliance with pre-closing covenants, (iii) no material adverse effect for FST, (iv) FST’s Company
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Acquisition Percentage (as defined in the Business Combination Agreement) reaching at least 90%, (v) the consummation of the FST Restructuring (as defined in the Business Combination Agreement), (vi) the delivery of customary closing certificates, (vii) the receipt of Taiwan DIR Approval and such approval being effective, (viii) the absence of a legal prohibition on consummating the transactions, (ix) approval by the shareholders of the Company and FST, (x) approval of a listing application on the applicable stock exchange for newly issued shares, and (xi) the Company having at least US$5,000,001 of net tangible assets remaining after redemption.
The Business Combination Agreement contemplates the execution of various additional agreements and instruments, on or before the closing of the FST Business Combination, including, among others, Sponsor Support Agreement, Company Shareholder Support Agreement, Lock-up Agreement and Investor Rights Agreement.
Results of Operations
As of March 31, 2024, we have not commenced any operations. All activity for the period from May 20, 2021 (inception) through March 31, 2024, relates to our formation and IPO, and, since the completion of our IPO, the Sponsor Sale, searching for a target to consummate an initial business combination and activities in connection with the proposed FST Business Combination. We will not generate any operating revenues until after the completion of our initial business combination, at the earliest. We generate non-operating income in the form of interest income from the proceeds derived from our IPO and placed in the trust account.
For the three months ended March 31, 2024, we had a net loss of $741,316, which consisted of formation and operating costs of $645,165 and an unrealized loss on change in fair value of warrants of $576,000, offset by trust interest income of $479,849.
For the three months ended March 31, 2023, we had a net income of $1,785,889, which consisted of unrealized gain on change in fair value of warrants of $720,000 and trust interest income of $1,427,334, partially offset by formation and operating costs of $361,445.
For the three months ended March 31, 2024, cash used in operating activities was $446,519. Net loss of $741,316 was affected by interest earned on marketable investments held in the Trust Account of $479,849 and an unrealized loss on change in fair value of warrants of $576,000. Changes in operating assets and liabilities provided $198,646 of cash for operating activities.
For the three months ended March 31, 2023, cash used in operating activities was $168,602. Net income of $1,785,889 was affected by unrealized gain on change in fair value of warrant liabilities of $720,000 and interest earned on marketable investments held in the Trust Account of $1,427,334. Changes in operating assets and liabilities provided $192,843 of cash for operating activities.
For the three months ended March 31, 2024, cash used in investing activities was $236,512 which includes principal deposited into the Trust Account.
For the three months ended March 31, 2023, cash used in investing activities was $0.
For the three months ended March 31, 2024, cash provided by financing activities was $683,031 which includes proceeds from the issuance of promissory note to related party.
For the three months ended March 31, 2023, cash provided by financing activities was $0.
Liquidity, Capital Resources and Going Concern
As of March 31, 2024, we had no cash on hand and working capital deficit of $2,998,673. On October 6, 2023, we transferred cash balance of $428,000 from our bank account controlled by the Old Sponsor to an account controlled by the New Sponsor, due to our new bank account under the control of the New Sponsor has not been set up yet. We and the New Sponsor agreed to offset the balance of $428,000 due from the New Sponsor with the outstanding promissory note balance due to the New Sponsor of $1,278,689 as of March 31, 2024, as a result of which, the total outstanding balance of the promissory note was $850,689 as of March 31, 2024 (see Note 5 to the unaudited condensed financial statements contained elsewhere in this report).
On January 27, 2022, we consummated our IPO of 13,000,000 units, at $10.00 per unit, generating gross proceeds of $130.0 million. Simultaneously with the closing of our IPO, we consummated the sale of 7,900,000 private placement warrants at a price of $1.00 per private placement warrant in a private placement to our sponsor, generating gross proceeds of $7.9 million. Prior to the completion of the IPO, we lacked the liquidity we needed to sustain operations for a reasonable period of time, which is considered to be one year from
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the issuance date of the financial statements. At the IPO date, cash of $2,494,203 in excess of the funds deposited in the trust account and/or used to fund offering expenses was released to us for general working capital purposes.
