Beneficient 8-K, filed Dec 1, 2023
Beneficient (BENF)
About this 8-K
Beneficient filed this 8-K on December 1, 2023, reporting on events of November 28, 2023.
Items reported
- Item 3.01: Delisting notice or listing transfer
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, DC 20549
FORM
CURRENT REPORT
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Item 3.01 Notice of Delisting or Failure to Satisfy a Continued Listing Rule or Standard; Transfer of Listing.
On November 28, 2023, Beneficient (the “Company”) received a letter (the “Notice”) from the Listing Qualifications Department (the “Staff”) of The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC (“Nasdaq”) notifying the Company that, for the previous 30 consecutive business days, the closing bid price for the Company’s Class A common stock, par value $0.001 per share (the “Class A Common Stock”), had been below the minimum $1.00 per share required for continued listing on The Nasdaq Global Market under Nasdaq Listing Rule 5450(a)(1) (the “Bid Price Requirement”). The Notice has no effect at this time on the Class A Common Stock, which continues to trade on The Nasdaq Global Market under the symbol “BENF”.
In accordance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5810(c)(3)(A), the Company has been provided an initial period of 180 calendar days, or until May 28, 2024 (the “Compliance Date”), to regain compliance with the Bid Price Requirement. If, at any time before the Compliance Date, the bid price for the Class A Common Stock closes at $1.00 or more for a minimum of 10 consecutive business days, the Staff will provide written notification to the Company that it has regained compliance with the Bid Price Requirement (unless the Staff exercises its discretion to extend the 10-day period).
If the Company is not in compliance with the Bid Price Requirement by the Compliance Date, the Company may qualify for a second 180 calendar day period to regain compliance with the Bid Price Requirement. To qualify for an additional compliance period, the Company would need to transfer the listing of the Class A Common Stock to the Nasdaq Capital Market and meet the continued listing requirement for market value of publicly held shares and all other initial listing standards for The Nasdaq Capital Market, except for the Bid Price Requirement. If the Company does not qualify for or fails to regain compliance during the second compliance period, then the Staff will provide written notification to the Company that its Class A Common Stock will be subject to delisting. At that time, the Company may appeal the Staff’s delisting determination to the Nasdaq Listing Qualifications Panel. However, there can be no assurance that, if the Company receives a delisting notice and appeals the delisting determination, that such an appeal would be successful.
The Company intends to monitor the closing bid price of its Class A Common Stock and is evaluating available options, including seeking to effect a reverse stock split, to resolve the noncompliance matters described herein and intends to take appropriate steps to maintain its listing on Nasdaq. However, there can be no assurance that the Company will be able to regain compliance with the Bid Price Requirement.
Forward-Looking Statements
Some of the statements contained in this Current Report on Form 8-K are forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These forward-looking statements reflect our views with respect to future events as of the date of this document and are based on our management’s current expectations, estimates, forecasts, projections, assumptions, beliefs and information. Although management believes that the expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that these expectations will prove to have been correct. All such forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, many of which are outside of our control, and could cause future events or results to be materially different from those stated or implied in this document. It is not possible to predict or identify all such risks. Many factors could cause actual future events to differ materially from the forward-looking statements in this Current Report on Form 8-K, including but not limited to: our ability to cure any deficiencies in compliance with the Bid Price Requirement or maintain compliance with other Nasdaq Listing Rules; our eligibility for additional compliance periods, if necessary, in which to seek to regain compliance with the Bid Price Requirement; our ability to ultimately obtain relief or extended periods to regain compliance from Nasdaq, if necessary, or to meet applicable Nasdaq requirements for any such relief or extension; and risks related to the substantial costs and diversion of management’s attention and resources due to these matters, and the risk factors that are described under the section titled “Risk Factors” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K, and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). These factors should not be construed as exhaustive and should be read in conjunction with the other cautionary statements that are included in this document and in our SEC filings. We expressly disclaim any obligation to publicly update or review any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise, except as required by applicable law.
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
| BENEFICIENT | ||
| By: | /s/ James G. Silk | |
| Name: | James G. Silk | |
| Title: | Executive Vice President and Chief Legal Officer | |
| Dated: | December 1, 2023 | |