Beneficient 8-K, filed Aug 2, 2023
Beneficient (BENF)
About this 8-K
Beneficient filed this 8-K on August 2, 2023, reporting on events of August 1, 2023.
Items reported
- Item 3.02: Unregistered sale of equity
- Item 3.03: Change to shareholders' rights
- Item 5.03: Charter or bylaw amendment, or fiscal year change
- Item 7.01: Regulation FD disclosure
- Item 9.01: Financial statements and exhibits
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, DC 20549
FORM
CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Date of report (Date of earliest event reported):
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)
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(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.) |
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Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below):
| Written communication pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425) |
| Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12) |
| Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b)) |
| Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c)) |
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
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Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (17 CFR §230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (17 CFR §240.12b-2 of this chapter).
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.
| Item 3.02 | Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities. |
On August 1, 2023, Beneficient, a Nevada corporation (the “Company”), through one of its subsidiaries, closed a liquidity financing transaction with a customer with respect to alternative assets with a net asset value (“NAV”) of approximately $37.6 million as of March 31, 2023 (the “Transaction”). Pursuant to the Transaction, the Company’s customized trust vehicles acquired alternative assets, and in exchange for such alternative assets, the customer received (i) 3,768,995 shares of the Company’s Series B-1 Resettable Convertible Preferred Stock, par value $0.001 per share (the “Series B-1 Preferred Stock”), with such Series B-1 Preferred Stock being convertible into shares of the Company’s Class A Common Stock, par value $0.001 per share (the “Class A Common Stock”), and (ii) 942,249 warrants to purchase, at an exercise price of $11.50 per share, one share of Class A Common Stock and one share of the Company’s Series A Convertible Preferred Stock, par value $0.001 per share (“Series A Preferred Stock” and such warrants, the “Warrants”).
The issuance of the Series B-1 Preferred Stock and the Warrants pursuant to the Transaction were not registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and were issued in reliance upon the exemption provided in Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act and Regulation D promulgated thereunder.
The Series B-1 Preferred Stock is convertible into Class A Common Stock initially at a conversion price of $5.46 per share (the “Conversion Price”). The Conversion Price is subject to reset from time to time and a floor price of $2.73 per share. A maximum of 13,805,842 shares of Class A Common Stock may be issued upon conversion of the Series B-1 Preferred Stock. The information in Item 5.03 concerning the material terms of the Series B-1 Preferred Stock is incorporated by reference herein.
The Warrants are exercisable for an aggregate of 942,249 shares of Class A Common Stock and 942,249 shares of Series A Preferred Stock, and the Series A Preferred Stock is convertible into an aggregate of 235,562 shares of Class A Common Stock.
| Item 3.03 | Material Modifications to Rights of Security Holders. |
The disclosure required by this Item 3.03 is included in Item 5.03 of this Current Report on Form 8-K and is incorporated herein by reference.
| Item 5.03 | Amendments to Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws; Change in Fiscal Year. |
On August 1, 2023, the Company filed a certificate of designation (the “Certificate of Designation”) with the Secretary of State of Nevada, effective as of the time of filing, designating the rights, preferences, privileges and restrictions of the shares of the Series B-1 Preferred Stock. The material terms of the Series B-1 Preferred Stock are described below.
Optional Conversion
Each share of Series B-1 Preferred Stock is convertible at the option of the holder thereof upon two business days’ written notice to the Company into a number of shares of Class A Common Stock that is equal to $10.00 divided by Conversion Price then in effect as of the date of such notice (the “Conversion Rate”). The Conversion Price at issuance was $5.46. The Conversion Price shall be subject to reset on each date (each such date, a “Reset Date”) that is 30, 60, 90, 120 and 180 calendar days following the date of issuance of the Series B-1 Preferred Stock (the “Original Issue Date”). On the relevant Reset Date, if the five day trailing volume weighted average priced of the Class A Common Stock as of the Reset Date (the “Prevailing Market Price”) is less than the initial Conversion Price, the Conversion Price shall be adjusted on such Reset Date (taking into account any adjustments to the Conversion Price which may have occurred prior to the relevant Reset Date) to the Prevailing Market Price, provided that in no event shall the reset Conversion Price be lower than 50% of the initial Conversion Price, subject to customary adjustments for stock dividends, splits or combinations, reorganizations, recapitalizations or similar transactions.