We did not have any cash on hand as of March 31, 2024. Until consummation of our initial business combination, we will use the funds raised from the New Sponsor, as mentioned below, for paying existing accounts payable, identifying and evaluating prospective initial business combination candidates, performing due diligence on prospective target businesses, paying for travel expenditures, selecting the target business to merge with or acquire, and structuring, negotiating and consummating the business combination.
We can raise additional capital through working capital loans from the sponsor, an affiliate of the sponsor, certain of our officers and directors, or through loans from third parties. If we are unable to raise additional capital, we 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 our business plan, and reducing overhead expenses. We cannot provide assurance that new financing will be available to us on commercially acceptable terms, if at all.
On April 13, 2023, at the First Extraordinary General Meeting, in connection with the approval of the First Extension Amendment Proposal, we have agreed to contribute into the trust account the lesser of an aggregate of $150,000 and $0.0375 per share for each public share that was not redeemed at the First Extraordinary General Meeting for each monthly period commencing April 27, 2023, until the earlier of the completion of the initial business combination and November 27, 2023. We issued the April 2023 Note, a non-interest bearing non-convertible unsecured promissory note, to the Old Sponsor for a principal amount of up to $1,050,000 to fund the contributions to the trust account in connection with the First Extension Amendment and First Trust Amendment. The April 2023 Note was terminated on October 4, 2023 and the withdrawal of $300,000 under the April 2023 Note was forgiven without any further liability of us or the Old Sponsor. The amounts forgiven were booked as a capital transaction at October 4, 2023.
On October 25, 2023, at the Second Extraordinary General Meeting, in connection with the approval of the Second Extension Amendment Proposal, we have agreed to contribute into the trust account the lesser of 80,000 and $0.02 for each public share that was not redeemed at the Second Extraordinary General Meeting for each monthly period commencing October 27, 2023 until the earlier of the completion of the initial business combination and October 27, 2024. On October 25, 2023, we issued the October 2023 Note, a non-interest bearing non-convertible unsecured promissory note, to the New Sponsor for a principal amount of up to $1,960,000. As of March 31, 2024, the total outstanding under the October 2023 Note was $850,689. Including the $428,000 cash transferred from our bank account controlled by the Old Sponsor to the account controlled by the New Sponsor (as mentioned above), the New Sponsor paid $1,278,689 in total, on behalf of us, for extension and working capital purposes, of which $610,000 was used for extension deposits and $668,689 was used for working capital purposes. As of the date hereof, additional $88,375 has been drawn from the October 2023 Note for working capital purposes.
On each of February 2, 2024, March 4, 2024 April 2, 2024 and May 3, 2024, $78,837 was deposited as Extension Contribution into the trust account by FST pursuant to the Business Combination Agreement, extending the Termination Date to May 27, 2024.
If a business combination is not consummated by the required date and we are unable to obtain the funding to further extend the Termination Date, there will be a mandatory liquidation and subsequent dissolution.
In connection with our assessment of going concern considerations in accordance with Financial Accounting Standard Board’s Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2014-15, “Disclosures of Uncertainties about an Entity’s Ability to Continue as a Going Concern,” we have until May 27, 2024 (or October 27, 2024 subject to additional extension deposits of $78,837 each month) to consummate the initial Business Combination. We intend to complete the initial Business Combination before the mandatory liquidation date. However, there can be no assurance that we will be able to consummate any business combination by May 27, 2024 (or October 27, 2024 subject to additional extension deposits of $78,837 each month). Management has determined that 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. The financial statements do not include any adjustments that might result from the outcome of this uncertainty. The accompanying financial statements have been prepared in conformity with GAAP, which contemplate continuation of the Company as a going concern.
Risks and Uncertainties
Management is currently evaluating the impact of the Israel-Hamas conflict and the Russia-Ukraine war and has concluded that while it is reasonably possible that the war could have a negative effect on the Company’s financial position, results of its operations and/or
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search for a target company, the specific impact is not readily determinable as of the date of these unaudited condensed financial statements. The unaudited condensed financial statements do not include any adjustments that might result from the outcome of this uncertainty.
