Introductory Note
On February 13, 2023, Nextracker Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Nextracker”), completed its previously announced upsized initial public offering (the “IPO”) of 30,590,000 shares of its Class A common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Nextracker Common Stock”), which includes the exercise in full of the underwriters’ option to purchase 3,990,000 additional shares of Nextracker Common Stock at the public offering price of $24.00 per share, less underwriting discounts and commissions. Prior to the IPO, Nextracker was a wholly owned indirect subsidiary of Flex Ltd. (“Flex”). Upon the closing of the IPO, Flex beneficially owned 60.91% of the total outstanding shares of Nextracker’s capital stock.
Item 1.01 | Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement. |
Merger Agreement
On February 7, 2023, Flex entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger (the “Merger Agreement”) with Yuma, Inc., an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Flex (“Yuma”), Nextracker, at such time a direct wholly-owned subsidiary of Yuma, and Yuma Acquisition Corp., a direct wholly-owned subsidiary of Nextracker (“Merger Sub”), in connection with the IPO. Since the IPO, Flex and Nextracker operate separately, each as a public company, with Flex holding a controlling interest in Nextracker.
Pursuant to the Merger Agreement, Flex has the option, in its sole discretion, to effect a merger of Yuma with Merger Sub, with Yuma surviving such merger as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Nextracker (the “Merger”), in a transaction intended to qualify for tax-free treatment under Section 368(a) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”).
The Merger Agreement further provides Flex with the option, in its sole discretion, to effect at any time prior to the consummation of the Merger (i) the distribution, including by means of a series of distributions, to the holders of record of ordinary Flex shares (each, a “Flex Share”), one share of Yuma common stock (each, a “Yuma Share”) for each Flex Share held by each such holder at the applicable distribution record date, or (ii) any other distribution or series of distributions of Yuma Shares to the holders of Flex Shares as determined by Flex in its sole discretion (the “Merger Distribution”).
The Merger would, on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the Merger Agreement (including Flex exercising its option to effect the Merger), be effected immediately following the Merger Distribution, with Yuma Shares being exchanged for Nextracker Common Stock in the Merger. The number of Nextracker Common Stock that would be issued to Yuma stockholders in the Merger would equal the number of Nextracker Common Stock then held directly or indirectly by Yuma and its subsidiaries (assuming for such purposes that all units of Nextracker LLC and shares of Nextracker’s Class B common stock held directly or indirectly by Yuma and its subsidiaries have been exchanged for Nextracker Common Stock as of immediately prior to the Merger). Flex currently owns economic interest in Nextracker LLC through beneficial ownership of the LLC Common Units.
The Merger Agreement contains customary representations and warranties with respect to Flex, Nextracker, Yuma and Merger Sub, including with respect to the requisite approvals of each party and its stockholders in connection with the Merger and the other transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement. Prior to the IPO, each of Flex, Nextracker, Yuma and Merger Sub, and the stockholders of each of Yuma, Nextracker and Merger Sub, have approved the Merger Agreement and the transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement, including the Merger.
The Merger Agreement contains customary covenants from Flex, Nextracker, Yuma and Merger Sub, including with respect to the necessary consents and authorizations to effect the Merger and the other transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement, the preparation and delivery of a proxy statement with respect to a Flex shareholder meeting to approve the Merger Distribution, and the registration of Nextracker Common Stock issuable in connection with the Merger and the preparation and filing of a registration statement with respect thereto.
Consummation of the Merger is subject to the fulfillment, on or prior to the closing of the Merger, of various conditions, including (a) Flex exercising (and not rescinding) its option to effect the Merger; (b) the effectiveness of the registration statement with respect to the Nextracker Common Stock issuable in connection with the Merger; (c) the absence of any governmental order or law that makes consummation of the Merger illegal or otherwise