Mandatory Conversion
Each outstanding share of Series B-1 Preferred Stock will automatically convert into a number of shares of Class A Common Stock (the “Mandatory Conversion”) at the Conversion Rate then in effect on the date (the “Mandatory Conversion Date”) that is the earliest to occur of: (a) 210 calendar days after the Original Issue Date, if either the Company has filed all annual reports on Form 10-K and quarterly reports on Form 10-Q that are then required to have been filed by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), or a resale registration statement with respect to the shares of Class A Common Stock underlying the Series B-1 Preferred Stock (the “Resale Registration Statement”) has become effective and is in full force and effect at the time of such Mandatory Conversion, (b) if the conditions of clause (a) are not met on the date that is 210 calendar days following the Original Issue Date, the first date thereafter on which any shares of Series B-1 Preferred Stock may be resold pursuant to Rule 144 under the Securities Act or the Resale Registration Statement has become effective and (c) the one year anniversary of the Original Issue Date. The Series B-1 Preferred Stock shall not convert into Class A Common Stock to the extent such conversion would cause a holder to exceed 9.99% (the “Beneficial Ownership Limitation”) of the number of shares of the Class A Common Stock outstanding immediately after giving effect to the issuance of shares of Class A Common Stock issuable upon conversion of Series B-1 Preferred Stock held by the applicable holder, and to the extent a conversion would cause a holder to exceed the Beneficial Ownership Limitation, the conversion of the portion of such conversion that would exceed the Beneficial Ownership Limitation shall be delayed until the first day the conversion of such portion would not cause the holder to exceed the Beneficial Ownership Limitation. Further, to the extent any such share of Series B-1 Preferred Stock has not otherwise automatically converted into shares of Class A Common Stock, the Conversion Price for such shares shall be subject to additional resets on each date that is 240, 270, 300, 330 and 360 calendar days following the Original Issue Date.
Ranking
Series B-1 Preferred Stock will, with respect to dividend rights and rights upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company, rank: (a) senior to the Company’s Class A Common Stock and Class B Common Stock, par value $0.001 per share; (b) pari passu with the Company’s Series A Preferred Stock; (c) senior, pari passu or junior with respect to any other series of preferred stock, as set forth in the Certificate of Designation with respect to such preferred stock; and (d) junior to all existing and future indebtedness of the Company.
Liquidation Preference
In the event of any liquidation or dissolution of the Company, no distributions of available funds and assets will be made to the holders of capital stock junior to the Series B-1 Preferred Stock until the holders of Series B-1 Preferred Stock receive a per share amount equal to $10.00.
Dividends
Dividends will be paid on the Series B-1 Preferred Stock on an as-converted basis when, as, and if paid on the Class A Common Stock.
Voting Rights
Except as required by law, the holders of Series B-1 Preferred Stock shall not be entitled to vote at any meeting of the stockholders for election of members of the Board of Directors of the Company or for any other purpose or otherwise to participate in any action taken by the Company or the stockholders thereof, or to receive notice of any meeting of stockholders.
The foregoing summary of the Certificate of Designation does not purport to be complete and is subject to, and qualified in its entirety by, such document, which is filed as Exhibit 3.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and is incorporated herein by reference.
| Item 7.01 | Regulation FD Disclosure. |
On August 2, 2023, the Company issued a press release announcing the Transaction. A copy of the press release is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1 and is incorporated herein by reference.
