The
Extension AmendmentThe proposed Extension Amendment would amend our existing CharterSEC has adopted rules that permit companies and intermediaries (e.g., brokers) to extendsatisfy the date by which the Company has to consummate a business combination (the “Extension”) from July 30, 2019 to October 31, 2019, plus an optiondelivery requirements for the Company to further extend such date up to three times (the latest such date being referred to as the “Extended Date”), each by an additional 30 days. A copy of the proposed amendment to our Charter is attached to this Proxy Statement asAnnex A. All stockholders are encouraged to read the proposed amendment in its entirety for a more complete description of its terms.
All holders of the Company’s public shares, whether they vote “FOR” or “AGAINST” the Extension Amendment,or do not vote at all, will be permitted to redeem all or a portion of their public shares into their pro rata portion of the Trust Account, provided that the Extension is implemented. Approval of the Extension Amendment and the Trust Amendment are both a condition to the implementation of the Extension. In addition, we will not proceed with the Extension if the number of redemptions of our public shares causes us to have less than $5,000,001 of net tangible assets following approval of the Extension Amendment and Trust Amendment proposals.
If the Extension Amendment is approved, the Company’s Sponsor has agreed to make a Contribution as a loan to the Company of $0.10 for each public share that is not redeemed in connection with the stockholder vote to approve the extension of the deadline to complete an initial business combination to October 31, 2019, plus, if the Company elects to further extend the deadline to complete an initial business combination beyond October 31, 2019, $0.033 for each 30-day period, or portion thereof, up to three additional 30-day periods. Accordingly, if the Company takes the initial extension to October 31, 2019 and all three additional 30-day extensions, the Sponsor would make aggregate Contributions of approximately $2,487,500 (assuming no public shares were redeemed). Each Contribution will be deposited in the Trust Account within two business days prior to the beginning of each 30-day period (or portion thereof), other than the first Contribution which will be made on the day of the approval of the Extension Amendment. Accordingly, if the Extension Amendment is approved and the Extension is completed and the Company takes the full time through the Extended Date to complete an initial business combination, the redemption price per share at the meeting for such business combination or the Company’s subsequent liquidation will be approximately [$10.52] per share (without taking into account any interest), in comparison to the current redemption price of approximately [$10.32] per share. The Sponsor will not make any Contribution unless the Extension Amendment and the Trust Amendment are approved and the Extension is completed. The Contribution(s) will not bear any interest and will be repayable by the Company to the Sponsor or its affiliates upon consummation of an initial business combination. The loans will be forgiven if the Company is unable to consummate an initial business combination except to the extent of any funds held outside of the Trust Account. The Sponsor will have the sole discretion whether to continue extending for additional 30-day periods until the Extended Date and if the Sponsor determines not to continue extending for additional 30-day periods, its obligation to make additional Contributions will terminate. If this occurs, or if the Company’s board of directors otherwise determines that the Company will not be able to consummate an initial business combination by the Extended Date and does not wish to seek an additional extension, the Company would wind up the Company’s affairs and redeem 100% of the outstanding public shares in accordance with the same procedures set forth below that would be applicable if the Extension Amendment proposal is not approved.
The Trust Amendment
The purpose of the Trust Amendment is to amend the Company’s Trust Agreement to extend the date on which the Trustee must liquidate the trust account if the Company has not completed a business combination from July 30, 2019 to October 31, 2019, plus an option for the Company to further extend such date up to three times (the latest such date being referred to as the “Extended Date”), each by an additional 30 days, and to permit the withdrawal of funds from the Trust Account to pay stockholders who properly exercise their redemption rights in connection with the Extension Amendment. A copy of the proposed amendment to the Trust Agreement is attached to this proxy statement asAnnex B. All stockholders are encouraged to read the proposed amendment in its entirety for a more complete description of its terms.