Off-Balance Sheet Financing Arrangements
We have no obligations, assets or liabilities, which would be considered off-balance sheet arrangements as of March 31, 2024 and December 31, 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
As of March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, we did not have any long-term debt, capital or operating lease obligations.
Critical Accounting Estimates
The preparation of condensed financial statements and related disclosures in conformity with U.S. GAAP 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 condensed financial statements, and income and expenses during the periods reported. Actual results could materially differ from those estimates. A critical accounting estimate to our condensed financial statements is the estimated fair value of our warrant liabilities and over-allotment liability, and Class B ordinary shares. Fair value is defined as the price that would be received for sale of an asset or paid for transfer of a liability, in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. GAAP establishes a three-tier fair value hierarchy, which prioritizes the inputs used in measuring fair value. The hierarchy gives the highest priority to unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities (Level 1 measurements) and the lowest priority to unobservable inputs (Level 3 measurements). These tiers include:
● | Level 1, defined as observable inputs such as quoted prices (unadjusted) for identical instruments in active markets; |
● | Level 2, defined as inputs other than quoted prices in active markets that are either directly or indirectly observable such as quoted prices for similar instruments in active markets or quoted prices for identical or similar instruments in markets that are not active; and |
● | Level 3, defined as unobservable inputs in which little or no market data exists, therefore requiring an entity to develop its own assumptions, such as valuations derived from valuation techniques in which one or more significant inputs or significant value drivers are unobservable. |
Warrant Liabilities and Over-allotment Liability
We do not use derivative instruments to hedge exposures to cash flow, market, or foreign currency risks. We evaluate all of our financial instruments, including issued stock purchase warrants, to determine if such instruments are derivatives or contain features that qualify as embedded derivatives, pursuant to ASC 815-15. The classification of derivative instruments, including whether such instruments should be recorded as liabilities or as equity and measurement of fair value is re-assessed at the end of each reporting period. In accordance with ASC 825-10 “Financial Instruments”, offering costs attributable to the issuance of the derivative warrant liabilities and overallotment option have been allocated based on their relative fair value of total proceeds and are recognized in the statements of operations as incurred. Derivative warrant liabilities are classified as non-current liabilities as their liquidation is not reasonably expected to require the use of current assets or the creation of current liabilities.
We account for warrants and over-allotment as either equity-classified or liability-classified instruments based on an assessment of the warrant and over-allotment option’s specific terms and applicable authoritative guidance in Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 480, Distinguishing Liabilities from Equity (“ASC 480”) and ASC 815, Derivatives and Hedging (“ASC 815”). The assessment considers whether the warrants and over-allotment option are freestanding financial instruments pursuant to ASC 480, meet the definition of a liability pursuant to ASC 480, and whether the warrants and over-allotment option meet all of the requirements for equity classification under ASC 815, including whether the warrants and over-allotment
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option are indexed to our own ordinary shares, among other conditions for equity classification. This assessment is conducted at the time of warrant and over-allotment option issuance and as of each subsequent quarterly period end date while the warrants and over-allotment option are outstanding.
For issued or modified warrants and over-allotment option that meet all of the criteria for equity classification, the warrants and over-allotment option are recorded as a component of additional paid-in capital at the time of issuance. For issued or modified warrants and over-allotment option that do not meet all the criteria for equity classification, the warrants and over-allotment option are required to be recorded as a liability at their initial fair value on the date of issuance, and each balance sheet date thereafter. Changes in the estimated fair value of the warrants and over-allotment option are recognized as a non-cash gain or loss on the statements of operations.
We accounted for the warrants and over-allotment option in accordance with the guidance contained in ASC 815-40. The warrants and over-allotment are not considered indexed to our own ordinary shares, and as such, they do not meet the criteria for equity treatment and are recorded as liabilities.
At March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, the Company used the quoted price on Over - the - Counter Market (the “OTC”) to establish the fair value of the Public Warrants.