The information in this Item 7.01 (including Exhibit 99.1) is being furnished pursuant to Item 7.01 and shall not be deemed to be “filed” for the purposes of Section 18 of the Exchange Act or otherwise subject to liabilities of that section, nor shall it be deemed incorporated by reference in any filing under the Securities Act except as expressly set forth in such filing.
| Item 9.01 | Exhibits and Financial Statements. |
(d) Exhibits.
| Exhibit No. |
Description of Exhibit | |
| 3.1 | Certificate of Designation of Series B-1 Resettable Convertible Preferred Stock. | |
| 99.1 | Press Release of Beneficient issued August 2, 2023 (furnished pursuant to Item 7.01). | |
| 104 | Cover Page Interactive Data File (formatted as Inline XBRL and contained in Exhibit 101). | |
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: August 2, 2023 | ||
Exhibit 3.1
Filed in the Office of Secretary of State State Of Nevada Business Number E32494422023-9 Filing Number 20233388320 Filed On 8/1/2023 11:37:00 AM Number of Pages 5 BARBARA K. CEGAVSKE Secretary of State 202 North Carson Street Carson City, Nevada 89701-4201 (775) 684-5708 Website: www.nvsos.gov Certificate, Amendment or Withdrawal of Designation NRS 78.1955, 78.1955(6) Certificate of Amendment to Designation – Before Issuance of Class or Series Certificate of Amendment to Designation – After Issuance of Class or Series Certificate of Withdrawal of Certificate of Designation TYPE OR PRINT – USE DARK INK ONLY – DO NOT HIGHLIGHT 1. Entity information: Name of entity: Beneficent Entity or Nevada Business Identification Number (NVID): E32494422023-9 2. Effective date and time: For Certificate of Designation or Amendment to Designation Only (Optional): Date: Time: (must not be later than 90 days after the certificate is filed) 3. Class or series of stock: (Certificate of Designation only) The class or series of stock being designated within this filing: Series B-1 Resettable Convertible Preferred Stock 4. Information for amendment of class or series of stock: The original class or series of stock being amended within this filing: 5. Amendment of class or series of stock: Certificate of Amendment to Designation – Before Issuance of Class or Series As of the date of this certificate no shares of the class or series of stock have been issued. Certificate of Amendment to Designation – After Issuance of Class or Series The amendment has been approved by the vote of stockholders holding shares in the corporation entitling them to exercise a majority of the voting power, or such greater proportion of the voting power as may be required by the articles of incorporation or the certificate of designation. 6. Resolution: Certificate of Designation and Amendment to Designation only) By resolution of the board of directors pursuant to a provision in the articles of incorporation this certificate establishes OR amends the following regarding the voting powers, designations, preferences, limitations, restrictions and relative rights of the following class or series of stock.* BE IT RESOLVED, that pursuant to the authority conferred on the Board of Directors of this Corporation by the Articles of Incorporation, a series of Preferred Stock, $0.001 par value, of the Corporation be and hereby is established and created, and that the designation and number of shares thereof and the voting and other powers, preferences and relative, participating, optional or other rights of the shares of such series and the qualifications, limitations and restrictions as provided in the document attached hereto. 7. Withdrawal: Designation being Withdrawn: Date of Designation: No shares of the class or series of stock being withdrawn are outstanding. The resolution of the board of directors authorizing the withdrawal of the certificate of designation establishing the class or series of stock:* 8. Signature: (Required) X /s/ David Rost Signature of Officer Date: 8/1/23 *Attach additional page(s) if necessary This form must be accompanied by appropriate fees. Page 1 of 1 Revised: 1/1/2019
CERTIFICATE OF DESIGNATION
OF
SERIES B-1 RESETTABLE CONVERTIBLE
PREFERRED STOCK OF
BENEFICIENT
(Pursuant to NRS 78.1955)
Beneficient, a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the State of Nevada (the “Corporation”), does hereby certify that, pursuant to the authority conferred on its board of directors (the “Board of Directors”) by its articles of incorporation (the “Articles of Incorporation”) and in accordance with Section 78.1955 of the Nevada Revised Statutes, the Board of Directors adopted the following resolution establishing a series of 3,768,995 shares of Preferred Stock of the Corporation designated as Series B-1 Resettable Convertible Preferred Stock.