Reasons for the Proposals
The Extension Amendment and the Trust Amendment are essential to the overall implementation of our board’s plan to extend the date that we have to complete a business combination. Our Charter provides that the Company has until July 30, 2019 to complete an initial business combination. While we are currently in discussions with respect to several business combination opportunities, except as may otherwise be disclosed in a Form 8-K filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, there are currently no binding understandings or agreements in place with respect to any proposed business combination and our board believes that there will not be sufficient time before July 30, 2019 to negotiate and consummate a business combination. Accordingly, our board has determined that it is in the best interests of our stockholders to extend the date that the Company has to consummate an initial business combination to the Extended Date.
The Company believes that given the Company’s expenditure of time, effort and money on searching for potential business combination opportunities, circumstances warrant providing public stockholders an opportunity to consider a proposed business combination. Accordingly, the Company’s board of directors is proposing the Extension Amendment to amend the Charter to extend the date by which the Company has to complete a business combination, and is proposing the Trust Amendment to amend the Trust Agreement to extend the date on which the Trustee must liquidate the Trust Account.
Approval of the Extension Amendment and the Trust Amendment are both a condition to the implementation of the Extension. If the Extension Amendment or the Trust Amendment is not approved and we have not consummated a business combination by July 30, 2019, we will (i) cease all operations except for the purpose of winding up, (ii) as promptly as reasonably possible but not more than ten business days thereafter subject to lawfully available funds therefor, redeem 100% of the public shares in consideration of a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the quotient obtained by dividing (A) aggregate amount then on deposit in the Trust Account, including interest (which interest shall be net of franchise and income taxes payable and less up to $100,000 of such interest to pay dissolution expenses), by (B) the total number of then outstanding public shares, which redemption will completely extinguish rights of the public stockholders as stockholders of the Company (including the right to receive further liquidation distributions, if any), subject to applicable law, and (iii) as promptly as reasonably possible following such redemption, subject to the approval of the remaining stockholders and our board in accordance with applicable law, dissolve and liquidate, subject in each case to our obligations under Delaware law to provide for claims of creditors and other requirements of applicable law.
There will be no distribution from the Trust Account with respect to our warrants, which will expire worthless in the event of our winding up. In the event of a liquidation, our Sponsor, our officers and directors and our other initial stockholders will not receive any monies held in the Trust Account as a result of their ownership of the Founder Shares or the Private Placement Warrants.
The affirmative vote of at least 65% of the Company’s outstanding common stock, including the Founder Shares, will be required to approve the Extension Amendment and the Trust Amendment.
If the Extension Amendment and Trust Amendment Proposals Are Not Approved
If the Extension Amendment or the Trust Amendment is not approved and we have not consummated a business combination by July 30, 2019, we will (i) cease all operations except for the purpose of winding up, (ii) as promptly as reasonably possible but not more than ten business days thereafter subject to lawfully available funds therefor, redeem 100% of the public shares in consideration of a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the quotient obtained by dividing (A) aggregate amount then on deposit in the Trust Account, including interest (which interest shall be net of franchise and income taxes payable and less up to $100,000 of such interest to pay dissolution expenses), by (B) the total number of then outstanding public shares, which redemption will completely extinguish rights of the public stockholders as stockholders of the Company (including the right to receive further liquidation distributions, if any), subject to applicable law, and (iii) as promptly as reasonably possible following such redemption, subject to the approval of the remaining stockholders and our board in accordance with applicable law, dissolve and liquidate, subject in each case to our obligations under Delaware law to provide for claims of creditors and other requirements of applicable law.
There will be no distribution from the Trust Account with respect to our warrants, which will expire worthless in the event of our winding up. In the event of a liquidation, our Sponsor, our officers and directors and our other initial stockholders will not receive any monies held in the Trust Account as a result of their ownership of the Founder Shares or the Private Placement Warrants.
Our board will abandon the Extension Amendment and the Trust Amendment proposals if our stockholders do not approve both the Extension Amendment and the Trust Amendment. In addition, notwithstanding stockholder approval of the Extension Amendment and the Trust Amendment, our board will retain the right to abandon and not implement the Extension Amendment and the Trust Amendment at any time without any further action by our stockholders.