The Private Placement Warrants changed from Level 2 at March 31, 2023 to Level 3 at December 31, 2023 as a result of the lack of an observable market quote of the Public Warrants on that day. At March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023 a Monte Carlo simulation methodology was used in estimating the fair value of the Private Placement Warrants.
Class B Ordinary Shares (or “Founder Shares”)
The Company analyzed the SPA entered into during September 2023 under SAB Topic 5, Miscellaneous Accounting, section T, Accounting for Expenses or Liabilities Paid by Principal Stockholder(s) and concluded that the SPA provides the Company with a benefit in the form of the right to receive additional extension contributions from the New Sponsor. The right to receive the additional extension contributions required the New Sponsor, who is a principal shareholder, to provide or cause to provide consideration in the form of a transfer of Class B ordinary shares of the Company. The estimated fair value of the earnout provision at the closing of the Sponsor Sale on October 6, 2023 is nominal to zero. As a result, the Company determined that an expense in the full amount of the fair value of the Class B ordinary shares transferred should be recorded. During October 2023, the Company recorded an expense under SAB Topic 5T of $2,851,750 with a corresponding increase to additional paid-in capital, based on a Monte Carlo Model simulation valuation of the Class B ordinary shares.
Recent Accounting Pronouncements
In December 2023, the FASB issued ASU 2023-09, Income Taxes (Topic 740): Improvements to Income Tax Disclosures (ASU 2023-09), which requires disclosure of incremental income tax information within the rate reconciliation and expanded disclosures of income taxes paid, among other disclosure requirements. ASU 2023-09 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2024. Early adoption is permitted. The Company’s management does not believe the adoption of ASU 2023-09 will have a material impact on its unaudited condensed financial statements and disclosures.
Management does not believe that any other recently issued, but not yet effective, accounting pronouncements, if currently adopted, would have a material effect on the Company’s unaudited condensed financial statements.
JOBS Act
The JOBS Act contains provisions that, among other things, relax certain reporting requirements for qualifying public companies. We qualify as an “emerging growth company” and under the JOBS Act are allowed to comply with new or revised accounting pronouncements based on the effective date for private (not publicly traded) companies. We are electing to delay the adoption of new or revised accounting standards, and as a result, we may not comply with new or revised accounting standards on the relevant dates on which adoption of such standards is required for non-emerging growth companies. As a result, our financial statements may not be comparable to companies that comply with new or revised accounting pronouncements as of public company effective dates.
Additionally, we are in the process of evaluating the benefits of relying on the other reduced reporting requirements provided by the JOBS Act. Subject to certain conditions set forth in the JOBS Act, if, as an “emerging growth company,” we choose to rely on such
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exemptions we may not be required to, among other things, (i) provide an independent registered public accounting firm’s attestation report on our system of internal controls over financial reporting pursuant to Section 404, (ii) provide all of the compensation disclosure that may be required of non-emerging growth public companies under the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, (iii) comply with any requirement that may be adopted by the PCAOB regarding mandatory audit firm rotation or a supplement to the report of the independent registered public accounting firm providing additional information about the audit and the financial statements (auditor discussion and analysis), and (iv) disclose certain executive compensation related items such as the correlation between executive compensation and performance and comparisons of the CEO’s compensation to median employee compensation. These exemptions will apply for a period of five years following the completion of our IPO or until we are no longer an “emerging growth company,” whichever is earlier.
Item 3. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk
Following the consummation of our IPO, the net proceeds of our IPO, including amounts in the trust account, have been invested in U.S. government treasury bills, notes or bonds with a maturity of 185 days or less or in certain money market funds that invest solely in US treasuries. Due to the short-term nature of these investments, we believe there will be no associated material exposure to interest rate risk.
Item 4. Controls and Procedures.
Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures
Disclosure controls and procedures are controls and other procedures 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 management, including our chief executive officer and chief financial officer (together, the “Certifying Officers”), or persons performing similar functions, as appropriate, to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure.