BE IT RESOLVED, that pursuant to the authority conferred on the Board of Directors of this Corporation by the Articles of Incorporation, a series of Preferred Stock, $0.001 par value, of the Corporation be and hereby is established and created, and that the designation and number of shares thereof and the voting and other powers, preferences and relative, participating, optional or other rights of the shares of such series and the qualifications, limitations and restrictions thereof are as follows:
| 1. | Designation and Number. A series of Preferred Stock, designated as Series B-1 Resettable Convertible Preferred Stock (“Series B-1 Preferred Stock”), is hereby established. The number of authorized shares of Series B-1 Preferred Stock shall initially be 3,768,995 shares. |
| 2. | No Sinking Fund. There shall be no sinking fund for the payment of dividends or liquidation preferences on Series B-1 Preferred Stock or the redemption of any shares thereof. |
| 3. | Rank. Series B-1 Preferred Stock will, with respect to dividend rights and rights upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation, rank: (a) senior to the Corporation’s common stock; (b) pari passu with the Company’s Series A Convertible Preferred Stock; (c) senior, pari passu or junior with respect to any other series of preferred stock, as set forth in the Certificate of Designation with respect to such preferred stock; and (d) junior to all existing and future indebtedness of the Corporation. |
| 4. | Liquidation Preference. In the event of any liquidation or dissolution of the Corporation, no distributions of available funds and assets will be made to the holders of capital stock junior to the Series B-1 Preferred Stock until the holders of Series B-1 Preferred Stock receive a per share amount equal to $10.00 (the “Liquidation Preference”). |
| 4.1. | Adjustment. For purposes of this Section 4, in the event that the shares of Series B-1 Preferred Stock have not been converted into shares of the Corporation’s Class A Common Stock, par value $0.001 per share (“Class A Common Stock”), and in the event that the Corporation either: (a) subdivides (by stock split, reclassification or otherwise) the outstanding shares of Series B-1 Preferred Stock into a greater number of shares of Series B-1 Preferred Stock; or (b) combines or consolidates (by reverse stock split) the outstanding shares of Series B-1 Preferred Stock into a smaller number of shares of Series B-1 Preferred Stock, then the Liquidation Preference shall be proportionately decreased or increased, as appropriate, simultaneously with the occurrence of such event. |
| 4.2. | Consolidation or Merger of the Corporation. The consolidation or merger of the Corporation with or into any other corporation, trust or entity or of any other corporation, trust or entity with or into the Corporation, or the sale, lease, exchange offer, tender offer or any other transfer, or conveyance of all or substantially all of the property or business of the Corporation, shall not be deemed to constitute a liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation. |
| 4.3. | No Further Rights. After payment of the full amount of the Liquidation Preference, the holders of Series B-1 Preferred Stock will have no right or claim to any of the remaining assets of the Corporation by virtue of their ownership of Series B-1 Preferred Stock. |
| 5. | No Voting Rights. Except as required by law, the holders of Series B-1 Preferred Stock shall not be entitled to vote at any meeting of the stockholders for election of members of the Board of Directors of the Corporation or for any other purpose or otherwise to participate in any action taken by the Corporation or the stockholders thereof, or to receive notice of any meeting of stockholders. |
| 6. | Dividend Rights. Dividends will be paid on the Series B-1 Preferred Stock on an as-converted basis when, as, and if paid on the Class A Common Stock. |
| 7. | Redemption. The outstanding shares of Series B-1 Preferred Stock shall not be redeemable by the Corporation. |
| 8. | Optional Conversion. Each share of Series B-1 Preferred Stock is convertible, at the option of the holder thereof upon two business days’ written notice to the Corporation, into a number of shares of Class A Common Stock that is equal to the Stated Value divided by the Conversion Price (as defined below) in effect as of the date of such notice (the “Conversion Rate”). The Conversion Price shall be subject to reset on each date (each such date, a “Reset Date”) that is 30, 60, 90, 120 and 180 calendar days following the date of issuance of the Series B-1 Preferred Stock (the “Original Issue Date”). On the relevant Reset Date, if the five day trailing volume weighted average priced of the Class A Common Stock as of the Reset Date (the “Prevailing Market Price”) is less than the initial Conversion Price, the Conversion Price shall be adjusted on such Reset Date (taking into account any adjustments to the Conversion Price which may have occurred prior to the relevant Reset Date) to the Prevailing Market Price, provided that in no event shall the reset Conversion Price be lower than 50% of the initial Conversion Price, subject to customary adjustments for stock dividends, splits or combinations, reorganizations, recapitalizations or similar transactions. |