If the Extension Amendment and Trust Amendment Proposals Are Approved
If the Extension Amendment and the Trust Amendment proposals are approved, the approval of the Trust Amendment will constitute consent for the Company to (i) remove from the Trust Account an amount (the “Withdrawal Amount”), equal to the number of public shares properly redeemed multiplied by the per-share price, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the Trust Account, including interest (which interest shall be net of franchise and income taxes payable), divided by the number of then outstanding public shares and (ii) deliver to the holders of such redeemed public shares their portion of the Withdrawal Amount. The remainder of such funds shall remain in the Trust Account and be available for use by the Company to complete a business combination on or before the Extended Date. Holders of public shares who do not redeem their public shares now will retain their redemption rights and their ability to vote on a business combination through the Extended Date if the Extension Amendment and the Trust Amendment proposals are approved.
If the Extension Amendment and the Trust Amendment are approved, the Company will file an amendment to the Charter with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware in the form ofAnnex A hereto to extend the time it must complete a business combination until the Extended Date. The Company will remain a reporting company under the Exchange Act, and its units, common stock and warrants will remain publicly traded. The Company will continue to work to consummate a business combination by the Extended Date.
Notwithstanding stockholder approval of the Extension Amendment and the Trust Amendment, our board will retain the right to abandon and not implement the Extension Amendment and the Trust Amendment at any time without any further action by our stockholders.
Redemption Rights
If the Extension Amendment and Trust Amendment proposals are approved, and the Extension is implemented, public stockholders may elect to redeem their shares for a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the Trust Account as of two business days prior to such approval, including interest earned on the Trust Account deposits (which interest shall be net of franchise and income taxes payable), divided by the number of then outstanding public shares. However, we may not redeem our public shares in an amount that would cause our net tangible assets to be less than $5,000,001. If the Extension Amendment and the Trust Amendment are approved by the requisite vote of stockholders, the remaining holders of public shares will retain the opportunity to have their public shares redeemed upon the consummation of the initial business combination, subject to any limitations set forth in our Charter, as amended. In addition, public stockholders who do not make the Election would be entitled to have their shares redeemed for cash if the Company has not completed a business combination by the Extended Date.
TO DEMAND REDEMPTION, PRIOR TO 5:00 P.M. EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME ON JULY 24, 2019 (TWO BUSINESS DAYS BEFORE THE SPECIAL MEETING), YOU MUST EITHER PHYSICALLY TENDER YOUR STOCK CERTIFICATES TO THE TRANSFER AGENT OR DELIVER YOUR SHARES TO THE TRANSFER AGENT ELECTRONICALLY USING DTC’S DWAC SYSTEM, AS DESCRIBED HEREIN. YOU SHOULD ENSURE THAT YOUR BANK OR BROKER COMPLIES WITH THE REQUIREMENTS IDENTIFIED HEREIN.
In connection with tendering your shares for redemption, you must elect either to (x) physically tender your stock certificates to Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, the Company’s transfer agent, at Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, 1 State Street, 30th Floor, New York, New York, 10004, Attn: Mark Zimkind, or (y) deliver your shares to the transfer agent electronically using DTC’s DWAC (Deposit/Withdrawal At Custodian) system, which election would likely be determined based on the manner in which you hold your shares.You must tender your shares in the manner described above prior to 5:00 p.m. Eastern daylight time on July 24, 2019 (two business days before the Special Meeting) in order to exercise your redemption rights in connection with the Extension.The requirement for physical or electronic delivery prior to the vote at the Special Meeting ensures that a redeeming holder’s election is irrevocable once the Extension Amendment and the Trust Amendment are approved. In furtherance of such irrevocable election, stockholders making the election will not be able to tender their shares after the vote at the Special Meeting. The Company will provide public stockholdersmaterials with another opportunity to redeem their shares for cash in connection with the vote on any proposed business combination when and if one is submitted to stockholders.