Under the supervision and with the participation of our management, including our Certifying Officers, we carried out an evaluation of the effectiveness of the design and operation of our disclosure controls and procedures as defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) under the Exchange Act. Based on the foregoing, our Certifying Officers concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures were not effective as of March 31, 2024, due to material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting, as defined in the SEC guidelines for public companies. The material weaknesses identified relate to ineffective controls over recording of accounting transactions in the proper period, controls over accounting for and disclosure of complex financial instruments in the proper period, including those requiring them to apply complex accounting principles as a means of differentiating between liability, temporary equity and permanent equity classification, controls over fair value estimation of complex financial instruments such as Class B ordinary shares, earnout provision, and forfeiture provision, and controls over timely reconciliation of accrued legal expenses and NASDAQ filing fees.
In light of these material weaknesses, we have enhanced our processes to identify and appropriately apply applicable accounting requirements to better evaluate and understand the nuances of the complex accounting standards that apply to our financial statements including making greater use of third-party professionals with whom we consult regarding complex accounting applications. The elements of our remediation plan can only be accomplished over time, and we can offer no assurance that these initiatives will ultimately have the intended effects. We believe our efforts will enhance our controls relating to accounting for and disclosure of complex financial instruments in the proper period, but we can offer no assurance that our controls will not require additional review and modification in the future as industry accounting practice may evolve over time.
We do not expect that our disclosure controls and procedures will prevent all errors and all instances of fraud. Disclosure controls and procedures, no matter how well conceived and operated, can provide only reasonable, not absolute, assurance that the objectives of the disclosure controls and procedures are met. Further, the design of disclosure controls and procedures must reflect the fact that there are resource constraints, and the benefits must be considered relative to their costs. Because of the inherent limitations in all disclosure controls and procedures, no evaluation of disclosure controls and procedures can provide absolute assurance that we have detected all our control deficiencies and instances of fraud, if any. The design of disclosure controls and procedures also is based partly on certain assumptions about the likelihood of future events, and there can be no assurance that any design will succeed in achieving its stated goals under all potential future conditions.
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Management’s Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting
This quarterly report does not include a management’s assessment regarding internal control over financial reporting or an attestation report of our registered public accounting firm due to a transition period established by rules of the SEC for newly public companies and for an “emerging growth company,” as defined in Section 2(a) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Act, as modified by the JOBS Act.
Changes in Internal Control Over Financial Reporting
During the most recently completed fiscal quarter, there has been no change in our internal control over financial reporting that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.
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 are any of the risks described in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023 filed with the SEC on April 12, 2024 (the “Annual Report”). Any of these factors could result in a significant or material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. Additional risk factors not presently known to us or that we currently deem immaterial may also impair our business, financial condition or results of operations. As of the date of this Quarterly Report, there have been no material changes to the risk factors disclosed in the Annual Report. We may disclose future changes to the risk factors or disclose additional factors from time to time in our future filings with the SEC.
Item 2. Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds.
None.
Item 3. Defaults upon Senior Securities.
None.
Item 4. Mine Safety Disclosures.
Not applicable.
Item 5. Other Information.
None.
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Item 6. Exhibits.
Exhibit |
| Description |
31.1 |
| |
31.2 |
| |
32.1* |
| |
32.2* |
| |
101.INS | | XBRL Instance Document |
101.SCH | | XBRL Taxonomy Extension Schema Document |
101.CAL | | XBRL Taxonomy Extension Calculation Linkbase Document |
101.DEF | | XBRL Taxonomy Extension Definitions Linkbase Document |
101.LAB | | XBRL Taxonomy Extension Label Linkbase Document |
101.PRE | | XBRL Taxonomy Extension Presentation Linkbase Document |
104 | | Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within the Inline XBRL document) |
* | These certifications are furnished to the SEC pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes Oxley Act of 2002 and are deemed not filed for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, nor shall they be deemed incorporated by reference in any filing under the Securities Act of 1933, except as shall be expressly set forth by specific reference in such filing. |
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SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this quarterly report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.
| Chenghe Acquisition I Co. | |
|
| |
Date: May 17, 2024 | By: | /s/ Zhiyang Zhou |
|
| Name: Zhiyang Zhou |
|
| Title: Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer |
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