| 8.1. | As used herein, the term “Stated Value” shall mean $10.00 per share of Series B-1 Preferred Stock. |
| 8.2. | As used herein, the term “Conversion Price” shall initially mean $5.46 per share. |
| 9. | Mandatory Conversion. Each outstanding share of Series B-1 Preferred Stock will automatically convert into a number of shares of Class A Common Stock (the “Mandatory Conversion”) as is determined by the Conversion Rate then in effect on the date (the “Mandatory Conversion Date”) that is the earliest to occur of: (a) 210 calendar days after the Original Issue Date, if either the Corporation has filed all annual reports on Form 10-K and quarterly reports on Form 10-Q that are then required to have been filed by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), or a resale registration statement with respect to the shares of Class A Common Stock underlying the Series B-1 Preferred Stock (the “Resale Registration Statement”) has become effective and is in full force and effect at the time of such Mandatory Conversion, (b) if the conditions of clause (a) are not met on the date that is 210 calendar days following the Original Issue Date, the first date thereafter on which any shares of Series B-1 Preferred Stock may be resold pursuant to Rule 144 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Resale Registration Statement has become effective and (c) the one year anniversary of the Original Issue Date. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Series B-1 Preferred Stock shall not convert into Class A Common Stock to the extent such conversion would cause a holder to exceed the Beneficial Ownership Limitation (as defined below) under Section 10 hereof and to the extent a conversion would cause a holder to exceed the Beneficial Ownership Limitation, the conversion of the portion of such conversion that would exceed the Beneficial Ownership Limitation shall be delayed until the first day the conversion of such portion would not cause the holder to exceed the Beneficial Ownership Limitation. Further, to the extent any such share of Series B-1 Preferred Stock has not otherwise automatically converted into shares of Class A Common Stock pursuant to this Section 9, the Conversion Price for such shares shall be subject to additional resets on the terms described in Section 8 hereof on each date that is 240, 270, 300, 330 and 360 calendar days following the Original Issue Date. |
| 10. | Beneficial Ownership Limitation. The Corporation shall not effect any conversion of the Series B-1 Preferred Stock, including, without limitation, a Mandatory Conversion, and a holder of the Series B-1 Preferred Stock shall not have the right to receive dividends hereunder or convert any portion of the Series B-1 Preferred Stock, to the extent that, after giving effect to such a conversion, such holder would (together with such holder’s affiliates and any persons acting as a group together with such holder or any of such holder’s affiliates (such persons, “Attribution Parties”)) own in excess of the Beneficial Ownership Limitation. For purposes of the foregoing sentence, the number of shares of Class A Common Stock beneficially owned by such holder |
| and its affiliates and Attribution Parties shall include the number of shares of Class A Common Stock received as shares pursuant to a dividend or issuable upon conversion of the Series B-1 Preferred Stock with respect to which such determination is being made, but shall exclude the number of shares of Class A Common Stock which are issuable upon (a) conversion of the remaining, unconverted Series B-1 Preferred Stock beneficially owned by such holder or any of its affiliates or Attribution Parties and (b) exercise or conversion of the unexercised or unconverted portion of any other securities of the Corporation subject to a limitation on conversion or exercise analogous to the limitation contained herein (including, without limitation, the Series B-1 Preferred Stock) beneficially owned by such holder or any of its affiliates or Attribution Parties. Except as set forth in the preceding sentence, for purposes of this Section 10, beneficial ownership shall be calculated in accordance with Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, it being acknowledged by the holder that the Corporation is not representing to the holder that such calculation is in compliance with Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act and the holder is solely responsible for any schedules required to be filed in accordance