Through the DWAC system, this electronic delivery process can be accomplished by the stockholder, whether or not it is a record holder or its shares are held in “street name,” by contacting the transfer agent or its broker and requesting delivery of its shares through the DWAC system. Delivering shares physically may take significantly longer. In order to obtain a physical stock certificate, a stockholder’s broker and/or clearing broker, DTC, and the Company’s transfer agent will need to act together to facilitate this request. There is a nominal cost associated with the above-referenced tendering process and the act of certificating the shares or delivering them through the DWAC system. The transfer agent will typically charge the tendering broker $45 and the broker would determine whether or not to pass this cost on to the redeeming holder. It is the Company’s understanding that stockholders should generally allot at least two weeks to obtain physical certificates from the transfer agent. The Company does not have any control over this process or over the brokers or DTC, and it may take longer than two weeks to obtain a physical stock certificate. Such stockholders will have less time to make their investment decision than those stockholders that deliver their shares through the DWAC system. Stockholders who request physical stock certificates and wish to redeem may be unable to meet the deadline for tendering their shares before exercising their redemption rights and thus will be unable to redeem their shares.
Shares that have not been tendered in accordance with these procedures prior to the vote on the Extension Amendment and the Trust Amendment will not be redeemed for cash held in the Trust Account. In the event that a public stockholder tenders its shares and decides prior to the vote at the Special Meeting that it does not want to redeem its shares, the stockholder may withdraw the tender. If you delivered your shares for redemption to our transfer agent and decide prior to the vote at the Special Meeting not to redeem your shares, you may request that our transfer agent return the shares (physically or electronically). You may make such request by contacting our transfer agent at the address listed above. In the event that a public stockholder tenders shares and the Extension Amendment and the Trust Amendment are not approved, these shares will not be redeemed and the physical certificates representing these shares will be returned to the stockholder promptly following the determination that the Extension Amendment and the Trust Amendment will not be approved. The Company anticipates that a public stockholder who tenders shares for redemption in connection with the vote to approve the Extension Amendment and the Trust Amendment would receive payment of the redemption price for such shares soon after the completion of the Extension Amendment. The transfer agent will hold the certificates of public stockholders that make the election until such shares are redeemed for cash or returned to such stockholders.
If properly demanded, and if the Extension Amendment and Trust Amendment are approved, the Company will redeem each public share for a per- share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the Trust Account two business days prior to such approval, including interest earned on the Trust Account deposits (which interest shall be net of franchise and income taxes payable), divided by the number of then outstanding public shares. As of the date of the Special Meeting, this amount is expected to be approximately $[10.32] per share. The closing price of the Company’s common stock on [May 31], 2019 was [$10.28].
If you exercise your redemption rights, you will be exchanging your shares of the Company’s common stock for cash and will no longer own the shares. You will be entitled to receive cash for these shares only if you properly demand redemption and tender your shares to the Company’s transfer agent prior to 5:00 p.m. Eastern daylight time on July 24, 2019 (two business days before the Special Meeting). The Company anticipates that a public stockholder who tenders shares for redemption in connection with the vote to approve the Extension Amendment and the Trust Amendment would receive payment of the redemption price for such shares soon after the completion of the Extension Amendment.
Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences
The following discussion is a general summary of certain material U.S. federal income tax consequences to the Company’s stockholders with respect to the exercise of redemption rights in connection with the approval of the Extension Amendment and the Trust Amendment. This discussion is based on the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), laws, regulations, rulings and decisions in effect on the date hereof, all of which are subject to change, possibly with retroactive effect, and to varying interpretations, which could result in U.S. federal income tax consequences different from those described below. This discussion does not address the tax consequences to stockholders under any state, local, or non-U.S. tax laws or any other U.S. federal tax, including the alternative minimum tax provisions of the Code and the net investment income tax.
This discussion applies only to stockholders of the Company who are U.S. Holders (as defined below) and who hold their shares as a “capital asset,” as defined in the Code. A stockholder is a U.S. Holder for U.S. federal income tax purposes if such stockholder is (i) an individual citizen or resident of the United States, (ii) a corporation (or other entity treated as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes) that was created or organized in the U.S. or under the laws of the United States, any state thereof, or the District of Columbia, (iii) an estate the income of which is subject to U.S. federal income taxation regardless of its source, or (iv) a trust if (a) a court within the United States is able to exercise primary supervision over the administration of the trust and one or more United States persons have the authority to control all substantial decisions of the trust, or (b) such trust has in effect a valid election to be treated as a United States person.