therewith (other than as it relates to a holder relying on the number of shares issued and outstanding as provided by the Corporation pursuant to this Section 10). In addition, a determination as to any group status as contemplated above shall be determined in accordance with Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder. For purposes of this Section 10, in determining the number of outstanding shares of Class A Common Stock, a holder may rely on the number of outstanding shares of Class A Common Stock as stated in the most recent of the following: (i) the Corporation’s most recent periodic or annual report filed with the SEC, as the case may be, (ii) a more recent public announcement by the Corporation or (iii) a more recent written notice by the Corporation or the Corporation’s transfer agent setting forth the number of shares of Class A Common Stock outstanding. |
| 10.1. | As used herein, the term “Beneficial Ownership Limitation” shall mean 9.99% of the number of shares of the Class A Common Stock outstanding immediately after giving effect to the issuance of shares of Class A Common Stock issuable upon conversion of Series B-1 Preferred Stock held by the applicable holder. A holder, upon at least sixty-one (61) days advance notice to the Corporation, may terminate, waive, increase or decrease the Beneficial Ownership Limitation provisions of this Section 10. |
| 11. | No Fractional Shares. The Corporation shall not issue any fractional shares of Class A Common Stock upon conversion of shares of Series B-1 Preferred Stock. If the conversion would result in the issuance of a fraction of a share of Class A Common Stock, the Corporation shall round such fraction of a share of Class A Common Stock up to the nearest whole share. |
| 12. | Adjustment for Reclassification, Exchange, and Substitution. If at any time or from time to time after the Original Issue Date, the shares of Class A Common Stock issuable upon the conversion of the Series B-1 Preferred Stock shall be changed into the same or a different number of shares of any class or classes of stock, whether by recapitalization, reclassification, reorganization, merger, exchange, consolidation, sale of assets or otherwise (other than by a Class A Common Stock Event (as defined below) or a stock dividend or distribution provided for elsewhere in this Certificate of Designation), then, in any such event, the Series B-1 Preferred Stock shall thereafter convert into the kind and amount of stock and other securities and property receivable upon such recapitalization, reclassification, reorganization, merger, exchange, consolidation, sale of assets or other change by a holder of the number of shares of Class A Common Stock into which such shares of Series B-1 Preferred Stock would have been converted immediately prior to such recapitalization, reclassification, reorganization, merger, exchange, consolidation, sale of assets or other change, all subject to further adjustment as provided herein or with respect to such other securities or property by the terms thereof. |
| 13. | Adjustment Upon Class A Common Stock Event. In the event that a Class A Common Stock Event occurs at any time or from time to time after the Original Issue Date, the conversion ratio in effect immediately prior to such event shall, simultaneously with the occurrence of such Class A Common Stock Event, be proportionately decreased or increased, as appropriate. The conversion ratio shall be readjusted in the same manner upon the happening of each subsequent Class A Common Stock Event. |
| 13.1. | Class A Common Stock Event. As used herein, the term “Class A Common Stock Event” means: (1) the declaration or payment of any dividend or other distribution on the Class A Common Stock, without consideration, payable to one or more stockholders in additional shares of Class A Common Stock or other securities or rights convertible into, or entitling the holder thereof to receive, directly or indirectly, additional shares of Class A Common Stock; (2) a subdivision (by stock split, reclassification or |
| otherwise) of the outstanding shares of Class A Common Stock into a greater number of shares of Class A Common Stock; or (3) a combination or consolidation (by reverse stock split) of the outstanding shares of Class A Common Stock into a smaller number of shares of Class A Common Stock. |
| 14. | Transfer Restrictions. The shares of Series B-1 Preferred Stock may not be sold, assigned or otherwise transferred without the written consent of the Corporation. Any such sale, assignment or transfer shall be void ab initio and of no effect. For avoidance of doubt, this Section 14 shall not apply to shares of Class A Common Stock issued upon conversion of the Series B-1 Preferred Stock. |
| 15. | Notice. Except as may otherwise be provided for herein, all notices referred to herein shall be in writing, and all notices hereunder shall be deemed to have been given upon the earlier of receipt of such notice or four business days after the mailing of such notice, if sent by registered mail, with postage pre-paid, addressed: (a) if to the Corporation, to the attention of its corporate secretary or to an agent of the Corporation designated as permitted by the Corporation’s Articles of Incorporation, as amended; (b) if to any holder of Series B-1 Preferred Stock, to such holder at the address of such holder as listed in the stock record books of the Corporation (which may include the records of the Corporation’s transfer agent); or (c) to such other address as the Corporation or holder, as the case may be, shall have designated by notice similarly given. |
Exhibit 99.1
Beneficient Closes $38 Million Liquidity Transaction with Customer
DALLAS, Aug. 02, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Beneficient (NASDAQ: BENF) (together with its affiliates, “Ben” or the “Company”), a technology-enabled platform providing liquidity and related trust and custody services to holders of alternative assets, today announced that it has consummated the financing of a liquidity transaction for a customer with respect to multi-family real estate alternative assets with a net asset value (“NAV”) of approximately $38 million. Pursuant to the terms, Ben now holds a fiduciary loan with an initial principal balance of approximately $38 million to certain of the trusts of which its affiliate serves as trustee, which acquired alternative assets in exchange for 3,768,995 shares of Beneficient’s Series B-1 Resettable Convertible Preferred Stock at a price of $10.00 of NAV per share (the “Preferred Stock”).
Each share of Preferred Stock is convertible at the election of the holder into shares of Ben’s publicly traded Class A common stock (Nasdaq: BENF) based on an initial conversion price of $5.46 per share (the “Conversion Price”), subject to reset on certain dates based on a 5-day VWAP, adjustment and a floor price that is 50% of the initial Conversion Price.
About Beneficient
Beneficient (Nasdaq: BENF) – Ben, for short – is on a mission to democratize the global alternative asset investment market by providing traditionally underserved investors – mid-to-high net worth individuals and small-to-midsized institutions – with early liquidity exit solutions that could help them unlock the value in their alternative assets. Ben’s AltQuote™ tool provides customers with a range of potential liquidity exit options within minutes, while customers can log on to the AltAccess® portal to digitize their alternative assets in order to explore early exit opportunities, receive proposals for liquidity in a secure online environment, engage custodial services for the digital alternative assets and receive data analytics to better inform investment decision making. Its subsidiary, Beneficient Fiduciary Financial, L.L.C., received its charter under the State of Kansas’ Technology-Enabled Fiduciary Financial Institution (TEFFI) Act and is subject to regulatory oversight by the Office of the State Bank Commissioner.
This press release does not constitute an offer to sell, a solicitation to buy or an offer to purchase or sell any securities, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction. The Preferred Stock have not been registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from registration requirements.
Forward-Looking Statements
This communication includes forward-looking statements as defined under U.S. federal securities laws. Forward-looking statements include all statements that are not historical statements of fact, including related to the issuance of the Preferred Stock and the closing of the transactions described herein, and statements regarding, but not limited to, our expectations, hopes, beliefs, intention, or strategies regarding the future. In addition, any statements that refer to projections, forecasts, or other characterizations of future events or circumstances, including any underlying assumptions, are forward-looking statements. The words “anticipate,” “believe,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “might,” “plan,” “possible,” “potential,” “predict,” “will,” “would,” and similar expressions may identify forward-looking statements, but the absence of these words does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking. Forward-looking statements are predictions, projections and other statements about future events that are based on current expectations and assumptions and, as a result, are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made. Readers are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements, and we assume no obligation and do not intend to update or revise these forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.
Contacts
Investors:
investors@beneficient.com
Media:
Longacre Square Partners
Greg Marose / Dan Zacchei
beneficient@longacresquare.com