This discussion does not address all of the U.S. federal income tax consequences that may be relevant to particular stockholders in light of their individual circumstances or to certain types of stockholders subject to special treatment under the Code, including, without limitation, regulated investment companies, real estate investment trusts, controlled foreign corporations, passive foreign investment companies, cooperatives, banks and certain other financial institutions, insurance companies, tax exempt organizations, retirement plans, stockholders that are, or hold shares through, partnerships or other pass through entities for U.S. federal income tax purposes or investors therein, U.S. Holders (as defined below) whose functional currency is not the U.S. dollar, dealers in securities or foreign currency, traders that mark to market their securities, certain former citizens and long-term residents of the United States, and stockholders holding Company shares as a part of a straddle, hedging, constructive sale or conversion transaction.
If an entity or arrangement treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes is a stockholder, the tax treatment of a partner will generally depend upon the status of the partner and the activities of the partnership. Partners should consult their own tax advisors regarding the specific tax consequences to them of their partnership making the Election.
No legal opinion of any kind has been or will be sought or obtained regarding the U.S. federal income tax or any other tax consequences of making or not making the Election. In addition, the following discussion is not binding on the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) or any other taxing authority, and no ruling has been or will be sought or obtained from the IRS or other taxing authority with respect to any of the U.S. federal income tax consequences or any other tax consequences that may arise in connection with the Election. There can be no assurance that the IRS or other taxing authority will not challenge any of the general statements made in this summary or that a U.S. court or other judicial body would not sustain such a challenge.
THE FOLLOWING DISCUSSION IS FOR GENERAL INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY AND SHOULD NOT BE CONSTRUED AS TAX ADVICE. YOU ARE URGED TO CONSULT YOUR OWN TAX ADVISOR WITH RESPECT TO THE SPECIFIC TAX CONSEQUENCES TO YOU OF MAKING OR NOT MAKING THE ELECTION, INCLUDING THE EFFECTS OF U.S. FEDERAL, STATE, LOCAL AND NON-U.S. TAX RULES AND POSSIBLE CHANGES IN LAWS THAT MAY AFFECT THE TAX CONSEQUENCES DESCRIBED IN THIS PROXY STATEMENT.
U.S. Federal Income Tax Treatment of Non-Electing Stockholders
A stockholder who does not make the Election (including any stockholder who votes in favor of the Extension Amendment and the Trust Amendment) will continue to own his shares and warrants, and will not recognize any income, gain or loss for U.S. federal income tax purposes by reason of the Extension Amendment and the Trust Amendment.
U.S. Federal Income Tax Treatment of Electing Stockholders
A U.S. Holder who makes the Election will receive cash in exchange for the tendered shares, and will be considered for U.S. federal income tax purposes either to have made a sale of the tendered shares (a “Sale”), or will considered to have received a distribution with respect to his shares (a “Distribution”) that may be treated as (i) dividend income, (ii) or a nontaxable recovery of basis in his investment in the tendered shares, or (iii) gain (but not loss) as if the shares with respect to which the Distribution was made had been sold.
If a redemption of shares is treated as a Sale, the U.S. Holder will recognize gain or loss equal to the difference between the amount of cash received in the redemption and the U.S. Holder’s adjusted tax basis in the redeemed shares. Any such gain or loss will be capital gain or loss and will be long-term capital gain or loss if the holding period of the redeemed shares exceeds one year as of the date of the redemption. A U.S. Holder’s adjusted tax basis in the redeemed shares generally will equal the U.S. Holder’s acquisition cost for those shares. If the holder purchased an investment unit consisting of both shares and warrants, the cost of such unit must be allocated between the shares and warrants that comprised such unit based on their relative fair market values at the time of the purchase. Calculation of gain or loss must be made separately for each block of shares owned by a U.S. Holder.
A redemption will be treated as a Sale with respect to a U.S. Holder if the redemption of the U.S. Holder’s shares (i) results in a “complete termination” of the U.S. Holder’s interest in the Company, (ii) is “substantially disproportionate” with respect to the U.S. Holder or (iii) is “not essentially equivalent to a dividend” with respect to such U.S. Holder. In determining whether any of these tests has been met, each U.S. Holder must consider not only shares actually owned but also shares deemed to be owned by reason of applicable constructive ownership rules. A U.S. Holder may be considered to constructively own shares that are actually owned by certain related individuals or entities. In addition, a right to acquire shares pursuant to a warrant causes the covered shares to be constructively owned by the holder of the warrant. Accordingly, any U.S. Holder who has tendered all of his actually owned shares for redemption but continues to hold warrants after the redemption will generally not be considered to have experienced a complete termination of his interest in the Company.
In general, a distribution to a U.S. Holder in redemption of shares will qualify as “substantially disproportionate” only if the percentage of the Company’s shares that are owned by the U.S. Holder (actually and constructively) after the redemption is less than 80% of the percentage of outstanding Company shares owned by such U.S. Holder before the redemption. Whether the redemption will result in a more than 20% reduction in a U.S. Holder’s percentage interest in the Company will depend on the particular facts and circumstances, including the number of other tendering U.S. Holders that are redeemed pursuant to the Election.
Even if the redemption of a U.S. Holder’s shares in connection with the Extension Amendment and the Trust Amendment is not treated as a Sale under either the “complete redemption” test or the “substantially disproportionate” test described above, the redemption may nevertheless be treated as a Sale of the shares (rather than as a Distribution) if the effect of the redemption is “not essentially equivalent to a dividend” with respect to that U.S. Holder. A redemption will satisfy the “not essentially equivalent to a dividend” test if it results in a “meaningful reduction” of the U.S. Holder’s equity interest in the Company. The IRS has indicated in a published ruling that even a small reduction in the proportionate interest of a small minority U.S. Holder in a publicly held corporation who exercises no control over and does not participate in the management of our corporate affairs may constitute such a meaningful reduction. However, the applicability of this ruling is uncertain and U.S. Holders who do not qualify for Sale treatment under either of the other two tests should consult their own tax advisors regarding the potential application of the “not essentially equivalent to a dividend” test to their particular situations.
If none of the tests for Sale treatment are met with respect to a U.S. Holder, amounts received in exchange for the U.S. Holder’s redeemed shares will be taxable to the U.S. Holder as a “dividend” to the extent of such U.S. Holder’s ratable share of the Company’s current and accumulated earnings and profits. Although it is believed that the Company presently has no accumulated earnings and profits, it will not be possible to definitely determine whether the Company will have, as of the end of its taxable year, any current earnings. If there are no current or accumulated earnings or the amount of the Distribution to the U.S. Holder exceeds his share of earnings and profits, the excess of redemption proceeds over any portion that is taxable as a dividend will be treated as a non-taxable return of capital to the U.S. Holder (to the extent of the U.S. Holder’s adjusted tax basis in the redeemed shares). Any amounts received in the Distribution in excess of the U.S. Holder’s adjusted tax basis in the redeemed shares will constitute taxable gain of the same character as if the shares had been transferred in a Sale, and thus will result in recognition of capital gain to the extent of such excess. If the amounts received by a tendering U.S. Holder are required to be treated as a “dividend,” the tax basis in the shares that were redeemed (after an adjustment for non-taxable return of capital discussed above) will be transferred to any remaining shares held by such U.S. Holder. If the redemption is treated as a dividend but the U.S. Holder has not retained any actually owned shares, the U.S. Holder should consult his own tax advisor regarding possible allocation of the basis in the redeemed shares to other interests in the Company.
Information Reporting and Backup Withholding
Gross proceeds from the redemption of shares in connection with the approval of the Extension Amendment and the Trust Amendment may be subject to information reporting. Additionally, U.S. federal income tax laws require that, in order to avoid potential backup withholding in respect of certain “reportable payments”, each tendering U.S. Holder (or other payee) must either (i) provide to the Company such U.S. Holder’s correct taxpayer identification number (“TIN”) (or certify under penalty of perjury that such U.S. Holder is awaiting a TIN) and certify that (A) such U.S. Holder has not been notified by the IRS that such U.S. Holder is subject to backup withholding as a result of a failure to report all interest and dividends or (B) the IRS has notified such U.S. Holder that such U.S. Holder is no longer subject to backup withholding, or (ii) provide an adequate basis for exemption. Each tendering U.S. Holder is required to make such certifications by providing the Company a signed copy of IRS Form W-9. Exempt tendering U.S. Holders are not subject to backup withholding and reporting requirements, but will be required to certify their exemption from backup withholding on an applicable form. If the Company is not provided with the correct TIN or an adequate basis for exemption, the relevant tendering U.S. Holder may be subject to a $50 penalty imposed by the IRS, and any “reportable payments” made to such U.S. Holder pursuant to the redemption will be subject to backup withholding in an amount equal to 24% of such “reportable payments.”
Amounts withheld, if any, are generally not an additional tax and may be refunded or credited against the stockholder’s U.S. federal income tax liability, provided that the stockholder timely furnishes the required information to the IRS.
As previously noted above, the foregoing discussion of certain material U.S. federal income tax consequences is included for general information purposes only and is not intended to be, and should not be construed as, legal or tax advice to any stockholder. We once again urge you to consult with your own tax adviser to determine the particular tax consequences to you (including the application and effect of any U.S. federal, state, local or foreign income or other tax laws) of the receipt of cash in exchange for shares in connection with the Extension Amendment and the Trust Amendment.
Required Vote
The affirmative vote by holders of at least 65% of the Company’s outstanding common stock, including the Founder Shares, is required to approve the Extension Amendment and the Trust Amendment. If the Extension Amendment is not approved, the Extension will not be implemented and the Company will be required by its charter to (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 subject to lawfully available funds therefor, redeem 100% of the public shares in consideration of a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the quotient obtained by dividing (A) aggregate amount then on deposit in the Trust Account, including interest (which interest shall be net of franchise and income taxes payable and less up to $100,000 of such interest to pay dissolution expenses), by (B) the total number of then outstanding public shares, which redemption will completely extinguish rights of the public stockholders as stockholders of the Company (including the right to receive further liquidation distributions, if any), subject to applicable law, and (iii) as promptly as reasonably possible following such redemption, subject to the approval of the remaining stockholders and our board in accordance with applicable law, dissolve and liquidate, subject in each case to our obligations under Delaware law to provide for claims of creditors and other requirements of applicable law.
All of our directors, executive officers, other initial stockholders and their respective affiliates are expected to vote any common stock over which they have voting control (including any public shares owned by them) in favor of the Extension Amendment and the Trust Amendment. On the record date, our Sponsor, our officers and directors and our other initial stockholders own approximately 20% of our issued and outstanding shares of common stock, including all of the Founder Shares.
Interests of the Company’s Directors and Officers
When you consider the recommendation of our board, you should keep in mind that the Company’s executive officers and members of our board of directors have interests that may be different from, or in addition to, your interests as a stockholder. These interests include, among other things:
| ● | If the Extension Amendment and the Trust Amendment are not approved and we do not consummate a business combination by June 30, 2019 in accordance with our Charter, the 3,125,000 Founder Shares held by our Sponsor, our officers and directors and our other initial stockholders, which were acquired prior to the IPO for an aggregate purchase price of $25,000, will be worthless (as the holders have waived liquidation rights with respect to such shares), as will the 4,900,000 Private Placement Warrants that were acquired simultaneously with the IPO for an aggregate purchase price of $4,900,000 (as they will expire). Such Founder Shares and Private Placement Warrants had an aggregate market value of approximately $[33,252,000] based on the last sale price of $[10.28] and $[0.230], respectively, on Nasdaq on [May 31], 2019. James J. Dolan, our Chief Executive Officer and Chairman, is the managing member of our Sponsor; |
| ● | Our Sponsor has agreed that it will be liable to us, if and to the extent any claims by a vendor for services rendered or products sold to us, or a prospective target business with which we have discussed entering into a transaction agreement, reduce the amount of funds in the Trust Account to below: (i) $10.10 per public share; or (ii) such lesser amount per public share held in the Trust Account as of the date of the liquidation of the Trust Account due to reductions in the value of the trust assets, in each case, net of the interest which may be withdrawn to pay taxes, except as to any claims by a third party who executed a waiver of any and all rights to seek access to the Trust Account and except as to any claims under our indemnity of the underwriters of the IPO against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act; |
| ● | All rights specified in the Company’s Charter relating to the right of officers and directors to be indemnified by the Company, and of the Company’s officers and directors to be exculpated from monetary liability with respect to prior acts or omissions, will continue after a business combination. If the business combination is not approved and the Company liquidates, the Company will not be able to perform its obligations to its officers and directors under those provisions; |
| ● | None of the Company’s executive officers or directors has received any cash compensation for services rendered to the Company. All of the current members of our board are expected to continue to serve as directors at least through the date of the Special Meeting and may continue to serve following any potential business combination and receive compensation thereafter; |
| ● | Our Sponsor, the Company’s officers and directors, and any entity with which they are affiliated, are entitled to reimbursement of out-of-pocket expenses incurred by them in connection with certain activities on the Company’s behalf, such as identifying and investigating possible business targets and business combinations. However, if the Company fails to obtain the Extension and consummate the business combination, they will not have any claim against the trust account for reimbursement. Accordingly, the Company will most likely not be able to reimburse these expenses if a business combination is not completed; and |
| ● | Our Sponsor committed to provide an aggregate of $410,000 in loans to finance transaction costs in connection with a business combination, which loans, to the extent advanced, may be converted into warrants or repaid upon the closing of a business combination. Such loans may not be repaid if a business combination is not consummated. Through [March 31, 2019], there have been no borrowings pursuant to such commitment. |
Recommendation
As discussed above, after careful consideration of all relevant factors, our board has determined that the Extension Amendment and Trust Amendment proposals are in the best interests of the Company and its stockholders. Our board has approved and declared advisable adoption of the Extension Amendment and Trust Amendment proposals.
Our board recommends that you vote “FOR” the Extension Amendment and Trust Amendment proposals. Our board expresses no opinion as to whether you should redeem your public shares.
STOCKHOLDER PROPOSALS
If the Extension Amendment and Trust Amendment proposals are approved and the Extension is implemented, the Company’s annual meeting of stockholders (the “Annual Meeting”) will likely be held prior to December 31, 2019 in order to comply with NASDAQ corporate governance requirements; however, no date for the Annual Meeting has been set. You may submit proposals, including recommendations of director candidates, for consideration at annual meetings of stockholders. Our bylaws provide for advance notice procedures to recommend a person for nomination as a director or to propose business to be considered by stockholders at a meeting. For the Annual Meeting, such nominations or proposals, other than those made by or at the direction of the board of directors, must be submitted in writing and received by our Secretary at our principal executive offices located at 780 Fifth Avenue South, Naples, FL 34102, not later than the close of business on the later of (x) the 90th calendar day prior to the Annual Meeting and (y) the 10th calendar day following the day on which public disclosure of the date of the Annual Meeting is first made. Such nominations or proposals also must comply with all applicable requirements of the rules and regulations of the SEC. The presiding officer of the Annual Meeting may refuse to acknowledge the introduction of your proposal if it is not made in compliance with the foregoing procedures or the applicable provisions of our bylaws. If a stockholder who has notified the Company of his or her intention to present a proposal at an Annual Meeting does not appear to present his or her proposal at such meeting, such proposal will be disregarded.
In addition, for a stockholder proposal to be considered for inclusion in our proxy statement for the Annual Meeting, the proposal must be submitted in writing and received by our Secretary at our principal executive offices at the address above a reasonable time before we begin to print and send our proxy materials for the Annual Meeting.
A copy of the full text of the bylaw provisions discussed above may be obtained by writing to our Secretary at our principal executive offices at the address above. All notices of proposals by stockholders, whether or not to be considered for inclusion in our proxy materials, should be sent to our Secretary at our principal executive offices.
DELIVERY OF DOCUMENTS TO STOCKHOLDERS
Pursuant to the rules of the SEC, the Company and its agents that deliver communications to its stockholders are permitted to deliver to two or more stockholders sharing the same address by delivering a single copyset of Special Meeting materials addressed to those stockholders. This process, which is commonly referred to as “householding,” potentially means extra convenience for stockholders and cost savings for companies.